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The discrimination of structure: III. Representation of spatial relationships.

Haselgrove, Mark; George, David N.; Pearce, John M.

Authors

Mark Haselgrove

John M. Pearce

Abstract

Pigeons received a discrimination in which the spatial relationship between 2 adjacent rectangles filled with different colors signaled the trial outcome. Test trials then involved the same rectangles separated horizontally by a gap. The tests in Experiment 1 disrupted the discrimination more when the rectangles were tall and thin than when they were short and wide. Experiment 2 revealed that the width of the rectangles rather than their height determined the extent to which separating them would disrupt the original discrimination. The results are explained in terms of a template-matching account of pattern recognition with the additional assumption, supported by Experiment 3, that the size of a template can be altered to improve its match with a test pattern.

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date 2005-10
Journal JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY-ANIMAL BEHAVIOR PROCESSES
Print ISSN 0097-7403
Electronic ISSN 0097-7403
Publisher American Psychological Association
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 31
Issue 4
Pages 433-448
Institution Citation Haselgrove, M., George, D. N., & Pearce, J. M. (2005). The discrimination of structure: III. Representation of spatial relationships. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 31(4), 433-448. https://doi.org/10.1037/0097-7403.31.4.433
DOI https://doi.org/10.1037/0097-7403.31.4.433
Keywords Discrimination; Structure; Template; Complex visual-stimuli; Object recognition; Pigeons; Movement patterns; Humans
Publisher URL http://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2F0097-7403.31.4.433

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