Abstract
Effects of age, rearing condition, and heat reinforcement on a visual discrimination problem were studied in 2 experiments with young chicks. In Experiment 1, 90 Vantress chicks of 3 ages (17-, 47-, and 67-hr.), one-half reared in isolation and the rest in groups of 15, were tested for 20 trials in a 10°C. room with 15 sec. exposure to heat as reinforcement. Ss made significantly more correct choices (red circle SD) as training progressed (p <.001), and Ss reared in isolation made more correct choices than Ss reared communally (p <.001). Age was not significant across all 20 trials, but was significant on the initial block of 5 trials with the 1-day Ss making more correct choices than the older Ss. In Experiment 2, the effects of stimulus exposure (SE) and stimulus-heat (SH) pairing on discrimination performance were compared in 60 dark reared Vantress chicks of 2 ages (14- and 34-hr.). The SH group made more correct choices than the SE group (p <.001), and 14-hr. Ss made more correct choices than 34-hr. Ss (p. <.005). The implications of heat as a reinforcer for the young chick are discussed.
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