Eye movements during list execution reveal no planning in monkeys (Macaca fascicularis).

Abstract

When trained on a serial-order task to respond to 5 simultaneously displayed stimuli, monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) show an elevated latency to respond to the first item (A) or the first 2 items (A and B) followed by short and uniform latencies to respond to the remaining items. This pattern has been interpreted as evidence of planning, with the long initial latency reflecting the animal planning their responses, and the subsequent short and uniform latencies reflecting the execution of the planned responses. An analysis of eye movements, however, revealed no evidence of planning. The elevated latency to item A is likely an artifact of the method of stimulus display.