Matching is acquired faster than mismatching by pigeons when salient stimuli are presented manually

Abstract

Same/different learning by pigeons has been studied using several different procedures. One of these procedures is matching-to-sample or mismatching-from-sample in which responses to a sample stimulus result in the presentation of two comparison stimuli, one of which matches the sample, the other of which does not. In the matching task, choice of the matching stimulus is reinforced. In the mismatching task, choice of the stimulus that does not match the sample is reinforced. Most research that has compared acquisition of the two tasks has not reported a difference between them. Research with transfer of training, in which either the matching stimulus or the mismatching stimulus is replaced with a new stimulus, suggests that the matching stimulus is selected in the matching task, but the matching stimulus is rejected in the mismatching task. In the present experiment, pigeons were trained on either matching or mismatching with salient stimuli presented manually and the reinforcer was presented under a colored slide that covered it. In Phase 1 with a noncorrection procedure and a reinforcer for pecking the sample, pigeons did not acquire either task, however, in Phase 2 they learned both tasks readily without reinforcement for pecking the sample and with a correction procedure. Furthermore, the pigeons learned matching significantly faster than mismatching, suggesting that sameness may be a more natural stimulus relation than mismatching.