Use of Samples Differing Markedly in Salience May Encourage Use of a Single-Code/Default Strategy
in Matching-To-Sample in Pigeons
Douglas S. Grant
To test the hypothesis that pigeons will only code the more salient sample when samples differ markedly in salience, pigeons were trained with samples consisting of a 2-s presentation of food (highly salient sample) and an 8-s presentation of keylight (less salient sample). During retention testing, pigeons tended to respond at longer delays as if an 8-s keylight sample had been presented. This finding is consistent with use of a single-code/default strategy in which only the 2-s food sample was coded and the comparison associated with an 8-s keylight sample was selected by default in the absence of memory for the salient 2-s food sample. Hence, a marked difference in sample salience appears to encourage use of a single-code/default strategy.