Transfer relations in discrimination learning by cats.

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Abstract
"Five experimentally naive kittens learned 30 discrimination problems and 6 problems within each of five categories of transfer problems. With respect to original training [see 32: 5112] (A + B -), the transfer tasks were defined as follows: old - (B - C +), old + (A + C -), + to - (C + A -), - to + (B + C -), and reversal (B + A -). The following results were obtained: 1. Significant positive transfer effects were observed on the old - problems. 2. Significant negative transfer effects were obtained on the - to + and reversal problems. 3. No significant transfer occurred on the old + or + to - problems. Comparison with the most comparable experiment performed with monkey Ss indicated that the greatest disparity between cats' and monkeys' performance lies in the great difficulty cats encounter in overcoming negative transfer effects. This finding supports the suggestion by Harlow and Hicks that species differ most importantly in their ability to inhibit erroneous responses." From Psyc Abstracts 36:02:2EJ36W. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

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