The detection of visual intensity differences by pigeons

Pigeons were trained in a conditional discrimination procedure to discriminate between visual stimuli that varied in intensity. The magnitude of the intensity difference ranged from 0.80 to 0.05 logarithmic units. Psychometric functions were calculated from the data and the mean difference threshold for the 11 subjects was approximately 0.12 logarithmic units. A signal-detection analysis of the data suggested that stimuli that were below the calculated threshold were detectible to the subjects.     

Infantile handling and sex as determinants of the negative reinforcing effects of gentling

Summary BD IX rats were trained to avoid a black and white compartment which was associated with gentling. The rats were given 12 acquisition sessions in which they were stroked if they remained in the critical compartment at the end of the fifteen 20-sec intervals during the 5-min test period. The results indicated that the negative reinforcing effects of gentling were a function of the early handling history and sex of the rat.This research was aided by Grant APA-247 from the National Research Council of Canada. The author thanks David Wood for his active collaboration in conducting the experiment.     

Misuse,abuse, overuse,and unuse of on-line computer facilities by psychologists

This, then, is a very personal and informal view of some of the peculiar trends of computer application in experimental psychology. If there is any single point on which I would prefer to end, it would be a reiteration of my belief that, on the whole, the positive attributes and contributions to our science of on-line computers have far outweighed some of these nagging aggravations. Regardless of what has been done and in what way it has been done, it is certainly better to have done something than never to have done anything at all. Our science, like a computer program, is also contingent and self-adapting, and most minor strategic errors are quickly corrected. But no one can debug a computer program or a major technological movement without at least having pushed the startbutton.     

BASIC subroutines for on-line experiments using Hewlett-Packard computers

Modifications of the Hewlett-Packard version of the BASIC language to permit its use in data acquisition and control of on-line experiments are described. The resulting software system is an easy-to-use interpretative compiler.     

On the detectability of straight lines in visual noise: An extension of French’s paradigm into the millisecond domain

We report the results of a study that investigated the effects of four experimental parameters on the tachistoscopic detectability of dotted lines in a noisy background consisting of dynamic patterns of identical dots. Characteristics of the lines that were explored included dot spacing, dot numerosity, and line orientation. Dot spacing was shown to be the most powerful parameter in determining the masking effect: the closer the dots, the more easily the line was detected. Increasing the number of the dots was also effective in increasing the detectability of a line, but only up to a limit of five dots. The orientation of the line, on the other hand, did not alter its detectability. Increasing the density of the visual masking noise monotonically reduced the detectability of the line. These studies are an extension of French’s (1953, 1954) work, differing mainly in the fact that the stimulus material was presented tachistoscopically rather than in a mode that allowed prolonged (up to 5 sec) examination of the figures. Thus, they put the results in a domain in which physiological interpretations may be more critically evaluated. A comparison of the results suggests that essentially the same sorts of cognitive mechanisms are operating in the millisecond domain as in the longer exposures. This suggests that simple neurological models utilizing the concept of feature filters or detectors may be being prematurely applied to relatively complex perceptual processes.     

A primate restraint and handling system for auditory research

A set of devices is described that enables daily handling and restraint of large primates. The animals live in cages and wear a special collar that fits into a modified primate restraining chair. A chain and pole arrangement simplifies the daily chairing procedure. A method of head restraint and earphone mounting is also described.     

Tables of event sequences for sequential analyses of data in psychological experiments containing two-class events

Tables of sequences of two-class events are presented for use in programming psychological experiments in which behavior on trial n may be a function of the events of trials n ? 1, n ? 2, and/or n ? 3. Various factors related to schedule generation are discussed, i.e., restrictions on trial-block length which accompany sequential balance, interrelationships of trial blocks in the multiblock experiment, relationships between run length and r-tuple occurrences, and alternation behavior. Following a consideration of various methods of schedule generation for the two-class experiment, it was concluded that no method can result in schedules that possess all properties considered desirable in psychological experiments. However, the present sequences allow for sequential balance and analysis, and thus should prove useful in producing schedules in some contexts that are standard with regard to sequential influences.     

Infantile handling and the extinction of responses acquired under food reward

A comparison was made of the runway behaviour of rats which had been handled from Days 1-21 and their non-handled litter mates. The training began on Day 70 after the animals were habituated to a restricted food schedule for 10 days. The subjects were given six trials each day in the runway and were rewarded with a 0.045 g. Noyes pellet. After 10 days of rewarded training trials, subjects were given 6 extinction trials a day for 10 days. Results showed that handled rats ran faster than non-handled rats during acquisition and during the first 3 days of extinction. The extinction data suggested that the relationship between emotionality and effects of frustrative non-reward should be re-evaluated.