Development of a Multistimulus, Portable, and Programmable Conditioning Panel and Studies on Comparative Cognition

我们为鸽子开发了一种新型的MPP（多刺激、便携和可编程）调节面板。使用条件反射面板进行的研究证明了面板在比较认知领域的行为研究中的有效性。开发一种新的MPP面板：MPP面板可以连接到受试者的家庭笼子，并提供一个更类似于自由放养的鸽子通常在觅食期间学习的实验室环境。新的面板旨在实现高度可靠的食物分配器功能，并增加可用的刺激和歧视程序的范围。视觉刺激呈现在水平对齐的响应键下方，水平平台下方贴着一个微型LC监视器。两种不同类型的平台，一种有一个钥匙，另一种有两个并排的钥匙，是可更换的。实验证明，该装置是传统调节室的有效替代品。2 .基于新MPP面板的研究：对鸽子分类行为的研究发现，以人脸变形图像作为刺激，类别的集中倾向和功能等价类的形成存在原型效应。“传递推理”和数学学习模型的行为学研究：数学学习模型的应用表明，动物的“传递推理”行为可以用简单的学习机制来解释，而不是用更高的认知过程来解释。

We developed a new model of the MPP (Multistimulus, Portable, and Programmable) conditioning panel for pigeons. Researches conducted by using the conditioning panel demonstrated the efficacy of the panel for behavioral studies in the field of comparative cognition.1. Depelopment of a new MPP panel : The MPP panel can be attached to the subjects' home cages and allows a laboratory environment more similar to that in which free-ranging pigeons may normally learn during foraging. The new panel is designed to attain highly reliable food-dispenser function and to increase the range of available stimuli and discrimination procedures. Visual stimuli are presented beneath the horizontally aligned response keys with a miniature LC monitor affixed under the horizontal platform. Two different types of platforms, one with a single key and the other with two side-by-side keys, are replaceable. It was demonstrated that the apparatus is an efficient alternative to a conventional conditioning chamber2. Studies by using the new MPP panel : Behavioral studies on categorization by pigeons revealed a prototype effect as the central tendency of categories and the formation of functionally equivalence classes, using morphed images of human faces as stimuli.3. Behavioral studies on the "transitive inference" and the mathematical learning-models : Application of the mathematical learning-models revealed that the animal behavior referred to as "transitive inference" can be well explained by a simple learning mechanism rather than higher cognitive processes.