Spetch Marcia L, Rust Tiana B, Kamil Alan C, Jones Juli E
Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
J Comp Psychol. 2003 Jun;117(2):123-32. doi: 10.1037/0735-7036.117.2.123.
Pigeons (Columba livia) searched for a goal location defined by a constant relative spatial relationship to 2 landmark. For one group, landmark-to-goal bearings remained constant while distance varied. For another group landmark-to-goal distances remained constant while direction varied. Birds were trained with 4 interlandmark distances and then tested with 5 novel interlandmark distances. Overall error magnitude was similar across groups and was large than previously reported for Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana). During training, error magnitude increased with interlandmark distance for constant-bearing but not constant-distance birds. Both groups searched less accurately along the parallel to landmarks than along the perpendicular axis. Error magnitude increased with novel extrapolated interlandmark distances but not with novel interpolated distances. Results suggest modest geometric rule learning by pigeons.
鸽子（家鸽）寻找由与两个地标之间恒定的相对空间关系所定义的目标位置。对于一组鸽子，地标到目标的方位保持恒定，而距离变化。对于另一组鸽子，地标到目标的距离保持恒定，而方向变化。鸟类先接受了4种地标间距离的训练，然后用5种新的地标间距离进行测试。各实验组的总体误差幅度相似，且比之前报道的克拉克胡桃雀（北美星鸦）的误差幅度大。在训练过程中，对于方位恒定但距离不恒定的鸽子，误差幅度随着地标间距离的增加而增大。两组鸽子沿着与地标平行的方向搜索的准确性都低于沿着垂直轴的方向。误差幅度随着新的外推地标间距离的增加而增大，但不随新的内插距离而增大。结果表明鸽子有适度的几何规则学习能力。
