Graham Moira, Good Mark A, McGregor Anthony, Pearce John M
School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
J Exp Psychol Anim Behav Process. 2006 Jan;32(1):44-59. doi: 10.1037/0097-7403.32.1.44.
In 3 experiments rats had to find a submerged platform that was located in a corner of a kite-shaped pool. The color of the walls creating this corner provided an additional cue for finding the platform in the shape + color condition but not the shape-only condition. During tests in a pool with walls of a uniform color but no platform, more time was spent in the corner where the platform was originally located after training in the shape + color than in the shape-only condition. The results challenge theories that assume either that learning about the shape of the environment takes place in a dedicated module or that cues compete for the control they acquire over behavior.
