[Delayed reaction and delayed alternation in the cat: common factors and differences].

Cats learned a delayed reaction (DR) sooner than a delayed alternation (DA) in spite of the maximal drawing together of the testing parameters. Short-term memory was suggested to be involved in DR performance whereas DA was based on elaboration of a program of stereotype alternation. DA learning was more effective in an animal receiving additional information on the absence of food in the given food-well after a correct reaction. This fact indicated the use by the animal of the short-term memory about the absence of food in the visited food-well in DA test. The effect was not observed at the final stage of DA learning the alternation program having been assimilated. This accounts for strongly expressed deficiency of DA learning abilities in "prefrontal" cats.