Representation of serial order in monkeys (Cebus apella). 1988

M R D'Amato, and M Colombo
Rutgers State University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903.

Cebus monkeys were trained on a five-item serial learning task, symbolized as ABCDE; the initial stages of training were on the shorter subseries AB, ABC, and ABCD. To assess the monkeys' knowledge of the sequential position of each item, pair-wise tests were given to 2 subjects after acquisition of the ABCD series and to 4 subjects after reaching criterion on the ABCDE series. In both tests, the monkeys performed at high levels on the interior pairs, which were BC for the ABCD series, and BC, BD, and CD for the ABCDE series. These results, as well as the orderly relations observed in the pair-wise tests between first-item response latency and first-item position and between second-item response latency and number of missing items, indicated that the monkeys had developed a well-organized internal representation of the four- and five-item series. Although pigeons are also capable of learning four-item and five-item series, they apparently do not develop a comparable representational structure. The disparity between the monkeys' and pigeons' representational competence for serial order is predictable from the difference in their capacities for associative transitivity.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007858 Learning Relatively permanent change in behavior that is the result of past experience or practice. The concept includes the acquisition of knowledge. Phenomenography
D010364 Pattern Recognition, Visual Mental process to visually perceive a critical number of facts (the pattern), such as characters, shapes, displays, or designs. Recognition, Visual Pattern,Visual Pattern Recognition
D002427 Cebidae A family of New World monkeys in the infraorder PLATYRRHINI, consisting of nine subfamilies: ALOUATTINAE; AOTINAE; Atelinae; Callicebinae; CALLIMICONINAE; CALLITRICHINAE; CEBINAE; Pithecinae; and SAIMIRINAE. They inhabit the forests of South and Central America, comprising the largest family of South American monkeys. Platyrrhina,Platyrrhinas
D002428 Cebus A genus of the family CEBIDAE, subfamily CEBINAE, consisting of gracile or untufted capuchin species. Tufted capuchins belong to genus SAPAJUS. Members include C. capucinus, C. nigrivultatus, and C. albifrons. Cebus inhabits the forests of Central and South Americas. Cebu,Gracile Capuchins,Monkey, Capuchin,Monkey, Ring-Tail,Monkey, Ringtail,Monkey, Ringtailed,Untufted Capuchins,White-Fronted Capuchin,Monkey, Ring-Tailed,Capuchin Monkey,Capuchin Monkeys,Capuchin, Gracile,Capuchin, Untufted,Capuchin, White-Fronted,Gracile Capuchin,Monkey, Ring Tail,Monkey, Ring Tailed,Ring-Tail Monkey,Ring-Tail Monkeys,Ring-Tailed Monkey,Ring-Tailed Monkeys,Ringtail Monkey,Ringtail Monkeys,Ringtailed Monkey,Ringtailed Monkeys,Untufted Capuchin,White Fronted Capuchin,White-Fronted Capuchins
D003216 Conditioning, Operant Learning situations in which the sequence responses of the subject are instrumental in producing reinforcement. When the correct response occurs, which involves the selection from among a repertoire of responses, the subject is immediately reinforced. Instrumental Learning,Learning, Instrumental,Operant Conditioning,Conditionings, Operant,Instrumental Learnings,Learnings, Instrumental,Operant Conditionings
D005260 Female Females
D005556 Form Perception The sensory discrimination of a pattern, shape, or outline. Contour Perception,Contour Perceptions,Form Perceptions,Perception, Contour,Perception, Form,Perceptions, Contour,Perceptions, Form
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001245 Association Learning The principle that items experienced together enter into a connection, so that one tends to reinstate the other. Association Learnings,Learning, Association,Learnings, Association
D012691 Serial Learning Learning to make a series of responses in exact order. Learning, Serial,Learnings, Serial,Serial Learnings

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