Analogical Reasoning and the Differential Outcome Effect: Transitory Bridging of the Conceptual Gap for Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca Mulatta)

Overview

Journal J Exp Psychol Anim Behav Process

Specialties Psychology
Social Sciences

Date 2011 May 18

PMID 21574737

Citations 8

Authors

Timothy M Flemming

Roger K R Thompson

Michael J Beran

David A Washburn

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Monkeys, unlike chimpanzees and humans, have a marked difficulty acquiring relational matching-to-sample (RMTS) tasks that likely reflect the cognitive foundation upon which analogical reasoning rests. In the present study, rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) completed a categorical (identity and nonidentity) RMTS task with differential reward (pellet ratio) and/or punishment (timeout ratio) outcomes for correct and incorrect choices. Monkeys in either differential reward-only or punishment-only conditions performed at chance levels. However, the RMTS performance of monkeys experiencing both differential reward and punishment conditions was significantly better than chance. Subsequently when all animals experienced nondifferential outcomes tests, their RMTS performance levels were at chance. These results indicate that combining differential reward and punishment contingencies provide an effective, albeit transitory, scaffolding for monkeys to judge analogical relations-between-relations.

Citing Articles

Breaking the perceptual-conceptual barrier: Relational matching and working memory.

Smith J, Jackson B, Church B Mem Cognit. 2019; 47(3):544-560.

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Can old-world and new-world monkeys judge spatial above/below relations to be the same or different? Some of them, but not all of them.

Thompson R, Flemming T, Hagmann C Behav Processes. 2015; 123:74-83.

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Does presentation format influence visual size discrimination in tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.)?.

Truppa V, Carducci P, Trapanese C, Hanus D PLoS One. 2015; 10(4):e0126001.

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Endpoint distinctiveness facilitates analogical mapping in pigeons.

Hagmann C, Cook R Behav Processes. 2014; 112:72-80.

PMID: 25447511 PMC: 4405791. DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.11.007.

Fading perceptual resemblance: a path for rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) to conceptual matching?.

Smith J, Flemming T, Boomer J, Beran M, Church B Cognition. 2013; 129(3):598-614.

PMID: 24076537 PMC: 3809328. DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2013.08.001.

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