Avoidance and Escape Conditioning in Lizards

Abstract

Evidence of the ability to learn has been established for species very low on the phylogenetic scale, whereas some higher species have not been shown to have this ability. Lizards are a prime example of this omission. The present study was undertaken to assess two types of learning capability in the lizard, as well as to determine possible methodological problems. For 6 members of the species Anolis Carolinensis results indicate capacity for acquiring a fairly complex escape response but none for utilizing a discriminative stimulus in order to avoid a noxious event.