Sequential Effects in Simultaneous Discrimination Learning

Abstract

Latency and accuracy effects were studied with pigeons in a simultaneous discrimination-learning procedure which manipulated sequential randomness of stimulus events from trial to trial. Ss were trained to perform 2 color-discrimination problems with equal or unequal frequency of occurrence. It was found that non-random trial sequences had no effect on over-all acquisition as measured by latency and accuracy, but significant effects from remote trials were a function of the randomness of stimulus events. Performance characteristics on remote trials had significant local effects. In random program sequences, the 2 discrimination problems were learned independently of one another.