Effect of amygdalectomy on transfer of training in monkeys.

Abstract

Bilateral amygdalectomy of monkeys is shown to interfere with transfer of training in the Kluver stimulus equivalence situation. Further, failure to make "equivalent responses" reflects some process other than that involved in stimulus generalization because differential removals of temporal lobe tissue result in "double dissociation" of the interference with transfer and with stimulus generalization. Amygdalectomy alters primarily transfer of training; inferotemporal cortical resections alter primarily stimulus generalization and discrimination. The nature of this process, basic to transfer of training, remains to be investigated.