Role of Object-Contact Cues in Learning-Set Formation in Squirrel Monkeys

Abstract

The importance of object touching in LS formation was investigated with 4 young squirrel monkeys serving as [image]s. One type of problem presentation afforded differential contact cues as the animals actually touched the objects which constituted the problems. The other type of problem minimized varied contact cues as the animals touched a Plexiglas shield placed in front of the objects. No difference in learning rates of the two types of problems was detected. Learning sets were observed to develop over the course of the 30 problems presented. It was concluded that cues specific to actual manual contact with objects in learning-set experiments contribute little to learning the discriminations.