ABSTRACT
Bottle-nosed dolphins demonstrated the ability to distinguish the top position of the objects in the process of learning. They always chose the top object from the three identical things under conditions of permanent location changing of this stimulus triplet on one of the sides of the water enclosure. Specialization of the reflex was tested under conditions of the stimulus triplet administration at the background of different situational changes in surroundings, including the changes in location of external reference points. The animals retained the adequate reaction also after a sudden substitution of the initial stimulus objects for others which were considerably different from the initial stimuli in the shape, material, size etc. When the natural stimuli (three fishes) were presented of the number of the stimuli was substituted from 2 for 5, nevertheless, the dolphins chose the top stimulus. The findings testify to the capability of dolphins for generalization by the relative sign "top position".
Subject(s)
Dolphins/physiology , Generalization, Psychological/physiology , Space Perception/physiology , Animals , Conditioning, Classical/physiology , Male , Physical Stimulation/methods , Reinforcement, PsychologyABSTRACT
Using a new modification of a previously proposed method in the bottle-nosed dolphin, a conditioned reflex was developed and consolidated to a relative spatial sign, namely the choice always of the left out of two identical objects under conditions of constant change of the position of this pair of stimuli against the background of one of the sides of the pen. The specialization was checked by means of the presentation of the pair of stimuli through various changes of the surrounding setting, including the discordance of external landmarks, as well as by the means of the presentation of the stimuli. Then the objects were replaced by others (12 pairs of stimuli) sharply differing from the initial stimuli in form, size, material, etc. The maintenance of appropriate choice, including with change in the medium of presentation of the stimuli) attested to the capacity of the dolphins to abstract and generalize on the basis of a relative sign, i.e., of abstraction and generalization in the "to the left-to the right in general" choice of two objects.
Subject(s)
Dolphins/physiology , Generalization, Stimulus , Animals , Conditioning, Classical , Female , Form PerceptionABSTRACT
In bottle-nosed dolphins by a new modification of previously suggested method, a conditioned reflex was elaborated and consolidated to a relative spatial sign--choice of always left object from two similar ones in conditions of a permanent change of place of this pair of stimuli against the background of one of the sides of an open-air cage. Specialization of the reflex was checked by presentation of a pair of stimuli under different changes of surroundings, including discordance of external orientors and also the way of stimuli presentation. Then the initial objects were substituted by others (12 pairs of stimuli) sharply differing from the initial ones by the form, size, material etc. Retention of adequate choice also at the change of the medium of stimuli presentation, testified to the ability of dolphins of abstraction and generalization by relative sign, i.e. at the choice from two objects of the type "to the right--to the left in general".
