Lecture 11 - Reasoning

Question 1

Outline reasoning by analogy

Answer 1

Relationship between 2 objects can imply same relationship between other objects

Question 2

Define Gillan, Premack and Woodruff 1981 study

Answer 2

Chin Sarah. Analogically reasoning task.
Tokes. Some match colour others on size
Sarah find token for pattern and complete it

Question 3

Define Gillan, Premack and Woodruff 1981 study RESULTS

Answer 3

Forced choice: 45/60 trials
Same/Different: 26/36 trials
Reason analogy.
Different human amplify which requires memory

Question 4

Outline counter argument to not reflecting memory

Answer 4

Alternative to test LTM
Household objects
15/18 correct

Question 5

Outline Smirnova, Zorina, Onozova and Wasserman 2015 study

Answer 5

Crows shown 3 cards
Middle card sample card and either side had test cards on cups
Crow had choose test card based on relationship/identity with sample card
Shape, colour, size matching stimuli
Trials 1-3 5-7 identify matching
4 and 8 relationships

Question 6

Outline Smirnova, Zorina, Onozova and Wasserman 2015 study RESULTS

Answer 6

78% correct relational matching

73% identity matching

Question 7

Outline Obozova, Smirnova, Zorina and Wasserman 2015 study

Answer 7

Amazon Pareot 
Card matching 
Relational matching 80% 
Identity matching 75% 
Success due animals extensive previous training on variety tasks

Question 8

Outline Transitive Inference

Answer 8

Reasoning only seen humans 7+ years in concrete operational stage - Piaget

Question 9

Compare developmental psychology and animal psychology

Answer 9

Focus methodological 
Developmental - investigating children 
Young children may not be able tell you what they are thinking 
Similar in animal studies, cannot ask 
Both rely on non-verbal tasks

Question 10

Outline the Wisconsin General Test Apparatus

Answer 10

Table for animal 
Tray to put stimuli on 
Researcher behind wall with one way mirror 
Animal cannot see researcher 
But researcher can see animal

Question 11

Outline McGonigle and Chalmers 1977 Squirrel Monkeys experiment using Wisconsin General Test Apparatus

Answer 11

Presented pairs of coloured stimulus
One has peanut hidden under, other doesn’t
Lots trials A and B, then move on to pairing B and C
End monkey present any pairing at random pick correctly

Question 12

Outline McGonigle and Chalmers 1977 Squirrel Monkeys experiment using Wisconsin General Test Apparatus TEST STAGE

Answer 12

Given test pairing B and D never seen before
Rewarded and non-rewarded equal amounts
Pick B as A has always been rewarded = higher transfer
Whereas E has low value never been rewarded

Question 13

Outline the Value Transfer Explanation of McGonigle and Chalmers 1977

Answer 13

Indirect acquisition of associative strengths

Reinforcement history matters

Question 14

Outline GENERALISATION of the Value Transfer Explanation of McGonigle and Chalmers 1977

Answer 14

Pigeons - Von Fersen et al 1991

Rats - Davis 1992

Not unique to humans

Question 15

Outline Zentall and Sherborne 1994 study

Answer 15

Presented trials A 100% reinforced
Stimulus B never reinforced
Presented stimulus C reinforced 50% time and stimulus D is never reinforced

Question 16

Outline RESULTS Zentall and Sherborne 1994 study

Answer 16

A = high value —> some transfer B

C = middle value —> some transfer to D

Question 17

Outline Social Ranking by Paz-y-Mink et al 2004

Answer 17

Social relationships in animals and dominant ranking
Pinyon Jays
1st stage established social ranking know which birds more dominant
2 groups and knew ranking
Contestant over peanuts

Question 18

Outline Experimental and Control conditions of Social Ranking by Paz-y-Mink et al 2004

Answer 18

Experimental group: observer bird watching contest and observes member own group losing

Control group: observes member other group losing

Question 19

Outline Social Ranking by Paz-y-Mink et al 2004 RESULTS

Answer 19

Experimental group more submissive
Observe test bird winning against member their group who is more dominant
Believe no chance winning so act submissive
Control group - do not see anyone and cannot make this reference

Question 20

Outline Causal reasoning in rats - Blaisdell, Sawa, Lessing and Waksman 2006

Answer 20

Animals some awareness consequences - instrumental conditioning
But do they actually understand they caused a consequence?

Question 21

Outline Causal reasoning in rats - Blaisdell, Sawa, Lessing and Waksman 2006 stage 1

Answer 21

Rats see light and consequence of light coming on they get food or hear tone/music.

Light can cause 2 different things

Question 22

Outline Causal reasoning in rats - Blaisdell, Sawa, Lessing and Waksman 2006 stage 2

Answer 22

Some rats able press lever consequence they hear the tone

Other rats just observes tone being played

Question 23

Outline Causal reasoning in rats - Blaisdell, Sawa, Lessing and Waksman 2006 RESULTS

Answer 23

Observer rats expect food as think tone is on so light must have happened and light causes food l. Look for food.

Experimental lever rats not expect food as pressed lever as know they caused tone. Do not investigate food. Fewer nose presses into food boxes. Causal reasoning

Question 24

Outline alternative explanations for causal reasoning in rats by Dwyer, Starns and Honey 2009

Answer 24

Replicates using within-subjects. Response competition: lever press vs nose poke. When pressure lever can’t also poke nose into food box

Question 25

Outline alternative explanations for causal reasoning in rats by Burgess, Dwyer and Honey 2012

Answer 25

Influence of alternative causes

No support for idea that rats create causal models

Question 26

Outline impact of Language on causal reasoning

Answer 26

Language required for reasoning tasks

Language impairment are impaired on reasoning tasks