Pepperberg Flashcards
Describe 1 result of test on Alex the parrot that used familiar objects
- Alex’s score was 76.6% for all trials
- Alex perfromed worse for familiar than novel objets
Describe 1 conclsuion from this study
- Subject was African grey parrot showed symbolic comprehension/cognitive ability of concepts same/diff
Explain procedure of ‘model/rival’ technique
- human acts as trainer to 2nd human
- present objects + ask q’s abt objects like “whats same” and “whats diff”
- given praise/rewarded for correct answers
- show disapproval of incorrect answers
- 2nd human acts as model for parrot + acts as rival for trainers attention
- parrot is allowed to participate in ANY verbal exchange
Aim
- to investigate if a parrot could understand concept of same/diff
- comphrend symbolic understanding of same diff
3 categories were used in training Alex, 1st was color, 2nd was shape
- What was 3rd
- Matter/‘Mah-Mah
Outline one result abt performance of Alex parrot from ‘probes’ q
- Alex scored higher accuracy/90% overall
- Alex scored lower/89% on 1st trials only
Describe 2 assumptions of learning approach
- SLT helps to explain changes in behavior, a child may match an adult being aggressive + then copy behaviour
- Stimulus reponse can explain behaviour in classical conditong like dog may salivate after bell has been rung
Explain 1 finding of pepperberg that supports assmtpion of learning approach
- alex scored well above chance on 1/3 tests for same/diff w/ familiar objects as he was rewarded (conditioned) during training/testing
- alex learnt concept of same/diff through model-rival technique showing he could imitate + observe
State 1 questions that Alex was asked during training phase of study
- What’ same?
- Whats diff?
Give example of object that would be presented at same time as blue wooden triangle, during a probes trial
- yellow wooden triangle
- blue wooden square
Outline 1 ethical guidline that is impt for pepperberg to consider when deigning this study
- Replacement - research time need to have considered technological alternatives like video footage
- Number - reserach teams need to use min amount of animals necessary to fulfill aim + was only parrot in study
- Deprivation- research team should not withold food/basic needs to test social behaviour
Outline first 3 steps when asked a Q
- Attend to multiple aspects of 2 diff objects
- From vocal question determine whether response based on sameness or difference
- Work out what was SAME or DIFF
Describe what Alex was allowed to do during non sleeping hrs when he was NOT being used in trial
- allowed free access to all parts of lab
- had to be contingent in correct vocalisation e.g wanna go gym
- he was allowed to eat any standard food/drink as much water as he wanted
- he could request fresh fruit/veggies
- he could request toys
Outline why this study supports nurture side
- Alex taught how to use same/diff so learnt
- alex rewarded for his efforts + got better at skill of same/diff showing this was learnt
- learnt skills through operant conditioning/model-rival
- Alex had already learned some vocab in previous study
Describe psych concept being investigated
-SLT = This is when a person/animal observes and imitates a chosen behaviour
- Animal cognition= This is about whether non-humans have the ability to think and reason
- same + diff/symbolic understanding= This is about understanding whether two objects share a feature such as matter or not
- Operant conditions is when you learn by consequences of your behaviour = reward + punishment
- Organism must feel motivated to replicate via vicarious reinforcement (seeing others rewarded for behaviour)
