I.

Principle Generalization and Discrimination Generalization is basically a process of association in which the subject exhibits the same response to similar but not congruent stimuli. Discrimination, on the other hand is when the subject disassociates their usual response to a certain stimulus. It can be said that where generalization ends, discrmination starts. The reduction of the stimulis diamter will serve as the gradient for the experiment. Generalization gradients are elements of the series of stimuli that become more different than the previous element. If the gradient is effective, it gradually weakens the generalization of the subject.

II.

Objectives A. To determine the correlation between the reduction of the stimulis diameter and the weakening of the generalization of pigeons. B. To determine the extent of the pigeons generalization based on the increasingly reduced generalization gradient presented to the pigeon. C. To determine the gradient at which the pigeon discriminates.

III.

Review of Related Literature Experimental studies of Generalization and Discrimination can be found in different literatures, with each of them using different methods and strategies to observe in what way can the subjects learn to generalize and discriminate objects, as well as the variability of the objects that enable them to be generalized and discriminated by the subjects. All of the experiments seek to make the subjects learn the association of similarity that will facilitate stimulus generalization, and the gradual process of being able to discriminate objects that are presented to them. Guttman and Kalish (1956), for example, published a prototypical generalization gradient where pigeons (the subjects) were presented with a key illuminated by monochromatic light of 550 nm (original stimuli) and given food whenever they peck it intermittently. After successive trials, the pigeons were able peck the key in the 550nm light often, as it is learned to elicit a reward. After series of presenting the training stimuli, 11 keys illuminated by monochromatic light whose wavelengths range from 490nm-610nm were presented one at a time in a random order. What they

have observed is that the more a pigeon pecks at a stimulus, the more similar that stimulus is to the rewarded/original/training stimulus. The pigeons were observed to peck often the keys with almost similar wavelength of light, especially 560nm, and peck least keys in 490nm. Another study of different method and measurement but with the same principle is the study of D. Blough (1988) who used an odd item search task. The odd (different) item, which was flashed on a computer monitor with an array of 32 identical items, was the target item since it is different in a way from all other forms in the monitor. Similar with the former study, pigeons were given food on an intermittent schedule for pecking at the target, which was randomly placed from trial to trial. One primary measure that Blough used is the search speed and accuracy of the subject. What he observed is that the search for the odd item is fast and accurate when it is quite different from all the others; search is slow and may be inaccurate if the odd form is similar to the others. The study of Honig, Boneau, Burstein and Pennypacker (1963) gives specific details of their apparatus and procedure in observing generalization and discrimination among pigeons. The subjects were placed inside a dark box where the only illumination is the light of the slide projector presenting sharply defined disc of white light with 1 inch diameter which is also surrounded by black background. The box was also masked with white noise so that extraneous sounds would be eliminated. By this method, extraneous variables such as sound, light, experimenter and the surrounding per se that could affect the subjects response are being avoided making sure that the only stimuli are the objects flashed in the projector. The birds were given 30 sessions lasting 1 minute every day.

IV.

Method A. Subject The operant conditioning theory made B.F. Skinner and his pigeons famous. For some reason/s, pigeons are subjects of experiments usually involving operant conditioning rather than Pavlovian this experiment will be no differeent. Unlike dogs, pigeons do not really have immediately observable reflexive reaction

towards food. While dogs noticeably salivate when excited by food and conditioned stimuli, pigeons do not necessarily exhibit the same behavior as distinct as salivation. Key pecking can be considered either a reflex or an operant depending on the set-up (Dewey, 2007), thus the theory operating in the experiment remains ambiguous to the reasearchers. However, despite the ambivalence and vagueness, the researchers have still decidedly deemed the following set-up and method feasible for the objectives of the experiment. B. Set-up Just like classic Skinnerian experiments, a pigeon will be placed in a box with a slide wherein the image of the stimuli could be placed. A food hopper is placed inside the box wherein the reinforcement (or grain, for this case) could be slid through. The original stimulus/image would be a circle about two inches in diameter (not too big and not too small for the animal) and is in a noticeably different color against the white background. The bird pecking on it would serve as a signal for the reinforcement to be given. The image is flashed until the food is given, before which, of course, pecks the bird. Until then, the image is not removed from the birds vision. C. Method 1. Generalization First, the pigeon must be conditioned or learn to peck on the stimulus to receive its food. The bird is placed in the cage with the above set-up once a day for one week or, at least, until it fully learns how to get its food. 2. Gradient Second, the diameter of the image is gradually reduced half a centimeter per day after the first conditioning. The researchers must observe the gradient until which the pigeon still pecks the image for food (if it does). 3. Discrimination Third, eventually, the researchers would flash a blank slide with no image in it. The researchers must observer whether the animal was able to discriminate by not pecking on the image. No reinforcement will be given to the pigeon at that time of the experiment.

V.

References Blough, D. (n.d.) "The Perception of Similarity". Asian Visual Cognition. Retrieved on December 12 2011 at http://www.pigeon.psy.tufts.edu/avc/dblough/measurement.html Dewey, R. (2007). Operant conditioning. Retrieved from http://www.psywww.com/intropsych/ch05_conditioning/operant_conditioning.ht ml Honig, W.K., Boneau, A., Burtsein, K.R and Pennypacker, H.S.(1963). Positive and negative generalization gradients obtained after equivalent training conditions. Psychology of learning: readings in behavior theory. Shwartz, B. Company

(ed). New York: W.W. Norton & Guttman and Kalish .(1956).