Pigeons and People Article Analysis

Summary 

The article addresses simulations of complex human behaviors present in pigeons such as symbolic communication, insight, self-awareness and the spontaneous use of memoranda (Epstein, 1981). Robert Epstein, Skinner, and Robert Lanza set out to identify whether symbolic communication present in chimpanzees could also be identified in pigeons. Two pigeons, identified as Jack and Jill, were placed in control compartments in which they were expected to interact without direct contact by pecking at either yellow, red and green lights on Jack’s panel and a black on white keyboard on Jill’s panel (Epstein, 1981). Researchers found out that Jill was able to peck on letters corresponding to the color that Jack had pecked on. Results were correct on 90% of the trials. All exchanges were initiated by Jack and Jill and not by external aspects such as the controllers. The birds would check the hidden color and peck it, walk to the other side and peck the corresponding letter showing they were using the symbol keys similar to how humans use memoranda (Epstein, 1981).

Analysis 

Concept formation in pigeons can be used to analyze the increasing prevalence of memoranda in the chamber. For humans, behavior is rule based in that they are involved in numerous instances of concept formation and abstract reasoning that allows man to answer questions easily about things that they have no direct experience over. Herrnstein tried to investigate the same concept in pigeons using photographs. The experiment begun with training pigeons to peck at a translucent plate. The next session involved displaying images from a protectors containing 80 or 81 different photographs and natural settings. They were able to make different inferences on those images with humans and those without humans. Pictures with people presented the opportunity for food hence the pigeons would peck on such. Birds discriminated images of trees and other abstract objects and improved extensively on their ability to identify humans from photographs. Based on this test one can infer that pigeons can develop spontaneous use of memoranda by remembering what humans represent to them.

In their context, pigeons have unmatched intelligence and rich history in relation to humans. Humans can domesticate them just as cats and dogs. They have been used in a wide range of experiments, and their mastery of instructions is fascinating. Notably, humans have even domesticated them and used them in historical superpowers from the ancient Egypt. During the 776 B.C. Olympics, a pigeon was used to deliver the results and equally, it was used to break the news of Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo. History indicates that, pigeons played a significant role during the world wars, such as in saving in the lives of soldiers. From a scientific perspective, Darwin relied on the pigeon backs to support the evolution theory. Although rational thinking is manifested partially in animals, the same cannot be said of the pigeon, whose behavior depicts ‘humanness’ (Epstein, 1981). Activities reserved for humans such as racing, are evident among birds, and exclusively on pigeons. Pigeon racing is common in England, and the winning bird, just as humans, is heavily awarded. Evidently, the cognitive ability displayed by the pigeons as seen through the triangle experiment indicates they are capable of doing things just as humans. For pigeons to participate in the race, they are trained just as a team of professional players.

Pigeons have a long history with psychology. Skinner used pigeons to verify his theory of operant conditioning by attempting to prove that pigeons could detect desired objects when rewarded with food. The aspect of vision in psychology is considered complex in a way that humans do not actually know how other humans see. The structure and physiology of vision in birds can only be described through the stimulus they experience based on their perception of color, shape, and movement. Based on the information in the article, it is evident that jack and Jill’s vision of color directed their symbolic communication (Epstein, 1981). Stimulus control in behavioral sciences correlates with findings in the article that pigeons are capable of using a response chain to deliver symbolic communication. In that sense, they can communicate symbolically just as humans, which sets them apart from the rest of the birds.

Studies on the MULT VI 60-s EXT 60-s have shown that pigeons associate food with red light. It is considered that the light as a stimulus is a conditioned reinforcement. Change in color to green was often associated with lack of food. However, the pigeon would peck at the green in extreme extinction or hunger conditions. Pigeons have also yielded exceptional results from identity matching-to-sample training. They are presented with three keys in the first step; one contains one triangle and the two blank circles. In the second stage, they are provided with a square, triangle, and a blank circle. Pigeons developed a generalized identity and were able to pick the triangles during the second step. Results indicate that pigeons demonstrate the concept of sameness and memoranda. They can remember aspects of a color that draws the desired response. As seen in the article (Epstein, 1981), Jill associated color and letters through insight and memoranda.

Reference

Epstein, R. (1981). On Pigeons and People: A Preliminary Look at the Columbian Simulation Project. The Behavior Analyst , 43-55. Retrieved April 20, 2020 from, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2741987/