1. * Armando Machado University of Minho, Portugal
Temporal learning in animals: Empirical tests of two mathematical models of timing *
Armando Machado University of Minho, Portugal
Université Charles-de-Gaulle, Lille 3

2. The Skinner box The microscope of learning psychologist

3. Two models of timing
Scalar Expectancy Theory (SET)
Learning to Time (LeT)
Critical tests: SET vs LeT
Temporal Bisection
Double Bisection
Successes and Failures: what have we learned?
The role of context
Errorless learning and mediating behavior

4. The pigeon’s sense of time

5. The scalar property

6. Retrospective Timing The Bisection Experiment
Red

7. Retrospective Timing The Bisection Experiment
Green

8. Retrospective Timing The Bisection Experiment
TRAINING
TESTING

10. Scalar Expectancy Theory (SET)

11. SET and temporal bisection

12. SET and temporal bisection

13. SET and temporal bisection
Beta > 1 means a bias for Red;

14. Learning to Time (LeT) Signal Behavioral States X(t,n) Associative
Response Strengths
R(t), G(t)
Signal
Associative
Connections Wn

15. Behavioral States 1 2 Deterministic interpretation Stochastic1 2
Deterministic
interpretation
Stochastic
interpretation

16. Behavioral States 1 2

17. Associative Connections

18. Associative Connections

19. Response Strength

20. Learning to Time (LeT)

21. LeT and temporal bisection

22. For the bisection task, SET and LeT make similar predictions
For the bisection task, SET and LeT make similar predictions. We need a new procedure to contrast the two models The Double Bisection task

23. Double Bisection Experiment 1

24. SET
1 s  Red
4 s  Green
4 s  Blue
16 s  Violet
LeT

25. Predictions A context effect?
1 s  Red
4 s  Green
4 s  Blue
16 s  Violet

26. Data Yes, a context effect!
1 s  Red
4 s  Green
4 s  Blue
16 s  Violet

27. Double Bisection Experiment 2
Group 8
1 s  Red
4 s  Green
4 s  Blue
8 s  Violet
1 s  Red
4 s  Green
4 s  Blue
16 s  Violet
Group 16

28. Double Bisection Experiment 2
Group 8: and 4-8
Group 16: 1-4 and 4-16
SET
LeT

29. SET vs LeT vs Data
Group 8
Group 16

30. LeT: Predictions vs Data

31. Double Bisection Experiment 3
1 s  Red 4 s  Green
4 s  Blue 16 s  Violet
Group “Consistent”
Group “Inconsistent”
1 s  Blue
16 s  Green
1 s  Green
16 s  Blue
How fast will the new discrimination be learned?

32. LeT: Predictions vs data Group “Consistent”
1 s  Red 4 s  Green
4 s  Blue 16 s  Violet
LeT: Predictions vs data Group “Consistent”
1 s  Blue
16 s  Green

33. LeT: Predictions vs data Group “Inconsistent”
1 s  Red 4 s  Green
4 s  Blue 16 s  Violet
LeT: Predictions vs data Group “Inconsistent”
1 s  Green
16 s  Blue

34. Double Bisection Experiment 3
1 s  Red 4 s  Green
4 s  Blue 16 s  Violet
Group “Consistent”
Group “Inconsistent”
1 s  Blue
16 s  Green
1 s  Green
16 s  Blue
1 s  Red s  Green
4 s  Blue 16 s  Violet
Which discrimination(s) will be disrupted?

35. LeT: Predictions vs data Group “Consistent”
1 s  Blue
16 s  Green
LeT: Predictions vs data Group “Consistent”
1 s  Red 4 s  Green
4 s  Blue 16 s  Violet

36. LeT: Predictions vs data Group “Inconsistent”
1 s  Green
16 s  Blue
LeT: Predictions vs data Group “Inconsistent”
1 s  Red 4 s  Green
4 s  Blue 16 s  Violet

37. Conclusions SET and its memories LeT and the role of context
Failure of independence from alternatives
LeT and the role of context
Which key to peck after a signal
Which key not to peck after a signal

38. Current work LeT and the role of context Behavioral patterns
Errorless (temporal) learning?
Behavioral patterns
Structuring and restructuring of patterns during the time signal.
Some videos of mediational(?), collateral(?) behavior.

39. Behavioral patterns P689 P65 P68 1s: approaching keys
4s R-G and 4s B-Y: pecking
16 s: approaching keys, pecking, pausing, pecking
P65
16sf: pecking and wing flapping;
16s: pecking and wing flapping  ERROR;
38: pecking and wing flapping;
P68
34 & 54: wall pecking and head-in-the-feeder

40. Collaborators Paulo Rodrigues Marco Vasconcelos Paulo Pata
Joana Arantes
Antonio Fidalgo
Ana Paula Leite
Paula Magalhães
Richard Keen
Ozlem Cevik
Paulo Guilhardi

42. The full picture
1 s  Red
4 s  Green
4 s  Blue
16 s  Violet