* 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

The Skinner box The microscope of learning psychologist

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

The pigeon’s sense of time

The scalar property

Retrospective Timing The Bisection Experiment Red

Retrospective Timing The Bisection Experiment Green

Retrospective Timing The Bisection Experiment TRAINING TESTING

Scalar Expectancy Theory (SET)

SET and temporal bisection

SET and temporal bisection

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

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

Behavioral States 1 2 Deterministic interpretation Stochastic 1 2 Deterministic interpretation Stochastic interpretation

Behavioral States 1 2

Associative Connections

Associative Connections

Response Strength

Learning to Time (LeT)

LeT and temporal bisection

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

Double Bisection Experiment 1

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

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

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

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

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

SET vs LeT vs Data Group 8 Group 16

LeT: Predictions vs Data

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?

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

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

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 4 s  Green 4 s  Blue 16 s  Violet Which discrimination(s) will be disrupted?

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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