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Visual target control of schedule‐induced aggression in white king pigeons (columba livia)
Author(s) -
Cohen Perrin S.,
Yoburn Byron C.,
Pennington Rohe V.,
Ball Richard
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
aggressive behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.223
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1098-2337
pISSN - 0096-140X
DOI - 10.1002/1098-2337(1979)5:3<291::aid-ab2480050306>3.0.co;2-c
Subject(s) - aggression , head (geology) , schedule , communication , psychology , audiology , biology , computer science , developmental psychology , medicine , operating system , paleontology
Visual target control of schedule‐induced attack was studied in domesticated pigeons by exposing them to successive and simultaneous target preference procedures involving a fixed‐time food schedule and projected target images. Pigeons preferred attacking an image of a conspecific head over a headless bird regardless of the height of the latter. Images of an intact bird and of a head alone were equally effective in controlling attack and more effective than the headless bird. Neither the eye nor four. other head‐related features exclusively controlled attack. The combined results suggest that the head of an intact conspecific target selectively controls schedule‐induced attack and that the effectiveness of the head in directing attack is inversely related to its physical integrity as a unit without regard to specific features. These results are consistent with reports that the head and head‐related features of an intruder control reproductive aggression in birds.