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MEASURING FLICKER THRESHOLDS IN THE BUDGERIGAR 1
Author(s) -
Ginsburg Norman,
Nilsson Virginia
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
journal of the experimental analysis of behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.75
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1938-3711
pISSN - 0022-5002
DOI - 10.1901/jeab.1971.15-189
Subject(s) - reinforcement , pecking order , flicker fusion threshold , audiology , flicker , flashing , flash (photography) , psychology , statistics , mathematics , computer science , physics , optics , social psychology , medicine , biology , materials science , computer graphics (images) , metallurgy , evolutionary biology
A method of measuring thresholds in animals is described and illustrated in the case of flicker fusion in the budgerigar. After training with reinforcement for pecking at a high‐frequency light (115 Hz) and nonreinforcement for pecking at a low‐frequency light (20 Hz), subjects were given threshold trials and reinforcement trials mixed randomly in equal number. In threshold trials (no reinforcement), the target began flashing at 115 Hz and decreased in flash rate with each peck until the subject stopped responding. During reinforcement trials, the target continued to flash at 115 Hz, and responses were reinforced on a variable‐ratio schedule. Flicker thresholds obtained from two birds showed a linear relation to the logarithm of intensity in accordance with the Ferry‐Porter law.