At 9:48 AM -0500 11/17/99, Vincent Prohaska wrote:
>I think the primary learning here is due to classical conditioning. The
>whistle is a cs that signals the presence of food. that is the main
>learning that has ocurred. the birds already "knew" that getting food
>involved flying to the ground. What this procedure taught them was the
>when and where to activate that behavior.
As Jim Dougan said, one could argue either way.
For resolution, we'd need access to the birds' learning history in regard
to foraging. If we could show that they developed particular foraging
strategies as a consequence of consequences (and there is some experimental
literature on the topic), then one might make a case for operant
conditioning.
Lacking that, it's likely that we have a case of a fixed action pattern
(FAP) which is functionally equivalent to a reflex but more complex, coming
under antecedent control in a manner similar to classical (respondent)
conditioning.
Of course, a FAP can easily become an operant if the appropriate
contingencies (differential consequences) exist.
I'd say that it's a good opportunity to discuss the _interactions_ between
learned and species-specific behaviors.
* PAUL K. BRANDON [EMAIL PROTECTED] *
* Psychology Dept Minnesota State University, Mankato *
* 23 Armstrong Hall, Mankato, MN 56001 ph 507-389-6217 *
* http://www.mankato.msus.edu/dept/psych/welcome.html *
