University of Kentucky
Work Ethic in Pigeons: Do Pigeons Prefer to Peck or Not Peck?
Institution
University of Kentucky
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Thomas Zentall
Abstract
Pigeons given a choice between making 1 peck to receive food and making 20 pecks will choose to make 1 peck. However, 1 peck results in receiving food faster than 20 pecks and receiving food faster is better. But what if time to reinforcement were held constant? Would they prefer to pass that time pecking or would they prefer to wait for reinforcement? In our experiment, when pigeons were presented with vertical lines, they had to peck to receive food (on a fixed interval schedule of reinforcement - the first response after 20 sec was reinforced). When they were presented with horizontal lines, they had to refrain from pecking for 20 sec to obtain reinforcement. To test for their preference, all training trials started with a light on the left or the right. When the light was on the left and they pecked at it, it turned on the vertical lines (that required pecking). When the light was on the right and they pecked at it, it turned on the horizontal lines (that required not pecking). On critical test trials the pigeons had a choice between the left and right lights. If pigeons are ‘lazy,’ they should prefer the light that allows them not to peck. But if they have a ‘work ethic,’ they should prefer the light that requires that they peck. Results indicate that many like humans, pigeons vary in their preference for working or not working.
Work Ethic in Pigeons: Do Pigeons Prefer to Peck or Not Peck?
Pigeons given a choice between making 1 peck to receive food and making 20 pecks will choose to make 1 peck. However, 1 peck results in receiving food faster than 20 pecks and receiving food faster is better. But what if time to reinforcement were held constant? Would they prefer to pass that time pecking or would they prefer to wait for reinforcement? In our experiment, when pigeons were presented with vertical lines, they had to peck to receive food (on a fixed interval schedule of reinforcement - the first response after 20 sec was reinforced). When they were presented with horizontal lines, they had to refrain from pecking for 20 sec to obtain reinforcement. To test for their preference, all training trials started with a light on the left or the right. When the light was on the left and they pecked at it, it turned on the vertical lines (that required pecking). When the light was on the right and they pecked at it, it turned on the horizontal lines (that required not pecking). On critical test trials the pigeons had a choice between the left and right lights. If pigeons are ‘lazy,’ they should prefer the light that allows them not to peck. But if they have a ‘work ethic,’ they should prefer the light that requires that they peck. Results indicate that many like humans, pigeons vary in their preference for working or not working.