White and Brown (2011) trained pigeons in a delayed matching-to-sample procedure where a houselight was presented for the first 3 seconds of the retention interval and then turned off for the remainder of the interval. The results from this test can best be described as:
A) Consistent with "trace" accounts of memory in that performance increased as the retention interval increased
B) Consistent with the "trace" accounts of memory in that performance was slightly improved in short intervals where the houselight was turned off after 3 seconds
C) Consistent with discrimination accounts of memory in that performance improved slightly in conditions where the houselight was turned off after 3 seconds
D) Consistent with discrimination accounts of memory in that performance was highest in conditions where the houselight was presented during the entire retention interval

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of the houselight for the initial part of the retention interval could serve as a discriminative stimulus, aiding the pigeons in distinguishing the current trial phase and potentially facilitating memory performance. This aligns with discrimination accounts of memory, which emphasize the role of cues in memory retrieval.

White and Brown (2011) Trained Pigeons in a Delayed Matching-To-Sample