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Sharing and Cooperation in Pigeons
Abstract
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Abstract
The study attempted to demonstrate sharing and cooperation in pigeons. Pairs of pigeons were run in a social chamber. Subjects were separated by a Plexiglas partition. On any given trial one subject responded as the "leader" while the paired bird responded as the "follower". Leader responding consisted of matching to a color sample; follower responding consisted of matching to a social sample provided by the leader responding. Subjects distributed the leader and follower response roles via "take" responses. Availability of food reinforcement for follower responding was manipulated across conditions. Competitive take-responding occurred. However, sharing did not develop before termination of the study.
The procedures developed and analyzed in this study were shown to provide the means necessary for the demonstration of cooperation and sharing. That is, the procedures (a) allow subject distribution of responses and reinforcers, (b) allow deviations from an equitable distribution of responses and reinforcers, but (c) also allow an equitable distribution of responses and reinforcers. The procedures (d) allow distribution methods other than sharing, (e) provide the means to demonstrate social control of the distributive responding, and (1) provide the means to demonstrate control of the distributive responding by the programmed food reinforcement.
