Abstract
Pigeons were exposed to fixed-time schedules of food delivery. The “ superstitious” behaviors observed were stable within subjects but differed markedly across subjects. These results are consistent with Skinner’s (1948) study but not with the data reported by Staddon and Simmelhag (1971) or Timberlake and Lucas (1985). However, our study was not an adequate test of Skinner’s hypothesis concerning the development of the various behaviors observed. Tests of his view are proposed.
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This paper is based in part on an undergraduate honors thesis submitted by Teresa C. Justice to the Lynchburg College Psychology Department in 1988. The authors would like to thank Susan E. Conner for matching the summaries of the two observers. We would also like to thank her and Stephen D. Southall for commenting on an earlier draft.
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Justice, T.C., Looney, T.A. Another look at “superstitions” in pigeons. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 28, 64–66 (1990). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337650
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337650