Dissociation of Memory Systems in Pigeons (Columba livia)

Abstract: A version of the serial response time task (SRT) used by Nissen and Bullemer (1989) to demonstrate implicit learning in patients with Korsakoff’s amnesia was used to investigate learning and memory in pigeons. Knowledge of sequential structure is indicated by faster response times to a repeating structured sequence relative to randomly generated sequences, and is contrasted with memory for the specific responses occurring within a sequence. Results indicate that avian memory can be separated into distinct subcomponents, which may mirror the well-known implicit/explicit distinction from human neuropsychology. Introduction: Over the last decade, one of the most intensely studied issues in cognitive psychology has been the notion of multiple memory systems (see Schacter & Tulving, 1994); this is the idea that memory may not be a single, unitary faculty, but rather might be separated into several functionally an