A test of transitive inferences in free-flying honeybees: Unsuccessful performance due to memory constraints. Benard, J. & Giurfa, M. Learn Mem, 11(3):328-36, 2004.
doi  abstract   bibtex   
We asked whether honeybees, Apis mellifera, could solve a transitive inference problem. Individual free-flying bees were conditioned with four overlapping premise pairs of five visual patterns in a multiple discrimination task (A+ vs. B-, B+ vs. C-, C+ vs. D-, D+ vs. E-, where + and - indicate sucrose reward or absence of it, respectively). They were then tested with the nonadjacent pairs A vs. E and B vs. D. Preference of B to D is consistent with the use of the implicit hierarchy A > B > C > D > E. Equal choice of B and D supports choice based on the associative strength of the stimuli. The bees' choice was determined by their memory constraints: experience with the last premise pair (D+ vs. E-) predominated. In the tests, bees preferred A to E and chose equally B and D. An analysis of the performance in terms of a reward/penalty ratio showed that B had a higher associative strength than D. Thus, bees do not establish transitive inferences but, rather, guide their choices by the joint action of a recency effect and the associative strength of the stimuli. The former supports choice of D, whereas the latter supports choice of B, thus determining equal choice of B and D in the tests.
@Article{Benard2004,
  author   = {Julie Benard and Martin Giurfa},
  journal  = {Learn Mem},
  title    = {A test of transitive inferences in free-flying honeybees: {U}nsuccessful performance due to memory constraints.},
  year     = {2004},
  number   = {3},
  pages    = {328-36},
  volume   = {11},
  abstract = {We asked whether honeybees, Apis mellifera, could solve a transitive
	inference problem. Individual free-flying bees were conditioned with
	four overlapping premise pairs of five visual patterns in a multiple
	discrimination task (A+ vs. B-, B+ vs. C-, C+ vs. D-, D+ vs. E-,
	where + and - indicate sucrose reward or absence of it, respectively).
	They were then tested with the nonadjacent pairs A vs. E and B vs.
	D. Preference of B to D is consistent with the use of the implicit
	hierarchy A > B > C > D > E. Equal choice of B and D supports choice
	based on the associative strength of the stimuli. The bees' choice
	was determined by their memory constraints: experience with the last
	premise pair (D+ vs. E-) predominated. In the tests, bees preferred
	A to E and chose equally B and D. An analysis of the performance
	in terms of a reward/penalty ratio showed that B had a higher associative
	strength than D. Thus, bees do not establish transitive inferences
	but, rather, guide their choices by the joint action of a recency
	effect and the associative strength of the stimuli. The former supports
	choice of D, whereas the latter supports choice of B, thus determining
	equal choice of B and D in the tests.},
  doi      = {10.1101/lm.72204},
  keywords = {Analysis of Variance, Animal, Animal Feed, Animals, Associ, Bees, Behavior, Chi-Square Distribution, Choice Behavior, Classical, Cognition, Comparative Study, Conditioning, Discrimination Learning, Enzyme Inhibitors, Female, Flight, Flowers, Generalization, Generalization (Psychology), Homing Behavior, Hydroxyurea, Laterality, Maze Learning, Memory, Mushroom Bodies, Non-U.S. Gov't, Odor, Odors, Olfactory Bulb, Pattern Recognition, Percep, Photic Sti, Problem Solving, Reaction Time, Receptors, Research Support, Smell, Spatial Behavior, Stimulus, Time Factors, Vision, Visual, Visual Perception, ant, ation Learning, mulation, tual Masking, 15169863},
}

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