DOUBLE- AND SINGLE-ALTERNATION LEARNING BY RHESUS MONKEYS

Trained 5 mature female rhesus monkeys on a 4-response double-alternation task and 5 on a comparable single-alternation task. All the double-alternation Ss reached criterion, though learning was slow, i.e., 380-860 sequences to criterion. 3 of these Ss were able to extend to an 8-response sequence and 2 further extended to a 12-response sequence. Only 1 of the single-alternation Ss reached criterion and this S was able to extend the sequence to 8-, then 12-response sequences. It appeared that Ss, once having performed the double-alternation task, were then able to learn the single-alternation task more readily. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.