I am delighted that we are starting out the New Year with a conversation with Dr Joe Layng.  Dr Layng is a behavior analyst who has over 40 years' experience in the experimental and applied analysis of behavior, with a particular focus on the design of teaching/learning environments. 

In Part 1 of our conversation Joe starts out by defining what contingency adduction is.  He uses several studies that were done with pigeons to help us understand this concept, beginning with a study using the mirror test to show that it’s not just humans who are self-aware.  Pigeons are, as well.  

In another study adduction was used to demonstrate tool use in pigeons. These experiments show that it is not a genetically based cognitive ability that determines whether or not an individual can solve a particular puzzle, but the component skills that are in repertoire.  This is true for pigeons, people and horses.

In this episode we are going to be talking primarily about pigeons. So if you are wanting to hear how to teach your horse to pick up his feet for cleaning, this particular episode won’t satisfy that need.  But if you want to be a better teacher for your horse, then this episode is very relevant.

Joe is taking us to a whole new level of appreciation of what animals are capable of.  As you listen to this episode, if you’re wondering how all these experiments with pigeons relate to horses, that’s one of the big ones. 

Articles cited in this episode:

THE SPONTANEOUS USE OF A TOOL BY A PIGEON 
ROBERT EPSTEIN and SAMUEL D. MEDALIE   
Behavior Analysis Letters, 3 (1983) 241-247

Contingency Adduction of "Symbolic Aggression" by Pigeons 
Paul Thomas Andronis Northern Michigan University, T.V. Joe Layng The New School for the Learning Sciences, and Israel Goldiamond The University of Chicago 
The Verbal Analysis of Behavior. 1997, 14 5-17

Spontaneous cooperation between pigeons: S o c i a l behavior selected by ontogenic consequences in the Prisoner's Dilemma 
P. T. Andronis

ON PIGEONS AND PEOPLE: A PRELIMINARY LOOK AT THE COLUMBAN SIMULATION PROJECT 
Robert Epstein 
The Behavior Analyst 1981,4, 43-55 No. 1 (Spring) 


The Role of Contingency Adduction in the Creative Act 
Nolan Williams 
The Psychological Record 
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-020-00440-z

Episode 217 Dr Joe Layng Why Not A Chicken? Contigency Adduction Pt 1

Equiosity is the podcast about all things equine with a special emphasis on the horse-human bond.

New tracks tagged #tool use