Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) show the isolation effect during serial list recognition memory tests.

ABSTRACT: The isolation effect (or von Restorff effect) occurs when one item in a to-be-remembered list is distinctive from all remaining items, and memory for that item is enhanced. Four chimpanzees were presented with a serial list of four photographs. In the homogeneous condition, all list items were from the same semantic category (e.g., four fruits). In the isolate condition, three items were from the same category, but the fourth item (the isolate) was from a different category (e.g., three fruits and one toy). Then, two photographs were presented, and the chimpanzees had to select the one that was from the list. Two of four chimpanzees were significantly more likely to select a correct isolate item than an item from the same list position in the homogeneous condition for at least some list po

SUBMITTER: Beran MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3193283 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature