In many cognitive tasks where humans are thought to rely on executive functioning, pigeons' behavior can be explained by associative processes. A key form of executive functioning is inhibiting prepotent responses, often investigated in humans by means of "Stop-Signal" or "Change-Signal" procedures. In these procedures, execution of a well-practiced ("Go") response to a stimulus is occasionally interrupted by a signal to withhold or alter the practiced response. Performance in such tasks is usually described by the "independent horse horse-race model." This model assumes that the processes that cause the Go and inhibitory responses occur independently; the process that finishes first determines the response observed. We further tested this model by training pigeons to track the circular movement of a colored patch around a touchscreen by pecking it; the spot occasionally deviated from its normal path (the Change signal). The pigeons had to inhibit the habitual movement of their heads to land a peck on the spot in its unexpected position. The key predictions of the independent horse-race model were confirmed in the pigeons' latency data. Thus, the independent race model can also successfully describe Stop-change performance of subjects that do not rely on executive control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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鸽子在跟踪变化信号程序中的表现与独立赛马模型一致。

在许多人们认为人类依赖执行功能的认知任务中，鸽子的行为可以用关联过程来解释。执行功能的一种关键形式是抑制优势反应，这通常是通过“停止信号”或“改变信号”程序在人体中进行研究的。在这些过程中，对刺激的良好执行（“执行”）响应的执行有时会被信号保留或更改所执行的响应而打断。在此类任务中的表现通常由“独立马匹竞赛模型”描述。该模型假设导致Go和抑制反应的过程独立发生。首先完成的过程将确定观察到的响应。我们通过训练鸽子来啄食彩色贴片在触摸屏上的圆周运动，从而进一步测试了该模型。该点偶尔会偏离其正常路径（“更改”信号）。鸽子不得不抑制其头部的习惯性运动，以使其在意外位置上啄下啄食。赛鸽潜伏期数据证实了独立赛马模型的关键预测。因此，独立的种族模型也可以成功地描述不依赖执行控制的对象的Stop-change性能。（PsycINFO数据库记录（c）2019 APA，保留所有权利）。鸽子不得不抑制其头部的习惯性运动，以使其在意外位置上啄下啄食。赛鸽潜伏期数据证实了独立赛马模型的关键预测。因此，独立的种族模型也可以成功地描述不依赖执行控制的对象的Stop-change性能。（PsycINFO数据库记录（c）2019 APA，保留所有权利）。鸽子不得不抑制其头部的习惯性运动，以使其在意外位置上啄下啄食。赛鸽潜伏期数据证实了独立赛马模型的关键预测。因此，独立的种族模型也可以成功地描述不依赖执行控制的对象的Stop-change性能。（PsycINFO数据库记录（c）2019 APA，保留所有权利）。