Evidence for distinct serial processes in animals: The multiplicative-factors method

Abstract

The assumption that responses are controlled by distinct serially arranged processes was used by Sternberg (1969a) to explain the result, observed in many human experiments, that two factors have additive effects on reaction time (RT). With slight changes, Sternberg's explanation of additive factors with RT also explains the result, observed in animal experiments, that two factors have multiplicative effects on response rate. This article describes and interprets 17 examples of multiplicative factors from response-rate experiments with rats, pigeons, and goldfish, as well as some other animal evidence for distinct serial processes. The examples suggest and/or support new and old ideas about generalization, attention, timing, learning, motivation, and response production. Most important, the animal evidence makes the case for distinct serial processes considerably stronger. Since the procedures used in the two sets of experiments (human and animal) have little in common, distinct serial processes may control behavior in a very wide range of situations. © 1987 Psychonomic Society, Inc.