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Generalization and Tinbergen's four whys

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 August 2002

Ken Cheng
Ken Cheng
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW, 2109, [email protected] http://www.axon.bhs.mq.edu.au/kcheng/homepageofKen.html/
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Abstract

Shepard's exponential law provides a functional explanation of generalization. The account complements the more common mechanistic models. The elegant and powerful analyses answer one of Tinbergen's (1963) four whys of behavior: a benefit conferred on the animal by generalizing in this way. A complete account might address evolutionary and developmental questions in addition to mechanistic and functional ones. [Shepard]

Type
Brief Report
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 24 , Issue 4 , August 2001 , pp. 660 - 661
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

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