The difference between memory and conditioning -- or is there a difference?

[Velcro]

Animal Planet claims that a goldfish's memory is on 3 seconds long.

However, when I had goldfish -- the little cheap ones one could buy for $3 or so, I always taught them that when I knocked, they were about to be fed. I would knock on lightly on the acquarium, and they would learn to come to the top, then I would give them their food. This was a learned response; none did this when they were new to the aquarium.

Furthermore, on Animal Planet, on the "Funniest Animals" show, I saw a goldfish like mine that would ring a bell for food. The owner placed a bell, like that for a parakeet cage, on the aquarium. She attached a thread with a knot that was in the water. The goldfish would grab the knot, shake it, and she would feed it. now, had I not taught my fish to come up for food when I knocked, one might decide that the fish was simply hungry and was trying to eat the thread. But the fish did this on a daily basis, she said, in the mornings.

Now, if a goldfish's memory is truly only 3 seconds long, was what my fish did merely conditioning? And what is conditioning, if it is not memory?

 

[simplicity]

I don't believe the memory of a goldfish specifically is linked only to time. There is a concept I call "patterned reasoning" which makes it possible for even simple animals to exhibit fairly complex behaviour. I know for sure my pet birds start calling for me as soon as I unlock the door to the house. So the response for sure is event-driven in the case of my pet birds. I have a feeling whenever these little guys are hungry, regardless of who might be nearby, they will call out to be fed. There isn't a specific memory leading to a reaction.

I also know my birds do little funny shapes with their eyelids when I'm smiling and talking to them. I assume they are trying to mimick my face. I don't believe that is memory or conditioning but some layer of socialization some birds appear to have the ability to sustain. There are a lot of interesting body gestures that indicate rudimentary communication.

I know when I approach my canary's cage with an empty plate, he/it is often staring at the plate rather than me. I believe he/it is thinking, "I hope you don't plan to eat me." So I usually say something comforting like, "Don't worry, guys, I'm not planning to eat you." Then I would go fry myself some chicken.

 

[puregrl]

conditioning is different from memory. it is where a specific behavior is increaced or decreced through positive or negative reinforcment. You have to keep doing it over and over.
memory is recalling a past experience, it could happen once and be stuck in their head forever. But with conditioning it has to be reinforced.
hope that helps.

 

[mycatspice]

Memory is the ability to recall information at will. Conditioning is an learned behavior because it has been attached to an impulse. You know how dogs begin to salivate when they hear the can opener? They don't want to eat the can opener.

 

[soonto_be]

I dunno about not wanting to eat a can opener...i've had some pretty dumb dogs in my life.

 

[bubblegirl23]

With the goldfish, I think that's only their short-term memory. Long-term memory is different: that is where their conditioning is kept.

After you knock so many times, they realise and it is stored long-term.


My reasoning, anyway

 

[fieldlily]

Animal Planet claims that a goldfish's memory is on 3 seconds long.



Now, if a goldfish's memory is truly only 3 seconds long, was what my fish did merely conditioning? And what is conditioning, if it is not memory?

Seems to me that conditioning is more of a reflex than memory as such. Unless we say that learned reflex responses are also memory. I do see a difference between the two, however.

 

[Velcro]

Thank you for all your answers. I am scientifically challenged, so I still don't know!!

 

[Worldwide Epiphany]

Cool thread...I've enjoyed reading what everyone said

I dunno about goldfish having memory per se, however I know they are definitely capable of conditioned response when it comes to feeding.
Dogs, I think I can say from experience are capable of both conditioned responses and a certain capacity for memory. (As are people, but that's another thread! LOL) For example, dogs recognize and remember people who are friends even if they haven't seen them in a long time, or if they see them someplace unexpected. And they also remember places they haven't been in a long time. To me, those kind of things exhibit memory more than conditioning.

 

[mycatspice]

Cool thread...I've enjoyed reading what everyone said

I dunno about goldfish having memory per se, however I know they are definitely capable of conditioned response when it comes to feeding.
Dogs, I think I can say from experience are capable of both conditioned responses and a certain capacity for memory. (As are people, but that's another thread! LOL) For example, dogs recognize and remember people who are friends even if they haven't seen them in a long time, or if they see them someplace unexpected. And they also remember places they haven't been in a long time. To me, those kind of things exhibit memory more than conditioning.

Yeah, I think that the dogs might remember the scent more than the sight too.