Working memory for color in honeybees

Honeybees were tested in delayed conditional discrimination procedures (matching-to-sample and nonmatching-to-sample), using color stimuli presented on a video monitor. A small but reliable tendency to choose the color presented as the conditional cue was found, regardless of whether the contingencies reinforced or discouraged this tendency. The perseverative tendency occurred even with a delay of up to 1–2 min between the conditional cue and the choice. The tendency cannot be explained by changes in the associative value of the colors. Explanation of the results requires some form of working memory for color.

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