A series of experiments investigated whether pigeons (Columba livia), like most humans, would fail to maximize their expected winnings in a version of the MHD. Birds completed multiple trials of a standard MHD, with the three response keys in an operant chamber serving as the three doors and access to mixed grain as the prize. Across experiments, the probability of gaining reinforcement for switching and staying was manipulated, and birds adjusted their probability of switching and staying to approximate the optimal strategy.
Basically, pigeons also start with a slight bias towards keeping their initial choice. However, they find it much easier to “learn to switch” than humans, even when humans are faced with a learning environment as similar as possible to that of pigeons (neutral descriptions, etc.). Not sure how interesting that is.
Pigeons can solve Monty hall (MHD)?
Behind a paywall
But freely available from one of the authors’ website.
Basically, pigeons also start with a slight bias towards keeping their initial choice. However, they find it much easier to “learn to switch” than humans, even when humans are faced with a learning environment as similar as possible to that of pigeons (neutral descriptions, etc.). Not sure how interesting that is.