Executive function (EF) involves several abilities often correlated with success in various aspects of human life. Similar skills could also be advantageous to nonhumans, but few studies have effectively examined the extent of their EF abilities. Studies have also examined what experiences might strengthen/weaken human EF; might specific experiences also affect nonhuman EF? One type of EF often tested in both humans and nonhumans involves a delay of gratification-the ability to forgo an immediate reward to gain one either better in quality or quantity. We compared how Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) with somewhat different experimental histories performed when required to wait for more food-a difficult task for avian species. One laboratory-raised parrot, Griffin, had previously succeeded when asked to wait for a better reward and on other tasks purportedly involving some level of EF skills but failed to wait for a larger reward. After succeeding on a task designed to improve impulse control, he consistently waited for a larger reward, more nuts, for up to 15 min-far longer than most avian species tested. Two other parrots, Pepper and Franco, companion animals, had had no experience with delayed gratification tasks, but were as successful as Griffin on other EF-related studies in which they participated. These birds, with different histories than Griffin, also waited for more food for longer periods than most other birds, though not as consistently as Griffin. We suggest that specific types of experiences may strengthen EF in Grey parrots. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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灰鹦鹉（Psittacus erithacus）执行功能的研究：经验会影响延迟满足。

执行功能（EF）涉及多种通常与人类生活各个方面的成功相关的能力。类似的技能也可能对非人类有利，但很少有研究有效地检验了他们的 EF 能力的程度。研究还考察了哪些经历可能会增强/削弱人类的 EF；特定经历是否也会影响非人类 EF？一种经常在人类和非人类身上进行测试的 EF 类型涉及延迟满足——放弃立即奖励以获得质量或数量更好的奖励的能力。我们比较了具有不同实验历史的灰鹦鹉（Psittacus erithacus）在需要等待更多食物时的表现——这对鸟类来说是一项艰巨的任务。一只实验室饲养的鹦鹉 Griffin 此前曾在被要求等待更好的奖励以及执行其他据称涉及一定水平 EF 技能的任务时取得成功，但未能等待更大的奖励。在成功完成一项旨在改善冲动控制的任务后，他始终如一地等待更大的奖励、更多的坚果，等待时间长达 15 分钟——比大多数接受测试的鸟类要长得多。另外两只鹦鹉 Pepper 和 Franco 是伴侣动物，没有延迟满足任务的经验，但在它们参与的其他 EF 相关研究中与 Griffin 一样成功。这些鸟与格里芬有着不同的历史，它们等待食物的时间也比大多数其他鸟类更长，尽管不像格里芬那样始终如一。我们建议特定类型的经历可能会增强灰鹦鹉的 EF。（PsycInfo 数据库记录 (c) 2023 APA，保留所有权利）。