Abstract: Six monkeys (macaca mulatta) and seven pigeons were used as Ss in the experiment. The purpose is to make a comparative study of the discrimination and generalization abilities of the animals in spatial configurations. They were first trained to discriminate a pair of figures consisting of the same three elements but different in spatial configuration. They were then tested with other pairs of stimuli consisting of the same elements but modified in arrangement. Three sets of stimuli were used in the experiment. The stimuli of set A differed in color, set B in shape and set C in size. The result showed that the monkeys generalized different spatial configurations but the pigeons only responded with certain partial cues. Also, except for the interaction between the shape and size of the stimuli, the physical facts of the stimuli had no significant effects on performance.

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