The associative processes of the guinea pig : a study of the psychical development of an animal with a nervous system well medullated at birth : a dissertation submitted to the Faculties of the Graduate Schools of Arts, Literature and Science, in candidacy for the degree of doctor of philosophy (Department of Philosophy) / by Jessie Blount Allen.

  • Allen, Jessie Blount.
Date:
[1904]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The associative processes of the guinea pig : a study of the psychical development of an animal with a nervous system well medullated at birth : a dissertation submitted to the Faculties of the Graduate Schools of Arts, Literature and Science, in candidacy for the degree of doctor of philosophy (Department of Philosophy) / by Jessie Blount Allen. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    30/74 (page 320)
    In his experimental work Thorndike emphasizes the method of learning as that of a selection from a large number of random movements of certain movements which are stamped in by the pleasure of success. I believe, however, that a guinea pig may be taught a trick without waiting for selection from among random movements. What was done was to “control the impulse.” and by impulse we mean the amount and direction of muscular innervation. On the previous Saturday the guinea pigs had remained almost motionless for two hours after being put into the experi- mental cage. On Thursday the problem had been learned. A typical series of reactions is given, after the problem has been learned. Until that time the difficulties of fright, strange- ness, etc., already mentioned, rendered any time record or other measure wholely meaningless. The apparatus used was a wire box, lo by lo by lo in., with a wire door hung from the top so as to swing freely in and out Care was taken that nothing should distinguish the door from the rest of the box. In every case the guinea pig has had no food for 24 hours. The food stimulus used is always carrots freshly cut, which has a strong odor; also it is in plain sight in the wire box. The animal is adult, and in this example is of the solid red Peruvian variety, though mixed with the solid red English. Jan. 29.' Time. Door to food box open •5 min. Door to food box open ■0S3 min. Door to food box open .066 min. Door closed .066 min. Door closed .66 min. Jan. 30. Door open •5 min. Door open ■25 min. Door open •25 min. Door closed •25 min. Door closed •15 min. Door closed •33 min. Jan. 31. Door open ■415 min. Door closed .183 min. ' It will be observed that throughout the work more than one trial was given during an experiment. At any one time only a little food was given.