Habit Formation: The Labyrinth Habit 217 



as measures of the rapidity of habit formation. At any point 

 in its progress through a labyrinth, the dancer may suddenly 

 stop to wash its face, look about or otherwise examine its 

 surroundings ; if a shock be given to hurry it along it may 



1 2 3 4 6 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 13 14 15 



FIGURE 26. Curves of habit formation, plotted from the data of labyrinth-B tests 

 with ten males and ten females. The figures in the left margin indicate the number 

 of errors; those below the base line the number of the test. P designates the prelimi- 

 nary test. Males ; Females . 



be surprised into an error. It is my experience, and this is 

 true of other animals as well as of the dancing mouse, that a 

 long trip, as measured in time units, does not necessarily 

 indicate the lack of ability to follow the labyrinth path 

 correctly and rapidly. Hence, whenever it is possible (and 

 the experimenter can always plan his tests so that it shall be 

 possible), the number of errors should be given first impor- 



