JOURNAL OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOR 



Vol. 5 JANUARY-FEBRUARY, 1915 No. 1 



THE WHITE RAT AND THE MAZE PROBLEM 

 I. THE INTRODUCTION OF A VISUAL CONTROL 



STELLA B. VINCENT 



From the Psychological Laboratory of the University of Chicago 



WITH EIGHT FIGURES 



Small 1 was the first to emphasize the importance of the kin- 

 aesthetic sensations in the life of the rat, while Professor Wat- 

 son, 2 by eliminating the senses one by one, showed that in learn- 

 ing the maze, at least, senses other than the kinaesthetic and 

 tactual can easily be dispensed with. The natural conclusion 

 was drawn that in such problems these animals use vision, 

 hearing, olfaction, etc., but slightly if at all. 



The recognition of the functional value of the kinaesthetic 

 sensations and the dominant part which they play in such a 

 bit of learning as this has been of the greatest possible value. 

 The question is immediately raised, however, of what intrinsic 

 value are eyes, ears, etc., if not for learning. Or, the question 

 might be put in this way: Is this motor co-ordination and the 

 mode of learning entirely different from those other habits which 

 the rat acquires naturally in its usual environment. 



Professor Watson himself anticipated further work when he 

 says, " We have supported everywhere the negative conclusions 

 of Small. We, no more than he, offer positive evidence that 

 the kinaesthetic are the only necessary factors in the maze 

 association. Both of us alike used the method of elimination 

 We feel that we are now in a position to begin the 



1 Small, W. S. Development of the Young White Rat. Am. Jour. Psychol., 



vol. 11, p. 234. 1899. 



2 Watson, J. B. Kinaesthetic and Organic Sensations. Psychol. Rev. Mon. 



Sup., vol. 8, no. 2. 1907. 



