A STUDY OF THE BEHAVIOR OF THE PIG 199 



We shall now turn to tables 3 and 4 for a further brief analysis 

 of the reactions. 



For about 50 trials in problem 2, both pigs showed the effect 

 of their experience in problem 1. Then the number of correct 

 first choices rapidly increased for each of the ten settings. There 

 were in the case of setting 1 few mistakes on the part of the 

 female after 150 trials, whereas on the part of the male there 

 were more than twice as many incorrect first choices. The 

 same holds in general of each of the other settings, she proving 

 herself much more steady and predictable in response than he. 

 This was doubtless due in a measure to hunger, for it was much 

 more difficult to keep him in the proper condition of eagerness 

 for food than her. 



The data of these tables indicate no definite and persistent 

 reactive tendencies during the course of experimentation other 

 than the original acquired tendency to enter the first box at 

 the right in the group and the subsequently acquired tendency 

 to select the second box from the left in the group. Certain 

 of the settings proved very much more difficult than others. 

 Contrary to expectation, difncultness is not directly variable 

 with the number of doors open. Setting 1, for example, as 

 contrasted with setting 6, is much the easier, yet three doors 

 are open in each case. In general, however, it is evidently true 

 that the larger the group of open doors the more difficult it is 

 for the animal to choose correctly and the larger the number 

 of mistakes in a given trial, if the first choice is not correct. 



From the behavior of the two pigs in this problem, as con- 

 trasted with the first, it is safe to conclude that they are per- 

 fectly capable of selecting the proper reaction, mechanism by 

 its relation in a group of similar mechanisms when the number 

 in the group is as large as nine and when the constant relation 

 of the correct mechanism is second from one end. It is further 

 clear that this problem is a much more difficult one for the pigs 

 than problem 1. But it is also certain that the difference in 

 difncultness is not indicated by the difference in the number 

 of experiences necessary for the solution of the problems, since 

 the early days of work on problem 2 served merely to overcome 

 the tendency acquired in connection with problem 1. It seems 

 probable that should we subtract 100 trials from the totals 

 under problem 2 we should have a fair basis of comparison 



