DISTRIBUTION OF EFFORT IN LEARNING IN WHITE RAT 19 



The data obtained from the maze problem are not as satis- 

 factory as those from the latch box. Some of the rats used in 

 this experiment were not of the same strain as those previously- 

 tested. A few of the rats, given three and five trials daily, were 

 not perfectly normal. Their slowness of response throughout 

 learning seemed to indicate a lack of vitality and endurance. 

 As a result, these rats required many more trials than the more 

 normal animals. 



The presence of these animals has not, however, altered the 

 gross results, for one trial daily appears again to be the most 

 economical method of learning so far as trials are concerned, 

 and five trials daily when the number of days is considered. 

 This is clearly indicated on the distribution curve, Plate III. 

 The first rat of the one trial group completed learning in 14 

 trials, that of the three and five trial groups in 39 and 50 trials 

 respectively. On the other hand, the one, three ,and five trial 

 groups required 14, 13, and 10 days respectively, to learn the 

 problem. These rats may be considered normal. They were 

 the first rats worked with when this problem was begun. The 

 rats subjected to three trials daily requiring 69, 78, and 98 

 trials, respectively, and those given five trials daily requiring 

 150, 165, and 175 trials respectively, before reaching the norm, 

 must be considered somewhat abnormal. 



The results presented in averages are found in Table III. 

 From these averages the curves (Curve III, p. 22), have been 

 plotted. The individual curves for one, three, and five trial 

 groups have the same general appearance of all curves of this 

 kind, a rapid descent takes place after a varying number of 

 trials, during which there is a large amount of irregularity, 

 then a level is reached after which the final drop marking the 

 completion of learning occurs. The initial descent in the curve 

 for the one trial group occurs in the 11th trial, for the three 

 and five trial groups in the 32nd and 27th trials respectively. 

 The irregularity is most pronounced in the early trials before 

 the descent is made. It is also particularly prominent in the 

 curves of five trials up to the 100th trial. All this is indicative 

 of two things: first, that where there is a slowness in descent 

 and great irregularity there is a retardation in learning; and 

 secondly, that this problem is a difficult one for rats not nor- 

 mally active. 



