Berry, Imitatioii in Cats. 19 



Experiment g. Getting down from Top of Cage. 



Method. — The kittens frequently climbed up on top of the cage 

 which was used in Experiment 7, but they could not get down with- 

 out help. I arranged a broad board (170 cm. long) in such a way 

 that by jumping 40 cm. to this board, walking down it to the lower 

 end, and then jumping 60 cm. they could reach the floor. 



Results. — All three cats were placed on top of the cage, then 

 meat was thrown on the floor in front of it. They were greatly 

 excited. X got down by the way of the board in three minutes; 

 Y doubled up to follow X, but his courage failed. Z who did not 

 see X get down now jumped down as X did. Y looked on, and 

 again doubled up to jump, but his courage was insufficient. After 

 seeing X get down two more times he followed her down. 



III. DISCUSSION OF RESULTS. 



In the discussion of imitation it is essential that the term be 

 defined objectively if it is to have much value for the comparative 

 psychologist. That is, it must be so defined that the imitation is 

 always from the standpoint of the observer. I think that Mor- 

 gan's use of the term is satisfactory in this respect, for he says, 

 "in the case of an imitative action the stimulus is afiT)rded by the 

 performance by another of an action similar in character to that 

 which constitutes the response. "'^ The acts of organisms are 

 generally classified as instinctive, voluntary, and habitual. For 

 each class there is a corresponding type of imitation. 



As an illustration of instinctive imitation Morgan cites the 

 case of a hen pecking on the ground, and the chick imitating her 

 action. It is the pecking of the mother hen that acts as a stimu- 

 lus for the instinctive act of the chick. 



Automatic or habitual imitation I use to designate those cases 

 where the imitative act is simply an involuntary performance of an 

 acquired, as opposed to an instinctive act. An example of this 

 is the involuntary whistling of a tune that one hears another whist- 

 ling. Here the act is involuntary, but not instinctive. 



On the subjective side voluntary imitation is conscious purposive 

 imitation. The act of another is imitated with a definite end in 

 view. The test for this kind of imitation is refusal to imitate until 



3 Morgan, C. L. Habit and Instinct, p. i68. L«nJ««. 1896. 



