EFFECT OF DELAYED FEEDING UPON LEARNING 



57 



Taole 3 gives the results of the first eight trials (table 3). 

 The graph of table 3 begins at B, figure 2. It will be seen from 

 the averages of these few trials that nothing significant appeared. 



Looking at these records we see that no matter what our cri- 

 terion or standpoint may be the fact remains that the delaying 

 of the feeding for thirty seconds after the solving of the problem 

 did not alter the learning process. I think it extremely unlikely 

 that two groups working by the same method would ever show a 

 more closely similar time record. It may be that experimenta- 

 tion with a larger number of animals and with automatic con- 

 trols might show a significant difference. It is quite possible 

 that a longer period of delay might give far different results. 



TABLE 3 



Showing effect of reversing the method of feeding 



It would of course be desirable to have some system of recording 

 the number of random movements and the type of these move- 

 ments. This ought to be done especially during the delay per- 

 iod. So far as the experimenter can state, the animals were 

 working as vigorously during the thirty seconds delay as at any 

 other time and they were displaying the same type of movements, 

 viz., exercising their instinctive and habitual repertoire. 



I assume that what psychologists mean when they say that a 

 movement is stamped in by reason of the " satisfaction" which 

 it brings and that another movement is stamped out by reason 



