Couldn't it be both, as per Edison's famous quote that his discoveries
involved 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. She certainly "appears" very
intelligent on the video.  But don't we need to know more about the stages
of learning involved before we can determine if the lock-picking behavior
was a result of step-by-step learning or a result of a sudden flash of
insight?

Joan
[email protected]




> A perfect opportunity for in-class (or online) debate/discussion.  I would
> assume that most students if shown the video would respond with: "Smart
> horse!".  So: is this an example of animal intelligence or as Joan
> suggests "self-shaping"?  Cognition vs. Behaviorism.
>
> Personally, the video reminded me of Thorndike's cats.
>
> Michael A. Britt, Ph.D.
> [email protected]
> http://www.ThePsychFiles.com
> Twitter: mbritt
>
>
>
>
>
> On Feb 15, 2013, at 4:58 PM, Joan Warmbold <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Thanks Gary.  An amusing story as well as a funny and impressive video
>> showing a mare who has figured out how to open an amazing variety of
>> locks.  It was shaping but self-shaping of sorts.  Apparently she
>> enjoyed
>> playing with things with her mouth from the get-go and soon progressed
>> to
>> fooling around with locks.  Imagine that eureka moment when her 'fooling
>> around with a lock' succeeded in opening it!  Whether by intent or
>> fortuitous, as Pasteur once said, "Chance favors the prepared mind!"
>>
>> Have a great Presidents' Day you all.
>>
>> Joan
>> [email protected]
>>
>>> Okay, not exactly Clever Hans, but still cleverly shaped behavior. I am
>>> not sure what kind of locks they are talking about here either.
>>>
>>> http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2013/02/houdini_horse_from_midland_is.html#incart_river
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> G.L. (Gary) Peterson,Ph.D
>>> Psychology@SVSU
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ---
>>> You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected].
>>> To unsubscribe click here:
>>> http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=49240.d374d0c18780e492c3d2e63f91752d0d&n=T&l=tips&o=23754
>>> or send a blank email to
>>> leave-23754-49240.d374d0c18780e492c3d2e63f91752...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ---
>> You are currently subscribed to tips as:
>> [email protected].
>> To unsubscribe click here:
>> http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13405.0125141592fa9ededc665c55d9958f69&n=T&l=tips&o=23760
>> or send a blank email to
>> leave-23760-13405.0125141592fa9ededc665c55d9958...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
>
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected].
> To unsubscribe click here:
> http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=49240.d374d0c18780e492c3d2e63f91752d0d&n=T&l=tips&o=23789
> or send a blank email to
> leave-23789-49240.d374d0c18780e492c3d2e63f91752...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
>



---
You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected].
To unsubscribe click here: 
http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=23807
or send a blank email to 
leave-23807-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu

Reply via email to