snell@utzoo.UUCP (Richard Snell) (03/07/86)
jin@hropus.UUCP (Jear Bear) writes <318@hropus.UUCP> in net.pets: >Perhaps she's trying to induce fermentation in the Juniper berries in >mistaken belief that it will produce gin :-> . Seriously I think it >may be superstitious behavior (I believe that's the technical term for >the bizarre behaviors exhibited by rats rewarded at random intervals >while residing in those cages with all the gizmos to play with). >No, the rats reside in the cages, not the random intervals. Actually, superstitious behaviour is that exhibited by an animal in an attempt to elicit a reward, when only a small portion of the total behaviour exhibited is actually required. E.g. A rat in a cage may only need to press a bar once to get a reward (i.e. food). But, by chance, it has learned that a sequence of running in a circle, hopping up and down, and then pressing the bar works. It always does this sequence. This would be "superstitious behaviour." People, when they start bouncing in an elevator, to "make it close quicker," are engaged in superstitious behaviour. (It always worked before, didn't it?) Which leads to a joke (possibly offensive to rural dwellers): A city man visits his country cousin, and, seeing holes all over the ground, asks, "What's been going on?" The cousin replys, "Earning my welfare cheque. You see, I dig these, holes, then the cheque comes in the mail. Sure as shootin'... it's never failed yet!" -- Name: Richard Snell Mail: Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A1 UUCP: {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!snell