Solution of Elementary Logical Problems by Animals on the Basis of Extrapolation

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter shows that animals are able to extrapolate changes in the most elementary laws, which underlie the relationships between the environmental elements, for accomplishing adaptive behavioral acts. In the accomplishment of the behavioral acts, studied there have been observed both interspecies and intraspecies distinctions. Repeated presentations of one and the same problem led to the formation of two different types of behavior in the experimental animals— namely, I type, or stereotype conditioned-reflex behavior, and II type, or behavior accomplished on the basis of a programme in conformity with the changing experimental conditions. In the case of the II type of behavior, there has been observed a frequent emergence of different pathological disturbances of the higher nervous activity, which can be eliminated with the help of psychotropic drugs. Different ways of transition from one type of behavior studied to the other have been found. Most characteristic among them are discrete transitions, which are observed when the same problem is presented to the animal repeatedly during a long period, when the problem is complicated or when psychotropic substances are administered. Some morphological structures of the brain (of birds), which may be of importance in the accomplishment of behavioral acts, have been investigated. An analysis has been made of the possible morpho-physiological mechanisms associated with different forms of retention and processing of information, which may determine the animal's type of behavior during the accomplishment of definite behavioral acts.