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From: jwm@stdc.jhuapl.edu (James W. Meritt)
Newsgroups: sci.psychology,rec.birds,sci.bio
Subject: Re: Intelligent Parrots, or Self-deception and Gullibility.
Message-ID: <202@aplcomm.UUCP>
Date: 7 Apr 88 14:27:43 GMT
References: <1988Mar4.162334.18184@utzoo.uucp> <4299@blia.BLI.COM> <1988Mar9.132722.3364@mntgfx.mentor.com> <2495@geac.UUCP> <2535@saturn.ucsc.edu> <762@actnyc.UUCP> <2231@ttidca.TTI.COM>
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Reply-To: jwm@stdc.jhuapl.edu.UUCP (James W. Meritt)
Organization: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Lines: 33

In article <2231@ttidca.TTI.COM> hollombe@ttidcb.tti.com (The Polymath) writes:
}In article <762@actnyc.UUCP> gcf@actnyc.UUCP (Gordon Fitch) writes:
}>... What do we call behavior which is apparently programmed
}>into the behaving organism?  It used to be called instinct.
}
}There's some question whether _any_ behavior is hard-wired in any creature
}above the level of insect.  The following example is from one of my psych.
}courses:
}
}New-born chicks will begin to scratch for food almost as soon as they are
}able to stand.  This looks to be a classic example of instinct -- a
}behavior hard-wired into the organism.  However, if you take a chick and
}fit it with a harness that prevents it from pecking at the ground for
}food, then spoon feed it, the chick will _never_ scratch for food.  It
}will starve to death while standing on a pile of grain if not spoon fed.
}
}So much for _that_ hard-wired behavior.


I saw some interesting relevant film footage:
A pike (fish) eats minnows.  Sucks 'em right up.
I saw a large bell jar put into a tank with a pike (filled with water)
and a bunch ("a large number") of minnows placed into it.  The pike
ran into the jar for a long time, trying to get the minnows.  It eventually
quit.  At that stage they removed the jar and just dumped the minnows
into the tank.  The pike still would not eat them.  The person in the
movie said that it starved...... in spite of being surrounded by "food".



Disclaimer: Individuals have opinions, organizations have policy.
            Therefore, these opinions are mine and not any organizations!
Q.E.D.
jwm@aplvax.jhuapl.edu 128.244.65.5