Abstract
Let me begin by stating what I believe to be a terribly important rule of experimental psychology: In at least 90 % of the studies published in psychological journals, the most important factors influencing the animals’ behavior were those factors the investigators did not measure, did not control, did not mention in their written reports, and probably did not even know about. The rest of this paper is an attempt to prove the validity of this particular point with specific reference to the planarian literature, although I shall begin by talking about rats.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Barnes, C. D., and B. G. Katzung, Stimulus polarity and conditioning in planaria. Science, 1963, 141, 728.
Bennett, E. L., and M. Calvin, Failure to train planarians reliably. Neurosci. Res. Program Bull., 1964, July–Aug.
Best, J. B., and I. Rubenstein, Maze learning and associated behavior in planaria. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol., 1962, 55, 560.
Brown, H. M., R. E. Dustman, and E. C. Beck, Experimental procedures that modify light response frequency of regenerated planaria. Physiol. and Behav., 1966, 1(3), 245.
Cohen, J., Diurnal cycles and maze learning in planarians. Worm Runner’s Digest, 1965, 7(1), 20.
Corning, W. C., and E. R. John, Effect of ribonuclease on retention of conditioned response in regenerated planarians. Science, 1961, 134, 1363.
Humphries, Barbara, and J. V. McConnell, Conditions facilitating learning in planarians. Worm Runner’s Digest, 1964, 6(1), 52.
Jacobson, A. L., C. Fried, and S. D. Horowitz, Planarians and memory, I: Transfer of learning by injection of ribonucleic acid; II: The influence of prior extinction on the RNA transfer effect. Nature, 1966, 209(5023), 599.
James, R. L., and E. S. Halas, No difference in extinction behavior in planaria following various types and amounts of training. Psych. Rec., 1964, 14, 1.
Jensen, D. D., Paramecia, planaria, and pseudo-learning. Animal Behav., Suppl. 1, 1965, 13, 9.
McConnell, J. V., On the turning of worms: a reply to James and Halas. Psych. Record, 1964, 14(1), 13.
McConnell, J. V., ed., A Manual of Psychological Experimentation on Planarians. Special publication of The Worm Runner’s Digest, 1965.
McConnell, J. V., A. L. Jacobson, and D. P. Kimble, The effects of regeneration upon retention of a conditioned response in the planarian. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol., 1959, 52, 1.
McConnell, J. V., and G. Mpitsos, Effects of the presence or absence of slime on classical conditioning in planarians. Amer. Zool., 1965, 5(4), 122.
Pearl, R., The movements and reactions of fresh-water planarians. J. Micro Sci., 1903, 46, 509.
Ragland, Rae S., and J. B. Ragland, Planaria: interspecific transfer of a conditionability factor through cannibalism. Psychon. Sci., 1965, 3, 117.
Roe, Kiki, In search of the locus of learning in planarians. Worm Runner’s Digest, 1963, 5(2), 16.
Van Deventer, J. M., and S. C. Ratner, Variables affecting the frequency of response of planaria to light. J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol., 1964, 57, 407.
Walker, D. R., and G. A. Milton, Memory transfer vs. sensitization in cannibal planarians. Psychon. Sci., 1966, 5, 293.
Westerman, R. A., Somatic inheritance of habituation of responses to light in planarians. Science, 1963, 140, 676.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1967 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
McConnell, J.V. (1967). Specific Factors Influencing Planarian Behavior. In: Corning, W.C., Ratner, S.C. (eds) Chemistry of Learning. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-6565-3_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-6565-3_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-6261-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-6565-3
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive