LEARNING OF IMITATION AND LEARNING THROUGH IMITATION IN THE WHITE RAT

Abstract

The purposes of this experiment were as follows; 1) to test whether learning of imitation and learning through imitation are possible or not, and 2) to compare the effect of learning through imitation with that of trial and error learning. Thirty three albino rats were trained to follow a leader rat to obtain reward on the elevated T maze. These trainings were given to them 10 trials per a day for 15 days. After these trainings, followers were divided into three groups. Group LOI (learning of imitation) learned just to follow the leader. Group LTI (learning through imitation) learned the response to the light-on cue through following the leader who had been previously trained to discriminate the light-on cue. Group TAE learned it by trial and error procedures without any leader. These trainings were given to followers 10 trials per a day for 11 days. On the 5th, 10th and 11th day, followers of all groups were run the maze without any leader but only with the light stimuli. The results were that the learning of and through imitation were both possible in white rats. These results confirmed the previous experiments by MILLER and DOLLARD, and CHURCH. There were tendencies that learning through imitation was a little more efficient than trial and error learning.