ABSTRACT

To study the understanding by animals of causal relations there are, however, better methods than the use of problem-boxes with their intricate closing-mechanisms, namely, the study of their handling of different objects, as this was first started by Hobhouse. The chapter divides the experiments into three groups: those of the clearing away of obstacles, those of the utilising the possibilities of moving objects, and those of the use of tools. A great number of experiments with many animals have been performed to see whether they were able to use the possibility of some object being moved in order to reach a goal, in most cases, again, food. In this problem, too, experience in their daily life may help them. Every animal which has the power to set some object moving has the opportunity to observe that everything fixed on this object moves in the same direction.