Identification of Relevant Intra-Maze Cues in Latent Learning

Abstract

A modification of Seward's (1949) procedure was used to demonstrate latent learning in a diamond maze, in which extra-maze cues are made irrelevant by having the positive and negative goal boxes adjacent. In a series of experiments, 55 of 60 rats made correct test trial choices. When the cues from visually distinctive areas halfway down the paths to the goal boxes were eliminated, only 15 of 30 Ss chose correctly. It was concluded that these visual cues controlled Ss' behavior.