“The Alternation Problem: A Preliminary Study”, 1917 (; backlinks):
Carr 1917 investigated the ability of white rats to master given sequences of position habits.
The apparatus consisted of a discrimination box with 2 exits, opening into 2 runways, leading to a food box. 7 rats were tested upon the alternation between 2 position habits. On each trial the animal was taken from the food box and placed in the discrimination box. On the first trial, the path leading from one of the exit to the food was left open, while keeping the other closed. On the next trial, the second path to the food was opened, while keeping the first closed. Correct responses, approaching the correct exit, were recorded.
Results: show that all rats succeeded in learning to make alternate choices between the 2 exits.
They differed greatly in their rate of progress in mastering the problem. The problem was mastered quickest by those rats that relied upon the factor of motor attitudes in making their choices.