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reserach journal entry Day 456
Feb. 12th, 2006 10:22 amAbstract: Are humans capable of higher functioning reason – or are they just clever imitators?
The subjects: A familial group of four, male/female parent and two cubs one older litter female, one more recent litter male. The female parent (whom we will call “Snowball” due to her size, shape and colouring) is obviously the Alpha leader, although the male parent (“Socks”) often tries to assert himself into the role, causing time of struggle and opposition which are fascinating study. And while the surface appears that the cub female (“Sulky”) is dominant to it’s younger sibling, the male cub (“Bouncer”) exhibits subtle patterns of behaviour to subvert his sibling’s attempts at dominance.
Roles:
Lead researcher: Coordinated the team and concentrate on the Alpha Leader (“Sonwball”) and centre my studies on the females, their leadership roles and their relations with each other and other females of the species.
Research assistant: Will focus on the male parent (“Socks”) and liaise with other research teams in the vicinity. Secondary studies will include the careful experimenting with language through the media of sent.
Lab assistant 1: Will work to train the subjects through careful conditioning experiments.
Day 456: We have now been with the subjects for two years. The addition of our Lab Assistant (LA) last year has both positively distributed the work load and brought the study on in great leaps. So far she has been able to condition Snowball to fill a water-dish at set times during the day. At first LA used careful verbal instruction often having to interrupt Snowball during her sleep and lead her to the food preparation area, then to the water dish to imply meaning. Reinforcements used, were LA drinking the water and LA purring to demonstrate approval. Punishment employed were verbal reminders until the task was completed. After 10m6d LA can now give a nonverbal command to fetch water, she gains Snowball’s attention by making eye contact at the associated time and Snowball completes the water task*.
It is noted that Snowball seems the most intelligent of the group. At first LA could only get Snowball to perform in the experiments as the other subjects seemed incapable of communication/de-centring even on a basic level. An unusual side effect of training the Alpha, has lead to training the cubs. When LA now calls for water, Snowball indeed sends one of the cubs to fulfil the task. Does this mean that learning in this species is hereditary – only acquired through the Alpha of each familial grouping? Training of Socks in the water task has proven haphazard and while he imitates Snowball in attempting to order one of the cubs in completing the task for him, the cubs often ignore Socks, causing him to become enraged. At which point he will commence what can only be described at throwing a tantrum. Socks will speak increasing his volume the more the cubs turn their backs on him culminating in his removal of the cubs from the Experimental Centre into the human’s transportation device.
While Socks removes the cubs, Snowball returns them 6 hours later. What Socks does with the cubs during the several hours each day after he removes them fro the Centre, we are still waiting on the report from other Test Areas. To be noted is the condition the cubs come back in…
DAMN! I’ve been spotted. They mustn’t know that they are being observed! I must quickly lick my ass to throw them off the sent!
The subjects: A familial group of four, male/female parent and two cubs one older litter female, one more recent litter male. The female parent (whom we will call “Snowball” due to her size, shape and colouring) is obviously the Alpha leader, although the male parent (“Socks”) often tries to assert himself into the role, causing time of struggle and opposition which are fascinating study. And while the surface appears that the cub female (“Sulky”) is dominant to it’s younger sibling, the male cub (“Bouncer”) exhibits subtle patterns of behaviour to subvert his sibling’s attempts at dominance.
Roles:
Lead researcher: Coordinated the team and concentrate on the Alpha Leader (“Sonwball”) and centre my studies on the females, their leadership roles and their relations with each other and other females of the species.
Research assistant: Will focus on the male parent (“Socks”) and liaise with other research teams in the vicinity. Secondary studies will include the careful experimenting with language through the media of sent.
Lab assistant 1: Will work to train the subjects through careful conditioning experiments.
Day 456: We have now been with the subjects for two years. The addition of our Lab Assistant (LA) last year has both positively distributed the work load and brought the study on in great leaps. So far she has been able to condition Snowball to fill a water-dish at set times during the day. At first LA used careful verbal instruction often having to interrupt Snowball during her sleep and lead her to the food preparation area, then to the water dish to imply meaning. Reinforcements used, were LA drinking the water and LA purring to demonstrate approval. Punishment employed were verbal reminders until the task was completed. After 10m6d LA can now give a nonverbal command to fetch water, she gains Snowball’s attention by making eye contact at the associated time and Snowball completes the water task*.
It is noted that Snowball seems the most intelligent of the group. At first LA could only get Snowball to perform in the experiments as the other subjects seemed incapable of communication/de-centring even on a basic level. An unusual side effect of training the Alpha, has lead to training the cubs. When LA now calls for water, Snowball indeed sends one of the cubs to fulfil the task. Does this mean that learning in this species is hereditary – only acquired through the Alpha of each familial grouping? Training of Socks in the water task has proven haphazard and while he imitates Snowball in attempting to order one of the cubs in completing the task for him, the cubs often ignore Socks, causing him to become enraged. At which point he will commence what can only be described at throwing a tantrum. Socks will speak increasing his volume the more the cubs turn their backs on him culminating in his removal of the cubs from the Experimental Centre into the human’s transportation device.
While Socks removes the cubs, Snowball returns them 6 hours later. What Socks does with the cubs during the several hours each day after he removes them fro the Centre, we are still waiting on the report from other Test Areas. To be noted is the condition the cubs come back in…
DAMN! I’ve been spotted. They mustn’t know that they are being observed! I must quickly lick my ass to throw them off the sent!
