Failure to find spontaneous alternation in chicks.

Abstract

Three experiments were conducted to determine whether White Rock chicks, 2-6 days old, exhibit spontaneous alternation behavior in situations where alternation behavior has been demonstrated in rats and various invertebrate forms. In none of the studies was there any evidence of significant alternation of successive responses by chicks. These results suggest that the phenomenon of spontaneous alternation may not be as ubiquitous as some current behavior theories imply.