A COMPUTER-AIDED PROCEDURE FOR MEASURING LASHLEY-III MAZE PERFORMANCE

As an animal swims through the Lashley III maze, an observer types into a Macintosh computer the path taken. The computer program, Observe Software, then breaks the string of choices into two-step sequences and counts the number of such sequences. These data are then sent to a spreadsheet, where the sequences are sorted into forward and backward responses. Forward choices are Correct Path, T Choice Errors and Cul Entry Errors. All backward choices are errors, by definition. They are classified as T Choices, Cul Entries, Cul Exits, and Return to Start. The animal's behavior is then described by the various error classes plus a measure called Learning Index. Examples of learning by rats and mice are presented.