Learning experiments with larval frogs. A preliminary report

When placed in single-unit Y and T mazes having black versus white alleys, Hyla tadpoles went to the white alleys without training. Electric shocks for such entrances partially reversed the response, so that black alleys were chosen predominantly. Complete reversal of the phototropic response was not obtained in 270 trials. Learning curves were of the usual negatively accelerated variety. Bullfrog tadpoles greatly reduced the amount of retracing involved in threading mazes with three and four blind alleys. One animal, after 100 trials, reached an accuracy of 90% in 50 trials for the first turn in the maze path. Other turns were not mastered. The performance of both Hyla and bullfrog tadpoles was extremely variable from day to day.