A Machine with Insight

When an animal solves a novel problem without trial and error, a psychologist tends to call the behaviour insightful. A relatively simple machine resting on new principles, capable of this and learning, has been constructed by the writer in order to demonstrate his tentative explanation of this and other aspects of animal behaviour. The first retains information and utilises it in accordance with the goal set. The second is a trolley which is guided by a pulse which the first part transmits; it also has bumpers which cause it reflexly to steer away from any obstacle and to turn out of corners by reversing one of the motors which drive each of the two main wheels separately; and i t has a light mounted on it which is thrown forward at a wide angle. The third part comprises photocells, which act as receptors and are attached to the walls of the maze which the trolley is required to learn.

[1]  J. Deutsch A new type of behaviour theory. , 1953, British journal of psychology.