Of Pigeons and Law Students

Skinner once did a famous study of pigeons. What Skinner did was the following: He would put a hungry pigeon in a so- called "Skinner box", which had an opening through which food could be introduced. Food pellets were then dropped into the box at random times. The result of this setup, when done with a large number of pigeons, was that each one of the pigeons were found to be repeating a single behavior over and over: Some would continually repeat a certain type of preening, some a certain type of stretching, some a certain type of walking, and so on. The reason for these different continually-repeated behaviors was as follows: Pigeons normally are continually engaged in one or another type of behavior -- preening, stretching, etc. If they are engaged in one of these behaviors when a food pellet is dropped into their box, they form an association between their behavior and the appearance of the food pellet, i.e., (in mentalistic terms) they are caused to think that there is possibly some cause-effect relation between their behavior and the appearance of the pellet. This, then, encourages them to try the behavior again, perhaps several times -- i.e., this behavior has been "reinforced". But since this behavior has now become more likely, there is a greater chance that a food pellet will drop into the box at the time that the pigeon is engaged in this behavior. Which means that this behavior will be "reinforced" more. Which means that it will be more likely to be performed again, and get reinforced again, and so on and on, until the hungry pigeon has developed a "superstition" about what "causes" a food pellet to appear -- a superstition that it will practice whenever it is hungry.

Law students (at least here) develop similar habits. For instance, I refuse to wear a bright color to class, especially contracts. I do whatever I can to be unnoticed in class anymore. I won't wear makeup. I won't do fancy my hair up. Nothing like that. While in class, we have to be paying attention, but at certain times (esp before the next brief is to be discussed) I begin shuffling through the pages randomly, pretending to be occupied. Then I'll start typing stuff into the computer from the book, appearing to be supremely interested in whatever is going on. I won't look at websites in contracts. I won't IM. I won't talk to anyone. I won't raise my hand. Raising your hand might draw attention, and if you give a clever answer, he'll call on you again later. But you can't be too distracted by notes, either. You have to find the right balance of eye contact and busy-ness. Always look like you're thinking hard... but not like you know the answer.

These are my superstitions. I stand by them like no other superstition I've had before. I will not give them up, even though I know how ridiculous they are. For instance, one day I wore a beige sweater to class, trying desperately to be inconspicuous.

"Mrs. Cunha! What do you think of this?" *sigh*

And ten minutes later, "Mrs. Cunha, why don't you help us understand this!"

I wanted to yell, "LOOK BUSTER! I'M WEARING A FREAKING BEIGE SHIRT STOP NOTICING ME!"

And another time, I was staring at the guy who was speaking and out of the blue, "Mrs. Cunha, since you are not paying attention, please tell us what the answer is?"

"Well, your question was. . . but I'm not sure what the answer is."

"I know. You need to pay attention."

After class I went up to him. "Yo! I was too paying attention!"

"I know, I was just trying to tease you." (THAT'S HIS IDEA OF TEASING???)

Also, another superstition, don't intentionally talk to professors. Don't ask questions. Don't meet with them during office hours. Once I asked a question at the beginning of class. When we got to that case, you can guess what happened. "Mrs. Cunha! Seeing as you are now proficient in this topic, please tell us about this case!" *Deer in headlights look*

Don't do anything that draws attention to yourself. Ever. In our class book my picture is particularly bad. It looks like I'm a psycho, to be honest. Yeah, he brought it up in class. And then asked me to brief a case.

I really don't think any of my little superstitions matter much. They probably don't. Nevertheless, every time I do them and he doesn't call on me they are reinforced and I stand by them even more.

Are humans any smarter than Pigeons?

(no subject)

My life is rated R.
What is your life rated?

Haha. I'm rated R. :-D