Conditioned Reflex Experiment 1300 Years Ago
It happened in China, around AD 700 in the Tang Dynasty.
It goes as follows.
A man called Guo Chun lived in Donghai County and he was known as a filial son. When his mother died, he cried and cried. Every time he cried loudly, people would see a large flock of birds would gather around him.
The news spread out, saying that Guo’s piety moved the God. As being filial to parents was so much a virtue which was promoted by the government that the government conducted an investigation and found that it was true, and especially commended Guo for his filial piety.
However, it later turned out that every time Guo Chun cried loudly, he scattered grain on the ground to attract flocks of birds to gather for food. After several times, the birds flew over as soon as they heard him cry.
It is not as legendary goes that Guo’s filial piety moved the birds. But we now know that as early as 1300 years ago, a Chinese man knew how to use the conditioned reflex to make birds learn to change their behaviour.
東海孝子郭純喪母，每哭則羣鳥大集。使驗有實，旌表門閭。後訪乃是孝子每哭，即散餅食於地，羣鳥爭來食之。後如此，鳥聞哭聲以為度，莫不競湊，非有靈也。（《朝野金載》（唐）張鷟）
2020-10-11