It definitely works
I stumbled onto the Clever Hans Effect this week.
Hans was a horse (of course) who appeared to perform mathematical calculations. He was quite a celebrity.
In 1907, a scientific inquiry concluded that while Hans was indeed quite clever, he was actually responding to physical cues given by his trainer (who wasn't consciously giving the horse clues).
This is often cited as a potential pitfall when researching animal cognition.
I thought that was quite interesting, but what really captured my imagination was the realization that "The Clever Hans Effect" would easily be the greatest indie band name ever.
<< Home