THE PLASTICITY OF SPATIAL REPRESENTATIONS: SHORTCUTS AND DETOURS

The mere ability to negotiate a detour, i.e., to deviate from a direct path toward a goal as soon as an obstacle is perceived, was considered by Kohler (1927) as indicative of “intelligent behaviors”. Some species, such as hens are unable to head directly toward and around the end of an obstacle that separates them from food, persistently attempting to pass “through” the obstacle. Other studies that have been carried out to demonstrate similar effects have examined the animals’ ability to take advantage of favorable alternatives; for example, the availability of a new pathway which is shorter than the usual one, allowing the animal to get to a goal more quickly by taking a shortcut.