snowdeal.org > ex machina: the eric update - day 186: b.f. skinner would be proud.

ex machina

the eric update - day 186: b.f. skinner would be proud.

yes, indeed, the advocate of behavioralism would be mighty impressed. see, when we introduce the stimulus known as the mobile we get a repeatable response of smiles and laughter.

interestingly, careful observation has led us to note that little odin reacts more happily to one arm of the mobile over all others. the red circle has a classic smiley face on the bottom and in a long term study we have conclusively determined that 85 percent of the time, odin is not reacting to the mobile in general but rather he's smiling at the smiley face in particular.

we initially theorized that the archtypal smiley face was triggering some sort of primordial instict, but we have other artifacts laying around the house with smiley face printed on them and he doesn't seem to give them a moment's notice. curious.

clearly, further study is warranted.

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1/06/2005 10:42:00 PM 3 comments

3 Comments:

Might I suggest the formulation of a sound and clear cut hypothesis for testing? I can help you with the journal writing as well. I write a mean abstract :).

*Strokes chin and imaginary mustache* Very interesting...very interesting indeed.

By pumpkinhead, at 9:12 AM

My son Gavin has the same mobile, and he also loves the smiley face! I've been meaning to comment on your blog for quite a while. I love the daily photos of Odin. He really is a miracle! My son was born 7/23, so he is both younger and older (in age-adjusted terms)than sweet Odin.

-Eve in Baltimore

By Anonymous, at 11:43 AM

Might I suggest the formulation of a sound and clear cut hypothesis for testing? |

yes indeed. many a study are doomed from the beginning by having an unclear hypothesis. i'm working on it. right now, we're working on several pilot studies to help us focus on the important attributes of the hypothesis. is it the smiley face alone? smiley face and color? smiley face and motion? smiley face and circulat motion? all of the above? even more curiously, i'm not sure that he's even supposed to see the smiley face at all. it's an orange and yellow smiley and i had read somewhere ( probably on the internet so it must be true ) that infants can't differentiate those colors very well.

My son Gavin has the same mobile, and he also loves the smiley face! |

aha! two data points! very interesting.

eve, thanks for the nice comments about the blog and odin. my best to you and gavin.

By e3, at 1:08 PM

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[ rhetoric ]

“"it is hard to be brave," said piglet, sniffing slightly, "when you're only a Very Small Animal." rabbit, who had begun to write very busily, looked up and said: "it is because you are a very small animal that you will be Useful in the adventure before us."”

the complete tales & poems of winnie the pooh

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this site chronicles the continuing adventures of my son, odin, who was unexpectedly born on the fourth of july at 25 weeks gestation, weighing 1 pound 7 ounces.

he's quite a fighter and you can always send him a postcard to the most current address listed here if you're inspired by his adventures. see the postcard project/google maps mashup to see a map of the postcards.

if you're new, you can browse the archives to catch up. and don't forget to watch a few movies that i made while we were in the neonatal intensive care unit. or if you want the abridged version and you can find a copy, you can read about his adventures in the november 2005 issue of parents magazine.

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