Originally Posted by
samlad
Quite an interesting question posed here, but to answer a part of it, regarding whether or not they anticipate or think, then yes. A famous study carried out by Pavlov proved that dogs would salivate when they heard a bell, as over a period of time, he rang the bell just before he would feed them. This association in the behavioristic approach to psychology is known as operant conditoning. What this proves is that animals can anticipate given that a stimulus (in this case, a bell ringing) is introduced. Another study by Skinner proved that rats are able to think for themselves. See this study below:
One of his best known inventions is the Skinner box (operant conditioning chamber). It contains one or more levers which an animal can press, one or more stimulus lights and one or more places in which reinforcers like food can be delivered.
In one of Skinners’ experiments a starved rat was introduced into the box. When the lever was pressed by the rat a small pellet of food was dropped onto a tray. The rat soon learned that when he pressed the lever he would receive some food. In this experiment the lever pressing behavior is reinforced by food.
If pressing the lever is reinforced (the rat gets food) when a light is on but not when it is off, responses (pressing the lever) continue to be made in the light but seldom, if at all, in the dark. The rat has formed discrimination between light and dark. When one turns on the light, a response occurs, but that is not a Pavlovian conditioned reflex response.
In this experiment Skinner demonstrated the ideas of "operant conditioning" and "shaping behavior." Unlike Pavlov's "classical conditioning," where an existing behavior (salivating for food) is shaped by associating it with a new stimulus (ringing of a bell or a metronome), operant conditioning is the rewarding of an act that approaches a new desired behavior.
Skinner applied his findings about animals to human behavior and even developed teaching machines so students could learn bit by bit, uncovering answers for an immediate "reward." Computer-based self-instruction uses many of the principles of Skinner's technique.
I hope that helps with some of your answer?