Final answer:
Clever Hans was a horse that gained fame in the early 20th century for seemingly having the ability to perform intellectual tasks. Investigations revealed these abilities were responses to subtle cues from humans, leading to the identification of the 'Clever Hans Effect' in psychology.
Step-by-step explanation:
Who Was Clever Hans?
Clever Hans was a horse that became famous in the early 20th century due to his apparent ability to perform arithmetic and other intellectual tasks. His owner, Wilhelm von Osten, was a German high school mathematics teacher who claimed to have taught his horse to count, read, spell, and even understand German. The case of Clever Hans attracted widespread attention and led to formal investigations. Eventually, it was determined that the horse was not actually performing these mental tasks, but was responding to subtle cues unintentionally provided by his handler or the audience when the correct answer was reached. This led to the recognition of what is now known as the Clever Hans Effect, a phenomenon related to animal cognition and human-animal communication.
Understanding the Clever Hans Phenomenon
The Clever Hans Phenomenon is a term used in psychology that refers to the influence of a trainer's or observer's unintentional cues on the behavior of an animal. This remains a poignant example in courses discussing animal behavior, psychology, and the scientific method, illustrating the importance of skepticism and controlled experiments when evaluating claims of animal and even human intelligence.