Who conducted that experiment in theory of relations?

A robot is placed in a closed area with a group of chicks (poultry, not human) ;-). It is programmed to repetitively make a route all day, every day. The chicks, disturbed by the noise produced by the machine, flee to a corner and establish themselves there avoiding vicinity to the bot.
Gradually it was observed that the machine began modifying its path, cutting it shorter and shorter until it confined itself into an opposite corner. The whole time the chicks were also gradually spreading from there confinement. They eventually became comfortable with the bot and walked about it.

My good old physics professor once told me this, when we were discussing the research of Fritjof Capra.
Could this be his?