Development of computer-control operant conditioning system with medium-size domestic animals and examination of effectiveness with Siba dogs
2008
Saito, M.(Azabu Univ., Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan). School of Veterinary Medicine) | Ito, S. | Uetake, K. | Eguchi, Y. | Tanaka, T.
We developed and tried a versatile operant conditioning system for medium size domestic animals includes dogs to study their high cognitive ability, which has rarely been investigated until now. A operant chamber (120 cm x 120 cm x90 cm) had three display windows (24 x 24cm), two response holes (5 x 5 cm) with infrared sensors, and the food bowl connected with a pellet dispenser, on the front wall. Two personal computers were included in the system for gathering data and operating test paradigms, respectively. To prove the utility of the system, two female Shiba dogs were trained and tested using matching-to-sample procedure. In the tests, pictures of circle, square and triangle, that each of figures was 6cm height when they were projected, were used as conditioned discriminative stimuli. The criterion of successful discrimination was three consecutive sessions with more than 70% correct choice (P0.05, Chi-square test) in 30 trials per session. Dogs could discriminate figures by the alternative discrimination paradigm, that sample stimuli was fixed in a 30 trial per session, and responded correctly the presented stimuli. Dog1 achieved the criterion after 3, 7, and 3 sessions for circle, square, and triangle, respectively. Dog2 achieved the criterion in the third session about circle. Dog1 didn't achieved yet the criterion in the test using matching-to-sample paradigm, that three figures were presented in 10 trials at random as sample stimuli in a 30 trials per session. Therefore, the choice of figure didn't incline. In conclusion, the system seemed usable for the operant conditioning test in dogs. Dogs can't learn to matching-to-sample procedure now.
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