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Home / Equine Research Bank / PLoS One / Dimensions of temperament modulate cue-controlled behavior: ...
PloS one2013; 8(6); e64853; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064853

Dimensions of temperament modulate cue-controlled behavior: a study on Pavlovian to instrumental transfer in horses (Equus caballus).

Abstract: Pavlovian to instrumental transfer (PIT) is a central factor in how cues influence animal behavior. PIT refers to the capacity of a Pavlovian cue that predicts a reward to elicit or increase a response intended to obtain the same reward. In the present study, using an equine model, we assessed whether PIT occurs in hoofed domestic animals and whether its efficacy can be modulated by temperamental dimensions. To study PIT, horses were submitted to Pavlovian conditioning whereby an auditory-visual stimulus was repeatedly followed by food delivery. Then, horses were submitted to instrumental conditioning during which they learned to touch with their noses an object signaled by the experimenter in order to obtain the same reward. During the PIT test, the Pavlovian conditioned stimulus was presented to the animal in the absence of reward. At the end of the experiment, a battery of behavioral tests was performed on all animals to assess five temperamental dimensions and investigate their relationships with instrumental performance. The results indicate that PIT can be observed in horses and that its efficacy is greatly modulated by individual temperament. Indeed, individuals with a specific pattern of temperamental dimensions (i.e., higher levels of gregariousness, fearfulness, and sensory sensitivity) exhibited the strongest PIT. The demonstration of the existence of PIT in domesticated animals (i.e., horses) is important for the optimization of its use by humans and the improvement of training methods. Moreover, because PIT may be implicated in psychological phenomena, including addictive behaviors, the observation of relationships between specific temperamental dimensions and PIT efficacy may aid in identifying predisposing temperamental attributes.
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Publication Date: 2013-06-14 PubMed ID: 23798994PubMed Central: PMC3682987DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064853Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research finds that the behavior of domestic hoofed animals, specifically horses, can be influenced by Pavlovian to instrumental transfer (PIT) which is a psychological concept where cues that predict rewards trigger behavior intended to get the same reward. Personal temperamental traits can affect the potency of this method with horses who display higher levels of fearfulness, group orientation, and sensory sensitivity being the most receptive to PIT.

Understanding the Key Concepts

  • Pavlovian to Instrumental Transfer (PIT) is a psychological hypothesis that sheds light on how cues or hints that predict a certain reward can as well instigate the performance of an action to get that same reward. This theory is named after the famous psychologist, Ivan Pavlov, who was widely known for his research on conditioning behavior.
  • Temperament in this context refers to the characteristic or regular behavior patterns an individual displays. Commonly identified traits in horses encompass fearfulness, gregariousness (social behavior), and sensory sensitivity.

Research Methodology

  • The researchers used horses as their subject for studying PIT applied to hoofed domestic animals.
  • The horses first were introduced to Pavlovian conditioning: An auditory-visual stimulus was typically followed by the delivery of food, the reward.
  • Next, the horses underwent instrumental conditioning: They were trained to understand that touching an object with their noses as signalled by the experimenter would result in the same food reward.
  • For the PIT test, the Pavlovian conditioned stimulus was presented without the accompanying reward. This was to observe if the previously conditioned cue would prompt the horses to perform the action for the reward, even in its absence.
  • Lastly, the researchers used a set of behavioral tests to identify each horse’s temperamental traits and analyzed their association with their performance in the PIT test.

Research Findings

  • PIT was proven to be a mechanic applicable to horses.
  • The effectiveness of PIT was heavily influenced by the individual horses’ temperamental traits. Horses that had higher scores in the traits of fearfulness, gregariousness, and sensory sensitivity demonstrated the strongest manifestation of PIT.
  • The detection of these correlations provides valuable insight for practical improvements in training methods and broadens the understanding of creature behavior. Additionally, the results hold relevance for cognitive and behavioral phenomena, including addictive behaviors, which means understanding specific temperamental traits can help in identifying potential behavioral risks.

Cite This Article

APA
Lansade L, Coutureau E, Marchand A, Baranger G, Valenchon M, Calandreau L. (2013). Dimensions of temperament modulate cue-controlled behavior: a study on Pavlovian to instrumental transfer in horses (Equus caballus). PLoS One, 8(6), e64853. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0064853

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 8
Issue: 6
Pages: e64853
PII: e64853

Researcher Affiliations

Lansade, Léa
  • Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), UMR 85, Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Nouzilly, France. lansade@tours.inra.fr
Coutureau, Etienne
    Marchand, Alain
      Baranger, Gersende
        Valenchon, Mathilde
          Calandreau, Ludovic

            MeSH Terms

            • Acoustic Stimulation
            • Animals
            • Behavior, Animal
            • Conditioning, Operant
            • Cues
            • Female
            • Horses / psychology
            • Male
            • Photic Stimulation
            • Reward
            • Temperament

            Conflict of Interest Statement

            The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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            Citations

            This article has been cited 6 times.
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