Generalization of a tactile stimulus in horses.
Abstract: Using horses, we investigated the control of operant behavior by a tactile stimulus (the training stimulus) and the generalization of behavior to six other similar test stimuli. In a stall, the experimenters mounted a response panel in the doorway. Located on this panel were a response lever and a grain dispenser. The experimenters secured a tactile-stimulus belt to the horse's back. The stimulus belt was constructed by mounting seven solenoids along a piece of burlap in a manner that allowed each to provide the delivery of a tactile stimulus, a repetitive light tapping, at different locations (spaced 10.0 cm apart) along the horse's back. Two preliminary steps were necessary before generalization testing: training a measurable response (lip pressing) and training on several reinforcement schedules in the presence of a training stimulus (tapping by one of the solenoids). We then gave each horse two generalization test sessions. Results indicated that the horses' behavior was effectively controlled by the training stimulus. Horses made the greatest number of responses to the training stimulus, and the tendency to respond to the other test stimuli diminished as the stimuli became farther away from the training stimulus. These findings are discussed in the context of behavioral principles and their relevance to the training of horses.
Publication Date: 1993-05-01 PubMed ID: 8315368PubMed Central: PMC1322134DOI: 10.1901/jeab.1993.59-521Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research paper focuses on examining horses’ reaction to a tactile stimulus and testing its generalization over six similar stimuli. The research found out that the horse’s behavior could be manipulated by the initial training stimulus, and the response to additional stimuli decreased as the stimuli diverged from the original one.
Methodology
The researchers carried out the experiment by:
- Mounting a response panel in the stall doorway which had a lever and a grain dispenser.
- Securing a tactile-stimulus belt to the horse’s back. This belt had seven solenoids mounted on a burlap strip, each of which could deliver a light tapping stimulus at various locations along the horse’s back, separated by a distance of 10.0 cm.
- Training the horse to exhibit a measurable response, which was lip pressing, and training the horse under various reinforcement schedules in presence of the training stimulus.
Generalization Testing
After training, horses underwent generalization testing, which was carried out in two sessions. This reflected on how the introduced stimuli were perceived and responded to after the initial conditioning from the training stimulus.
Results
Results of the experiment showed that:
- The horse’s behavior could indeed be manipulated by the training stimulus. This reality was established by the fact that horses responded the most to the training stimulus.
- The tendency of the horses to respond declined when they were presented with test stimuli that differed from the training stimulus. Therefore, the more the test stimuli strayed away from the training stimulus, the less were the responses.
Relevance of Findings
These findings are significant in understanding behavioral principles in relation to training horses. Understanding how horses can be conditioned to respond to specific stimuli, and how this response diminishes as the stimuli deviate from the original, can contribute to better, more efficient, and humane horse training practices.
Cite This Article
APA
Dougherty DM, Lewis P.
(1993).
Generalization of a tactile stimulus in horses.
J Exp Anal Behav, 59(3), 521-528.
https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.1993.59-521 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Human Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston 77030.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Behavior, Animal
- Female
- Horses
- Male
- Reinforcement, Psychology
- Touch
References
This article includes 4 references
- Dougherty DM, Lewis P. Stimulus generalization, discrimination learning, and peak shift in horses.. J Exp Anal Behav 1991 Jul;56(1):97-104.
- GUTTMAN N, KALISH HI. Discriminability and stimulus generalization.. J Exp Psychol 1956 Jan;51(1):79-88.
- FLESHLER M, HOFFMAN HS. A progression for generating variable-interval schedules.. J Exp Anal Behav 1962 Oct;5(4):529-30.
- Honig WK, Urcuioli PJ. The legacy of Guttman and Kalish (1956): Twenty-five years of research on stimulus generalization.. J Exp Anal Behav 1981 Nov;36(3):405-45.
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Iversen IH. An inexpensive and automated method for presenting olfactory or tactile stimuli to rats in a two-choice discrimination task. J Exp Anal Behav 2008 Jul;90(1):113-24.
- Miyashita Y, Nakajima S, Imada H. Differential outcome effect in the horse. J Exp Anal Behav 2000 Sep;74(2):245-53.
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