The impact of acoustical secondary reinforcement during shape discrimination learning of dwarf goats (Capra hircus)

2007 ◽  
Vol 103 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 35-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Langbein ◽  
Katrin Siebert ◽  
Gerd Nuernberg ◽  
Gerhard Manteuffel
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Learning ◽  
Secondary Reinforcement ◽  
Capra Hircus ◽  
Shape Discrimination ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Dwarf Goats

scholarly journals Goats (Capra hircus) from different selection lines differ in their behavioural flexibility

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Nawroth ◽  
Katrina ◽  
Nina Keil ◽  
Jan Langbein
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Learning ◽  
Reversal Learning ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Capra Hircus ◽  
Learning Criterion ◽  
Behavioural Flexibility ◽  
Dairy Goats ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Dwarf Goats

Artificial selection by humans has likely affected animal’s ability to learn novel contingencies and their ability to adapt to changing environments. In addition, the selection for specific traits in domestic animals might have an additional impact on subject’s behavioural flexibility, but also their general learning performance, due to a re-allocation of resources towards parameters of productivity. To test whether animals bred for high productivity would experience a shift towards lower learning performance, we compared the performance of dwarf goats (not selected for production, 15 subjects) and dairy goats (selected for high milk yield, 18 subjects) in a visual discrimination learning and reversal learning task. To increase the heterogeneity of our test sample, data was collected by two experimenters at two research stations following a similar protocol. We did not find differences between selection lines in the initial discrimination learning task, but in the subsequent reversal learning task - dairy goats were slower to reach the learning criterion compared to dwarf goats (9.18 sessions versus 7.74 sessions, respectively). Our results indicate that the selection for milk production might have affected behavioural flexibility in goats. These breed-specific differences in adapting to changing environmental stimuli might have an impact on welfare-relevant parameters, e.g. when subjects are transferred or re-housed/re-grouped.

Degree of social isolation affects behavioural and vocal response patterns in dwarf goats (Capra hircus)

2011 ◽  
Vol 131 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 53-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrin Siebert ◽  
Jan Langbein ◽  
Peter-Christian Schön ◽  
Armin Tuchscherer ◽  
Birger Puppe
Keyword(s):  
Social Isolation ◽  
Capra Hircus ◽  
Vocal Response ◽  
Response Patterns ◽  
Dwarf Goats

Nondifferential Reinforcements and Discrimination Learning by Retardates

1978 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. O'Malley ◽  
Gregory Golden
Keyword(s):  
Discrimination Learning ◽  
Color Discrimination ◽  
Shape Discrimination ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Attentional Theory ◽  
Facilitated Learning

20 retarded subjects received 50 trials of nondifferential reinforcement in the presence of cues on the dimension of shape and subsequently learned either a shape discrimination with color irrelevant or a color discrimination with shape irrelevant. 20 control subjects simply learned the shape or color discrimination. Nondifferential reinforcement significantly facilitated learning of the color discrimination and only tended to nonsignificantly hinder learning of the shape discrimination. Results were discussed in terms of Mackintosh's attentional theory of discrimination learning.

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