|
Sondergaard, E., & Ladewig, J. (2004). Group housing exerts a positive effect on the behaviour of young horses during training. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 87(1-2), 105–118.
Abstract: In an experiment on the effects of social environment and training on the human-animal relationship, 20 horses were handled according to a defined schedule. Eight horses were housed singly and 12 horses were housed in four groups of 3 horses. Horses were handled three times per week in 10 min sessions from an age of 6 months until 2 years of age during two winter periods. A total of 50 and 70 sessions were given in the first and second period, respectively. Five randomly allocated people performed the training. The training scheme involved leading, tying up, touching, lifting feet, etc. in 43 stages. The horse had to fulfil the performance criteria of each stage in order to get to the next stage. In the first winter period, horses were led to the stable when they had “passed” a stage or after 10 min of training. In the second winter period, horses would start off at stage 1 again, and when they “passed” a stage they went on to the next stage within the same training session. Because of the change in training procedure results were analysed separately for the two winter periods. There was a significant difference between trainers in the number of times they allowed a horse to “pass” a stage within each winter period (χ32, P<0.05; χ32, P<0.001 for the first and the second winter period, respectively). Group housed horses “passed” more stages than single housed horses (17 versus 14; 27 versus 18 in the first and second winter period, respectively; P<0.05 for the interaction). Singly housed horses bit the trainer more frequently than did group housed horses (P<0.01). The responses of group housed horses to training clearly demonstrate the benefits of raising young horses in groups.
|
|
|
Baer, K. L., Potter, G. D., Friend, T. H., & Beaver, B. V. (1983). Observation effects on learning in horses. Appl. Animal. Ethol., 11(2), 123–129.
Abstract: Sixteen horses, divided into 2 groups of 8, were used to study observational learning in horses. One group served as controls while the other group served as the treated group (observers). Observers were allowed to watch a correctly performed discrimination task for 5 days prior to testing their learning response using the same task. Discrimination testing was conducted on all horses daily for 14 days, with criterion set at 7 out of 8 responses correct with the last 5 consecutively correct. The maximum number of trials performed without reaching criterion was limited to 20 per day. Mean trials to criteria (MT) by group were: control, 11.25; observer, 10.70. Mean error (ME) scores were: control, 2.37; observer, 2.02. Average initial discrimination error scores were 11.13 for control and 10.38 for observers (P < 0.10). Asymptote was reached by Day 8 for both control and observer groups. Analysis of variance with repeated measures showed an extreme-day effect indicative of learning (P < 0.01), with non-significant differences in learning rate between experimental groups. Whether the initial ability of the horses to perform a discrimination learning task was enhanced by observation of other horses' performance of that task was not obvious from these data.
|
|
|
Horner, V., & Whiten, A. (2005). Causal knowledge and imitation/emulation switching in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and children (Homo sapiens). Anim. Cogn., 8(3), 164–181.
Abstract: This study explored whether the tendency of chimpanzees and children to use emulation or imitation to solve a tool-using task was a response to the availability of causal information. Young wild-born chimpanzees from an African sanctuary and 3- to 4-year-old children observed a human demonstrator use a tool to retrieve a reward from a puzzle-box. The demonstration involved both causally relevant and irrelevant actions, and the box was presented in each of two conditions: opaque and clear. In the opaque condition, causal information about the effect of the tool inside the box was not available, and hence it was impossible to differentiate between the relevant and irrelevant parts of the demonstration. However, in the clear condition causal information was available, and subjects could potentially determine which actions were necessary. When chimpanzees were presented with the opaque box, they reproduced both the relevant and irrelevant actions, thus imitating the overall structure of the task. When the box was presented in the clear condition they instead ignored the irrelevant actions in favour of a more efficient, emulative technique. These results suggest that emulation is the favoured strategy of chimpanzees when sufficient causal information is available. However, if such information is not available, chimpanzees are prone to employ a more comprehensive copy of an observed action. In contrast to the chimpanzees, children employed imitation to solve the task in both conditions, at the expense of efficiency. We suggest that the difference in performance of chimpanzees and children may be due to a greater susceptibility of children to cultural conventions, perhaps combined with a differential focus on the results, actions and goals of the demonstrator.
|
|
|
Caldwell, C. A., & Whiten, A. (2004). Testing for social learning and imitation in common marmosets, Callithrix jacchus, using an artificial fruit. Anim. Cogn., 7(2), 77–85.
Abstract: We tested for social learning and imitation in common marmosets using an artificial foraging task and trained conspecific demonstrators. We trained a demonstrator marmoset to open an artificial fruit, providing a full demonstration of the task to be learned. Another marmoset provided a partial demonstration, controlling for stimulus enhancement effects, by eating food from the outside of the apparatus. We thus compared three observer groups, each consisting of four animals: those that received the full demonstration, those that received the partial demonstration, and a control group that saw no demonstration prior to testing. Although none of the observer marmosets succeeded in opening the artificial fruit during the test periods, there were clear effects of demonstration type. Those that saw the full demonstration manipulated the apparatus more overall, whereas those from the control group manipulated it the least of the three groups. Those from the full-demonstration group also contacted the particular parts of the artificial fruit that they had seen touched (localised stimulus enhancement) to a greater extent than the other two groups. There was also an interaction between the number of hand and mouth touches made to the artificial fruit for the full- and partial-demonstration groups. Whether or not these data represent evidence for imitation is discussed. We also propose that the clear differences between the groups suggest that social learning mechanisms provide real benefits to these animals in terms of developing novel food-processing skills analogous to the one presented here.
|
|
|
Castles, D. L., Whiten, A., & Aureli, F. (1999). Social anxiety, relationships and self-directed behaviour among wild female olive baboons. Anim. Behav., 58(6), 1207–1215.
Abstract: Self-directed behaviour (SDB) can be used as a behavioural indicator of stress and anxiety in nonhuman primates (Maestripieri et al. 1992, Animal Behaviour, 44, 967-979). We investigated the effect of nearest neighbours' relative dominance status on the SDB of sexually mature female olive baboons, Papio anubis. When the animal nearest to (within 5 m of) a female was a dominant individual, SDB rates (a combined measure of self-scratching, self-grooming, self-touching, body shaking and yawning) increased by ca. 40% over those observed when the nearest neighbour was a subordinate. The results indicate that (1) SDB can be used as a measure of uncertainty during the social interactions of cercopithecine primates and (2) as there was considerable variation in SDB response according to the nature of the dominant individual, SDB can be used to assess relationship security (i.e. the perceived predictability of a relationship for one partner). Finally, in combination with measures of affiliation rate, SDB may provide insight into relationship value.
|
|
|
McDonnell, S. M., & Haviland, J. C. S. (1995). Agonistic ethogram of the equid bachelor band. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 43(3), 147–188.
Abstract: An ethogram of agonistic and related behaviors among equid bachelor band members was developed. Several key English-language studies on equids were reviewed to derive a preliminary inventory of specific behaviors to be included in the ethogram. A bachelor band of domestic pony stallions pastured together was observed for approximately 50 daylight hours to obtain detailed descriptions of each behavior, enable photographic and video documentation of behaviors, and identify any behaviors to be added to the preliminary inventory. An initial draft of the ethogram was sent to 65 equine researchers for review. Twenty-eight critical reviews were received and their suggestions considered for the final draft. A total of 49 elemental behaviors including five distinct vocalizations was included in the ethogram. Three complex behavioral sequences were also included. Most of the behaviors catalogued from the direct observation of pastured pony stallions were also found in the equid literature. For many, references to these behaviors specifically among males or bachelor band members were not found. The results offer a practical tool for quantitative research and other studies of equid inter-male behavior as well as for teaching of equid behavior, and should facilitate progress toward development of a complete ethogram for the horse and other equids.
|
|
|
Eccles, T. R., & Shackleton, D. M. (1986). Correlates and consequences of social status in female bighorn sheep. Anim. Behav., 34(5), 1392–1401.
Abstract: Dominance-subordinance relationships among a captive group of adule bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis californiana) were studied from May 1977 to December 1978. Social interactions between females were brief in duration and infrequent. Although a dominance hierarchy was evident among the females, it was not linear. Horn length and body weight were not consistently correlated with social status. The highest ranking females were the most aggressive individuals, initiating more agonistic interactions than subordinates. Females with high social status did not have higher quality diets, lower activity costs, or higher productivity than low ranking females.
|
|
|
Fournier, F., & Festa-Bianchet, M. (1995). Social dominance in adult female mountain goats. Anim. Behav., 49(6), 1449–1459.
Abstract: The social behaviour of adult female mountain goats, Oreamnos americanus, was studied for 2 years in an unhunted population in west-central Alberta, Canada. Compared with other female ungulates, mountain goat females interacted aggressively much more frequently and their dominance ranks were less stable in time and less age-related. Goats were organized in a non-linear but non-random dominance hierarchy, with many reversals in rank. The best morphological predictor of dominance rank was horn length one year and body mass in the following year. Age was a weaker predictor of dominance status than what has been reported for other female ungulates. The ranks of individual goats changed between years and dominance rank one year was not a good predictor of rank the following year. These results suggest that linearity may only be possible when a contested resource can be defended. Dominant female goats did not forage more efficiently than subordinate goats, and dominant status did not affect the amount of time devoted to alert behaviour.
|
|
|
Rutberg, A. T., & Greenberg, S. A. (1990). Dominance, aggression frequencies and modes of aggressive competition in feral pony mares. Anim. Behav., 40(2), 322–331.
Abstract: Feral pony mares, Equus caballus, at Assateague Island, Maryland, formed linear dominance hierarchies within bands. Generally, older mares dominated younger mares, and larger mares dominated smaller mares. Large mares initiated aggression more often than small mares when age was controlled for but, surprisingly, older mares initiated aggression less often than younger mares when size was controlled for. Thus, mares peak in aggressiveness fairly soon after achieving full size and then, while maintaining or improving their rank in the domainance hierarchy, progressively reduce their involvement in aggression as they grow older, Involvement in aggression per mare increased as number of mares in the group increased; this effect was independent of nearest-mare distances. Frequency of involvement in aggression did not differ between mares that had changed bands within the year and mares whose band association had continued for a year or more. Aggression was directed more frequently than expected at subordinate mares who were nursing, and also occurred more frequently than expected at water holes. The proportion of aggressive encounters during grazing closely matched the total proportion of time spent grazing. Subordinate mares with foals received aggression more often than subordinate mares without foals. The high frequency of aggression associated with foals and nursing suggests that interference with reproduction of subordiantes is an important mode of competition between mares. Such interference may be common in animals that feed on dispersed resources and live in small, cohesive groups.
|
|
|
Bannikov, A. G. (1971). The Asiatic Wild Ass: neglected relative of the horse. Animals, 13, 580–585.
|
|