Elephant Learning

The aim of the study was to:

• Investigate whether secondary positive reinforcement could be used to train the elephants to voluntarily complete a trunk wash

• Investigate whether primary positive reinforcement could be used to train the elephants to voluntarily complete a trunk wash

• Investigate whether primary negative reinforcement could be used to train the elephants to voluntarily complete a trunk wash

• Investigate whether secondary negative reinforcement could be used to train the elephants to voluntarily complete a trunk wash

The sample consisted of:

• 5 male elephants

• 4 juvenile elephants and 1 adult elephant

• 5 female elephants

• 4 adult elephants and 1 juvenile elephant

The ethical guideline of procedures: pain and distress was followed as elephants had freedom of movement even though their legs were chained.

• True

• False

The 4 juvenile elephants all learned the full trunk wash in:

• 25-35 session

• 25-30 session

• 20-30 sessions

• 20-35 sessions

Elephant 5 (the older elephant) failed to master:

• blowing into the bucket

• lowering her trunk into the bucket

• holding her trunk steady

Trainers only used counterconditioning to gradually make the syringe go from being an aversive stimulus to a conditioned stimulus.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

They used both counterconditioning and desensitization.

"Rewarding behaviour to encourage it to be repeated again'' is the definition of:

• Shaping

• Negative reinforcement

• Positive reinforcement

• Behavioural chaining

To complete a trunk wash, elephants had to perform ___ behaviours in order.

• 4

• 5

• 6

• 7

Training was concluded when the elephant had a success rate of ≥ ___ in all 5 steps.

• 90%

• 85%

• 80%

• 70%

Over the course of the study, the elephants' success rate for accurate individual behaviours and sequences increased from 49% after 10 sessions to 89.3% after 35 sessions.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

It increased from 39% not from 49%.