Heleski Camie, Bauson Laura, Bello Nora
Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48854, USA.
J Appl Anim Welf Sci. 2008;11(3):213-22. doi: 10.1080/10888700802100942.
Horse training often relies upon negative reinforcement (NR). This study tested the hypothesis that adding positive reinforcement (PR) to NR would enhance learning in horses (n = 34) being taught to walk over a tarp (novel/typically frightening task). Subjects were Arabians, and the same person handled all of them. This person handled half "traditionally" (NR only)--that is, halter/lead were pulled; when horse stepped forward, pressure was released; process repeated until criterion met (horse crossed the tarp with little/no obvious anxiety). The same person handled the other half traditionally--but with addition of PR < food + verbal praise > (NR + PR). Subjects "failed" the task if they refused to walk onto the tarp after 10 min. Nine horses failed; 6 of 9 failures were from NR only--no significant difference detected (p = .41). The study detected no difference in time to first crossing of the tarp (p = .30) or total time to achieve calmness criterion (p = .67). Overall, adding PR did not significantly enhance learning this task. However, there were practical implications--adding PR made the task safer/less fatiguing for the handler.
马匹训练通常依赖于负强化（NR）。本研究检验了这样一个假设：在负强化的基础上增加正强化（PR）会提高马匹（n = 34）学习走过防水布（一项新奇/通常令人恐惧的任务）的能力。实验对象为阿拉伯马，且由同一个人对所有马匹进行训练。这个人对其中一半马匹采用“传统方式”（仅使用负强化）——即拉缰绳；当马向前迈步时，释放压力；重复这个过程，直到达到标准（马走过防水布时几乎没有/没有明显焦虑）。同一个人对另一半马匹采用传统方式训练，但增加了正强化（食物 + 口头表扬）（负强化 + 正强化）。如果实验对象在10分钟后拒绝走上防水布，则判定为“任务失败”。有9匹马任务失败；9次失败中有6次仅来自于使用负强化的组——未检测到显著差异（p = 0.41）。研究发现，首次走过防水布的时间（p = 0.30）或达到平静标准的总时间（p = 0.67）没有差异。总体而言，增加正强化并没有显著提高马匹学习这项任务的能力。然而，这也有实际意义——增加正强化使这项任务对训练者来说更安全/更轻松。
