Dougherty D M, Lewis P
Human Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston 77030.
J Exp Anal Behav. 1993 May;59(3):521-8. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1993.59-521.
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.
我们使用马匹研究了触觉刺激（训练刺激）对操作性行为的控制以及行为对其他六种类似测试刺激的泛化情况。在一个畜栏里，实验人员在门口安装了一个响应面板。这个面板上有一个响应杆和一个谷物分配器。实验人员将一条触觉刺激带固定在马背上。刺激带是通过沿着一块粗麻布安装七个螺线管制成的，每个螺线管都能在马背上不同位置（间隔10.0厘米）提供触觉刺激，即重复的轻拍。在进行泛化测试之前需要两个初步步骤：训练一种可测量的反应（唇部按压）以及在训练刺激（其中一个螺线管的轻拍）存在的情况下对几种强化程序进行训练。然后，我们让每匹马进行了两次泛化测试。结果表明，训练刺激有效地控制了马的行为。马对训练刺激做出的反应次数最多，并且随着测试刺激与训练刺激的距离越来越远，对其他测试刺激做出反应的倾向逐渐减弱。我们在行为原理及其与马匹训练的相关性的背景下讨论了这些发现。
