Positive Reinforcement Training in Elephants

Introduction to Standardisation in Research

Importance of Standardisation: Standardisation in research is crucial because it ensures that all participants in a study are treated uniformly.
- Consequences of Lack of Standardisation: If each participant were not treated the same way, it could lead to variability in results that is attributable to differing treatment rather than the actual independent variable being studied.

Study Overview: The research conducted by Fagen, A., Acharya, N., & Kaufman, G. E. (2014) focuses on positive reinforcement training for trunk washing in working elephants in Nepal, aiming to provide alternatives to traditional training methods.
Publication: Published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, Volume 17, Issue 2, Pages 83-97.

Operant Conditioning:
- Definition: Operant conditioning is defined as learning that occurs through the consequences of behavior, meaning individuals are more likely to repeat behaviors that result in positive outcomes.
- Positive Reinforcement: Refers to any stimulus that, when presented following a behavior, strengthens the probability of that behavior occurring again.
- Examples of Positive Reinforcers: Basic needs such as food and praise.
- Negative Reinforcement: Involves the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to enhance a behavior; for instance, putting on a coat in response to cold.

Primary Positive Reinforcer: A stimulus meeting a biological need (e.g., food).
Secondary Reinforcer: A stimulus that acquiring value through being associated with primary reinforcers (e.g., money).
- Natural Reinforcers: Include elements essential for survival; examples include water, food, and shelter.
- Learned Reinforcers: Associated with primary reinforcers but require learning.

Traditional Training Techniques: Typically involved punishment and negative reinforcement.
- Example of Punishment: The use of pain inflicted by instruments like bamboo sticks.
Positive Reinforcement Training: Gaining traction among trainers as a method less harmful to elephants and improving their psychological well-being.
- Study Authors: Desmond & Laule (1991) noted the enhancement of elephant welfare through reward-based methods.

Definition: SPR Training entails using a secondary reinforcer, such as a sound marker, paired with a primary reinforcer (food).
Advantages of Using Markers: Allows precise indication to the animal of when it has performed the desired behavior, overcoming delays in food rewards.

Health Assessment of Elephants: The study investigates a humane method for washing elephants' trunks to monitor their health, particularly for tuberculosis detection.
Challenges in Conducting the Research: Previous methods included punishments that were deemed unethical; hence, the SPR method was employed instead.
- Importance of This Method: Helps prevent the spread of tuberculosis between elephants and humans.

Research Design: Controlled observation, analyzed over weeks to check for responses to specific stimuli with a behavioral checklist.
Sample: Five female elephants (four juveniles, one adult), living in captivity, all traditionally trained and without prior SPR experience.
- Age Details: Juveniles aged 5-7, one adult estimated to be in her 50s.

Primary Reinforcer: Chopped banana for positive reinforcement.
Secondary Reinforcer: Whistle as a sound marker.
Training Schedule: Sessions were held indoors at specific times, and mahouts provided safety but did not engage in coaching.
- Volition in Training: Elephants could opt out by turning away, ensuring voluntary participation.
Steps in Trunk Wash Training:
1. Capture Method: Reward the natural occurrence of the trunk wash.
2. Lure Method: Guide the elephant with a reward into desired positions.
3. Shaping Method: Incrementally reward behaviors approaching the desired outcome.

Tasks Defined: Trunk here, trunk up, bucket, blow.
- Task Details: Determining Response Types:
- Trunk Here: Elephant places trunk in the trainer's hand.
- Trunk Up: Elephant lifts trunk upwards to receive incentive.
- Bucket: Elephant learns to place trunk into a bucket.
- Blow: Elephant exhales into the bucket for sample collection.
- Steady: Holding positions for increasingly longer durations as required.

Performance Overview: Training outcomes indicated that the four juveniles successfully learned the trunk wash procedures, while the adult did not.
- Distinct Outcomes among Elephants: For example, the juvenile elephants achieved variable scores, while the older elephant faced physical challenges affecting its training participation (e.g., visual impairment).
Performance Improvement: Average completion rates increased from 39% to 89.3% over training sessions.

Conclusion of Research: The study substantiated that juvenile, free-contact elephants could effectively learn trunk washing through only positive reinforcement, averting punishment.
- Research Limitations: The small sample size limits generalizability; elephants selected based on temperament may not reflect broader populations.

Ethical Issues Addressed: The study prioritized humane treatment, ensuring that elephants could graze, socialize, and not be physically harmed.
Purpose of the Study: Aimed at creating reliable methods for health checks using non-invasive techniques, thus contributing positively to elephants' welfare.

Final Notes on Study: Fagen et al. successfully demonstrated that trunk washing could be learned with positive reinforcement in a small group of elephants, emphasizing the importance of humane training approaches in captive settings.
Research Outcome Highlight: Utilization of structured observations allows for quantitative data analysis, providing objective measures of learning success.