An Examination of Shaping with an African Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata)

ABSTRACT

Shaping through differential reinforcement of successive approximations to a target response has been a cornerstone procedure for the training of novel behavior. However, much of how it has traditionally been implemented occurs through informal observation, rather than any direct, systematic measurement. In the following study, an African crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) was trained to touch and hold to a target for 30 s. A changing-criterion design with one reversal was used to assess the success of the shaping procedure and empirically examine the effects of the shaping procedure during each step of the program. The study allowed for the examination of each approximation across all other approximations, as well as across aberrant (e.g., trial-terminating) responses. The design and procedure allow for a simple and systematic way to examine the effects and success of shaping procedures across a variety of settings, species, and purposes.

KEYWORDS:

• Animal training
• husbandry
• operant conditioning
• porcupine
• shaping
• target training

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Susan and Dave Kleven for allowing us to conduct this study, and for providing help and information on Hatari and other species located within their facility, Danette Bramblitt for help in collecting the data, and William Timberlake for reviewing an initial draft of this manuscript.