Behavior Chapter 40 Study guide

What is the common goal of the practices that make up environmental enrichment?
Click the card to flip 👆
1 / 29
Terms in this set (29)
What is the common goal of the practices that make up environmental enrichment?
Improving the welfare of animals by changing their environment
What does environmental enrichment typically refer to?
To the provision of environmental stimuli that increase opportunities for species- typical behaviors with the intention of enhancing animals physical and psychological well-being
Why do most approaches to enrichment emphasize the importance of understanding the natural behavior and ecology of animals?
As a source of inspiration for ideas and as a benchmark for evaluating success
What reasons are there, other than for the well-being of the animals, for enrichment?
Animals living in environments that cater to their needs and stimulate natural patters of behavior tend to be more engaging and interesting to visitors, and thus more likely to help zoos and aquariums fulfill their mission of connecting people with wildlife
Because enrichment is a field of applied scientific study, what does enrichment need to be based on?
A sound empirical (measurable) understanding of how our enrichment activities affect the behavior and well-being of the animals in our care
What did the work of Hal Markowitz do?
Focused attention on the importance of keeping zoo animal occupied and challenged with tasks that restore some element of control to their lives
What does a theoretical framework do for the enrichment process?
Decide what the most appropriate actions are for a given situation, and also to evaluate our success and devise alternative strategies when our actions are not successful
Why is simply mimicking nature not sufficient as a guiding concept?
Not all "natural" behavior is indicative of good well-being; fear, death, and disease are frequent experiences in the wild
What does the behavior needs hypothesis state?
Some animals may need the chance to perform certain behaviors even if they do not need the outcome
What does exploration indicate?
That animals are finding useful information in their environment, and perhaps that it is "interesting" to them
What is meant by control in regards to animals?That their survival is dependent on contingent on their actionsWhy does enrichment typically increase the control an animal has?Allowing animals to perform behaviors from their natural repertoire to obtain some of the thing they want and needWhat is the result of being able to predict an unpleasant event?Reduces the degree of stress the subject perceivesWhat can be done to reduce predictability in a way that does not result in stress?Increase to animals control by allowing it to react to the stimulus using appropriate natural behaviorsGive some examples of the above (reducing predictability in away that does not result in stress).Food can be scattered at unpredictable intervals, allowing animals to forage for it under their own controlWhat are the categories that enrichment can be placed in?Feeding enrichment, sensory enrichment, cognitive enrichment, social enrichment, and physical enrichmentWhat parameters can be manipulated to make feeding more or less enriching?Increasing the variety of food items offered results in more choice and a variety of feeding-related stimuli. The what which food is prepared and offered can influence the range of behaviors required to obtain itWhat are some examples of sensory enrichment?-Smells can be used to provide variety and novelty, and when combined with food rewards or other desired items it can be used to provide clues to reward investigation and exploration -Sounds can be used similarly, and Markowitz has published the results of several enrichment feeding activities that use sounds as cues for feeding rewardsHow is training enriching?The act of being trained (learning) not only requires thought but also provides a certain amount of choice and control, and results in increased activity and behavioral diversityIf the goal of training is to stimulate problems solving what needs to be the focus of training?Training for new behaviorsHow should keepers direct their creative thought when establishing measurable behavior goals for social animals?The animals social behavior should be a priority, trying to recreate captive social context analogous to those experienced by wild animalsWhat does physical enrichment include?Hiding places, climbing structures, shelter, perches, and water sourcesWhat are the two groups into which measures of well-being can fall into?Those that indicate reduced well-being and those that indicate improved well-beingWhat are some measures of reduced well-beingAbnormal behaviors and behaviors that directly indicate suffering or physiological stressWhat is perhaps the best known behavioral indicator of reduced well-being?Stereotypic behaviorWhat are some commonly accepted indicators of reduced well-being?Self-directed behaviors and other abnormal behaviors, such as regurgitation and re-ingestion and coprophagiaWhat are some expressions of contentment?Play, some vocalizations, exploration, self-grooming, and maintenance behaviors and indicators of interest, alertness and curiosity, and reproductionWhat is the most commonly used experimental designs used to evaluate enrichment?"Pre-post design" or "AB"What is the problem with providing a wide variety of different enrichment activities simultaneously?It became difficult or impossible to determine which characteristics or kinds of enrichment are most effective