title: Effect of Stimulus and Response Separation on Brushtail Possum Behaviour in a MTS task

authors: Cameron, Kristie Elizabeth

subjects: possum

abstract: Brushtail possums, Trichosurus vulpecula, were presented with five rows of blue and yellow stimuli (levels one-five) arranged vertically 20 mm apart, above the response levers. For each level each possum was trained to complete a Matching to Sample task at zero seconds delay. Generally, possums showed peak performance at the level presently being trained across all levels. There was also a decrease in performance at levels further from the trained level, suggesting performance generalised to similar levels. The findings from this experiment provide evidence for placing stimuli and response manipulanda close together to improve acquisition of a task, and increase the responding accuracy in DMTS experiments. This suggests that the relative position of stimuli and response manipulanda is critical to possums performing a MTS task. These findings also have implications for experiments other than MTS and could be applied to study involving other marsupials.

text: Effect of Stimulus and Response Separation on Brushtail Possum Behaviour in a MTS task Brushtail possums, Trichosurus vulpecula, were presented with five rows of blue and yellow stimuli (levels one-five) arranged vertically 20 mm apart, above the response levers. For each level each possum was trained to complete a Matching to Sample task at zero seconds delay. Generally, possums showed peak performance at the level presently being trained across all levels. There was also a decrease in performance at levels further from the trained level, suggesting performance generalised to similar levels. The findings from this experiment provide evidence for placing stimuli and response manipulanda close together to improve acquisition of a task, and increase the responding accuracy in DMTS experiments. This suggests that the relative position of stimuli and response manipulanda is critical to possums performing a MTS task. These findings also have implications for experiments other than MTS and could be applied to study involving other marsupials.

year: 2009

title: Dogs' scent detection performance with rapidly changing targets

authors: Chia, Maria Shue Ying

abstract: Scent detection dogs trained to detect one target scent are sometimes needed to detect a different target. Recent studies have demonstrated that scent detection animals can be trained to detect multiple scents simultaneously. However, in some cases, it may be problematic if the dogs indicate on previous targets. Therefore, it would be useful to know how quickly they can learn to detect new target scents, and not to indicate on previously trained target scents. The aim of this study was to evaluate dogs’ ability to learn to detect new target scents while simultaneously rejecting all previously trained target scents. Firstly, five pet dogs were trained to detect a training scent (amyl acetate) using an automated apparatus. The dogs were then required to detect a four new target scents within four phases. Target scents were treated as non-target scents in all subsequent phases; indications on previously trained target scents were not reinforced. Non-target scents in each phase consisted of three randomly selected chemicals that were presented in a randomised rotation. The dogs were required to complete a phase with one target and meet the criteria of more than 80% for correct indication and correct rejection responses, without performing an indication response more than once on the previous target scent for four out of five sessions. The results of the experiment demonstrated that (1) the dogs were able to successfully discriminate between the specified target scent and all non-target scents within each phase; (2) the persistence of indication behaviour on previously trained target scents decreased more rapidly with each phase; and (3) there was a re-emergence of indication responses when each previously trained target scent was presented after extinction conditions. In summary, the present study demonstrates that dogs can be retrained to indicate on new targets and reject previous targets. The learning processes associated with the dogs learning to indicate on new targets, and learning not to indicate on previous target scents must both be considered. These results have significant practical implications and it is hoped that the they will improve our ability to employ individual scent-detection animals to find multiple targets.

text: Dogs' scent detection performance with rapidly changing targets Scent detection dogs trained to detect one target scent are sometimes needed to detect a different target. Recent studies have demonstrated that scent detection animals can be trained to detect multiple scents simultaneously. However, in some cases, it may be problematic if the dogs indicate on previous targets. Therefore, it would be useful to know how quickly they can learn to detect new target scents, and not to indicate on previously trained target scents. The aim of this study was to evaluate dogs’ ability to learn to detect new target scents while simultaneously rejecting all previously trained target scents. Firstly, five pet dogs were trained to detect a training scent (amyl acetate) using an automated apparatus. The dogs were then required to detect a four new target scents within four phases. Target scents were treated as non-target scents in all subsequent phases; indications on previously trained target scents were not reinforced. Non-target scents in each phase consisted of three randomly selected chemicals that were presented in a randomised rotation. The dogs were required to complete a phase with one target and meet the criteria of more than 80% for correct indication and correct rejection responses, without performing an indication response more than once on the previous target scent for four out of five sessions. The results of the experiment demonstrated that (1) the dogs were able to successfully discriminate between the specified target scent and all non-target scents within each phase; (2) the persistence of indication behaviour on previously trained target scents decreased more rapidly with each phase; and (3) there was a re-emergence of indication responses when each previously trained target scent was presented after extinction conditions. In summary, the present study demonstrates that dogs can be retrained to indicate on new targets and reject previous targets. The learning processes associated with the dogs learning to indicate on new targets, and learning not to indicate on previous target scents must both be considered. These results have significant practical implications and it is hoped that the they will improve our ability to employ individual scent-detection animals to find multiple targets.

year: 2020

title: Te kiri ka tōkia e te anu: Ko ētahi āhuatanga ki ngā kāinga o Hiruhārama me Te Horo

authors: Parata, Patricia Hekia

subjects: Tangihanga

abstract: He mea waihanga e ahau, tēnei tuhituhinga, i runga i tēnei whakaaro, kia tirohia te hanga, me te āhua o te tangihanga, ki ōku marae e rua, o roto o Ngāti Porou, kei Hiruhārama me Te Horo. Kāore i whāia he wāhanga ki ngā pūtakenga mai o ngā tikanga. Engari, he mea tātaki haere noa iho ko ngā kaupapa tauira o ēnei tikanga. 
He mea raranga anō ngā kōrero nei, kia whiri ai i roto i ngā tauira kōrero nei, te tūpāpaku, te marae, ngā tāngata me ngā tikanga, e pā ana ki a rātau katoa. 
Ahakoa te nui, te huhua noa iho, o ngā tuhituhinga mō te āhua ki tēnei mea, ki te marae, te whaikōrero, te tangihanga, ēnei mea katoa, kore rawa anō nei, tētahi paku tuhituhi kua whakatakotoria i tēnei hanga nei. Ehara hoki tēnei i te tuhituhinga e whai ana i te āhua o ērā o mua atu. 
He mea kohikohi ēnei kōrero, nā ētahi kuia, me ētahi kaumātua, me ngā mea pakeke o tōku nei rohe, ā, he aronga nui nāku ki ngā mea i kite ai au i ngā wā i ahau i te kāinga, me ngā hui i tae ai au mai anō i tōku tamarikitanga. Nō reira, he whakapūteatanga ēnei mea katoa, nō ngā mea katoa i runga ake nei. 
Kua wehewehengia ēnei kōrero kia takoto pēnei ana nā: ko te wāhanga tuatahi, ko te takenga mai o Ngāti Porou, me ngā wehewehenga mai o ngā hapū; ko te wāhanga tuarua, e pā ana ki ngā whakamārama o ngā kupu, arā, te kirimate, te paemate, me te wharemate; tuatoru, ko te whakahoki o te tūpāpaku; tuawhā, kei ngā mahi ki runga i te marae; tuarima, ngā tikanga o te rā nehu; tuaono, ngā mahi whakatutuki. 
Hei whakamutu ake, kua whakarārangitia e ahau, ngā roherohenga mahi, me ngā tūranga e rite ana mō tēnā, mō tēnā, mō tēnā.

text: Te kiri ka tōkia e te anu: Ko ētahi āhuatanga ki ngā kāinga o Hiruhārama me Te Horo He mea waihanga e ahau, tēnei tuhituhinga, i runga i tēnei whakaaro, kia tirohia te hanga, me te āhua o te tangihanga, ki ōku marae e rua, o roto o Ngāti Porou, kei Hiruhārama me Te Horo. Kāore i whāia he wāhanga ki ngā pūtakenga mai o ngā tikanga. Engari, he mea tātaki haere noa iho ko ngā kaupapa tauira o ēnei tikanga. 
He mea raranga anō ngā kōrero nei, kia whiri ai i roto i ngā tauira kōrero nei, te tūpāpaku, te marae, ngā tāngata me ngā tikanga, e pā ana ki a rātau katoa. 
Ahakoa te nui, te huhua noa iho, o ngā tuhituhinga mō te āhua ki tēnei mea, ki te marae, te whaikōrero, te tangihanga, ēnei mea katoa, kore rawa anō nei, tētahi paku tuhituhi kua whakatakotoria i tēnei hanga nei. Ehara hoki tēnei i te tuhituhinga e whai ana i te āhua o ērā o mua atu. 
He mea kohikohi ēnei kōrero, nā ētahi kuia, me ētahi kaumātua, me ngā mea pakeke o tōku nei rohe, ā, he aronga nui nāku ki ngā mea i kite ai au i ngā wā i ahau i te kāinga, me ngā hui i tae ai au mai anō i tōku tamarikitanga. Nō reira, he whakapūteatanga ēnei mea katoa, nō ngā mea katoa i runga ake nei. 
Kua wehewehengia ēnei kōrero kia takoto pēnei ana nā: ko te wāhanga tuatahi, ko te takenga mai o Ngāti Porou, me ngā wehewehenga mai o ngā hapū; ko te wāhanga tuarua, e pā ana ki ngā whakamārama o ngā kupu, arā, te kirimate, te paemate, me te wharemate; tuatoru, ko te whakahoki o te tūpāpaku; tuawhā, kei ngā mahi ki runga i te marae; tuarima, ngā tikanga o te rā nehu; tuaono, ngā mahi whakatutuki. 
Hei whakamutu ake, kua whakarārangitia e ahau, ngā roherohenga mahi, me ngā tūranga e rite ana mō tēnā, mō tēnā, mō tēnā.

year: 1983