Live-Social-Video Reward Maintains Joystick Task Performance in Bonnet Macaques

Abstract

A number of studies have now indicated that monkeys of several species will perform hundreds of food-rewarded joystick tasks on a daily basis. Our goal in this study was to identify the level of joystick task performance that could be maintained by 10 sec. of live, color video of a conspecific social group contingent upon the completion of a joystick task. The subjects were five individually housed bonnet macaques that were highly experienced on joystick tasks. Performance with social-video reward was compared to that maintained by a 190-mg banana-flavored pellet reward and to a nonreward condition. Comparable levels of task activity were maintained by both video and pellet reward, whereas task activity nearly ceased in the absence of reward. Four of the five monkeys increased their levels of task activity between the first and second weeks of social-video reward.

Videotapes as enrichment for captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

“…Washburn and Hopkins [1994] have demonstrated the enriching effect of using videotape as a reward for rhesus macaques. Andrews and Rosenblum [1993] demonstrated a similar effect with live-social-video reward for joystick-task performance by bonnet macaques. Levin et al [1986] described a visual exploration apparatus for infant rhesus monkeys and discussed its application for testing preferences for visual stimuli, which could lend insight into designing appropriately enriched environments.…”

Video Preference Assessment and Behavioral Management of Single-Caged Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata) by Movie Presentation

“…Captive rhesus macaques keep watching presentations of videos, and their sleeping behavior is decreased and locomotion is increased by watching videos (Platt & Novak, 1997). In experimental situations, movie presentation as a reward was shown to maintain joystick task activities in bonnet macaques (Andrews & Rosenblum, 1993) and rhesus macaques (Washburn & Hopkins, 1994), suggesting that movie stimuli can attract the interest of captive nonhuman animals. Thus, movie presentation may be effective as environmental enrichment for captive nonhuman primates.…”

Environmental Enrichment for Nonhuman Primates: Theory and Application

“…When five adult male bonnet macaques used a joystick to receive food rewards or to view videotapes of a social group of conspecifics, there was no overall preference for video reward. Two subjects showed a preference for videotapes whereas the remaining subjects preferred pellets (Andrews and Rosenblum 1993). In a later study (Washburn et al 1997), food reinforcement was held constant while visual stimulation was varied.…”