We’ve written a lot about that ways that Positive Reinforcement Training (PRT) can improve the lives of captive animals, including—or should I say especially?— chimpanzees. Chimps are so powerful and so strong-willed that often the only way to get them to reliably engage in certain behaviors, whether it’s allowing the stick of a needle to administer medication or leaving an enclosure so it can be cleaned, is to ensure that it is by their own choice.
One area where PRT is particularly useful is during meals. Some dominant chimps take a What’s mine is mine and what’s yours is also mine approach to food, leaving other chimps in their group hungry, anxious, or both. A technique known as cooperative feeding can encourage dominant chimps to allow their group mates to eat their meals in peace by rewarding tolerance for others eating nearby. The trick is not to forcefully assert our own sense of fairness but to show certain chimps that it can be worth their while to chill out a bit. Sure, you could steal someone else’s food, but if you allow everyone else to eat you’ll get something even better for a whole lot less effort.
We’ve been using this technique with Jamie lately, as she has been giving both Foxie and Annie a hard time during meals. It’s certainly not unheard of for Jamie to steal food to assert her dominance, but the recent uptick has had her group mates on edge and unwilling to even take certain foods. Why all of a sudden? It’s hard to say for sure, but it’s possible that Jody’s passing left some ambiguity within the hierarchy and Jamie may have been feeling the need to remind everyone that there will be no changes at the top. Subtle, she is not.
One of the keys to effective training is finding the right unconditioned reinforcer, which is the natural reward that often follows the click or whistle, telling the animal that behavior is worth doing again. In almost all of the training we do—that is, the training the occurs during formal sessions—that reinforcer is food. Sips of juice, pieces of chopped up fruit, and bits of primate chow are all effective, though each individual will be motivated according to their own preferences. For Jamie, that means a click! and a piece of preferred food or drink every time she watches Foxie or Annie receive something she might want to steal. And if she stays at her station throughout the entire meal, she may even get a special treat, such as a whole clementine, at the end.
But food is such an efficient reinforcer that we sometimes forget that it’s not the only one. For Jamie, flattering her ego may be an equal or even greater reward. That’s not to say that Jamie doesn’t appreciate the special treats, but the extra attention from her caregivers and special status at mealtimes may being doing some if not most of the work. Perhaps when you are recognized as the boss by the humans in front of all your group mates, there’s less need to constantly remind everyone.
We’re all motivated by a handful of basic desires – to be noticed, to be appreciated, to be respected. Figuring out what makes someone tick can go a long way toward influencing their behavior. Because in the end, Jamie isn’t as complicated as she would appear: all she needs is the unquestioning loyalty, unreserved admiration, and complete and thorough submission of all those around her, human and chimpanzee, at all times. That and a few extra pear slices and she’ll be happy to mind her own business at lunch.
Would this “cooperative feeding” work on a teenager…??
As a colleague told her husband, “You and Shamu, honey. you and Shamu.”
Goodness…. do you ever plan on laying those face Shields to rest. Poor Chad….. I’m surprised no one’s had a heat stroke yet…. hopefully they don’t have to wear those shields cleaning – when they’re nowhere near the chimps .I see them on even when they walk outside! That’s a physical job and breathing you’re own hot air:unamused:….well…that concerns me
I understand when you’re face to face……But, beyond that…… some relief
Hi Marie – We wear N95 masks whenever we are in shared airspace indoors or within six feet of them outdoors. While it can be hot and uncomfortable at times, ours is like many other professions in that we sometimes have to deal with a little discomfort in order to protect the health of those we care for and we are perfectly happy to continue doing so as long as that risk exists.
The following Heat Index thresholds present an increased potential for heat disorders****while wearing a mask: A Heat Index of 91 or greater while performing light or moderate work. A Heat Index of 80 or greater while performing heavy or very heavy work….. ?Copied)…Be aware of risks…..that to is protecting the health of those you care for,too……… Hope. down time and breaks for your workers……..Personal experience by someone I know is reason for throwing this out..Thanks
Yes, we take breaks and turn on the air conditioning when it gets really hot outside 🙂
Interesting post, J.B. Does she still get fed first? I’m sure that the loss of Jody must have stirred up different emotions in all of them, and it presents in different ways, but I’m glad she’s getting her favourite pears and a bit more flattery to help her settle down. And how’s the original food thief behaving now……Willy B was a terror but in a bigger group, with other males around, does he now behave at meal times?
We have always treated Jamie as special during mealtimes but whether or not she is served first oftenm depends on who is serving her. She tends to demand greater deference from new caregivers. Willy B has been doing great – he still gets worked up during meals from time to time but he doesn’t steal food very often – Mave is the biggest food stealer (from poor Gordo)!
Lol, and Jamie won’t be so easily fooled as with a frisbee!
Sorry to hear my Foxie friend, who needs a little extra, gets stiffed sometimes. It always baffles me that someone could steal your lunch one minute, and then half an hour later, invie you to play. That’s why I’m not a chimp, I guess.
JB, do you guys ever throw in some extra protein powder into Foxie and Bubba’s morning smoothie, to help make up for this? As you do with the chow bags?
We haven’t changed the smoothie formula. Jamie doesn’t steal enough food to really impact the total number of calories that the other chimps get but we do keep an eye on how often it happens and can make it up with another food item or by giving extra food during another meal if we are concerned.
ok, great, that makes me feel better about the issue of satiety with The Tiny One and beautiful Annie. Thanks, JB
That’s interesting. During yesterday’s wonderful play session everyone was in the front room playing except for Jamie.
I noticed that, too. I figured she was supervising the cleaning
Very interesting. Managing such a brilliant personality takes extra creativity it appears. So Jamie doesn’t need a marker, like Willy B and his frisbee, to keep her at a distance from her group? She’s happy to distance herself from the group because she has her own personal server? Or maybe the person is her marker? 😉
I hope whatever the cause for Jamie’s food thievery, it will sort itself out soon. It may not help for the long term, but please let Jamie know I sent her another “I’m Lucy” book along with some other Lucy sequels. Jamie has my unquestioning loyalty and unreserved admiration, I’m all in!
Thats my gal,love you Jamie.Please be sweet as I know you can be.Thank you caregivers for being kind and patient with all our cousins?
The following Heat Index thresholds present an increased potential for heat disorders****while wearing a mask: A Heat Index of 91 or greater while performing light or moderate work. A Heat Index of 80 or greater while performing heavy or very heavy work….. ?Copied)…Be aware of risks…..that to is protecting the health of those you care for,too……… Hope. down time and breaks for your workers……..Personal experience by someone I know is reason for throwing this out..Thanks
It’s fascinating how the human idea of fairness doesn’t work well in the animal kingdom. I have struggled with the idea when adding dogs, but the group leader gets fed and appreicated first, everyone else has to wait and they are fine with it. It’s amazing how those small actions create harmony within the group.