What is the Hamilton Search and Set Breaking assessments?
•To the dogs, they are playing a fun game, but we are learning valuable lessons about the dog’s cognitive processes. •A test of spatial learning and memory •The task requires a dog to choose among several options until a food reward is found. In order to succeed they must remember the previous unsuccessful choices and not repeat them. •Hamilton Search Set breaking tests requires the dog to be flexible and adjust its response to find the reward in the most efficient manner. •Strategies and errors in these tasks are interpreted as working memory or inhibitory control failure as well as assessing cognitive flexibility. Time commitment: •The Hamilton Search requires 5 test sessions to be completed within 7 days. Two sessions may occur within a day depending on motivation level of the dog. •Each session will take approximately 20 minutes per dog. •Set breaking will vary between 1-5 testing sessions. •Study will be conducted at a familiar location for the dog. (I will come to you!) An area of approximately 10ft X 10ft is necessary. (indoors or outdoors) •The data will be conducted during July 2012-April 2014 Applications of research: •Refine training techniques •Choose which breeds of dog are best for their jobs (Service dogs, search and rescue, police, bomb sniffing…) •Understand differences across different breeds (if there are any) •Goal is to present the results at the Animal Behavior Society meeting, UW Undergraduate Psychology Honors Research Symposium and publish in a scientific peer review journal in June 2014! |
Procedure:
•Training phase: Your dog will learn the procedure of the Hamilton Search through a step-by-step introductory training process using only positive reinforcement. They will learn that one of the containers contain food and that it is their job to find the food by searching the containers. •Hamilton Search Testing Phase: Your dog will be allowed to search the containers until the reward is found. This will be repeated 16 times in a session. 5 Sessions of the testing phase will be conducted within a 7 day span. •Hamilton Search Set Breaking Phase: Same procedure as above but this time the treat is placed in the same location every time. We are seeing how long it takes your dog to “break” the pattern and go strait to the container with the food. Set up: Please the researchers if you would like your dog to participate!
Anne-Lise Nilsen: [email protected] Or Dr. James Ha CAAB: [email protected] |