Is there evidence of learned helplessness in horses?
Hall, Carol, Goodwin, Deborah, Heleski, Camie, Randle, Hayley and Waran, Natalie (2008) Is there evidence of learned helplessness in horses? Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 11, (3), 249-266. (doi:10.1080/10888700802101130). (PMID:18569222).
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Description/Abstract
Learned helplessness can be defined as a psychological condition whereby individuals learn that they have no control over unpleasant or harmful conditions, that their actions are futile and that they are helpless. In a series of experiments in which dogs were exposed to inescapable shocks it was found that this lack of control subsequently interfered with the ability to learn an avoidance task. There is evidence that both neural adaptations and behavioural despair occur in response to uncontrollable aversive experiences in rodents, although this has yet to be demonstrated in other species such as horses. However, it has been suggested that certain traditional methods of horse training and some behavioral modification techniques may involve aversive conditions over which the horse has little or no control. When training and management procedures are repeatedly unpleasant for the horse and there is no clear association between behavior and outcome, this is likely to interfere with learning and performance, in addition to compromising welfare. This paper reviews published literature and anecdotal evidence to explore the possibility that the phenomenon learned helplessness occurs in the horse.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| ISSNs: | 1088-8705 (print) |
| Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology Q Science > QL Zoology |
| Divisions: | University Structure - Pre August 2011 > School of Psychology > Division of Cognition |
| Item ID: | 55321 |
| Date Deposited: | 04 Aug 2008 |
| Last Modified: | 10 Jun 2011 14:06 |
| Contributors: | Hall, Carol (Author) Goodwin, Deborah (Author) Heleski, Camie (Author) Randle, Hayley (Author) Waran, Natalie (Author) |
| Date: | July 2008 |
| Status: | Published |
| Contact Email Address: | dg1@soton.ac.uk |
| URI: | http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/55321 |
Available Versions of this Item
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Is there evidence of ‘Learned Helplessness’ in horses? (deposited 06 Oct 2008)
- Is there evidence of learned helplessness in horses? (deposited 04 Aug 2008) [Currently Displayed]
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