Touchscreen Tasks for Cognitive Testing in Domestic Goats (Capra hircus): A Pilot Study Using Odd-Item Search...

Area of Science:

• Animal Cognition
• Comparative Psychology
• Domestication Studies

Background:

• Understanding large farm animal cognition is crucial for evolutionary and domestication insights.
• Developing valid cognitive testing methods is essential for expanding research across species.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a step-by-step method for training naive domestic goats to use a touchscreen for cognitive tests.
• To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of touchscreen technology for animal cognition research.

Main Methods:

• Four naive domestic goats were trained using a touchscreen interface.
• Cognitive tests, including odd-item search tasks with novel stimuli, were administered.
• Performance was analyzed to identify learning effects and problem-solving strategies.

Main Results:

• Goats successfully learned to use the touchscreen for accurate touches.
• In odd-item search tasks, goats demonstrated above-chance performance under certain conditions.
• One goat achieved criterion in multiple stages, showing a learning effect, while others used perceptual strategies.

Conclusions:

• Domestic goats can be trained to use touchscreen systems for cognitive tasks.
• The study highlights the potential for touchscreen technology in animal cognition research and identifies individual differences in learning strategies.
• The developed training methods can facilitate future cognitive studies in naive animals.