Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Reinforcement

Reinforcement

Positive and negative reinforcement are key concepts in operant conditioning, a learning process where the consequences of a behavior affect the likelihood of that behavior being repeated.
Positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior is followed by the presentation of a rewarding stimulus, increasing the frequency of that behavior. For example:

Reinforcement Schedules

Reinforcement Schedules

Positive reinforcement is a powerful method for teaching new behaviors to both animals and humans. B.F. Skinner demonstrated this with his experiments using rats in a Skinner box. When a rat pressed a lever, it received a food pellet. This immediate reward encouraged the rat to repeat the behavior. This method, where a reward follows every instance of the behavior, is known as continuous reinforcement. It is highly effective for establishing new behaviors quickly.
Once a behavior is learned,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Electroencephalographic assessment of pneumatic penetrating captive-bolt stunning of donkeys <i>(Equus asinus)</i>.

Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)·2026

Same author

COMPASS Guidelines for Conducting Welfare-Focused Research into Behaviour Modification of Animals.

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI·2026

Same author

Data analysis of the mortality of cattle and sheep recorded in a sample of Australian saleyards.

Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)·2026

Same author

Systematic Literature Review on Donkeys (<i>Equus asinus</i>): Husbandry and Welfare in Europe.

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI·2025

Same author

Pathophysiology of penetrating captive-bolt stunning of horses.

Animal welfare (South Mimms, England)·2025

Same author

Prediction of Mature Body Weight of Indigenous Camel (<i>Camelus dromedarius</i>) Breeds of Pakistan Using Data Mining Methods.

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Evaluating Skilled Prehension in Mice Using an Auto-Trainer

Evaluating Skilled Prehension in Mice Using an Auto-Trainer

Published on: September 12, 2019

How to Apply Positive-Reinforcement-Based Training for Self-Loading and Self-Unloading in Dromedary Camels.

Naod Thomas Masebo¹, Asim Faraz², Maria Gaia Angeloni¹

¹Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy.

Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI

|April 14, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Positive reinforcement training enables dromedary camels to self-load and unload, improving welfare and safety. This method effectively reduces stress during transport, benefiting both camels and handlers.

Keywords:

behavior clicker training handling infrared thermography (IRT)transport welfare

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Training of Laboratory Animals for Gentle and Stress-Free Handling

Author Spotlight: Training of Laboratory Animals for Gentle and Stress-Free Handling

Published on: February 16, 2024

Behavioral Training Procedures for Head-fixed Virtual Reality in Mice

Behavioral Training Procedures for Head-fixed Virtual Reality in Mice

Published on: September 6, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Evaluating Skilled Prehension in Mice Using an Auto-Trainer

Evaluating Skilled Prehension in Mice Using an Auto-Trainer

Published on: September 12, 2019

Author Spotlight: Training of Laboratory Animals for Gentle and Stress-Free Handling

Author Spotlight: Training of Laboratory Animals for Gentle and Stress-Free Handling

Published on: February 16, 2024

Behavioral Training Procedures for Head-fixed Virtual Reality in Mice

Behavioral Training Procedures for Head-fixed Virtual Reality in Mice

Published on: September 6, 2024

Area of Science:

Animal Behavior
Animal Welfare
Veterinary Science

Background:

Dromedary camels often experience stress during loading and unloading for transport.
Current methods may compromise animal welfare and handler safety.
Developing effective, welfare-friendly training is crucial for camel management.

Purpose of the Study:

To train dromedary camels to self-load and unload using positive reinforcement.
To evaluate the impact of this training on camel behavior and welfare indicators.
To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the training protocol.

Main Methods:

Twelve dromedary camels (six unbroken males, six broken mixed-gender) underwent nine days of positive reinforcement training.
Training involved six phases: clicker, approaching, ramp, truck, unloading, and returning.
Infrared thermography measured eye temperature; behavioral analysis assessed training progress.

Main Results:

66.7% of camels successfully self-loaded and unloaded.
Training duration decreased significantly with experience (e.g., clicker phase reduced by 41%).
Eye temperatures did not increase post-training, with broken camels showing lower maximum temperatures.

Conclusions:

Positive reinforcement training is an effective method for teaching dromedary camels self-loading and unloading.
This training approach does not negatively impact camel welfare, indicated by stable eye temperatures.
Self-loading/unloading training has the potential to reduce transport stress and enhance safety for camels and handlers.