Training the Concept of Innovate in Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) Is Both Creative and Cognitively Stimulating
Creative or novel behaviors in bottlenose dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) can be indicators of flexible thinking and problem solving. Over 50 years ago, two rough-tooth dolphins demonstrated creative novel behaviors acquired through reinforcement training in human care. Since this n...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/6/896 |
| _version_ | 1797242353523621888 |
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| author | Deirdre B. Yeater Kathleen M. Dudzinski Dawn Melzer Andrew R. Magee Michaela Robinett Gonzalo Guerra Kimberly Salazar Teri Bolton Heather Manitzas Hill |
| author_facet | Deirdre B. Yeater Kathleen M. Dudzinski Dawn Melzer Andrew R. Magee Michaela Robinett Gonzalo Guerra Kimberly Salazar Teri Bolton Heather Manitzas Hill |
| author_sort | Deirdre B. Yeater |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Creative or novel behaviors in bottlenose dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) can be indicators of flexible thinking and problem solving. Over 50 years ago, two rough-tooth dolphins demonstrated creative novel behaviors acquired through reinforcement training in human care. Since this novel training, a variety of species have been trained to respond to this conceptual cue. The current study assessed the creativity of 12 bottlenose dolphins (5 females, 7 males) housed at the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS) in Roatan, Honduras. Individual differences were found across four constructs measured for creativity: fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality. Variability in performance occurred across test sessions. Animals with less experience with this task performed fewer “innovative” behaviors as compared to more experienced animals. Despite errors, dolphins continued to attempt the task during test sessions, suggesting the concept of “innovate” was intrinsically rewarding and cognitively engaging. This task may be utilized across species to promote the comparative study of innovative or creative behavior as well as to promote cognitive welfare. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:37:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-91af550ddcaf4d8782530535033fbabf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:37:52Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-91af550ddcaf4d8782530535033fbabf2024-03-27T13:17:46ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-03-0114689610.3390/ani14060896Training the Concept of Innovate in Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) Is Both Creative and Cognitively StimulatingDeirdre B. Yeater0Kathleen M. Dudzinski1Dawn Melzer2Andrew R. Magee3Michaela Robinett4Gonzalo Guerra5Kimberly Salazar6Teri Bolton7Heather Manitzas Hill8Psychology Department, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT 06825, USADolphin Communication Project, P.O. Box 7485, Port St. Lucie, FL 34985, USAPsychology Department, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT 06825, USAPsychology Department, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX 78228, USAPsychology Department, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX 78228, USAPsychology Department, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX 78228, USAPsychology Department, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX 78228, USARoatán Institute for Marine Sciences, Anthony’s Key Resort, Sandy Bay, Roatán 31000, HondurasPsychology Department, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX 78228, USACreative or novel behaviors in bottlenose dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) can be indicators of flexible thinking and problem solving. Over 50 years ago, two rough-tooth dolphins demonstrated creative novel behaviors acquired through reinforcement training in human care. Since this novel training, a variety of species have been trained to respond to this conceptual cue. The current study assessed the creativity of 12 bottlenose dolphins (5 females, 7 males) housed at the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS) in Roatan, Honduras. Individual differences were found across four constructs measured for creativity: fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality. Variability in performance occurred across test sessions. Animals with less experience with this task performed fewer “innovative” behaviors as compared to more experienced animals. Despite errors, dolphins continued to attempt the task during test sessions, suggesting the concept of “innovate” was intrinsically rewarding and cognitively engaging. This task may be utilized across species to promote the comparative study of innovative or creative behavior as well as to promote cognitive welfare.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/6/896innovate stimuluscreativityfluencyflexibilityoriginalitydelphinid |
| spellingShingle | Deirdre B. Yeater Kathleen M. Dudzinski Dawn Melzer Andrew R. Magee Michaela Robinett Gonzalo Guerra Kimberly Salazar Teri Bolton Heather Manitzas Hill Training the Concept of Innovate in Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) Is Both Creative and Cognitively Stimulating Animals innovate stimulus creativity fluency flexibility originality delphinid |
| title | Training the Concept of Innovate in Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) Is Both Creative and Cognitively Stimulating |
| title_full | Training the Concept of Innovate in Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) Is Both Creative and Cognitively Stimulating |
| title_fullStr | Training the Concept of Innovate in Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) Is Both Creative and Cognitively Stimulating |
| title_full_unstemmed | Training the Concept of Innovate in Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) Is Both Creative and Cognitively Stimulating |
| title_short | Training the Concept of Innovate in Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) Is Both Creative and Cognitively Stimulating |
| title_sort | training the concept of innovate in dolphins i tursiops truncatus i is both creative and cognitively stimulating |
| topic | innovate stimulus creativity fluency flexibility originality delphinid |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/6/896 |
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