Assessment of operant conditioning in American hamsters using the Hampton Court maze

Abstract

The process of operant conditioning is essential in research on learning and behavior alteration in animals. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of operant conditioning in American hamsters, using the Hampton Court Maze as an experimental instrument to examine the learning process and adaptation to stimuli and rewards. An experimental study was conducted with two American hamsters, which were subjected to an operant conditioning protocol based on positive stimuli and reinforcement while exploring the maze. The time taken to complete the journey was recorded in various trials to determine each participant's level of learning and adaptation to the experimental circumstances. The results showed that both participants demonstrated gradual learning, as the time required to complete the maze decreased during the tests. However, one of the hamsters demonstrated more agile and efficient adaptation, demonstrating a more effective relationship between stimulus and reward.

The findings indicate that operant conditioning is an effective tool for altering behavior in hamsters, as it simplifies their learning and adaptation process to novel tasks. The technique used made it possible to accurately examine the impact of reinforcement on the acquisition of spatial and behavioral skills in controlled experimental environments.