title: Effects of schedules of reinforcement on pouched rats' performance in urban search-and-rescue training.
abstract: Standard operating procedures have been developed to train Cricetomys to locate humans in collapsed structures and return to the release point on command. The present study demonstrated that the schedule of reinforcement for target location influences the rats' performance. Rats required more time to locate targets when no reinforcement was arranged for target location but less time to return to the release point. These findings suggest that training conditions should be based on the priority assigned to target location and return in an operational scenario.
authors.affiliation: ANTI-PERSOONSMIJNEN ONTMIJNENDE PRODUCT ONTWIKKELING (APOPO).|UNIVERSITY OF WAIKATO.
authors.forename: Timothy L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY.
authors.forename: Kate B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: La Londe
authors.affiliation: ANTI-PERSOONSMIJNEN ONTMIJNENDE PRODUCT ONTWIKKELING (APOPO).
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: ANTI-PERSOONSMIJNEN ONTMIJNENDE PRODUCT ONTWIKKELING (APOPO).
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weetjens
authors.affiliation: ANTI-PERSOONSMIJNEN ONTMIJNENDE PRODUCT ONTWIKKELING (APOPO).|WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poling
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005108:Extinction, Psychological; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Cricetomys ansorgei; Cricetomys gambianus; detection animals; extinction; scent detection; schedules of reinforcement; urban search and rescue