Positive reinforcement training paired with videotape exposure decreases training time investment for a complicated task in female chimpanzees (2000)

Lambeth, S. P., Perlman, J. E., Schapiro, S. J.

Abstract

Subjects were 10 adult chimpanzees living in two groups. Five females were exposed to a 10-minute videotape of female chimpanzees being positively reinforced for successfully urinating into a cup. Immediately following videotape exposure, these subjects participated in a training session. On average experimental and control subjects received 56 minutes of training. Subjects with videotape exposure successfully responded to the command to urinate in significantly less time than did controls. ... Four of the five experimental subjects urinated into the cup in a mean of 5.75 minutes, while the fifth subject never urinated during the training sessions. Only two of the five control subjects urinated into the cup during training sessions (mean time = 43.32 minutes).