Operant conditioning using positive reinforcement techniques has been used extensively in the management of nonhuman primates in both zoological and laboratory settings. Based on a large body of previous research that demonstrates the utility of such techniques in reducing stress, abnormal behavior, and aggression, this research project was intended to develop and test the usefulness of habituation and counter-conditioning techniques in reducing the fear-responses of singly-housed male rhesus macaques living in the laboratory environment. Additionally, we investigated the variable of temperament as it relates to the reduction of fear-responsivity and overall training success. Based on a Wilcoxon Matched-Pairs Sign Test, we found that animals exposed to desensitization training were significantly likely to show a reduction in the rate at which they engaged in cringing toward humans (exact significance = .016, one-tailed, N ties = 6), cringing in general (exact significance = .016, one-tailed, N ties = 6), and in stress-related behaviors (exact significance = .016, one-tailed, N ties = 6). Animals exposed to basic husbandry training or exposed to no training at all were not significantly likely to show a reduction in the rates of these behaviors. When these same behaviors were analyzed in terms of duration of behavior, desensitization-exposed animals were significantly likely to show reduction in the amount of time spent cringing toward humans (exact significance = .016, one-tailed, N ties = 6), but not in cringing behaviors in general or in stress-related behaviors. Neither the husbandry-exposed group nor the group exposed to no training showed a significant number of subjects exhibiting a reduction in duration of any of these behaviors. Additionally, initial temperament assessments were found to significantly predict the relative ability of subjects exposed to training to acquire trained behaviors such that animals generally ranked as more inhibited in terms of temperament also ranked as slower learners based on a Wilcoxon Matched-Pairs Signed-Ranks test, z = -.316, p = .752 (two-tailed). Results of this study could enhance both laboratory animal welfare and laboratory animal research, and could be a first step in developing techniques for reducing fearful behavior in rhesus monkeys in the laboratory environment.

[Truncated abstract] Online games are an exciting new trend in the consumption of entertainment and provide the opportunity to examine selected antecedents of online game-playing based on studying the cognitive, experiential and habitual factors. This study was divided into two parts. The first part analysed the structural relations among research variables that might explain online game-playing using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques. These analyses were conducted on a final sample of 218 online gamers. Specific issues examined were: If the variables of Perceived Game Performance, Satisfaction, Hedonic Responses, Flow and Habit Strength influence the Intention to Replay an online game. The importance of factors such as Hedonic Responses and Flow on Satisfaction in online game play. In addition to the SEM, analyses of the participants? reported past playing behaviour were conducted to test whether past game play was simply a matter of random frequency of past behaviour, or followed the specific pattern of the Negative Binomial Distribution (NBD). … The playing-time distribution was not significantly different to the Gamma distribution, in which the largest number of gamers plays for a short time (light gamers) and only a few gamers account for a large proportion of playing time (heavy gamers). Therefore, the reported time play followed a simple and predictable NBD pattern (Chisquare=. 390; p>.05). This study contributes to knowledge in the immediate field of online games and to the wider body of literature on consumer research. The findings demonstrate that gamers tend to act habitually in their playing behaviour. These findings support the argument that past behaviour (habit) is a better explanation of future behaviour than possible cognitive and affective explanations, especially for the apparent routinesed behaviour pattern on online games. The pattern of online game-playing is consistent with the finding of the NBD pattern in television viewing, in which the generalisability of the NBD model has been found in stable environments of repetitive behaviour. This supports the application of the NBD to areas beyond those of patterns in gambling and the purchase of consumer items. The findings have implications both for managerial and public policy decision-making.