Stereotypies in captive animals have been defined as repetitive, largely invariant patterns of behavior that serve no obvious goal or function. Stereotypies are commonly attributed to boredom or stress and are typically treated by enriching captivity with distracting, appealing stimuli. These stimuli often include food presented at times other than regular feedings, and as a result, engage species-typical foraging behaviors that reduce stereotypies. The present work on captive polar bears is based on the view that stereotypies are due in part to inadequate support for the expression of species-typical foraging "loops" and can be reduced by increasing support for a more complete expression of foraging responses. We tested this view through 4 experiments that presented small samples of food and scents on several schedules, examining their effects prior to, during, and after the schedule. Most schedules reduced stereotypies and increased general activity prior to and during the schedule. These data support three conclusions: (1) individual stereotypies appear related to incomplete, repeating loops of foraging behavior; (2) providing stimuli supporting a more complete sequence of search behaviors reduces stereotypies and increases non-stereotypic activity; and (3) a descriptive, analytic approach based on how foraging behaviors relate to the captive feeding procedures can facilitate understanding of stereotypies and suggest methods to reduce them.

中文翻译：

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北极熊（Ursus maritimus）的食欲搜索行为和刻板印象

圈养动物的刻板印象被定义为重复的、基本不变的行为模式，没有明显的目标或功能。刻板印象通常归因于无聊或压力，通常通过用分散注意力、吸引人的刺激来丰富囚禁来治疗。这些刺激通常包括在定期喂食以外的时间提供的食物，因此，参与物种典型的觅食行为，减少刻板印象。目前关于圈养北极熊的工作是基于这样一种观点，即刻板印象部分是由于对物种典型觅食“循环”表达的支持不足，可以通过增加对更完整的觅食反应表达的支持来减少。我们通过 4 个实验测试了这个观点，这些实验在几个时间表上展示了少量食物和气味样本，在计划之前、之中和之后检查它们的影响。大多数日程安排减少了刻板印象并增加了日程安排之前和期间的一般活动。这些数据支持三个结论：（1）个体刻板印象似乎与不完整、重复的觅食行为循环有关；(2) 提供支持更完整的搜索行为序列的刺激减少刻板印象并增加非刻板印象活动；(3) 基于觅食行为如何与圈养喂养程序相关的描述性分析方法可以促进对刻板印象的理解并提出减少它们的方法。(1) 个体刻板印象似乎与不完整、重复的觅食行为循环有关；(2) 提供支持更完整的搜索行为序列的刺激减少刻板印象并增加非刻板印象活动；(3) 基于觅食行为如何与圈养喂养程序相关的描述性分析方法可以促进对刻板印象的理解并提出减少它们的方法。(1) 个体刻板印象似乎与不完整、重复的觅食行为循环有关；(2) 提供支持更完整的搜索行为序列的刺激减少刻板印象并增加非刻板印象活动；(3) 基于觅食行为如何与圈养喂养程序相关的描述性分析方法可以促进对刻板印象的理解并提出减少它们的方法。