Van der Harst, J. E., Spruijt, B. M. 2007. Tools to measure and improve animal welfare: Reward-related behaviour. Animal Welfare 16(S), 67-73.

This paper presents a descriptive overview of the evidence obtained thus far for the three proposed uses of reward-related behavior. First, it was shown that previous experiences influence anticipatory behaviour to rewards in rats. This natural behavioural response may serve as a welfare indicator. Second, regular reward announcements could both prevent and reverse the consequences of (chronic) stress. Enrichment of housing conditions appeared to have a high therapeutic effectiveness. Third, it was confirmed that anticipatory behaviour is influenced by the type of stimulus, indicating its usefulness for assessing animal perception. The anticipatory response of rats expecting to be transferred to an enriched cage indicated that it was perceived as highly rewarding. No data are included in this article.