Behaviour - L3 Flashcards
What is continual reinforcement?
When every occurrence of the behaviour is paired with a reinforcer - never missing a treat/reward. This method is often used during the initial stages of training to help the animal quickly learn and establish a clear association between the behaviour and the reward.
What is partial reinforcement?
Where an animal receives a reward or reinforcement only some of the time when it performs the desired behaviour, rather than every single time. This approach is used after the behaviour has been established through continual reinforcement and helps to strengthen the behaviour and make it more resistant to extinction.
This results in a slower learning period
What are the types of partial reinforcement schedules?
Fixed ratio (FR):
Variable ratio (VR)
Fixed Interval (FI)
Variable Intervals (VI)
What is Fixed Ratio (FR)?
Where the behaviour is reinforced only after behaviour occurs a specific number of times. The faster the response, the more rewards. This results in a high rate of responding.
What is Variable Ratio (VR)
This is where the behaviour is reinforced after an unpredictable number of times. It is very hard for the animal to extinguish when the reward will come, due to the unpredictability.
What is Fixed Interval (FI)
When the behaviour is reinforced only after a specific time has elapsed. The frequency of the behaviour increases when the time of reward draws near.
What is Variable Intervals (VI)
When the behaviour is reinforced at unpredictable time intervals. This produces slow, steady responses.
What is Differential Reinforcement (DR)
Behavioural training used to reinforce specific behaviours while withholding reinforcement for other behaviours. For example, the dog is given different valued rewards that reflect the quality of the performance.
What are some factors that will affect learning?
Motivational state, biological predisposition, environment, age.
What is Shaping?
It is the process of building a particular behaviour by gradually using a series of small steps to achieve the final behaviour.
What is Capturing?
The process of reinforcing a behaviour as it naturally occurs, without any prior prompting or training. You would then paise/treat the behaviour when they are doing it, in order to encourage them to do it again.
What is Chaining?
The process of linking together a series of behaviours in a sequence to form a complex behaviour. This method is most commonly used during advanced animal training.
Remember, the more complex the chain, the more you need to train each behaviour separately.
What is discrimination?
Discrimination means recognizing and responding to a specific stimulus while ignoring other similar ones.
What is generalisation?
Generalization means that an individual responds similarly to different stimuli that share common features, not necessarily performing the same behaviour.
