Jean Donaldson - Training mechanisms for behavior change

Question 1

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 1

Innate capacity operate environment to achieve outcomes.

Question 2

What is the function of operant conditioning?

Answer 2

What behaviors terminate rewards?
What behaviors result in relief from painful or scary stuff?

Question 3

What must be in place for operant conditioning to occur?

Answer 3

3 events: Antecedent, behavior, consequence.

Question 4

What are the 3 events of operant conditioning called?

Answer 4

ABC of behavior

Question 5

Compared to operant conditioing, what does classical conditioning need to occur?

Answer 5

Needs 2 events: Conditioned stimulus (“here it comes…”) + unconditioned stimulus (“it”).

Question 6

How can we use operant conditioning to manipulate behavior?

Answer 6

We manipulate behavior by manipulation of consequences. Dogs do what works!

Question 7

In short, what are the principles of exploiting operant conditioning successfully?

Answer 7

Need a step-by-step plan with increasing difficulty with clear criteria that are changed empirically for progress to happen. And dog nees to be reinforced.

Question 8

What are criteria?

Answer 8

States what exactly dog has to do to win game.

Question 9

What is essential about the training plan?

Answer 9

That it is stepwise and has increasing level of difficulty.

Question 10

What does JD mean with empirical criteria change?

Answer 10

Push-drop-stick: 5 reps, count correct reps. 4-5 = Push (harder) 3 = Stick (repeat same 5 reps.). 1-2 = Drop (easier).

Question 11

What is JD’s argument for using empirical criteria change?

Answer 11

Training by feel create problems + Inefficient. At best good instincts match empirical.

Question 12

What is reinforcement and what parameters about it is important to think about?

Answer 12

Something that increases the likelihood of a behavior happening. Rate of reinforcement, quality and timing.

Question 13

What is a good basic rule for rate of reinforcement?

Answer 13

8-12 per min. good place to start.

Question 14

What would you do if a dog gets stuck in a step of the training plan?

Answer 14

Split (extra step inserted). One step too easy, next too hard.

Question 15

When would you introduce a split in the training plan?

Answer 15

after 2 attempted pushes.

Question 16

When would you attach a cue to a behavior?

Answer 16

Once dog is showing quality behavior

Question 17

How should you think about cues?

Answer 17

Cues = Info: Behavior pulled by consequences, not pushed by commands.

Question 18

How would you present cues in a training session?

Answer 18

Say cue ONCE! Do behavior or not. Pay or not.

Question 19

Which tools can w eutilize to make behavior happen in the first place?

Answer 19

Prompting, capturing, shaping.

Question 20

What is a prompt/prompting?

Answer 20

Prompt (faded later): Help, guide in form of a hand signal for instance that is faded later.

Question 21

What is capturing and how does it facilitate behavior change?

Answer 21

Capture when happens to do behavior. Over time frequency increases. When high enough, attach cue.

Question 22

What is shaping?

Answer 22

Pay partial version of target behavior.

Question 23

What is an event?

Answer 23

Smaller part of rep: Cue, prompt, behavior, payment.

Question 24

What are parameters?

Answer 24

Parameters make up level of difficulty/criteria = 3D’s:
Duration, Distance from owner, Distractions

Question 25

How does a good trainer operate parameters?

Answer 25

Is very aware and adjust parameters usually one at a time + in small increments.

Question 26

What is the goal with operating parameters?

Answer 26

Goal successful most of time.

Question 27

What is fading and when do you add the cue?

Answer 27

Systematic reduction to elimination of prompt: From BIG movement with food in hand (the actual prompt) - to same without food (without food is signal). Then smaller movements, THEN cue.

Question 28

Which are the most common novice errors in training?

Answer 28

Prematurely attempt cue behavior not yet been built. Common to miss parameters and to reduce pay as prompts are faded.

Question 29

What are the paying principles at the start-up of a training process?

Answer 29

Pay every time. Feed for position! Pay sit while in sit.

Question 30

What are the big ticket rules to keep in mind when starting to train a behavior?

Answer 30

Pay. In position. Stick to plan. Keep count. Change criteria—push, drop, or stick—based on counting.

Question 31

What are the rough training steps in a traing plan for a concrete behavior like sit or down?

Answer 31

1) Prompt behavior with full hand signal holding food. 2) Prompt behavior with full hand signal without holding food. 3) Prompt behavior with smaller hand signals (could be several steps). 4) Say cue, wait 2 seconds, then deliver stylized hand signal if necessary. Shop for jumping the prompt. Pay regardless 5) Require to sit for cue. Prompt if not, don't pay (only praise, then another rep).

Question 32

When do you proceed to the next level in training plan once you have reached the step where the cue is introduced?

Answer 32

When succeeds 3 out of 5 reps.

Question 33

In training behaviors than need duration, how do you juggle parameters in the different steps?

Answer 33

Start training indoors without distraction and build duration first. Then add distraction? Then duration??????

Question 34

What is important to remember regarding signals and cues in dog training?

Answer 34

Do not repeat, or chant, signals; just hold in position. As long as dog is working the problem, rep is alive.

Question 35

What is the principle to follow regarding how much time the dog gets to solve each repetition?

Answer 35

Dog gets infinite latency = Time needed to problem solve.

Question 36

What is important rules when you start using a hand signal PLUSS a verbal cue?

Answer 36

Give verbal cue, pause 2sec, hand signal. NOT verbal + hand signal simultaneously. NOT hand signal first!

Question 37

What is the difference between a prompt and a hand signal?

Answer 37

Prompt is actually with food in hand. Without food = hand signal.

Question 38

What is toggling and how should you relate to it and why?

Answer 38

Have biases/preferred behaviors. Need to constantly push back against this. Mix up sit from stand (verbal cue followed by a small signal) and down from stand (signal). Don’t follow pattern, will learn it. Later will practice verbal discrimination. Toggling gives choice = has to attend more to prompts and verbal cues.

Question 39

What is a benefit of using prompts in teaching behaviors?

Answer 39

Always have signal as reminder original training process - Verbal cue not really necessary to know/perform behavior.