learning

Question 1

when does learning occur

Answer 1

when an individual behaves in a more adaptive way because of experience

Question 2

what are the three salient points of learning?

Answer 2

1. A change in overt behavior indicates that learning occurred
2. Experience is responsible for the change
3. The changes benefits the animal

Question 3

what is the simplest type of learning?

Answer 3

habituation

Question 4

what is a long term stimulus?

Answer 4

Specific waning of a response, or learning not to respond to stimuli

Question 5

define habituation

Answer 5

Animal stops responding to a specific neural stimulus

Question 6

example of habituation

Answer 6

Horse habituates to feel of halter on head

Question 7

what is a human example of habituation

Answer 7

We habituate to the feel of glasses on our head

Question 8

why is habituation useful for horses?

Answer 8

Useful to try and desensitize horses to sound of crowds

◼ Shows ◼ Sales

Question 9

what is an example of habituation with a pig

Answer 9

pig soon ignores sparkler over feeder

Question 10

define associative learning

Answer 10

Learning brought about by positive or negative re-inforcers

Question 11

what are the two types of associative learning

Answer 11

operant conditioning

classical conditioning

Question 12

what is the difference between operant and classical conditioning

Answer 12

◼ Operant conditioning – animal has some control over what is happening
◼ Classical conditioning – it does not

Question 13

which conditioning is signal learning

Answer 13

classical conditioning

Question 14

classical conditioning was first demonstrated by Pavlov in dogs. what was the unconditioned stimulus (UCS), response (R), and conditioned stimulus (CS)?

Answer 14

UCS- sight of meat
R- salivation
CS- metronome

Question 15

in classical conditioning, stimuli are paired repeatedly until:

Answer 15

conditioned stimuli alone elicits the response

Question 16

with pavlov’s dogs, when did the dogs start to salivate?

Answer 16

when it hears the metronome

Question 17

how can you classically condition milk letdown?

Answer 17

Release of oxytocin in response to jangling of milk equipment

◼ Sounds of approaching machinery will be paired with milking process
◼ Noises elicit oxytocin release

Question 18

what is the UCS and CS of a pet at the vet?

Answer 18

USC- Cat responds to painful stimulus with fear or escape response
CS- staff

Question 19

true or false: Does not take many pairings of stimuli to produce a fear response whenever the animal encounters the conditioned stimulus

Answer 19

true

Question 20

what type of conditioning is instrumental learning

Answer 20

operant

Question 21

define instrumental learning

Answer 21

Behavior is the instrument by which reinforcement is obtained

Question 22

instrumental learning was first demonstrated by Thorndike using cats. Hungry cats were placed in a box within sight and smell of food. At first cats struggled vigorously to get the food. How did some of the cats opened the box door?

Answer 22

pulled latch string by chance

Question 23

In Thorndike’s study, cats were free to eat, what happened each time the cats were placed in a box?

Answer 23

◼ Took shorter time to escape with fewer extraneous motions

◼ Until it pulled the latch string immediately upon being placed in the box

Question 24

what is a skinner box

Answer 24

Lab example of instrumental learning

Question 25

example of a skinner box

Answer 25

Rat presses bar to obtain food, water, electrical stimulation

Question 26

what are some examples of operant conditioning on farms and homes?

Answer 26

◼ Swine can use electronic feeders ◼ Horses use automatic waterers ◼ Food dispensed when cat or dog presses level

Question 27

define chaining

Answer 27

Performance of a series of operant responses in sequences

Question 28

how was chaining used to train goats to do what?

Answer 28

◼ Jump 3 hurdles ◼ Walk on raised walkway ◼ Pass through 2 barrels ◼ Press lever 10 times

Question 29

dog owners chain _______ commands

Answer 29

obedience

Question 30

animals can learn to discriminate:

Answer 30

Various visual, auditory or tactile cues

Question 31

provide an example of discrimination learning in horse, cattle, sheep

Answer 31

◼ Learn to choose feedbox covered with black cloth instead of 2 uncovered boxes ◼ With increased trials, number of errors decreased

Question 32

which learning requires the most intelligence?

Answer 32

conceptual learning

Question 33

define conceptual learning

Answer 33

Ability to respond to a common quality or characteristic shared by a number of different specific stimuli

Question 34

describe example of conceptual learning in horses

Answer 34

◼ Operant conditioning task ◼ Horse had to push one of 2 hinged panels ◼ Correct panel was unlocked - Allowing horses access to bowl of grain ◼ Incorrect panel was locked - Bowl of grain behind it ◼ Correct choice not always on same side

Question 35

what were the problems in the conceptual learning example in horses?

Answer 35

◼ First problem –simple discrimination between black and white panel ◼ Next, discriminate between cross & circle ◼ Third, distinguish a triangle from rectangle ◼ Then triangles from half circles & various other patterns

Question 36

what is the TRUE test of conceptual learning in horses

Answer 36

Horse had to choose between 2 shapes he had never seen before ◼ One triangular and the other non-triangular

Question 37

define conditioned taste aversion

Answer 37

Process by which animals learn to avoid a food not because it tastes bad, but because he/she associates it with illness

Question 38

what is gastrointestinal malaise

Answer 38

nausea

Question 39

what happens after the first application of poisoning rats

Answer 39

- fewer rats killed | - those that survived no longer eat the bait

Question 40

what will happen when rats are given novel food and radiation

Answer 40

Will soon avoid food they associate with radiation sickness

Question 41

what are the 3 ways conditioned taste aversion differs from associative learning?

Answer 41

1. Appears to be specific for taste & olfaction 2. Illness must be of internal origin (general malaise) 3. Novel taste & illness can be widely separated in time, and learning will still take place

Question 42

how is nausea important in conditioned taste aversion?

Answer 42

it is the only way to make the animal associate food as sickening a long time after

Question 43

what is the use for taste aversion?

Answer 43

◼ Determine what substances can animal can taste or perceive | ◼ Prevent wildlife from eating agriculturally or ornament important plants

Question 44

how can you teach coyotes to avoid lambs via taste aversion?

Answer 44

Repeated pairing of lamb with injection lithium chloride

Question 45

how can you teach livestock to avoid a poisonous plant using taste aversion?

Answer 45

◼ Larkspur | ◼ Emetic

Question 46

how do you teach an animal an operant task?

Answer 46

wait until animal performs desired activity and then reward it

Question 47

speed up teaching an animal an operant task by _________ the behavior

Answer 47

shaping

Question 48

define shaping

Answer 48

reward for small steps toward desired behavior/activity

Question 49

how do you teach a dog to heel?

Answer 49

Trainer rewards dog for staying within yard of his side, then foot & finally when dog walks quietly by trainer

Question 50

how do you teach a chicken to dance?

Answer 50

turn to right, reward it patience timing

Question 51

what kind of conditioning is a reinforced schedule

Answer 51

operant conditioning

Question 52

during a variable schedule reinforcement, when do you reward?

Answer 52

every 10 or 20 times (or everytime)

Question 53

the higher the fixed ratio = the ______ the animal will respond the longer it will take the response to be _______

Answer 53

faster | forgotten

Question 54

what schedule is your dog on when it barks 50 times begging for food and you then reward him (feed)?

Answer 54

the dog is on a high FR schedule

Question 55

what is a common fixed ratio schedule?

Answer 55

when dog barks 50 times and owner gets annoyed so they get the reward

Question 56

what is a fixed interval

Answer 56

◼ Another type of reinforcement | ◼ Animal rewarded for a response that occurs after a certain period of time has elapsed since last reward

Question 57

what is the animal required to have for a fixed interval?

Answer 57

animal has to have a good sense of timing

Question 58

what are the important factors for teaching a flavor cue?

Answer 58

1. novelty of cue 2. dose and pharmacology of the toxin used as UCS 3. availability of alternative foods 4. social facilitation

Question 59

what's the difference between fixed interval and fixed ratio?

Answer 59

fixed interval is more random, time has elapsed, reward occasionally

Question 60

what are rewards and examples?

Answer 60

positive reinforcement - food - social interaction

Question 61

what is negative reinforcement and an example?

Answer 61

something aversive applied until the animal makes a response - pull on horse's mouth until he stops - shocking dog with shock collar until dog stops

Question 62

when does punishment occur?

Answer 62

after an action a consequence | - beat dog for chewing phone

Question 63

positive reinforcement

Answer 63

adding something your dog enjoys

Question 64

negative reinforcement

Answer 64

remove something your dog views as unpleasant

Question 65

what is the goal of both positive and negative reinforcement?

Answer 65

both used to make a behavior more likely to occur again

Question 66

difference between reinforcement and punishment

Answer 66

reinforcement: makes behavior more likely to occur again in the future punishment: makes behavior less likely to occur again in the future

Question 67

good things start | ex. cat chews on hand because it wants toy

Answer 67

positive reinforcement

Question 68

bad things end | ex. canned air and quirt in cat's face when chewing on hand

Answer 68

negative reinforcement

Question 69

bad things start | ex. taking can of air away from cat's face

Answer 69

positive punishment

Question 70

good things end | ex. pull hand away from cat

Answer 70

negative punishment