Learning Theory Flashcards
Define primary reinforcer
Something the dog intrinsically values and will work for
Define spontaneous recovery
Behavior affected by extinction is apt to reoccur in the future when the trigger is presented again
Define spontaneous recovery
Behavior affected by extinction is apt to reoccur in the future when the trigger is presented again. A return of responding to a stimulus that the animal was once habituated to.
Define extinction burst
The phenomenon of the behavior suddenly getting worse before it gets better during extinction training
Define extinction - classical conditioning
Repeating presenting a conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus
Define extinction - operant conditioning
Withholding reinforcers that maintain a behavior - not simply ignoring it
Define positive reinforcement
Adding a reward to a behavior to get it to happen again
Define negative punishment
Taking something good away to decrease a behavior
Define negative reinforcement
Punishment is removed once the dog does the correct behavior
Define behavior
Anything an animal does
Define consequence
Anything that happens to animal due to a result of the behavior
Define temporary criteria
Accepting approximations of the goal behavior
If you use one hand signal & a verbal cue at the same time:
A. The dog might focus on one but not the other - overshadowing
B. The dog will turn it’s head away & wait for you to make up your mind
C. The trainer will get tired too quickly
A. The dog might focus on one but not the other - overshadowing
The training slang term “twofers” means:
A. Only practice each exercise for two minutes
B. Two people training the same dog
C. Dog must do two behaviors for one reward
C. Dog must do two behaviors for one reward
In operant conditioning, the word reinforce means to make stronger. True or false?
True
Select the best definition of the word positive as used in operant conditioning
A. Add something
B. Be sure of yourself before you train your dog
C. Say “good dog” in a nice voice
A. Add something
In the ABC’s of learning, C stands for consequence. True or false?
True
Dogs learn from:
A. Operant conditioning
B. Classical conditioning
C. Both
C. Both
The word “punishment” means to inflict pain. True or false?
False
Define duration reinforcement schedule
This requires an animal maintain a certain level of responding throughout an interval of time in order to earn a reward.
Define secondary reinforcer
Things the dog initially has no interest in until it is paired with a primary reinforcer. Then, the secondary reinforcer means something good. I.e. clicker is secondary, food is primary
Define precede
In order for a stimulus to become a conditioned reinforcer, it must always come before the primary reinforcer
Define sensitization
Reaction to stimulus gets even stronger
Define habituation
The ability to stop responding to meaningless stimulus
Define habituation
The ability to stop responding to meaningless stimulus
Define orienting response
When an animal turns towards a stimulus
Define single event learning
Most basic example of learning. Takes only one try to learn. A stimulus that has meaning after only one presentation of it.
Define pre-exposure effect
A conditioned stimulus that is not novel to the animal
Define novelty
A new stimulus. Animals are new alert to novel stimulus.
Define jump starts
Rewards before training used to motivate the dog
Define reinforcer sampling
Giving your dog a variety of rewards to see what they are most willing to work for
Define jackpots
A reward for excellence in training. Providing a special reward for particularly well performed response as it will increase the likelihood of the behavior repeating itself
Define positive behavioral contrast
An animal trying harder to get a higher value reward
Define negative behavioral contrast
An animal will not work hard or not at all for a mediocre reward
Define deprivation level
A reduction of rewards before a training session that will make the animal work harder to get a reward. I.e. don’t feed dinner before training.
Define learned irrelevance
The animal ceases attending to a stimulus because it has no consequence. Not susceptible to spontaneous recovery.
Define differential reinforcement
Not truly random - only the best examples of behavior are rewarded
Define random reinforcement
The reward is not given every time the dog offers the behavior
Define continuous schedule of reinforcement
A reward for every correct response
Define value of reinforcement
A ranking of rewards that dog is willing to work for
Define rate of reinforcement
How often a behavior is rewarded
Define permanent criteria
The final goal behavior
Define physical response
Actually doing what is asked
Define criteria
A defined response - once it is achieved, the dog is rewarded
What is an example of positive reinforcement?
Treat, play, toys, life rewards, praise
Define critical period
The period of development that has a profound effect on the behavior of a dog. Prime age range to take in information about social cues.
What she range is the critical period?
5-12 weeks
What age range is considered early adolescence?
6-11 months
When does the fear period occur in a dog’s development?
Adolescence
Define juvenile onset shyness
Fear period that occurs during adolescence
What breeds of dogs have brachycephaly?
Boston terriers, Frenchies, English bulldogs, pugs, boxers, old English bulldogs, pekenise
If the dog fails to respond to a previously learned cue, a trainer should: A. Correct the dog immediately B. Decrease the distraction level C. Repeat the cue in a louder voice D. End the training session
B. Decrease the distraction level
Which of the following increases if dog acts as a reinforcer? A. Behavior B. Locomotion C. Excitement D. Salivation
A. Behavior
What is the name of the mutation that cause a shortening of the face, muzzle, and nose?
Brachycephaly
Define brachycephaly
A mission creating an abnormal shortening of the facial bones, making it difficult to breathe or keep the brain cool
Define facultatively social species
A species (i.e. coyote, dog) that can and will switch between pack hunting & individual hunting based on what kind & the amount of food that is available
Define fluency
Second phase of learning. Animal becomes fluent in the new knowledge.
Define acquisition
First phase of learning where the animal learns new knowledge
Define timing of reinforcer
A reward should be given as quickly after a behavior is given
Define generalization
Third phase of learning where the animal learns the knowledge is relevant in a variety of circumstances & situations
Define maintenance
Fourth and final phase of learning where the animal incorporates the new knowledge into is behavioral repertoire
What are the four stages of learning?
Acquisition, fluency, generalization, maintenance
Define stimulus
Any recent that can be perceived by the animal. I.e. light, sound, touch, smell
Define consequence
An action or event that occurs after the behavior. It may affect how often that behavior will occur in the future.
Define contingency
A statement of dependent relationships i.e. if the dog sits he gets a cookie
Define performance
Actual doing of the cued behavior
Define appetitive/positive
Anything the dog considers a good behavior
Define aversive
Anything the dog considers a bad thing
Define theory
An explanation of how things work
Define principles
An explanation of how things work
Which of the following best describes a variable ratio of reinforcement?
A. One reinforcer after every correct response
B. Many reinforcers after every other response
C. Reinforcement after some correct responses
D. No reinforcement after incorrect responses
C. Reinforcement after some correct responses
The best description of shaping is teaching with: A. Clicker B. Physical guidance C. Successive approximations D. Balanced training
C. Successive approximations
Define response
Any action performed that can be observed & measured
Define conditioning
Learning
Define behaviorism
The study of behavior & observable events
What is the “principle of parsimony”
The scientific principle which states that unless there is evidence to the contrary, you must account for a phenomenon with the simplist explanation available
Define innate behaviors
Behavior a dog for instinctively without being taught
What are three examples of innate behavior?
Going potty, sniffing, eating, sex
A dog is pulling against head halter moves back toward it’s handler to remove pressure. The handle then gives a treat to the dog. The dogs polite walking behavior is maintained by:
R- & R+
Define differential reinforcement of low rates
Use to extend how long between cue & response
Define punishment
Anything that stuns, stops, or decreases a behavior
Define negative
Taking something away
Define response rate schedules
Requires an animal to respond at a certain rate of time to earn a reward. i.e. if a dog slowly sits it is not rewarded, but if it is quick the dog is rewarded
Define response type schedule
Requires the response to be of a predetermined quality in order to be rewarded
Define positive
Adding something
Define differential reinforcement of high rate
Used to increase how quickly a dog does a behavior
Define reinforcement
Any kind of reward that makes the behavior stronger
Define premack’s theory of reinforcement
The chance to engage in particular types of activities to participate in other activities. Life rewards: sit at door you get to go outside. A behavior the dog enjoys is used as the reinforcer to a previous behavior
Define antecedent
Any stimulus that caused a behavior
Define duration reinforcement schedule
Responding must be maintained throughout the entire interval to be rewarded
Define free-operant experiments
The dog is free to respond whenever he chooses & the dog is rewarded for each choice
Define discrete trials experiments
Each opportunity to perform a behavior & the dog is rewarded for responding correctly
Define differential reinforcement schedule
Only certain rate of response or certain types of responses are rewarded
Define continuous reinforcement schecule
Every occursncr of the response is followed by reinforcement
Define partial reinforcement schedule
Responses are reinforced only sometimes
Define Fixed ratio reinforcement schedule
A fixed ratio of responses to reinforcements earned
Define variable ratio reinforcement schedule
The number of responses required for each reinforcer from one occasion to the next changes
Define desensitization
Presenting low levels of the fear provoking stimulus & gradually working up to the full blown stimulus
Define flooding/response prevention
Putting the subject in a position they cannot leave their fear/phobia in hopes they will get over it. It does not work in dogs even though some will try.
Define taste aversion learning
Learned association of what foods made them ill
Define phobias
Conditioned emotional response of fear to certain stimuli
Define separation anxiety
A conditioned emotion response to being alone
Define inter-dog aggression
One dog behaving aggressively to another dog, usually due to: • fluctuating hormones • poor socialization • attacked/frightened by another dog • feeling of being trapped • owner reinforcement • displacement/frustration
Define social facilitation
A process where an animal is encouraged to do a behavior because someone else is also doing it
Define stimulus enhancement
When one animal is doing something & another animal joins in
Define imitation
The learning of a new behavior by observing another animal (even human) engaging in a behavior
Define counter conditioning
Changing the association between a stimulus & response. Usually used for fear responses to make it more pleasant to a dog.
Define conditioned emotional response
An emotional response that has become classically conditioned to occur to a learned stimuli
Define backward chaining
Teaching the final behavior first because it leads directly to the reinforcement. i.e. go to bed
Define chaining
Appropriate to use for a complex sequence of responses. Behaviors are linked together to cue the next behavior to start.
Define prompting
Involves manipulating an animal or environment to get the dog to respond in a certain way
Define shaping
Reinforcing successive approximations of the desired behavior
What are the four types of teaching a behavior?
Capturing, shaping, luring, combo of the above
Define behavior modification
The application of learning theory to change behavior
Define positive reinforcement
Adding something good to increase behavior
Define negative punishment
Taking away something good to decrease behavior
Define positive punishment
Adding an aversive in order to decrease a behavior
Define negative reinforcement
Aversive applied until the desired behavior is performed & then it is taken away in order to increase a behavior
Define variable interval reinforcement ratio
A variable amount of time needs to elapse before a reward is earned
