Learning Theory

Question 1

What does LIMA stand for?

Answer 1

Least Intrusive Minimally Aversive

Question 2

Name the steps in the Humane Hierarchy of behavior change “ladder”.

Answer 2

• Wellness(nutritional and physical)
• antecedent arrangements
• positive reinforcement
• differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors
• extinction, negative reinforcement and negative punishment
• positive punishment

(In that order)

Question 3

Define Antecedent

Answer 3

• What is going on right before a behavior; setting up events (environment), and/or providing motivation.
• Setting up for success

Question 4

What well respected behavior analyst first coined the term “Humane Hierarchy”

Answer 4

Susan Friedman PhD

Question 5

Who discovered Classical Conditioning?

Answer 5

Ivan Pavlov ( also known as Pavlovian Conditioning)

Question 6

What is a conditioned Stimulus?

Answer 6

Any stimulus to which a reflex response has been conditioned by previous training or experience. Example: a clicker , or saying “Yes”

Question 7

What is an Unconditioned Stimulus?

Answer 7

Any stimulus that produces a natural reaction or behavior, an unconditioned response. Example: Treats, walk, play

Question 8

What is a Conditioned Response?

Answer 8

An automatic reaction learned through training to a stimulus that does not normally elicit such response. Example: running to you when they hear the treat bag shake

Question 9

What is a Conditioned Emotional Response?

Answer 9

A learned emotional reaction or response to a certain conditioned stimulus.

Question 10

Who is B.F. Skinner and what did he do?

Answer 10

Known as the father of Operant Conditioning; thought classical conditioning was far too simplistic to be a complete explanation of complex behavior so he set out to identify the processes that made certain operant behaviors more or less likely to occur.

Question 11

Define Operant Conditioning

Answer 11

A learned association between a voluntary behavior and a consequence.
Example: a dog has learned to associate sitting after hearing the rustle of a treat bag with getting treats.

Question 12

What is the difference between classical and operant conditioning?

Answer 12

Classical Conditioning refers to an association between two stimuli (bell ringing=food)
while Operant Conditioning refers to an association between a behavior and a consequence (bell ringing=sit down= food)
Classical conditioning is an involuntary response preceded by a stimulus. Operant conditioning is a voluntary response followed by a reinforcing stimulus.

Question 13

What are the four quadrants of operant conditioning?

Answer 13

Positive Reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement
Positive Punishment
Negative Punishment

Question 14

Define Positive Reinforcement in regards to operant conditioning and give an example.

Answer 14

Positive Reinforcement: something rewarding begins, behavior increases
Ex: dog sits down and gets a treat for it. Dog sits on command more.

Question 15

Define Negative Reinforcement in regards to operant conditioning and give an example.

Answer 15

Negative Reinforcement: something unpleasant ends, behavior increases
Ex: dog feels uncomfortable leash pressure and sits, leash pressure goes away, dog sits on command more often.

Question 16

Define Positive Punishment in regards to operant conditioning and give an example.

Answer 16

Positive Punishment: something unpleasant begins, behavior decreases
Ex: dog jumps on person, owner says no and gives collar correction, dog jumps on people less.

Question 17

Define Negative Punishment in regards to operant conditioning and give an example.

Answer 17

Negative Punishment: something rewarding ends, behavior decreases
Ex: dog jumps on person, person steps back, turns around, and ignores dog not giving it any attention, dog jumps on people less.

Question 18

What is the difference between punishment and reinforcement in terms of operant conditioning?

Answer 18

Punishment: deterring a behavior
Reinforcement: strengthening a behavior

Question 19

What is DRA? Give an example.

Answer 19

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behaviors, this training method involves strengthening behaviors that are incompatible and physically impossible with the problem behavior while withholding reinforcement for it, and reinforcing the alternative behavior.
Ex: redirect a puppy chewing on shoes to chew his toy instead and reward him for it.
Ex: ignore jumping dog but reward when he has all four feet on the floor.

Question 20

Define Unconditioned reinforcer. Give examples.

Answer 20

Unconditioned reinforcer also known as a primary reinforcer, is a thing that is biologically preestablished to act as a reinforcement.
Ex: high value treats, tennis ball, going outside, playing

Question 21

Define Secondary Reinforcer. Give examples.

Answer 21

Secondary reinforcer, also known as a conditioned reinforcer, is a neutral stimulus that becomes associated with a primary reinforcer through classical conditioning. Something a dog has learned to like.
Ex: sound of a clicker, “yes or “good”, whistle, can opener noise, garage door opening.

Question 22

What are the four stages of learning? List in order

Answer 22

Acquisition
Fluency
Generalization
Maintenance

These stages are also sometimes called the four “A”s:
Acquiring 
Automatic 
Application 
Always

Question 23

What is Shaping?

Answer 23

Shaping is when a dog learns through a series of small steps or approximations to achieve a desired behavior. It is used Especially with complex behaviors that the dog would not preform naturally.

Question 24

What is Capturing?

Answer 24

Capturing a behavior is simply waiting for a dog to do something on his own that you like and rewarding him for it.

Question 25

What is Luring?

Answer 25

Luring is when you use a reward, likely a food treat, and have a dog follow it until you achieve the desired behavior.

Question 26

What is the Acquisition stage of learning?

Answer 26

Acquisition is the initial stage of learning in which you use conditioned and unconditioned reinforcers to teach a dog a behavior. At this point the dog is just beginning to learn how to complete the target behavior. Once the dog offers or is easily lured into the action approximately 90% of the time he is ready to move to the next stage of learning.

Question 27

What is the Fluency stage of learning?

Answer 27

The fluency stage of learning is the second stage where a dog is able to complete the target behavior but works slowly. This stage is all about “practice makes perfect” where the dog learns to increase the speed, precision, and latency of the behavior and is only rewarded when he does so Instead of being rewarded for any attempt at the behavior like in the acquisition stage. When the dog is fluent in the cue 90% of the time in a familiar environment they are ready to move onto the next stage.

Question 28

What is the generalization stage of learning?

Answer 28

The generalization stage of learning is the third stage where the dog learns to respond correctly to a cue in different places and with different people and around diverse distractions at varying distances. It is the slow process of exposing the dog to as many different situations as possible (it can take months or even years!) when the dog preforms the cue 90% of the time in various situations with various distractions they are ready for the next stage.

Question 29

What is the maintenance stage of learning?

Answer 29

The maintenance stage of learning is the final stage where the dog responds to the cue in a variety of situations 90-100% of the time. It is at this point where trainers generally consider it a learned behavior and any training done for the behavior is to keep it fresh and maintained in the dogs mind. It is normal if occasionally the dog needs to go back to kindergarten to relearn some of the behavior for maintenance.

Question 30

What does it mean to “Go back to kindergarten”?

Answer 30

It means to take a step back to an easier version of a known behavior and working back up if a dog forgets or ignores a previously known cue. It is a normal part of learning a behavior.

Question 31

What is Non-Associative Learning?

Answer 31

It is when a dogs reaction to a stimulus changes without any apparent association to another stimulus like reward or punishment. Examples of non associative learning are habituation and sensitization.

Question 32

What is Habituation?

Answer 32

Also known as learned irrelevance, the opposite of sensitization, it involves no rewards/treats, it is merely the decrease in a response to an unconditioned stimulus due to repeated or prolonged exposure.

Question 33

What is sensitization?

Answer 33

The opposite of habituation, the dog becomes more sensitive to the stimulus by repeated exposure.

Question 34

What is learned helplessness?

Answer 34

When a dog suffers from a sense of powerlessness due to a traumatic event or persistent failure to succeed.

Question 35

What is Single Event Learning?

Answer 35

When a dog encounters a new stimuli and it is extremely frightening, the dog learns through just that one encounter to become scared of it.

Question 36

What is Counter Conditioning?

Answer 36

A type of behavior modification that changes the way a dog feels about a stimulus by either teaching a dog to associate good things with an unpleasant stimulus (classical) or teaching a dog to preform a behavior that is more enjoyable than the current one he exhibits (operant).