Stage 2 Learning Theory Flashcards
Pavlovian (Classical) Conditioning
Unrelated events that occur close together in time become associated
Operant Conditioning
Certain events stand in lawful relation to other events
Canine cognition:
Dog’s conscious mental activities, including learning, thinking, understanding, and remembering
Learning methods
Classical conditioning
Operant conditioning
Counter-conditioning
Some elements of training:
Motivation, reinforcement, punishment
ABC’s philosophy
Creating human-canine relationship built on positive interactions and consistency can deter future problems, facilitate faster learning, solve behavioral challenges
LIMA:
Least Intrusive Minimally Aversive method
Humane hierarchy
Dog is motivated to learn only after basic needs are met and proper correction has been applied
Levels of correction:
Positive punishment
Extinction, negative reinforcement, negative punishment
Differential reinforcement of alternate behaviors
Positive Reinforcement
Antecedent arrangements
Wellness (nutritional & physical)
ABC stands for
Antecedent Behavior Consequence
Antecedent arrangement is …
Manipulating environment
Classical conditioning
Associative learning process (bell and food)
_ stimulus becomes _ stimulus
Unconditioned Conditioned
Conditioned response is …
automatic reaction learned through training to a stimulus that doesn’t normally elicit a response
Conditioned emotional response
Learned emotional reaction to a conditioned stimulus
BF Skinner defined …
Operant conditioning
Operant conditioning
An association between a behavior and a consequence
Differences between positive/negative reinforcement/punishment
Positive reinforcement: Add something good that strengthens behavior
Negative reinforcement: Remove something bad to strengthen behavior
Positive punishment: Add something aversive to decrease behavior
Negative punishment: Remove something good to decrease behavior
According to BF Skinner the problem with punishment is
it cannot provide long term results
Problems with punishment
- only causes short lived changes
- when punisher is not present behavior will still occur
- creates antagonistic relationship
_ responses can override _ responses
classically conditioned, operant conditioned
Classically conditioned response is _ whereas Operant conditioning is
Involuntary behavior following stimulus
voluntary behavior followed by reinforcing stimulus
DRAB (Differential Reinforcement of Alternate Behavior)
Involves reinforcing something incompatible with problem behavior
Primary/Secondary aka
Unconditioned/Conditioned
Secondary reinforcer
Becomes reinforcing through association with primary reinforcer
Giving dogs _ is reinforcing
a choice
Clicker training
Click and treat until dog is looking for treat
Select simple behavior to reinforce
Work quickly so reinforcement stays high
More clicker advice
Click should have as behavior is happening
Timing is essential
If you clicked accidentally you still need to treat
Let dog know when training session is over
“jackpot” excellent performance
Food lures
- Useful to jumpstart behavior
- Important to fade quickly
- Can guide dog to almost any behavior
4 stages of learning
Acquisition
Fluency
Generalization
Maintenance
aka acquiring, automatic, application, always
90 percent of process will occur during
generalization
Acquisition
Initial stage - use conditioned and unconditioned reinforcers to teach behavior
“aha” moment
Criteria for next step: offers behavior or is easily lured 90 percent of time
Different methods of teaching
Shaping - rewarding closer and closer behavior
Capturing - waiting for behavior to occur
Luring - Use reinforcer to “lure” into behavior
(can lead to “bribing” - need to fade quickly)
Fluency
Able to complete behavior but works slowly
Teaching behavior over and over again
Instead of rewarding every time, reward better than average responses
Build: Precision, Latency, Speed
Need to add cue
Add cue once behavior is easily offered 90 % time
When dog has about 90 % performance in familiar environment - move to generalization
“poisoning” reinforcer
Becomes confusing or punishing
Generalization
Respond to cue in variety of places Change 1 aspect of environment at a time - when dog looks at you from distance -duration -distraction -myriad of settings When dog performs behavior 90% time in variety of environments - Move to maintenance Can wean away treats
Maintenance
Responds to cue 90-100 % time in variety of situations
Now considered ‘learned behavior’
Going back to kindergarten
-for one mistake, go back to easier version 3-10 times
Non associative learning
Changes in behavior without associations
Types of non associative learning
Sensitization, habituation
Learned helplessness
Sense of powerlessness due to traumatic event - dog will shut down or freeze
-Freeze or flatten to ground, ear back, eyes wide, whale eyes, trembling
Canine cognition
Dog’s conscious mental activities: how they think, learn, understand, remember
Social and non-social
Social cognition
Responding to cues, perspective taking, communicating, learning by observing
Before deciding on training approach, need to determine
Dog’s emotional state (very difficult to teach if dog is afraid or stressed)
Single event learning
One event can cause permanent trauma
Instead of forcing dog to endure something, teach them it isn’t frightening with counter-conditioning and desensitization
Counterconditioning
Change how dog feels
Teach dog to associate good things with unpleasant stimulus
Teach dog to perform behavior that is more enjoyable
Classical or operant counter-conditioning
Desensitization
Reduces anxiety through classical counterconditioning
Goal: change dog’s CR
start with very low level of stimulus, gradually increase
avoid causing fear
Flooding
Prolonged exposure at such a level that dog “gives up”
extremely damaging
Operant counter-conditioning
Teaching behavior incompatible with problem behavior
Should associate alternate behavior with something good
Start w/ lots of distance to stimulus and work up
Extinction
Behavior is no longer rewarded
Ignoring behavior like jumping can extinguish it
(Fold arms, turn away, ignore dog)
Extinction bursts
behavior gets worse before it gets better
Habituation
Responding decreases with more exposures
Sensitization
Responding increases
Schedules of reinforcement
Rules used to determine if reinforcers will be given or withheld
Continuous reinforcement
reward every correct behavior
Intermittent reinforcement
Only occasionally reward behavior
Fixed or variable intervals/ratios
Powerful, can quickly strengthen learned behavior
During fluency phase
first use continuous, then intermittent
During generalization phase
Use intermittent reinforcement to increase duration, distance, number of distractors
Premack principle
Behaviors with high level of reinforcement can be used as rewards for less preferred behaviors
Mistakes
Think behavior through
Divide into smaller behaviors
“go back to kindergarten”
