Training Stuff Flashcards
How is a DRI different from ART
DRI (differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior) uses previous behaviors to avoid unwanted behaviors while ART (alternate response training) is reinforcing for being calm in high stress areas
What are the two types of reinforcement and define them
- Primary/unconditioned: stimuli whose reinforcing value is intrinsic such as food but may not be reinforcing all the time (using food after a large meal)
- Secondary/conditioned: stimuli whose reinforcing value were once neutral but acquired value by being paired with events/stimuli that are already reinforcing
What is a negative reinforcer and example
- reinforcer is removed after a response is performed and increase the behavior that preceded their removal
- example is Eddie being calm in photo after showving as a result, leave photo early
What is the premack principle and example
- If opportunity to perform a more probable response is made contingent upon the performance of a less probable response, the frequency of the latter should increase
- Ex. Dog wants to chase ball (more probable) he must first drop the ball (less probable)
How is shaping a behavior achieved
Target behavior is achieved by reinforcing small steps or approximations toward the desired operant
- As the initial approximate behavior is performed consistently, the criterion for reinforcment is altered slightly so that the successive operant which is to be reinforced resembles the desired operant more closely than the previous operant response
What is a chain
Chain is composed of a series of responses joined together by stimuli that act both as conditioned reinforcers and as discriminative stimuli
What are prompts
events that help initate a response/behavior
What are the two ways that organisms respond to its environment
- respondent behavior: when behavior is involuntary (reflexes)
- operant behavior: when behavior is under voluntary control
What is behavior
any observable/measurable response
What changes the effectiveness of reinforcement
- Consistenty: most important condition for effective use of reinforcement is that it be contigent on behavior
- Timing: response is more easily learned if it is followed immediately by a reinforcing consequence
- Magnitude: Greater the amount of reinforcement, the higher the frequency of the response (but is such thing as too much)
- Quality: Type of reinforcement will vary in effectiveness from one individual to another depending on preference
What is continuous reinforcement
continuous reinforcement refers to a response being reinforced each time it occurs
What is intermittent reinforcement
When reinforcement occurs after only some of the appropriate reponses
What are the differences in effectiveness of continuous and intermittent reinforcement
- continuous: response learned at a higher rate but may experience extinction rapidly
- Intermittent reinforcement allows a higher behavioral consistency and satiation is less likely to occur
Extinction
- refers to the procedure in which a previously reinforced response is no longer reinforced
- May lead to an increase in the frequency and intensity of responding at the beginning of extinction (extinction burst)
- May also lead to a response that has not been reinforced to occur sporadically and temporatily during the course of extinction (spontaneous recovery)
What are the 4 types of intermittent reinforcement
- Ratio schedules: reinforcement is contingent on the number of correct responses that must be emimtted to result in reinforcement
1. fixed ratio: requried number is fixed
2. variable ratio: required number varies each time - Interval schedules: first correct response which occurs after a designated interval has elapsed is reinforced
3. fixed ratio: interval between opportunities for reinforcement is constant
4. variable interval: interval between opportunities for reinforcement varies
what does FI 3, VI 2, and FR 50 mean
FI 3: fixed-interval schedule, reinforcement can be given 3 minutes after previous reinforcement
VI 2: variable interval schedule, average interval between reinforcement is 2 minutes but has a wide range
FR 50: fixed ratio in which every 50th response is reinforced
What is a disadvantage of fixed schedules of reinforcement
- Usually produce a temporary decline in the rate of responding following the delivery of reinforcement
- Normally even more pronounced in fixed interval schedules since the number of responses doesn’t matter as much as the timing of the repsonse
What is the advantage of using variable schedules
- produce behavior which remains consistently high
- Variable-ratio schedules tend to produce even higher rates and consistency of performance than variable interval
What are the 3 key factors in building and maintaining a rewarding animal/trainer relationship
- utilizing VRRV (variable ratio schedule of reinforcement with reinforcement variety
- Use of LRS when necessary to decrease undesirable behaviors
- Interactive sessions
What is positive reinforcement
type of training in which a favorable response is followed by the delivery of a favorable stimulus/positive reinforcer
Explain the process involved in training “target” with animals
- trainers touch the target gently to the animal, bridge is given and animal is reinforced. Repeated multiple times
- Target is positioned a few inches away from the animal, trainer waits for animal to touch the target, animal then gets bridged and reinforced
- Once successfully done multiple times, target is moved farther away, animal touches it gets bridged and reinforced until eventually animal follows the target
What is a bridge
A conditioned reinforcer; lets animal know that they performed desirable behavior and food may come soon
What is VRRV and how is if helpful
- Variable ratio schedule of reinforcement, with reinforcement variety
- variable ratio schedule of reinforcement: number of desired responses needed for reinforcement varies
- VRRV is helpful as it eliminates predictability thus, boredom, frustration, and agression are less likely to occur
What is an approximation
when an animal is reinforced for each successsive step toward the final goal of a desired behavior
Explain how shaping a behavior works when teaching a dolphin to do a high jump
- Dolphin is reinforced for touching a target on the surface of the water
- Trainer raises the target a few inches above the water, and reinforced the animal for touching it
- As dolphin suceeds, trainer continues to raise the target higher that eventually dolphin brings its entire body out of the water
- Trainer continues to raise the target until it is at the desired level
What is stimulus discrimination
When an animal learns to discriminate signals to determine which behavior the trainer expects
What is the lexigram reinforcement system and what is its use
System in which the animal may select its own reinforcer from an assortment of reinforcers; involves training the animal to associate a symbol (lexigram) with a known reinforcer. Allows trainers to gain information on different areas of animal learning; investigates the hypothesis that animals may learn at a faster rate, with better retention, when given a choice of reinforcing consequences
What are the types of interactive sessions and what are they
- Learning sessions: formal training in which trainers condition specific behaviors
- Exercise sessions: consist of high-energy behaviors
- Relationship session: trainer spends one-on-one quiet interactive time with the animal to develop reciprocal trust
- Play sessions: trainer and animals interact with games and toys that the animals enjoy
- Shows: educate the public about the animals
What are some fundamental training issues
- Environmental desensitization: working with animals to become desensitized to unusual/unexpected changes in their environment (trainers reinforce animals for responding calmly to a change in the environment)
- Working with individual animals: many of the animals we work with live in social groups so trainers work with animals to learn to feel comfortable performing individually as well as in groups so that they are comfortable moving to and from stage areas alone or with combinations of other animals
