Operant Conditioning and Behavior Management

Immediately after the incorrect performance of a behavior, something the animal desires is removed from the animal's environment.

- punishment

You're trying to get home after a long day, so you ignore your gas gauge as it approaches empty. You run out of gas and are forced to pull over.

- punishment

Immediately after the performance of a correct behavior, something that is noxious or aversive is removed from the animal's environment.

- reinforcement

You buckle up your seatbelt, which terminates the annoying beeping that is warning you to do so.

- reinforcement

Consequence

outcome of the animal's reaction to the initial stimuli

Primary Reinforces

food and water

Food and water are examples of ____________________.

primary reinforcers

Taking a very small tendency in the right direction and shifting it one small step at a time toward an ultimate goal is called:

shaping

The development of a new behavior by progressive reinforcement of closer approximations towards the goal.

shaping

Immediately after the incorrect performance of a behavior, something noxious or aversive to the animal is added to its environment.

+ punishment

While driving your new car, you do not use your turn signal and end up in a car accident, which results in a dented bumper.

+ punishment

Immediately after the performance of a correct behavior, something the animal desires is added to the animal's environment.

+ reinforcement

You're attentive to your surroundings and find $20 on the ground as you're walking to your car. It's enough money to fill up your gas tank so you can drive to work to pick up your paycheck.

+ reinforcement

Secondary Reinforces

-petting or scratching -enrichment -"good job"

3 Basic Steps of Shift Training

1. Single A to B positioning 2. Separate one animal from another 3. Adding additional animals

Which of the following is not an example of an operant behavior?

Every time a resting goat is lightly touched on its back, the muscles in the animal's back twitch

When should a bridging stimulus be used?

Instantly after or during the performance of a correct behavior

In a trust-based training system, which is the ideal, most-used tool of the four shown?

Positive Reinforcement

Which of the following consequences to a behavior is the best method for developing a trust-based relationship with the animal?

Positive rein.

Occurs when a normally positive stimulus is repeatedly offered until it loses its reinforcing properties.

Satiation

3 Basic Steps of Blood Collection

Step 1 = Desensitization Step 2 = Reinforcing access to blood withdrawal site Step 3 = Introducing mildly painful stimulus

3 Basic Steps of Target Training

Step 1: Introduce the target Step 2: Touch animal with it Step 3: Animal touches it

A stair-step process where behavior is shaped one step at a time to approach a desired form by selectively reinforcing those behaviors which lead towards the desired form.

Successive Approximations

______________ is a stair-step process in which behavior is shaped one step at a time to approach a desired form by selectively reinforcing those behaviors that lead towards the desired form.

Successive Approximations

Target training uses the principle of ______________________ to condition an animal to touch a target.

Successive approximations

In the case of both positive and negative punishment, the animal is not in control of the consequence of the behavior.

TRUE

As an industry best practice, operant conditioning that relies on motivation and positive reinforcement is called ___________________________ .

Trust-Based Training

The timing of a reinforcer has no effect on behavior.

false

Behavior

animal's response to the initial stimuli

A trainer presents a target pole to an animal. The presentation of the target pole is an example of the _______________________ in the ABCs of animal training.

antecedent

There is only one goal for training an animal for blood collection: to gather blood samples.

false

To accomplish a successful training session, consider either an animal's genetic heritage or an animal's capacity to learn and change its behavior, but not both.

false

Which of the following is an example of an operant behavior?

dog learns to push a gate latch up and gain access outside of its backyard

Which group believed that animal learning is the result of the animal's evolutionary biology and its genetic predispositions?

ethologists

Both positive and negative punishment cause the frequency of the preceding behavior to increase.

false

Increasing an animal's motivation through deprivation of any sort is a useful technique in behavioral conditioning.

false

It is not good practice to vary the type of reinforcement given during a training session.

false

Negative reinforcement is a form of punishment.

false

Negative reinforcement is one of the most effective methods of eliminating undesirable behavior.

false

Satiation is the force that regulates behavior because of drives, needs, or desires, and is directed towards the goals that will satisfy the need.

false

Positive reinforcement tends to ____________ the probability that the behavior will occur.

increase

Antecedent

initial stimuli that triggers the performance of a behavior

The force that regulates behavior because of drives, needs, or desires and is directed towards goals that will satisfy the need.

motivation

Reinforcement in operant conditioning is:

something desired

The shaping of just about every conceivable behavior in a Trust-Based Training system will have a common origin in the act of ______________________.

target training

Behavior modification and operant conditioning rely on building trust between a trainer and animal.

true

In animal training, desensitization refers to a systematic series of reinforcements selected so as to reward an animal for ignoring a specific stimulus.

true

In shift training, both locations must be neutral to the animal. If one location has a greater attraction through conditioning than another, the animal will discriminate against the location with the poorest reinforcement history.

true

Once you've taught an animal to touch a target, training other behaviors becomes possible, such as shift training and blood collection.

true

Operant behavior is a goal-directed behavior controlled by the animal's brain.

true

Punishment, or the threat of it, is not as effective as reinforcement in helping the animal learn how to modify the behavior involved.

true

The bridging stimulus, often a whistle, signals the opportunity for reinforcement.

true

To be effective, reinforcement must occur in conjunction with the act it is meant to modify.

true

To establish a conditioned reinforcer, you should pair your intended reinforcer with a previously established reinforcer.

true