Training by accident, or “hoping” an animal learns a given task, is an incorrect and unsustainable way of teaching. It is imperative that trainers and handlers have a solid foundation and understanding of what motivates animals and ultimately facilitates learning. Behavior shaping, at its fundamental core, is a relatively simple concept. Animals learn through experiences, associations, and consequences. The following article will address the methodology behind two major behavioral learning theories, Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning.
Classical Conditioning – behavior is shaped through associations. It is the proverbial “Pavlov’s dog” experiment. A bell (meaningless stimulation) was rung, food (meaningful stimulation) was administered. As a result of repetitive activity and the association that occurred over time, the bell (originally meaningless stimulation) eventually took the place of the food itself subconsciously in the dog’s mind. The dog associated the ringing of the bell with predictable/reliable food delivery. As a result, visible salivation occurred simply upon the activation of the bell without any food being immediately present. It is important to remember that unless food delivery was contemporaneous with the originally meaningless stimulation (bell), learning will not occur.
The power of association is immense. Not only is it a powerful tool we can manipulate during training, it can also present itself in a negative connotation as well. Animals also learn through “experiences” or “self-discovery” events. Whether positive or negative, they can and will alter the psyche of the animal based on associations that have been made.
Operant Conditioning – behavior is shaped through consequences. The theory revolves around the scientific experiments that were conducted by B.F Skinner. Rats were released inside of a box which contained a lever. At first, the rats accidentally made contact with the lever, which, released a piece of food. After repetition, they consciously made the choice to step on lever as the expectation of reward (positive reinforcement) was ingrained. Skinner also explored the notion of turning pressure off (Negative Reinforcement). The same box was wired with an uncomfortable level of electricity. The rats initially scurried around haphazardly and unintentionally turned off the electricity by touching the lever. Association was soon made, at which point, they rapidly moved towards lever with the purpose of turning off pressure.
The basis of operant conditioning is rooted in the form of reinforcers/punishers. The theory behind the method of training is captured in a four-quadrant graph. Positive reinforcement. Negative reinforcement. Positive Punishment. Negative Punishment. What is important to grasp is that “positive” and “negative” do not mean “good” and “bad”. The meaning behind the terminology is simply to “add” or to “take away”. Reinforcers are events that increase the likelihood of the behavior reoccurring. Punishers are events that decrease the likelihood of the behavior reoccurring. That concept is incredibly important as the application behind the compulsion/motivators is commonly misunderstood.
Positive Reinforcement – “Something good is added” – Whatever the scope of the exercise entails, behavior that is desired is marked and reward is provided. Think of an obedience or bite session. Something of value and desire (food, ball, bite suit) is utilized as a reward when desirable behavior is exhibited.
Negative Reinforcement – “Pressure is released” – The cessation of pressure whether it be a pinch collar or E-collar. When the animal executes whatever task/command that had been issued. The pressure that already been applied, is released.
Positive Punishment – “Correction/compulsion is introduced” – Pressure is added to thwart the undesirable behavior. The goal of adding positive punishment is to extinguish behavior, thus decreasing the likelihood of it occurring again.
Negative Punishment – “Access to something desirable is delayed/taken away” – Whether withholding food/ball reward until positioning is correct, or, delaying bite until dog executes command correctly, preventing the animal from obtaining something desirable is a powerful motivator.
What is profoundly interesting is how addition and subtraction of reward/pressure are inherently linked together. For instance, in order for Negative Reinforcement to occur, Positive Punishment must have been administered. In order for there to be a cessation of pressure, pressure must already be present. In the same manner, for Negative Punishment to have value, Positive Reinforcement must be present. Withholding of an object of value must mean that something desirable is in fact, available.
Behavior is not only learned, it can be shaped through the above-mentioned theories. It is incumbent upon the trainer and/or handler to ensure the application is correct and timely.