Learning Basics
What type of learning occurs when an animal learns that two stimuli are associated with each other?
Classical conditioning
What is reinforcement designed to do to a behavior?
Increase the behavior
What is a bridge used for in animal training?
It marks the desired behavior and communicates that reinforcement is coming.
What is social learning?
Learning by observing or interacting with other animals
What is animal welfare primarily concerned with?
The animal's well-being and quality of life.
What type of conditioning involves an animal learning that its behavior produces a consequence?
Operant Conditioning
A trainer gives a dog a treat after it sits correctly. Is this positive or negative reinforcement?
Positive reinforcement
What is shaping?
Reinforcing successive steps or approximations toward a desired behavior.
What type of social learning occurs when an animal's attention is drawn to a particular object or location because another animal interacts with it?
Location enhancement
What is one major difference between animal welfare and animal rights?
Animal welfare focuses on improving how animals are treated and their well-being, while animal rights seeks to end the use or ownership of animals.
A dog begins getting excited when it hears the sound of a treat bag because the sound has repeatedly been followed by food. What type of learning is this?
Classical conditioning
A trainer removes an annoying pressure when a horse performs the desired behavior. What type of reinforcement is this?
Negative reinforcement
A trainer wants a dog to lie down but first rewards it for lowering its head, then lowering its shoulders, and eventually lying completely down. What training technique is being used?
Shaping
What type of learning involves an animal copying another animal's motor behavior and its underlying goal or intent?
Imitation
What are stereotypic behaviors?
Repetitive behaviors that have no obvious goal or function and may indicate poor welfare or stress.
A trainer gives a horse a treat every time it touches a target with its nose. The horse begins touching the target more often. What learning process is occurring?
Reinforcement
What is the difference between positive and negative reinforcement?
Positive reinforcement adds something desirable, while negative reinforcement removes something undesirable. Both increase behavior.
Why is timing important when using a bridge such as a clicker or whistle?
The bridge needs to clearly mark the behavior the trainer wants to reinforce.
An animal watches another animal open a container and later uses a similar action to open it. What type of learning might this demonstrate?
Social learning
An animal repeatedly paces back and forth in the same path with no obvious purpose. What type of behavior could this be?
A stereotypic behavior
What is the main difference between classical and instrumental conditioning?
Classical conditioning involves associations between stimuli, while instrumental conditioning involves learning through the consequences of behavior.
Why can increasing the intensity of punishment become dangerous when working with animals?
Higher-intensity punishment can increase fear, stress, aggression, and other unwanted responses.
A trainer clicks several seconds after an animal performs the desired behavior. What problem could this create?
The animal may associate the reinforcement with a different behavior because the desired behavior was not clearly marked.
What is insight learning?
Solving a problem by understanding the relationships between elements of the problem rather than simply learning through repeated trial and error.
Why is understanding normal species-specific behavior important when evaluating an animal's welfare?
It allows us to recognize abnormal behaviors, behavioral changes, and possible signs of stress or poor welfare.