I have a plan

Before training a certain behavior, you should design a training plan that will follow this general scheme.

- Visualize and describe the final behaviour you want to get.
- Capture a behavior.
- Reinforce the behavior.
- Shape the behavior according to desired criteria.
- Assign a cue to perform the behavior.
- Strengthen (proof) it by adding distractions.

In my opinion, animal training consists of three main ingredients, but their proportions depend on the approach that everyone seeks. To me, they are as follows:

- 50% science: concepts such as "positive reinforcement", "Premack´s Principle", "applied behavior analysis", "extinction burst", "behavioral momentum", "schedules of reinforcements", etc.. are all terms with which science defines and describes various situations that have been studied under its rigorous prism, and which has empirically been shown to work when applied correctly. In my opinion, the more importance we grant to scientific techniques, the less chances for improvisation, which will lead to greater understanding and confidence in our work. This is why in this blog , as I said at my welcome entry, I will always try to expose scientific concepts that explain many of the behaviors of our animals.

Click Click... Clicker

Click what…? A clicker is, nothing more and nothing less, a tool used to train all kinds of animals, improving our communication with them. It is not a magic wand that will get our parrots play basketball or sing carols. It is just a tool and as such we must learn to use it and know how it works. We could simply click with our tongue, or use a light flash, a distinct sound ... not necessarily a clicker, but it is important that the tool we use is capable of deliver always the same signal, which, coupled with its small size, low price and ease acquisition (in any pet shop you will find it) make this little gadget a very effective tool.

                                                   Ilustration by Kevin Brockbank

 

Reinforcements

The consequence obtained by an animal immediately after a behavior is performed, is called "reinforcement" if it causes the behavior to recur with greater frequency or intensity, and "punishment" if it causes it to decrease in frequency or intensity.

Also, as we have said on other occasions, that reinforcement will be "positive" if it involves the addition of a stimulus and "negative" if it involves its removal.

The most effective procedure to modify behavior is based on positive reinforcement, as generally the subject will be willing to work hard to get that reinforcement, whereas to avoid a negative reinforcement is usually applied the "law of least effort" to escape stimulus that produces aversion (plus it has been proved that the use of these measures increase aggression and apathy (Azrin & Holtz, 1966).

Operant Conditioning

Developed by B.F. Skinner, it is a learning method (understood as "behavior modification based on experience") supported on the relationship between a given behavior and its consequence, so that the subject can voluntarily decide what behavior develop (operate) based on the result that it will report him.

This approach based on the consequence we obtain exists in all animals, including humans, and is governed by the following premise:

- One consequence perceived as positive after a particular behaviour is given, will cause that behavior to recur more often or  with more intensity (increase);

- One consequence perceived as negative after a given behaviour, will cause that behaviour to recur with less frequency or with less intensity, even extinct (decrease).