Implementing Behavioral Conditioning

 

Me vs. Dog

 

 

1        She scratches on the door when she wants to be let in

 

Wants in       Scratching               Door opens             Schedule

SD →           R→                      SR                        Intermittent

 

(POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT)  The dog added to the environment by scratching, and was reinforced by the door opening, thereby increasing the likely of future scratching.  Because the door did not open every time the dog scratched, she was intermittently reinforced.

 

 

         What about me?

 

Stop scratching         I open door             Scratching stops                         Schedule

SD→                     R→                      SR                                          Fixed              

        

(NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT)  The dog took away an aversive stimulus (scratching) when I opened the door, making my opening the door more likely.  Because she would repeatedly scratch until the door opened, I was on a fixed schedule of reinforcement.  In addition, I tried to anticipate the scratching by opening the door whenever the dog came to it (avoidance).

        

 

2        I teach her to associate a bell with food (salivation, excitement)

 

         Food            Bell                      Excitement              Schedule

         UCS            CS→                     CR                       Fixed

         (Classical)  The food is paired to the bell.  Eventually, the bell alone produces excitement.  This was a fixed reinforcement schedule.

 

3        When she goes outside, I set a timer that I set to go off after 5 minutes, when I open the door.  When she comes inside, she gets a treat.

 

         Bell rings                Comes inside           Gets treat               Schedule

SD →                    R→                      SR                        Fixed

 

(POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT)  The timer is added to the environment, and she is reinforced for coming inside at the sound of the timer.  Also, the scratching behavior was extinguished, because the door was only opened when the timer went off.

 

4        After a vacation, the scratching increases

 

         This is an example of spontaneous recovery, since her scratching behavior suddenly increased.

 

5        I get frustrated!!!  When she scratches, I spray her with water

 

         Wants to come in      Scratching               Water                    Schedule

         SD→                     R→                      (P) SR                    Fixed

 

         (Punishment I)  I added an aversive stimulus to the environment, which decreased behavior (scratching).  After I began punishing her, she developed two other new behaviors.  First, she ran away whenever anyone opened the door (avoidance).  Second, she grabbed a stick in her mouth (superstition).

        

What about me?

 

         Scratching               Spray                    Stop scratching                  Schedule

         SD →                    R→                      SR                                 Fixed

 

         (NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT)  She took away an aversive stimulus (scratching) when I sprayed her.

 

7        I begin giving her a treat every time she comes in from outside

 

Open Door             Come inside            Treat            Schedule

         SD →                    R→                      SR               Fixed

 

         (POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT)  I added to the environment by rewarding her for coming inside.

 

Could this be Classical?

 

Food            Come inside            Excitement              Schedule

UCS            CS→                     CR                       Fixed

(Classical)  Although food has been paired with coming inside, this isn’t a great fit because “coming inside” is a complex behavior rather than an instinctive or reflexive one.

 

8        I only give her a treat when she doesn’t scratch, and open the door whenever I see her sitting outside the door

 

Wants in       Sitting outside the door        Treat            Schedule

SD               R→                               Sr                Fixed

(POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT)  I am increasing a “non scratching” behavior by adding a treat to the environment.  This is also an example of shaping, because I am modifying her already learned behavior (coming inside).