Dog Training Canine Learning Theory 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In operant conditioning, what does negative reinforcement do to a behavior?
- Increases it by removing an aversive stimulus (Correct answer)
- Decreases it by adding something pleasant
- Increases it by adding a reward
- Decreases it by removing a reward
Correct answer: Increases it by removing an aversive stimulus
Negative reinforcement strengthens behavior by taking away an unpleasant stimulus when the behavior occurs.
Question 2: A dog stops jumping on guests when jumping is completely ignored. This is an example of what?
- Extinction (Correct answer)
- Punishment
- Flooding
- Counterconditioning
Correct answer: Extinction
Extinction occurs when a previously reinforced behavior fades because reinforcement is withheld.
Question 3: What is an 'extinction burst'?
- A temporary increase in the behavior when reinforcement stops (Correct answer)
- A sudden loss of all learned cues
- A fear response to a new stimulus
- The moment a dog masters a trick
Correct answer: A temporary increase in the behavior when reinforcement stops
An extinction burst is a brief spike in the unwanted behavior before it declines once reinforcement ends.
Question 4: In a fixed-ratio reinforcement schedule, reward is given after which condition?
- A set number of correct responses (Correct answer)
- A random number of responses
- A fixed amount of time
- Every single response forever
Correct answer: A set number of correct responses
A fixed-ratio schedule delivers reinforcement after a specific, unchanging number of responses.
Question 5: Which reinforcement schedule produces the most resistant-to-extinction behavior?
- Variable ratio (Correct answer)
- Continuous
- Fixed interval
- Fixed ratio
Correct answer: Variable ratio
Variable-ratio schedules create persistent behavior because the dog can never predict when the next reward comes.
Question 6: What does 'shaping' refer to in dog training?
- Rewarding successive approximations toward a target behavior (Correct answer)
- Forcing the dog into a position physically
- Punishing all wrong responses
- Teaching multiple dogs at once
Correct answer: Rewarding successive approximations toward a target behavior
Shaping builds a complex behavior by reinforcing small steps that get progressively closer to the goal.
Question 7: A marker signal (like a clicker) works because it does what?
- Bridges the gap between the behavior and the reward (Correct answer)
- Replaces the need for any food reward
- Acts as a punishment cue
- Calms an anxious dog physically
Correct answer: Bridges the gap between the behavior and the reward
The marker pinpoints the exact moment of correct behavior, bridging the delay until the reward arrives.
Dog Training Canine Learning Theory 2
In operant conditioning, what does negative reinforcement do to a behavior?