1. The N tional Dog Training Academy
The History
Classical & Operant Conditioning
The N tional Dog Training Academy e.

2. Operant Conditioning
At around the time Pavlov was experimenting with his dogs Edward Thorndike was studying how consequences have an effect on behaviour. This became known as the ‘Law of Effect.’
One of his experiments to show how consequences affect future behaviour was using a cat box. He recorded how long it took a hungry cat to get out of a box to reach the food outside. The cat became faster and faster.
It is thought that this is the foundation to treat training with dogs.

3. Skinner
Edward Skinner is regarded the Father of Operant Conditioning but it was Thorndike’s work, ‘Law of Effect’ that was his influence.
Following the work of Pavlov and Watson, Skinner felt that classical conditioning was not complex enough to explain the whole human behaviour aspect.
Skinner felt to understand behaviour it was necessary to look at causes of actions and the consequences.

4. Operant Conditioning
Skinner developed what is known as the Skinner box, a further adaptation of Thorndike’s cat box, using rats.
He found that he could change how rats behaved by using food rewards when they pressed a lever in the box.
In 1938 Skinner coined the term Operant Conditioning.

5. Skinner’s Rat Box
Retrieved from

6. Skinner
Skinner introduced the word ‘Reinforcement’ meaning behaviour that is reinforced is repeated, but behaviour that is not reinforced eventually dies out.
Skinner conducted various experiments, where the rats behaviour resulted in either:
a combination of pleasant rewards for the rats, such as food, or
negative/unpleasant consequences
Skinner established 3 different things (operants) that can happen as a result of a behaviour

7. Skinner Neutral Operants Reinforcers Punishers
Responses from the environment that neither increase nor decrease the probability of a behaviour being repeated.
Responses from the environment that increase the probability of a behaviour being repeated. Reinforcers can be either positive or negative.
Reinforcers
Punishers
Responses from the environment that decrease the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated. Punishment weakens behaviour.
For this course you don’t need to have any more detail of Skinners experiments but if you have an interest more detail can be found using the link:

8. So That Gives Us A History…
Classical and Operant conditioning by way of changing or affecting behaviour was discovered back in the late 1800’s early ’s but it wasn’t until post war that it started to be related to dog training and not until the 1980’s that it really started to lead the way in how to train dogs.
The next two slides look at which consequences result in which changes to behaviour. We will study this in more detail in the practical sessions.
Ian Dunbar and Karen Pryor initially, were the key people that took Classical and Operant conditioning forward as methods of training dogs.

9. Give Something to the Dog Take Something away from the Dog
Operant Conditioning
I (dog) do something, something happens = a consequence
Negative
Reinforcement -R
Positive
Punishment +P +R -P
Make behaviour
More
likely to be repeated
Less
Give Something to the Dog
Take Something away from the Dog e.

10. Four Consequences To Sitting In the Chair
You get an electric shock
I give you £20
Positive reinforcement
Positive punishment
I stop shouting at you
I take £20
Negative reinforcement
Negative punishment