DON'T
SHOOT
THE DOG!
THE
NEW ART
OF TEACHING
AND TRAINING
REVISED EDITION
KAREN PRYOR
2012
http://archive.org/details/dontshootdogthOOpryo
"Pry or explains
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and she
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Carol
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trainer
DON'T SHOOT
THE DOG!
THE NEW ART OF
TEACHING AND TRAINING
REVISED EDITION
KAREN PRYOR
4?
NEW YORK
BANTAM BOOKS
TORONTO LONDON SYDNEY
AUCKLAND
& Schuster
PUBLISHING HISTORY
Bantam mass market
edition published
1985
August 1999
Copyright
No
the
Karen
new
Karen Pryor.
art of
Rev. ed.
cm.
p.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-553-38039-7
1.
Behavior modification.
2.
Reinforcement (Psychology)
Conditioned response.
3.
BF637.B4P69
I.
Title.
1999
153.8'5dc21
99-14695
CIP
Bantam Books
are published
by Bantam Books,
a division of
Canada
Random House,
Inc. Its
trademark, consisting of the words "Bantam Books" and the portrayal of a rooster,
is
Registered in U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Marca
Registrada.
FFG
10
10036.
To
my mother,
Sally
my stepmother,
Ondeck
Ricky Wylie
and
Winifred Sturley,
my
Contents
Foreword
ix
In
ferocity of
how
to
grumpy
give compliments; of
to
gorilla, a
heels,
of
habits;
how
reform a scolding
to
35
Strain or Pain
How
to
conduct an opera;
how
to putt;
how
to
on
handle a bad
killer
Orders,
drill
why
cats
to train a chicken.
wise;
gets
and how
re-
Nim
whales,
commands,
obeyed and
why How
stimulus control.
doesn't.
What
to stop yelling at
arts,
and words
discipline
your
to the
isn't.
Who
kids. Dancing,
Contents
iffl
98
messy roommates
tions, starting
to
with Method
1:
Reinforcement
What
it all
definitely
in
148
happiness can
affect
how
Clicker Training:
From
A New Technology
165
dog owners
around the world put away the choke chain and pick up the
clicker.
bility,
Long-term
better
communication, and
fun.
The Great
Internet Canine
gram; and clicking and autism. Changing the world one click
at
a time.
Resources
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Index
184
1 87
189
190
Foreword
This book
young or
is
about
grandmother
How
to stop
to
human
do anything
or animal,
that
can and
nagging you.
nis stroke,
anyone
to train
should be done.
pets,
how
your
friends.
skills,
like the
Whenever we attempt
whether we know
Usually
gue,
we
we
it
we
them
deprive.
right.
We
other,
We
threaten,
we
ar-
them when
things go
we
feel guilty
inappropriately.
We
change
or not.
are using
coerce,
we
to
distress,
but
we
can't
conceive of those
Foreword
methods.
We
ways
in
which modern
task,
puppy coaching a
orizing a
poem,
it
go
will
faster,
and
better,
team, or
and be more
memfun,
if
are simple;
is
more
it
of a challenge; training
in
by
an hour.
reinforce-
trainer
just
or a
need
to
know what
to call the
power
of the
human
eye.
You
you're doing.
how
to
teachers, brilliant
animal
trainers.
symphony
orchestra conductors
who
how
Reinforcement training
is
ment by and large modern trainers don't even use those words.
The concept of reward and punishment carries a great freight of
emotional associations and interpretations, such as desire and
dread and guilt and shoulds and ought to's. For example, we give
rewards to others for things
we
to a child to
make up
know what
did ourselves
for a scolding.
ice
We
such
as ice
cream
we
But some people don't like ice cream, and praise from the wrong
from a teacher
may
may
hurt. In
some
cases praise
Foreword
We
Our
wash
We
to us.
are angry
We
if
arrive late,
better.
event that
may have no
effect
on
as education,
and people
him a lesson."
Modern reinforcement
thus
we
steal,
know
send-
creating an
and which
future behavior,
fact is
ment
xi
in
easily refer to
it
taught
liefs
training
is
ment
an event that
is
a behavior;
and
(a)
behavior
occurring in the future. The key elements here are two: the two
events are connected in real time
inforcement
and then
Reinforcers
may be
What's
them
of,
something
positive,
such
more frequently
to avoid,
like
might be nega-
and subse-
quently the behavior that brought the good result or averted the
off
In addition,
reinforcement
works
feedback loop:
If
in
both direc-
and reinforcement
shows
that following
have
now come
is
between
training, a
train-
we
Now!
know
In the inthat
what
Foreword
xii
Modern
trainers
for rein-
which
into
I
terrain.
swims away.
Positive reinforcers
tools
we
fist
on an animal
for
me
much
from me
to the
kind of training.
this
phin training
notice
by
re-
learned from
as a biologist,
and with
between us
during
that
had.
A psychologist outlined
so
an
at
had trained dogs and horses by tradimethods, but dolphins were a different proposition; you
just
called,
tional
is
use
to
movement
some
I'd
stopped yelling
when
it
at
my kids,
Watching
occurred,
for
worked
me
And
applied what
For example,
inforcing
because
behavior
a lot better
began
to
my daily life.
was noticing
liked,
and
re-
peace too.
There
I
is
a solid
body
We
far as
shall
1
go considerably beyond
by science and
for applying
in
my
opin-
The study
of this
must be taken
body
into account
of theory
is
when training.
known as be-
variously
Foreword
branch of psychology largely credited
to
xiii
Harvard professor
B.
Skinner.
I
know
of
has been so
preted,
ire in
we
all
fact
the time,
to
hand.
clinical practitioners,
professional
And
example
seem
other treatment.
to
respond
Many
to
Some
disorders
autism,
for
by using
some circum-
every family
of the one
members behavior
looked
is
at,
its
which
and
which
is
These early
Computer-
amusing
ef-
chits that
Foreword
xiv
hospitals
control
and other
programs
for
weight
our schools.
And
and Direct
biofeedback
Instruction, are
is
making inroads
an interesting application of
in
rein-
One
tioning.
to
will
be more
little
likely to
maintain
new
if
self- training
habits
you
if
program, you
solidly
fill
in a
much good
two-way communication
in
training in
Training
it.
which an event
at
is
one end of
many
something they do
to
work
To a
as
real
can give are the most interesting and potentially the most
events in the training process; yet almost
all
experimental
fruitful
work
is
designed to ignore or minimize individualistic responses. Devising methods for what Skinner
named
is
a cre-
my
therapist
How
kill flies
it
was
like trying to
with a shovel.
and
finally
is first ridi-
Foreword
As
far as
can
see,
xv
by developing
The warm,
immoral and
heretical.
women and
Rumors
in fact
still
most people
behave so badly
to the
don't
were something
if it
understand
it,
or they
my
dolphin-training experiences,
and professional
all
would not
have
lec-
in academic
I've
students, to housewives
and, in
call
Many Olympic
in the
many
movie Babe.
down
practical situations.
So here they
see
are,
it
all
problems
in real
it
life.
will not
Some
it
situations,
such as a crying baby, are not training problems and require other
Foreword
x\1
Some
kinds of solutions.
genetic
by
components
many
may be
Some problems
training.
with
that
of
life's
impossible to modify
difficult or
are not
challenges, tasks,
they have
it,
first
been required
whom
to
worked
to train a chicken,"
meaning
that
cannot be trained by
need
to
force,
should make
it
clear that
And
you
don't
the experi-
ence should give you some ideas about reinforcing baby behavior
you want.
I
trainers,
who must
develop
and agreeable
children. This
ples underlying
What
all
it
will give
training,
fact,
you
is
it
book
will not
promises no specific
It
to
apply
There seems
to
training.
from simple
to
complex,
The organization of
to learn
this
book
and
most
is
easily to
be
real train-
progressive in order to
practical.
methods should be
treated as suggestions or
DON'T SHOOT
THE DOG!
Reinforcement:
Better than Rewards
What
Is
a Positive Reinforcer?
reinforcer
act,
anything
is
that,
tends to increase the probability that the act will occur again.
Memorize
that statement.
It is
the secret of
good
training.
is
petting, or praise.
negative reinforcer
wants
to avoid
warning buzzer in
if
you don't
as food,
a blow, a frown,
a car
is
fasten
is
a nega-
tive reinforcer.)
Behavior that
is
no matter how
already occurring,
puppy, and
it
it,
the
sporadically,
you call a
pups coming when
If
much you
with reinforcement
occurring.
If,
is
lover. If
can do about
that
you
it.
he or she doesn't
can't reinforce
call,
behavior that
is
not
when
call,
you
tion in
which the
you; in
fact,
if
is
have to
annoy
likely to
caller avoids
are training
call
you
are setting
them not
you can
or,
up
for a
a situa-
behavior
is
me,"
calling
is
the
call
to call.)
literature,
"Why
positively reinforced,
why do
called,
you
(Of course,
increase.
haven't
is
methods
a behavioral ap-
book; they
this
whole bag of
of them.
for
by
far the
most
effective
It
tricks described in
way
is
often
all
that
is
nec-
example: private praise and a hug for dry sheets in the morn-
ing,
when
they do occur.
work on yourself. At a Shakespeare study group I once belonged to I met a Wall Street lawyer
in his late forties who was an avid squash player. The man had
overheard me chatting about training, and on his way out the
door afterward he remarked that he thought he would try positive reinforcement on his squash game. Instead of cursing his errors, as was his habit, he would try praising his good shots.
Two weeks later I ran into him again. "How's the squash game?"
I asked. A look of wonder and joy crossed his face, an expression
not frequently seen on Wall Street lawyers.
"At first I felt like a damned fool," he told me, "saying Way to
Positive reinforcement can even
alone,
good
shot. Hell,
from before.
myself
all
And
I'm having
the time,
don't finish a
If
made
And
along.
find
a
I
bad
shot, never
really
enjoy
when
it
game, and
What
will
know
come
makes
won't help
it
his
a fiendish
opponent.
switching to positive
reinforcement.
Reinforcers are relative, not absolute. Rain
and
reinforcer
forcers
if
if
you're
is
may be
not a positive
useless as rein-
to
be rein-
situation.
many
is
a matter of inis
full.
the subject
a positive rein-
is
killer
and scratch-
Whole shows
are
know which
behavior will be reinforced next or what the reinforcer will be; the
"surprises" are so interesting for the animals that the
at the
end of the
day.
The
and
shows can
necessity of
is
challenging
Positive reinforcement
is
good
for
human
relationships.
is
It
giver, too). In
even
know
mas
of one family in
do with
ways
it.
to Billy,"
But
it
is
often
left to
from Anne
It
causes
all
women.
the Christ-
amusement on
to
skills at selecting
In our culture a
made
sure that
to give presents.
Once,
for
when
example,
them
They enjoyed
sister.
five,
two
select
took
one
dresses,
about in
lolling
modeled
Their
it.
all
how
want;
how
learned
enjoyed
little sister
it
thanks to
so,
too;
and
this
ulti-
similar exercises,
what
other people
Negative Reinforcement
reinforcer
have
to
is
something that
doesn't
it
dislike
but
increases a behavior;
too.
make
if
change in be-
away Such
stimuli are
work
to
avoid.
may
Negative reinforcers
stimuli
a derisive glance
up and move
aversives,
to another chair.
quickly learn to
who
come
at
in to
us
is
at as
work
poor
you
to
to electric shock,
may
may
function
punishing experiences.
way when
we
We
also
the boss
as the
pen
to
put
my
feet
on
my
Her
face relaxes.
behavior
feel relieved.
starts,
is
put
would
my
feet
at
the
strength-
new
hap-
home.
on the
My
floor
Reinforcement: Better than Rewards
The
raised
tive reinforcer.
the
to
new
behavior
occur again,
was able
keeping my
my
at least at
as a nega-
on
feet
the floor
more
is
likely
houses, too.
Training can be done almost entirely with negative reinforcers,
and much
sive
whip or
and
its face.
effect
may
can't
it
or
may not
same
as punish-
book
edition of this
to modify,
and therefore
for a
we
frequently do
far
it
after
intent,
can have no
it
he surely
we punish with
is
first
is
was meant
not the
is
way The
that
its
The
ment. So what
done exactly
left
annoying pressure in
is
too
late,
when
but that
reinforcement.
Modern behavior
that stops behavior.
socket. His
analysts identify
A baby starts
punishment
as
any event
to
slaps his
The behavior
cries, the
mother
feels
bad, and so on
but
may
start
the
baby
the hairpin-in-electric-
moment.
That's
what pun-
ishment does.
B.
F.
that hole, a
defined punishment as
if
outcome
He
or
when
fit
into
in the future.
can
the behavior
We know
is
no predictable
even
if
What
really
happens
is
that
punishment
forcers can
analysts look at
it
it.
Ask any
this
be used
doubt
baby
The behavior
by
results.
Negative rein-
to llama expert
Jim Logan)
is
and elsewhere
as
for
Unless handled a
lot
their wool.
when young,
a llama
the food,
is
as a signal to
forcer,
tell
it is
removal of a nega-
an aversive.
tive reinforcer,
In effect,
what
you say
approach within
to
the llama,
Good.
I'll
click
my
if
still
and
clicker
"Now
will
Yes? Good.
you stand
I'll
click
to
can sometimes
utes.
The
still if I
mark
llama, as
feet?
still,
with the
it
were,
is
is
right next to
in control.
it
stands
As long
still,
one
as the reinforcer,
it
When
and go away."
even
as
it
when
stands
minstill,
the person
it.
re-
person
is
no longer
as scary.
Now
splendid
new
behavior of standing
still
next county.
This use of
occurs,
is
or easing back
retreat,
when
ing a
human. The
becomes
and
magical.
Trainers
who
is
so. Nevertheless,
reinforcer,
it is
not magic
at
work;
it is
the
remember
to
contains a punisher.
moment
is
a useful process,
it's
important
When
you
pull
you
on the
left rein,
until the
punishment
(see
Chapter
undesir-
4).
Timing of Reinforcers
As already
act
is
it is
stated, a reinforcer
meant
information.
one
is
to modify.
It tells
must occur
what
it is
you
like.
When
gives the
marking
it
is
reinforcer
movement
needed information
not
itself.
In coach-
it
dressing room.
Laggardly reinforcement
The dog
lem.
dog
sits,
What
standing again.
is
is
first
animal and
are caught
up
you
are
working with
you looked
ment
is
have a touching
late.
reinforcer
I
same com-
powers of words
trust in the
sometimes
"Gee, honey,
We
it
late reinforcers.
said at the
an
a person or
We
difficulties in a
to cover
our
lapses in timing.
is
also ineffective.
its
a gorilla.
They needed
to get
to clean the
its
it
had
it
enormous strength
When
the
before
look
it
them or snatched
could be shut.
at the
problem.
the food
trainer
He pointed
on
to
its
door
was asked
to
occurred
yet.
The name
Sometimes,
when
it
I
it
think,
misimpression that
we
it
we
right").
them
with
Problem solved.
are encouraging
it
to ig-
is
reinforc-
and doing
may
it.
between trying
a difference
is
Wails of
to
may sometimes be
"I can't"
do something
a fact,
but they
also
for
compliments, or what-
ever for behavior that hasn't occurred yet does not reinforce
that behavior in the slightest.
What
does reinforce
it
is
whatever
The horse
but only
if
learns to turn
when
left
when
it
the
left
rein
is
pulled,
is
to
nor information.
It
is
achieved,
becomes, both
neither reinforcing
it is
literally
and
in terms of infor-
Watching
football
am
often struck
by the
As
and
is
comes
after the
sional response
is
job
is
from
quite differ-
at the
camera operator or
grip, there
letters
It is
a director or
weeks or months
Even on
moment
of success.
No wonder some
10
work can be
the
thrills;
forcers,
however splendid,
Size of Reinforcer
Beginning trainers
often confused as to
swer
is:
as small as
forcer, the
down on
you can
more quickly
away
with.
The smaller
the rein-
waiting time,
get
are
an-
it
it.
ployees.
One
my
of the keepers in
thought
odd because
this
of food.
watched
intuitively
should be easy
a session
felt
that
to train
pandas
big,
with a reinforcer
and found
took
its
own
it
fifteen
min-
reinforcers
single slice of
better.
is
enough
to
keep
it
interested
a grain or
two of
cat, half
an
go even smaller
Keepers
many
at the
mand, with
moving
to
raisins.
trainer's rule of
thumb
a day,
is
that
if
you
are going to
have only
you can
the normal
rations;
its
you then
give
amount
it
//
and
give
always groan
if
second tray
of slides.)
The
reinforcer.
we found
reinforcer of
if
to
do
it
it
we
And how we
not
if
hate
al-
when
it
Jackpots
One extremely
ward
that
normal
is
much
reinforcer,
The jackpot
the jackpot.
is
is
a re-
bigger,
and one
At an ad agency where
that
new
client.
But the
president was also in the habit of throwing one or two totally un-
through
all
and
fifty
for
people.
no
It
came
a procession
in
work-
special reason.
contributed
It
was an unex-
vastly,
thought, to
A jackpot may be
used
to
I
mark
know, when
12
maneuver
difficult
man
leaps from
its
back,
snatches off saddle and bridle, and turns the horse loose in the
ring
the
a jackpot of
new
behavior
to
make
stick.
may
also
be
improv-
effective in
offering
no
desirable behavior at
all.
At Sea
Life
we were
Park
dolphin for
she did
offer,
two
that could
at
all.
The
trainer
Hou became
largesse,
no responses
offering
active again
be reinforced, leading to
by
fi-
this
movement
next few
sessions.
I
was
stables
my
where
allowance
greatest pleasure in
rode sold
life
was riding
father, Philip
Wylie, and
my
on
I
lessons.
a ticket.
was
stepmother, Ricky,
When
The
From my
living with
at the time;
my
and
of those
my
me
that they
the Wylies,
were pretty
to
do was
reward me.
to
buy
Why
the
do
do not
a Ph.D. dissertation
fully
on
the matter
it
Reinforcement: Better than Rewards
to us.
do know
me some
pect
13
that's exactly
how
that dolphin
felt,
sus-
too.
Conditioned Reinforcers
It
that there
is
absolutely
thrown
fish
it
am
when
training a dolphin to
while
it is
in midair.
If
jump,
each jump
cannot possiis
followed by
sound, a
light, a
motion
that
is
easily heard,
signaling
and
as a conditioned reinforcer;
it
leaves ones
hands
it,
it
is
free for
frequently use a
press
come
when you
14
We
we
love.
They
pictures,
or of people
should
almost always begin with the establishment of a conditioned reinforcer. Before the start of
subject
is
any
when
with animals,
your signal
for
"Good!"
It
to
understand
by pairing
You can
it
while the
with
incidentally,
tell,
come
it
to recognize
visibly startles
tioned reinforcer and begins seeking the real reinforcer. With the
way
like in the
of
animals behavior. So
to
have
work
for
an hour or
more with few primary reinforcers. People, of course, work endlessly for money, which is after all only a conditioned reinforcer, a
token for the things
ple
it
even, or perhaps
can buy
especially,
peo-
who have already earned more money than they can actually
who have accordingly become addicted to the conditioned
spend,
reinforcer.
it
a conditioned reinforcer
more powerful by
if
the
same
reinforcing
at that
pair-
moment
sound or word
needs or pleasures,
hear "Good
tricks
and
girl!"
when
are petted,
it
retains
when
its
their
they are
let
supper dish
in
and
out,
is
little
girl!"
up with an
My cats
money is
so rein-
is
that
it
15
it
It
reinforcer.
you must
will dilute
force.
learned to use
tention, unrelated to
something
real.
lies.
by
tiny children,
and
real events
deserving
loses
any power
is
to reinforce.
Click!
Marine
mammal
sound of
bears.
and
to U.S.
first
Navy dolphin
a graduate student of B.
brought
to
trainers in the
marine
and polar
mammal
parks
E Skinner. Breland
phin that
it
reinforced
midtank
The behavior
was being
analytic literature
as-
more values
to
16
(see
boxed metal
plastic
Chapter
6).
they began calling what they were doing dicker training and themselves, clicker trainers.
The
click, as
used by clicker
is
it
trainers,
searched functions besides being a conditioned reinforcer and being a bridging stimulus between earning the food and getting the
and foremost
food. First
actly
what behavior
do
to
it
moment when
as the
It
it is
means
shock
way
click
for
it
is
alike.
to traditional trainers:
that the
me
moment
Watch
used by clicker
"Job's
click!
nal.
whatever, of the
made you
inforcer, as
it
fins,
learner. After a
Lindsley,
It
that. It
ior;
is
what Ogden
constitutes
it
to train a
dog
to
It
itself. It is,
doesn't
however, sometimes
seem
natural,
somehow,
slices of
is
to
permitted to
it is
hot dog.
at
Sea Life
communicating with an
used
to
White
communicate
told
me
clump
of sending his
of bushes.
clicked.
The dog
it
can be
German shepherd
that
is
it
patrol
on top of a
dog
to
six-foot-tall
fruitlessly for a
its
head, Steve
to
Reinforcement: Better than Rewards
a whiff of the target,
Thus with no
it.
Steve's
communication with
it
was
was
his
dog was
that
The
the lost
wrote
no actual
times did
it
with dolphins
at
was
that
we
in fact
used two
What
(at least
done"
and
meaning
all
of the above
a second, a
muted
time
we some-
whistle
meaning
job's
Many
worked with
and trying
to
change
1990s
were
in the
"One
click,
one
was extinguished.
It
was necessary
to
real life
where some
in-
stimulus to
estingly, a
tell
One answer
is
Inter-
18
start inserting
toward an eventual
get fancy
it
somewhere before
soon recognize
will
it
as a
reinforcer.
and use
it
as
an informative marker
signal within a chain, without actually stopping the chain. For ex-
ample, in dog
agility
dead run.
I've
back and
forth,
Is it
as
to tell the
seen a dog
if
he didn't
dog looked
"Yes!" as the
toward the jump. The dog veered instantly and took the correct
obstacle.
As with
a terminating click,
doesn't matter
it
what kind of
counts
is
was not
wrong
What
distract the
animal or acci-
and
are
doing
now
is
reinforcer
good and
tells
will gain
the recipient,
"What
you something, so do
it
her cat of clawing the couch by establishing "No!" as a conditioned aversive stimulus.
tray,
fell,
One day
which
fell
just before
dreadfully startled,
jumped
it
happened
all its
to
She cried
clatter.
fur
The
on end.
19
The next time the cat clawed the couch, the owner exclaimed
"No!" and the cat, looking horrified, desisted immediately. Two
more
repetitions
Reprimands
were enough
to
Using positive
pokes
at the
to, for
own
some
tive reinforcement,
if it
make two
mistakes.
to posieffects
it
warning
The
signal, or
trick to
making "No!"
effective is to establish
it
who
as a condifeels
it
nec-
on
dog
behavior. To just
its
the
yank
thing,
future behavior
and
work
yank while the dog
willingness to
is
by changing
warning turns
no predictable
as the
on
effect
on
the dog's
behaviors.
Failing to use a conditioned negative reinforcer increases the
number
training.
It
also slows
up
far
dog and
supposed
to
it is
be doing.
20
signifies
thing desirable
means
Does
available.
dog
signal
is
useful. If
you
that's a
blind
alley, try
if
something
stimulus
when
they use
if it
is
were
bam"Wrong."
am
seeing special
if,
unpredictable.
away, or give
a sizable
in short,
it
strength,
new ways
this case
available,
dog
to
sit, it
doesn't
that sitting
then "not
is
sitting" is
now going
to
happen. In
looking for
its
own
sit,
mean-
punished. But
start
to
wanted. In
choke
up and
it is
is
mean
If
ing no reinforcer
that doesn't
else."
click.
signal as
understand what
unavoidably,
make you
is
is,
signal
community,
training
repertoire of fully
word
means
it
it
reinforcing? In the
cases
"Wrong"
that the
fact,
the
highly
and
slink
reinforcers, result-
and
in general taking
its
attention
elsewhere.
Schedules of Reinforcement
There
is
if
you
start training a
be-
ment
needed just
is
21
not,
life; if
is
You might
praise a tod-
dler repeatedly for using the toilet, but once the behavior has
beginner a
may
cycle
lot of reinforcers
We give,
teaching
or
we should
you got it, goodr However, you'd look pretty silly (and the child
would think you were crazy) if you went on praising once the behavior had been acquired.
In order to maintain an already-learned behavior with
degree of
reliability,
every time;
it is
it
is
vital that
some
you do
not reinforce
on
it
it
a regular basis
on
random
This
ment.
is
or unpredictable basis.
what psychologists
variable schedule
is
call a variable
schedule of reinforce-
One
car,
psychologist explained
it
me
to
it
this
easily,
way:
you may
doesn't start,
If
and you
you have
new
get in
try a
is
the garage. Your key- turning behavior, in the absence of the ex-
If,
never
starts
you may
try
behavior
is
and
on
first
try
try to start
for half
that almost
to get going,
and
is
thereby strongly
maintained.
If I
were
quickly the
to give a
dolphin a
fish
away
with.
as
If
every time
it
jumped, very
fish,
as
the
had learned
jump
to
much more
third,
for fish,
if I
and so on
were
at
to reinforce
now
the
first
would
22
actually jump
more and more often, hoping to hit the lucky numjumps might even increase in vigor. This
ber, as
it
in turn
would allow me
my
more vigorous
improved per-
fail
be a peculiarly
We
tellectually.
misbehavior
if
concept for
difficult
we
recognize that
many
don't
we
make
seems
need
to
it
go on punishing
to
it's
not
We
ously.
when aiming
for disciplined
The power of
were
come
to
out,
you put
is at
the root of
machine
all
it.
gamdime
you would
People like to
little
take
money, or
come
(it
a lot of
money, or
first
it
hooked,
it's
it
is
who do
get
hooking.
The longer
more powerfully
it
tend to die
down by itself;
however sporadically
but
one
if it is
mainif
you
any behavior
will
cigarette,
to
may
That
how
the ex-smoker
who
by
who
pening
to a
woman
siderate, selfish,
she
even
cruel,
someone who
yet she loves him
falls for
and
we
is
harsh, incon-
but
it
happens
23
men,
too.
divorced or
if
otherwise bereft of the nasty one, go right out and find someone
else just like
him
or her.
for
may
variable schedules?
If
who
you
and
is
vic-
more
attentive,
someone
and then
though
still
live for
will
are getting
all
fun attentiveness.
point,
And
commonsense view-
paradoxically from a
rarer
and more unpredictable those moments become, the more powerful will
be their
effect as reinforcers,
someone once
normal person
easy to see
might seek
relationship with a
it is
who
is
it
out again.
why
longed-
for,
my
my
their
whores in
of view:
solely, as
long as
can have
want, for
give her/him
line.
It's
powerful
due
this
but once
is at
least
he or she
else.
some kind
of puzzle or
test.
is
to a variable
when
the behavior
In advanced obedience
24
training,
is
necessary to
so
will
it
tell
the
know what
for
to
do next
that
it
it is
It
two sounds,
scented.
us say
let
saw puzzles, we
be reinforced
to select
must
the subject
it
continues to be
When we
re-
"fit."
if
you could
put several pieces in each hole, you would not get the positive
inforcer for the right choice,
which
is
re-
Long-Duration Behaviors
In addition to variable schedules, one can also establish fixed
work
for a
number
jump
jump; soon
six times in a
would be
fixed schedules
is
row by
rein-
dwindle
down
probably a factor in
for
example.
It is
many human
necessary to
tasks
work
is
on
a fixed
is
motivated to do the
amount
of
work
possible to
stay in the
start of the
least
25
ment leading directly to Blue Monday. With the dolphins, occasional random reinforcements for the first or second jump as well
as the sixth will help maintain behavior. With people, various
kinds of incentive bonuses or other reinforcers (awards, for exam-
arriv-
peck a button
many examples
One
A baby
se-
for
of delayed gratification.
behavior in
human
existence
is
graduate school.
baby chick
that point
it
is
is
it
sometimes
metabolic;
low
that
it
no
the chick
down
a point of
when
simply
isn't
the benefits of
at a
it
it
gets started,
searchers have noted that a chick tends to "put off" starting for
This
ior,
and
is
it's
start of
human
long-duration behav-
life.
On
any long
task,
think of endless reasons for not starting now. Writing, even sometimes just the writing of a
it
letter, is a
gets started, things usually roll along fairly well, but, oh!
sit
down and
begin.
it's
so
it
at
random with
the other.
The
delayed-start
phenomenon
26
One way
to
my
cally reinforced
six-jump
training.
series.
this
went
to intro-
sporadi-
jump
in a
technique effectively in
self-
have used
is
or second
first
one or two
to graduate school
broke
down
steps
walking
next
It
was always
huge tempta-
to the university,
and
found that
bus
and
changing
finally,
to the
climbing
initial
able to get
all
eat, at
like
was
at
the
way
to class
internal struggle.
all
mouse under
a particular bush,
week
fly
it
life,
that
if
often
a
by
coinci-
hawk caught
that
it
bush
would
twenty-dollar
bill in a
trash basket,
and
it
over
beneficial to the
closely.
hawk;
in fact,
to
still
27
When
on behavior.
effect
the behavior
havior as
it
if it
were required
superstitious behavior.
and
reinforcer
may affect
An example
answer or
own
didn't
really
is
sometimes
to you, the
while
If,
reinforced.
tough exams
pencil chewing.
is
to
the behavior;
happen
still
un-
in fact
is
me
to think; of course
it
on
even
felt
didn't,
it
for
through a
ritual
touch
ball to glove,
scuff foot,
and so on. In
a tight
ball:
touch cap,
ear,
all
nine steps twice, never varying the order. The sequence goes by
quite fast
yet
it is
a very
animal
may be responding
to criteria
up
in training animals.
the animal
When
you want
it
to
work
in a
es-
enough
may behave
as
The
new
to
if it
way
place
introduce variations in
all
It
is
wise,
do not matter
to
lest
28
of time intervals.
til
was once
to jump on command
two porpoises
(a
hand
signal
a visiting scientist
had trained
me
that they
my command,
information
Many
to give the
command
that instead of
with
on the
superstitious thinking
and behavior.
tell
me
that
dolphins prefer people to wear white, that you have to hit mules,
that bears don't like
women, and
so on.
way
mercy of
is
And
needed
to create respect.
tradition; they
have
to train the
Such
same
every time because they can't separate the methods that are
sion.
up
in
many professions
and perhaps
appalling
It is
education, engineer-
how many
things are
done
who
that's
to patients not
that's
the
way
it's
al-
examples of unnecessary
acts that
amounted
nothing more
to
go away
if
ditioned,
it
may
its
treatment,
and you
will
in spades; as I'm
even harmful
windup would
My
is
to
become aware
son Ted
is
that
it
is
competitive fenc-
29
He
fits
travels to
petitor,
he
home. He
felt
lost the
was probably
far
match. Then he
more damaging
week and
often
com-
in practice bouts
fact, that
left
downcast
perstitious behavior.
Ted
set
He
from attachment
tions that his
discovered
many
in his repertoire,
game might be
affected
by
bad nights
sleep,
an
ar-
tournament.
fruit juice at a
nated his dependencies one by one as he recognized them as superstitious behavior. Consequently,
nightmare of missed
and even
if
he
is
he
now
enters each
match
if
and
battles
with
taxi drivers,
Positive Reinforcement?
with positive
reinforcement:
in;
most of the
artists.
harangued the
who did
who
30
He
praise of each
the
number
of
had
a happier class,
he had raised
a third of the
Shannon,
and walked
friends
in
a scene.
and
dog lover
Shannon, not
reinforcement, got
the refrigerator
in five
some
at
of
trying, unsuccessfully
to restrain the
on
home
still
and
while she
turned out to be
daughter-in-law about.
me
this story.
was the
It
who
to ordering his
girl's
at
what
and
see."
commands and
man
to
be pleasant or
into decent
both
of
them
when
to help
she
with
the groceries.
An urban
on weekends
when
was time
it
started
making
patting,
baby
to
it
off
go home.
huge
talk,
running about,
was time
to
dog
whenever,
praise,
in
When it
Reinforcement: Better than Rewards
31
gladly.
as a
It
A junior
which
might be reinforcing
many
was not
in a rage.
to the boss
and timed
when
in
as
the boss
due course
will
were
it
to share their
women who
busy professional
Why do we
one.
news
you've
got the
flu,
Annette?
all call
to
good news
is
am
going to audit
Cleveland
Annette
many
in the area of
news.
relatives;
If
or the IRS
moved
who
friend.
It
unusual
loan,
and
she does more than say "That's great!" She points out
exactly
to earn
how
you went
the trouble
to
Now it pays
off for
you; you're
make
the right
moves
and
first,
That's
and you
that
is
may
an opportunity
for reinforcement.
That certainly
it
32
Organized Reinforcement
Sales meetings, booster clubs, Dale Carnegie courses,
Watchers
in fact,
in groups
most organizations
on the
rely heavily
Weight
effects of
reinforcement by the
sales
manager, wish-
ing to reinforce his sales team for a good year, hired a football sta-
their families;
and had
field
players'
for the
all
assembled.
"est" course, a
program with
found
to
brilliant application of
the Training.
was improved
self-awareness,
shapthink,
whole group.
To develop group behavior as a
reinforcer, the
250 people
in
the group were told to applaud after every speaker, whether they
felt like
At
first
the applause
was
genuinely communicative
theater,
was
in
all
contributions, whether
not
it
became
my training class,
as
expect there
is
an
argumentative
Trainer said.
Now,
it
was apparent
man was
to all that
from
perfectly correct.
But as the argument wore on and on, no one else in the room
33
who was
right. All
249 of us
just
down.
The
rules of the
us to protest or to
silence of the
him
and
sat
We
no one cared
watched
realize that
was not
the only
plause, expressive of
hearty relief
as well as of
a very
had just
received.
an outsider. Erhard,
is
like a
Zen
saying
is
That
is,
were
to
"When
what you
at a
party
right. If
when somebody
is
being
good modern trainer might laugh but most hearers might assume 1 was moronic or drunk. Good training insights do not necessarily lend themselves to verbal explanation.
Reinforcing Yourself
One
yourself. This is
it
more
puts
to
of ourselves than
it,
"Few
we would
of us have such
them." As a result
we
of others.
low standards
is
reinforcing
to do, partly
As
that
to
demand
a minister
it's
because
a lot
know
easy to live
up
change or
new
skill,
a certain
amount
for
of reinforcement
some
is
habit
desirable
34
life;
deprivation of reinforcement
You can
is
one
and depression.
ways
with an hour
off,
ways
with
and so on.
compliment,
at least
then
1
1
If
know
it's
sincere."
that's just as
good because
Shaping: Developing
Super Performance
Without Strain or Pain
What
Shaping?
Is
more
to
you
a
often
is all
do things
get a
that
dog
is
it
to turn
back
or a dolphin to
flips
occurs
subjects
How do
jump through
hoop?
Dogs
flipping, dolphins
by shaping. Shaping
right direction
ultimate goal.
and
developed
shifting
it,
at a time,
toward an
approximation."
Shaping
variable.
at
is
Whatever
No
matter
wish
how
to shape,
step.
it
will
do
it
some behavior
is
and so on.
a creature does,
you
a series of interme-
36
"dance."
do and reinforcing
as chickens
it
every time
happened
it
to
move
quarter circle,
When
say.
variability
than a quarter
could raise
my criteria,
new
goal,
and
reached
We
are
my end
an informal way
accustomed
much
We
largely of shaping.
own behavior to
handle money better.
our
Our
to
skill,
is
from tennis
to typing,
when we
try to
consists
change
depends
others, ultimately
upon our
persistence.
New
not
conductor but
who made
quire at least
enough time
that's
who was
some
into
expertise but
But
of childrearing
several
dancing chicken.
goal, a
quite
all
make
full
I'd
set a
With
full year.
Most of us can
if
we
ac-
just put
it.
boring. Don't
we
new
skills
Of course we
don't we
in.
Further,
do, and that's where good shaping comes
prefer to avoid or minimize repetition? Yes again. Of course, some
skiing, piano playing,
whatever
as fast as possible?
and must be put through the motions repeatedly before the motions come easily. Even so, a well-planned shaping program can
minimize the required
drilling
of
fi-
37
nally, in sports,
want
to
may
give.
may be
that
the be-
is,
develop them
and
the
Most
trainers,
governing how,
or rules
principles,
are reinforced.
training,
"Never lean
at the target";
tain";
This
you aim
is
fine.
many
years,
work.
It's
that
good follow-through
sit
find out as
much
trial
on
and
error, so
a horse
your golf
would
they do
more securely
if
go farther
if
ball will
your swing.
into
you
up your rifle
into the moun-
If
you
are in-
methods
On
up;
how
to escalate
your
criteria
left to
to press
most
all,
the intuition
what
when
perhaps,
on and when
efficiently;
to
to
do
to quit.
and experience
it is
the successful
a great one,
38
happy,
fast,
makes
that
is
frustrating, slow,
It's
just
good meth-
training effective.
see
it.
Some come
an instant too
late)
a lot of shaping:
when
one
at
as inherently valid
some
I'll
list
the rules
length:
enough
2.
3.
that the
two
criteria simultaneously.
level of response
onto
adding or
5.
skill,
completely so that
progress,
6.
you
if
the subject
are aware of
what
makes sudden
to reinforce next.
one shaper
per behavior.
7.
If
many ways
is
to get behavior as
them up.
39
If
End each
10.
session
on
high note,
any
possible, but in
if
Discussion
1.
has a
realistic
chance of reinforcement.
In practice this
means
that
when you
already achieving.
is
jumps
two and
to
be asking
fering
feet
it
If
your horse
to spare,
The animal
for trouble:
And
actual ability,
them
now or in
is
is
hops over
some
start raising
would
to three feet
jumps
to three
mind
if
jumping
is
not
and
of-
a half
the horse
is
a big
eight feet, or
How
jumps,
all
raising the
How
clears two-foot
you could
regularly yet.
or raise a
subject
demands
increase
are
fast
if it
you can
communicating
for gaining
reinforcement.
raise a criterion,
to
you
easily continue to
at the
old level
far
you
beyond anything
what
it
it
at the
new
level.
does or doesn't do on
its
own
time
you
itself
regardless of
40
risk.
habits,
be very time-consuming
behavior
sometimes
whatever interval
prove
steadily.
you
get
to
The
to eliminate.
way
make it
the only
takes to
it
A jumper
much
is
way
fastest
to
shape
down jumps,
if
faster
his teenage
this regard.
Because
withhold bike
from Fs and Ds
ued
The
altogether.
He
was
further-
mistrustful.
don't
mean
that
you
can't
be working on
of lesson
in tennis,
and so on.
many
Of course you
for a while
different
can. In
relieves
While you
are
all
to another.
working on
were training
on footwork,
sort
It
behav-
any
however, you
a given behavior,
at a time,
and only
were
to
that one. If
withhold rein-
it
was
in the
wrong direction,
I wanted from
pieces of information:
it.
One
reinforce-
should shape
for
both
Rule 2 has a
ken down
rately,
could
is
learned; only
components, which
into separate
much
when
4i
are then
can be bro-
shaped sepa-
faster.
and sending
cup or the
not
it
other. If
were going
to teach
the tape
I
from two
first
feet,
then four,
circle of tape,
and
skills for
ting
up
reliably.
six,
and ten
feet,
and so on.
practice aiming at
Only when
was
it
many
one
at a time,
such as putting
make me an
This might
pending on
my
coordination.
It
reliable putter.
until
What
my
set-
could
hit a
criteria,
uphill.
certainly,
am
would
could
with
satisfied
from a
combine them,
small target at
distances.
would
on
a piece of tape
it
or over
myself to putt,
would put
and practice
it
within
suggesting
is
my
my
capacity,
hand-eye
make me
prove more in a few weekends following such a single-task shaping program than in a whole
hoping
willy-nilly to get
direction
on every
summer
of
random putting
practice,
shot.
more things
self,
may
needs
Is
to think:
there
at
once. Practice
is
Does
some way
separately?
to
this
break
When you
it
different criteria
it-
One
many
prob-
42
3.
Many
people
treats to get
true. Training
frees
is
variable schedules.
A variable
when we
reinforcement; that
when we
sionally,
is,
we
we
we
at the
home
without being reinforced each time; but you might express thanks
for
an extra
trip
When we
train
most of us began
we
soon
ill
or the weather
and
when
are
When
Many dogs
it is
is
bad.
that's
the
way
vital to correct
are well
behaved on the
leash,
friends,
many
and out of
reach.
When
dream
of
is
fully
but
it
is
unavailable
when
the
ef-
is
is
With
okay now."
positive reinforcement,
is it
but
it is
forcer.
Why?
an occasional rein-
43
The heart of the shaping procedure consists of selectively reinsome responses rather than others, so that the response
forcing
improves,
is
little
by
little,
when you
variable;
ior is likely to
until
it
new
reaches a
goal. All
behavior
be somewhat
different.
Thus
enables you to select stronger or better responses. That's sometimes called a "differential" or "selective" schedule of reinforcement;
you
some kinds
of responses: those
but not
right.
who
until
now
puppy sits, you click and treat for the sit, the puppy
"Look! I'm sittingl Click
sits faster and more and more gleefully
me!" And now suddenly, some sits don't work! If your puppy has
shock. Your
it
may
While
this step is
practice
enced
it is
useful,
if
you
are
working with
new and
your trainee
inexperi-
to tolerate small
you begin
to se-
tolerate
an occasional
per
failure
se,
you need
to establish
starting to
hold
dog
variable schedule
"twofers,"
Broadway slang
for
two theater
two bumps
Learning
nose, say
or
one
behavior and
mittent schedule makes
behaviors more
one. Let the
dog do
for
it
twice
click
to tolerate
treat.
the
an
its
inter-
other subsequent
resistant to extinction.
When
your subject
is
able to
44
let
a previ-
vigor: "Hey!
did
didn't
it,
it
called
is
with more
an extinction burst
it
again!"
enables
you
to
Once
mean
the behavior
new
that
we
to
(as a
select
is
to
is
no longer neces-
usually
when
becomes
the behavior
is
part of a repertoire.
One
it
as a part of other,
distance,
the day's
reinforced.
tent or
With
this
that serve to
4.
new
When
to
now
and
an intermit-
clicks or "Thanks!"
now back
rate of posi-
treats that
you may
behavior.
introducing a
new
skill,
to
to play squash,
sending
the ball
it
to go.
45
goes every which way. Forget about aim for a while and just slam
When you
the ball.
What
first
falls
once learned
is
of assimilating
times
aim
new
skill levels,
apart temporarily.
another; they
seemed
virtually to
all
after
their hard-
first
time,
move about
used
new
to
requirements tem-
By the end
Dolphin
you move
"forget"
dolphin to a
all it
knows
new
until the
you have
tank,
new stimuli
When
to expect that
are assimilated.
it
will
It is
im-
The mistakes
new
circumstances
is
bad
training.
5.
will
if
know what
to reinforce next.
jumped
When
a sudI
jump
once
over a
the behavior
was
feet.
believe
it's
any time.
in
an example of
many
insight:
46
Killer
all
jump much
what
Where
being asked to
it.
on
it's
a blackboard
whales, you
killer
and hang
it
in the water,
trainers
sudden improvement.
If
you
is if
C and
A to
B,
and
two reinforcements,
perfectly in
from
elation.
lot of
time and
it
for the
sub-
at
becomes
at a
may
breakthrough
is
thus a
to
low
level of
do next
is at
performance
best a waste of
less willing to
work
in the future.
system seems to be
their
own
rate
set
up
to penalize
to prevent children
you understand
when quick
in a flash
may be
from learning
who
who
at
don't
is
If
talking
to writhe in
looks like more fun for the quick ones as well as the slow.
6.
While
you
risk
major slow-
downs
if
47
is
modated. In a way
it's
can be accom-
that
It is
at a time.
half-
if,
say,
is
a given behavior in
separate tricks
them; but
let
let
a lot of
confusion.
Those
stances.
who want to learn will learn under the worst of circumOne of the by now well-known "ape language" experi-
at
of
budgetary and other problems, the poor creature had more than
made
is,
three
hundred
signs
nouns,
think
is
Nim showed no
he apparently never
more than
stu-
and understand
verbs,
and so on
amazing.
And
so
some
still
learn.
better ways.
or
is,
that
of course,
no learning
is
when
the training
occurring,
is
trainers in
going nowhere.
to lose
If
by
switching.
7.
No
If
is
48
swim,
for
As
fearless
and com-
first
may have them put their faces in quickly and out again; a
may get them bobbing up and down until they dare to bob
underneath. Any good teacher, seeing that a child is bored by or
other
third
afraid of
one method,
same shaping
individual.
erations
to grasp
fail
this point.
families
mane,
its
this is the
way you
you want
if
way you
train a lion to
to
know).
sometimes they
ways, which
is
are,
one reason
why
much
alike.
show
at
farm in Virginia
cellent rider
ing horses.
to
and
We
me
to visit
trainer himself
were watching
him and
training.
and owned
a horse
doing a
number
of perform-
men
and
a lot of ropes
said
it
didn't have to be
(One
possibility:
marker
bow
it
done
this
down voluntarily.
learns to go
that
method
way and
asserted that
its
rectly
and earn
came
we had
to
knee
to the spot;
is re-
to train a
bow, he would
it
cor-
Godfrey be-
the idea!
know about
If
it
there
that
times to cool
him
off.
49
amazing
It is
isn't
how
same
of the
somehow
reason
why
it's
more
that
a pioneering
is
the main
Everyone has
8.
punishment.
praising school-
however
an animal
fine.
In a
more formal
This
is
more than
skilled training.
just
chatting to
some bystander
through no
going on
It
is
enters
broken; reinforcement
it
it is
If
on
over.
self-discipline;
is
at risk of
is
un-
is
harm
perfectly
good behavior
that
was
at the time.
Of course if you want to rebuke a subject, removing your attention is a good way to do it. Dolphin trainers call this a timeout and use it to correct misbehavior. Picking up the fish bucket
and walking away for one minute is one of the few ways one has
of saying "No!" or "Wrong!" to a dolphin, and it is usually very effective;
contrite,
don't use
carelessly or unfairly
is
powerful
act
tool, so
50
9.
Sometimes
lost.
We
member
and
seems
to
be
years:
It
most
feels
unsettling.
makes
memorized speech, or
skills.
totally
know how it feels to try to speak a language or repoem or ride a bicycle if we haven't done it in years
all
bad
fall
it
when
you
mix-ups occur
Spanish
German.
the
side effects of
why? What
is
needed
it
is
to correct this
is
fix.
not to
you
satisfied or before
later,
kind of deterioration
and go
all
the
way through
it
very
we
back
to
up
match the
mental
skills.
51
animals as well
as people.
J 0.
How
seem
after
longer.
minutes might be
five
Human
lessons of
When you
stop
is
sessions, but
it
plenty.
many
sorts
to get restless
all
day.
true for
is
whole
when you
move on on
a high note
that
is,
as
soon
as
is
been achieved.
The
last
remembered
best;
able performance.
you want
to
be sure
What happens
all
was
it
too often
a good, reinforceis
that
we
get three
the
dog
first
good responses
or four
passage right
or to do
subject
it
is tired,
and
tions
Amateur
practice
when
and we
again. So
we
repeat
jumping
and we
doing
you should
good response.
we want
to,
to see
it
again
It
just
this.
blew
when
a training session.
a trainer
or try
it,
the animal
falling apart.
force yourself,
if
necessary, to stop
you may
on
find that in
the next session the retrieve, the somersault dive, the solo obbli-
gato
is
last
52
may
much more
Shaping behavior
and
repetition.
It
is,
beyond where
ish,
left off,
to reinforce.
by
drill
and
pony
halter-broke a
it
this
can go extremely
fast;
once
right,
left,
forth
between
five
reinforc-
itself as a goal.
You
while you're
to quit
A Zen phenomenon.
Sometimes you
can't
note.
Perhaps the students paid for an hour and they want an hour,
though
good
session really
fatigue
is
quitting time
isn't
soon going
was reached
some
to
earlier.
easy,
guaranteed
Or perhaps
the
way
it is
wise to end
to earn a reinforcer so
new
whole
is
a series of inadequate
I still
concludes with
ing and
it
ended
this
way;
it
My
piano
Even
if
can't
bal process,
it is
nonverbal
skill
is
not a ver-
53
through time,
can't really
You have
One
like dancing, or
to
do
ble,
to
develop shaping
Many
at least: the
it
by
skills is
in teaching
for sport;
it
subject
trainer. Six is
tired;
because observing
lect a trainer
almost as
is
and choose
write one's
name on
on
The subject
a chair.
and the
much
a behavior to
but larger
are feasi-
fun as participating.
the
Game
trainers play
trainer at least
it
it.
groups
way
1
ject
As such,
love, or surfing.
it.
makes an
making
rest of the
people se-
to
the blackboard,
is
invited
whistle,
ior.
forcer
and
start
anew;
it
And no
ceived.
back
seems
still
to the
to help prevent a
behavior
is
Game
to turn
on
Ruth
called
When
is
the
fast.
in
exam-
to
be the
Ruth
trainer.
Here's an
whistle.
last re-
game
animal, and it's Anne's turn
tendency of some
and discussion
goes quite
volunteers to be the
each rein-
achieved.
after
doorway
to "Start" (the
Anne blows
No
the
whistle.
She moves
No
off
54
away from
the
lamp
as
happens.
it
Anne blows
Ruth returns
where she
hear-
once
the whistle.
to the
Still
When
new
to the
spot
just heard the whistle, but this time she keeps walk-
ing forward. Bingo: whistle. Without going back to the door, she
walks forward some more and hears the whistle just as she
coming up
table.
No
against the
the lampshade,
no
tle.
whistle.
table.
bumps
the
end
whistle.
hand brushes
end
is
and Anne
Ruth begins
whistles.
moving
over
all
turning
it,
it,
rocking
ing very familiar and having a purpose, she executes the purpose
rest of
us applaud.
Things don't always go that smoothly, even with simple, familiar behaviors.
sion
when
Anne, as
it
turned out,
first
moved back
Here's an
was
good
on
training deci-
moved from
to the spot
direction.
the
in trouble.
was teaching
that pre-
to turn
there,
made
trainer.
The behavior
Leonard came into the room and began moving about, and
Beth quickly shaped him to go to the wall where the
light
switch
was. However, Leonard had started out with his hands in his
pockets; after several reinforcements for
hands
wall,
if
glued.
his
He bumped
As
feel
watched,
thought that
how
if
would
to get those
to
and turn on
55
another idea. She "caught" with the whistle a bent-knees movement while Leonard had his back to the wall and soon had
shaped him to rub his back up and down on the wall near the
switch. The other students giggled as they realized that by shifting the movement sideways Beth might get Leonard to move the
switch with his back, thus meeting the criterion accidentally,
was
it
if
"Can
try?"
at
me
for approval,
shrugged, the class seemed to acquiesce, and Maria got out her
own
require-
down on
He headed bnskly
to begin.
As he passed
herself,
it
at the
about a foot
and nodded
to
Leonard
rein-
Leonard's hands flew out of his pockets and against the wall, to
break his
fall;
He looked
as his
at Maria.
hands
hit,
ened
his spine a
on the
lights.
little,
suddenly
full
of awareness,
and switched
Tumultuous applause.
of
all,
gets to discover
what timing
is all
The
trainer,
subject approaches the light switch, but just as the trainer blows
the whistle, the subject turns away. Well, thinks the trainer,
catch
it
now suppose
from
it.
how
I'll
to the
crucial
it is
is
And
everyone,
actually occurring.
lit-
56
The subject
you
body
doesn't matter
It
what you
form of learning,
are thinking about;
just
what
do without "your"
to
help. This
an ab-
is
They tend
lyze
Sheri Gish,
to
and
for periods of
reinforcer,
that
up
to a
we had
his
minute
is
that
it
colleague,
a long time to
until the
go without a
and burst
who had
who
trains
now
into
and
many
it
ani-
his
applause. (That
a shocker.
back
is
to ana-
fists
be-
expression of opinion.
What
this
demonstrates
is
suming
that verbal
communication
is
all-important,
and
that
some
is
verbal consciousness.
who do
Once
you have been the "animal," you can sympathize, even empathize,
with any subject that
is
it is
you
supposed
to
are shaping
be doing, so
makes mistakes. You can have patience with the animal (or the child or patient) that explodes in frustration and rage
when what it had confidently thought was the right thing to do
turns out to be no good, a contretemps that can bring human
subjects close to tears. And once you have performed nonverbal
shaping with adult human subjects in an exercise, you may not
that
it
easily
57
me," or
"is
in
which everyone
is
It is
participating
that
my
is
a will,
not the
trainee.
The illumination
this
game provides
you
can't hide,
sympathy).
A charm
it
game purely
of the
for
In
it.
make
my
is
that
great animals
Finally,
make
observant people
as entertainment
same time
and calm,
great shapers,
-just
the opposite of
to look at a
what
roomful of
but the subject, and the trainers whole body and mind focused
on
writing:
It is
is
on
Game
is
valuable for
We
Game
at
my
some
of
indeed to be impossible to
train,
dolphin
trainers,
proved
and
still
me
re-
very in-
round of
six professional
widely unrelated
After
fields.
in
which
dancer a
and
brilliant shaper,
In
1980
we
good
left
deal, too.
We
better
Game
in class,
and
New
York
City.
58
women
Game
Training
home among
at
and shaping exotic behaviors such as crawling upstairs backward. They had been taught successfully, in my opinion to think
ally,
their
after a
normal gusto of
no time they were shaping parents, using
sixteen-
year-olds. In
positive
amusing companions by
I
and
go
faster.
Three that
number
may be
of techniques to
of use to
you
make shaping
and modeling.
In targeting,
which
is
to a target
knob on
fist.
the
end of a
and touch
We
dogs, and
when
form of
us.
they approach,
targeting.
couch
and out of
we
when we
much
crowd by
taller
someone
people by following a
to sit beside
flag
new
you
is
among
slap
to attract
crowds of
rear-
a shipping
to invite
elicit all
jumping or
you can
it,
stairs,
and so on.
its
crate,
touch
to
and banners
battle.
Targeting
field of reinforcement
59
to people.
at
rather than
remarkably good
are
is
that
Some
of
is,
its
birds
skill that,
mouse population
Many dogs
sponding
On
good
are not
same
at
learning
are doing,
it is
had
most
which
cats,
tit-
be redesigned.
to
get lower
mimicking.
The
new
or other cats
is
no
say
let in,
may
accident.
well learn
If
you teach
one
to
a trick
house-
cat in the
it
sit
and rock
cats
it,
ham
using chopped
was watching.
When
the lesson
up
for its
own
on
as the reinforcer.
was
it
correctly,
most
it
of the
over,
most
One
looking
certainly
had
earned.
I
stuck in
is,
trees.
runs up the
tree.
The claws
its
this
because
have personally
(in the
cats get
and the
cat has to
this
stick out
backward, so that
why
less automatically: It
still
skill.
descend
and
operate,
can
cat
testify to
come down
a tree backward.
did
60
the future,
again (though
learn
how
it
cat stayed
continued to climb
to turn
shaped
trees).
it
we
facilitates training.
To get several
six to eight
to
tricks
wards, and
studies," animals
on
fish re-
We
physical skills to
humans
dancing,
skiing, tennis,
and so on.
It's
usually wise for the person giving the sample behavior to stand
beside or turn his or her back to the subjects, so they can follow
the motions with their
own
less
you want
mimicry
right-handed
to teach a
skill
will
less ver-
work. Inciden-
(crocheting, say) to
a left-handed person,
the subject
ments but
a mirror image.
Of course
do
them
else.
my
What
a ruckus,
"How
was
line, yelled at
silence.
it
them
into
61
when
training period
house
will
est in the
The
"from
have
birth to marriage"
speak
to eat tidily,
chilly,
and
else in the
everybody
A golfer does
this
when he
we want
pushing the
that subject to
from behind, holds the club, and moves the club and the subject
Some
apes employ a
who
of those
lot of
panzees hands and puts them in the desired positions or movements; eventually the ape
the
supposed
is
tury in
which
live
and make
When
effect that
the lights
audiences loved
midmovement
not
just the
by massaging
am
always a
it is
am
Often
all
tions:
am
not sure
is
to let
a training de-
much
is
is
doing the
you put
it
the dumbbell in
It's
poses
its
jaws, but
up and moving
the modeler
who
you hold
when you
was done,
at least trying to
It
or pushed or modeled,
lets go;
turned to stone.
little
even though
behavior or
in
if
laxed,
men
all
if
sits
go,
it
quietly while
the minute
gets trained
let
its
to
you take
hold or
would seem
that
by putting
a subject
62
how
to
do
is
would
it
learn
but eventually
true,
The way
time.
is
an
repetition in the
that
to
hope
is
to
combine
with
it
you
the motions,
ject's
and
on
that effort
the sub-
is
the be-
havior you reinforce. The dog's jaws tighten on the dumbbell ever
so slightly, the golfer begins to swing smoothly, the
skill
moment. Then
that
way
chimp's
little
is
often an effective
it is
works and
Special Subjects
in just about
room go
the
shaped a
on
a string
the instant
string;
off
with
its
claw.
its
claw,
birds.
waving about
to get the
aimlessly,
bell
me
Marine
mammal
mal
to
do anything
and
as far as
tell
me how
it is
tell,
physically
they can.
bits of
shrimp
can
fish.
by pulling
stein told
lights in
food
scallop.)
63
One
ful
ally
you
is
if
they are
fruit-
However, some
puppies,
more than
beyond
that
may
can't learn.
open-handed
to
"Gimme
was
is
is
are learning
know
five!"
all
the time,
momentary
Infancy
They
fishing captain
month-old granddaughter
he did
should
immature organisms
siastic
babies
foals,
"training sessions."
naturally to
some
species
it
and
are difficult
thing about in their jaws but easy to learn to shove things with
their snouts.
ioral
lie
to
One
for
behav-
hound. Some
if
you decided
to
shape sheepherding
more easily learned at particular stages of development; a baby mongoose may be tamed and
turned into a delightful pet up to the age of six weeks but not after that. Humans are generally thought to acquire languages more
in a basset
easily as children
skills are
who
is
willing to
work
at
it
can probably
learn a
childhood.
64
How
exist for
event
up
is
This makes
to.
on
is
for
you
knows what
the
it
my chart,
may work
Self-shaping
think,
when you
never a surprise
is
trainer
difficulty,
But
to reinforce yourself.
I'd
some
may be
by
cigarette habit
learning,
such as
and
do not want
"I
was
that he
congratulation
Whether
the urge
mantra or charm
smoke" whenever he
it,
when
to repeat as a
to
senior editor at a
from a hypnotist,
self-hypnosis.
me
addiction, but
others
up an
this
felt
technique seemed
cigarette; relief
and
self-
reinforcer.
this is actually
an
rein-
course impossi-
effect is of
ble to say.
Out
tried out
some formal
smoking and
first;
which
all
four programs
mance
in
such
way
looking
better
at the
now
made
use
a year.
The
single
most
of.
needed
to record perfor-
my
guilt
than
weight control,
had been
six
that,
months
even
so,
previously. Perfection
might
Shaping: Developing Super Performance
still
be a long way
was
while
enough motivation
training
the
and
this visible
itself a
One kind
off,
to
me
keep
line, of the
proof of improvement,
works
beautifully
computer program so
is
fun.
is
built into
graph
shaping experience
65
and the
knows he
or she
the procedure.
and reinforce
is
Thus you
it.
this.
is
Good.
to
Now do
life,
it
Good."
twice.
who
all
over
haven't worked.
might
start
The
is
about to go on
you
think the roommate would be likely to respond to or accept. People are not
reinforcers.
if
their behavior
peon!"),
and
by using
is
a handful of
actually an act
my
clothes,
a steady
you ("Pick up
positive reinforcement
visible progress
level of tidiness.
on just
66
There
is
that
are,
it is
when
strate
And
this
undo
are,
it is
much
the progress.
The second
about
And
it.
talking about
easier for us to
criteria are
that can
we
it
can ruin
for putting
trap
when
is
first
improvement,
that
remon-
they are.
if
you
are
it
is
very tempting to
it.
If
you
say, "I
am go-
less,
you
or whatever
havior.
And
results,
may
rebel, instantly,
you have
and
escalate misbe-
it.
you
havior,
in shaping
work? The
what
know
credit
subject.
the job
if
is
later, either.
who
actually did
it
the hard
all
talking about
one thing, we
all
we made.
smacks
to
this is a
all
some people
tacit, it
think
nonverbal
is
that
it is
behavior
we
are
ideas,
their
conscious awareness that you are doing so, and since, outside of
the formal agreement to be shaped, as in a tennis lesson,
most have
isn't it
to
shape
human
if
you
al-
then
do horrible things?
you
level,
even
ter-
phenomenon
67
If
an animal
is
taught to avoid an
by pressing
moving
to
where there
up
freedom
to
trying.
passive,
way
absolutely
is
gradually give
is
lie
it
a lever or
it
will
It
will
phenomenon
related
no way
is
in people.
If
a person
is
is
possibly a
subjected to severe
if
the aversive
that
is,
as
change in behavior
well, then
but people are tougher, and some will do anything they need to
do
machine gun
in a
bank
how
to
events
do
if
that,
we
would we not
all
photographs of
robbery, be evi-
book
to tell
them
how the
Stimulus Control:
Cooperation Without
Coercion
Stimuli
Some
or training:
We
called a
is
would do
when
the same.
bright light,
at a
and
Such sounds,
lights,
and scents
come
we
we
we respond
to a
We
a reinforced be-
so
is
one
a noisy
on and
on.
signals.
with them
make us
on
we
associate
69
gives us the go-ahead, for a behavior that has in the past led to re-
up
a telephone that
is
you
all
get
is
dial tone.
An enormous
part of
The
drill
efforts consists of
toon of recruits and the dog owner in a training class are equally
dog can
sive that a
sit
or a
man
can
halt;
what
It's
obedience
not merely
not impres-
impressive
is
it is
obey com-
trainees to
is
is
that
what we
call
when
the signal
given. Psychol-
is
under stimulus
and the
control."
rules are
It is
worth
examination.
What
your
life
if
plan to train a
to boss
drill
If
call,
if
your kids
it
to give
gets done,
you
come out
you once,
I've told
you
thousand times, don't ..." (slam the door, or leave your wet
When
thousand times
isn't
is
telling
once or a
control.
don't.
and
it isn't.
reaction
is
otherwise
it
doesn't matter
if
you
you'll
yell,
still
louder.
Usu-
or blare
it
through a rock-
Another
70
human
lus
is
to get
if
the subject
exhibiting un-
is
well-learned cue.
or a
show
due
after a delay or
to
commands
is
quickly.
as a time out
of temper, can
response to a cue but also for prompt response, the subject has
had no chance
to signals.
The behavior
Real
abounds
life
in
control.
control.
commands
poor communication
is
be obeyed
is
quick obedience
under stimulus
likely to
problem
really isn't
but the
real
can't
Establishing a Cue
Conventional trainers
start
Then they push the dog into a sit. After many repetitions,
the dog learns to sit, in order to avoid being pushed around, and
in due course learns that the word sit is his chance to avoid being
yanked by exhibiting the sit behavior. Conventional cues or commands are, in fact, conditioned negative reinforcers.
In operant conditioning, on the other hand, we shape the behavior first. Why, after all, would you want to tell the dog to do
something it can't possibly understand yet? Once the behavior is
"Sit!"
we shape
secure,
some
forcers,
and
we develop
often, here
criteria
the
on
until the
the grass
dog
hope of earning
is
and
rein-
rug, meeting
many
reinforcers.
Now we
Stimulus Control: Cooperation Without Coercion
chance
becomes
of the behavior,
is
this
sequence,
completion
at different
times
until the
a conditioned positive
it is
and
7/
By and by the
starts.
learner will identify the cue as the opportunity for that particular
A
is
second method
and
this is
to alternate
is
happen-
ing frequently.
off-cue
"Sit"
and
sit.
sits.
Once your
new
cues can be
at-
tached to
difficulties
ing their
first
cues.
The source
ior that
used
to
pay
off. It is
foot
by
dolphin
irate
third
way
to
were behavior in
you may
is
of difficulty
removing
to
fish.
add
shape response
a cue is to
itself. If
puppy's
this is a
first
to the
cue as
if it
clicker-trained be-
puppy running in front of you and practically tripping you up to show you sits: "Look, I'm doing it, see?"
The clicker trainers would say that the dog is "throwing sits at
havior,
you." This
is
find the
to learn a cue,
to
will
work, so
feet
it
be able
to tell the
The dog
full
treats,
is
dog when
ready
sitting
under your
of groceries.
say
"Sit,"
and
72
movement
of
again
feet to eat,
click the
sit
liary
and again
say, "Sit"
make
body
to get
on
before
it's
hand
all
those auxi-
click.
few
the
making
You then return to clicking the sit after the cue but
is fully on the ground (so the dog doesn't start
habit of half-sits). The next step is to intersperse some
rump
between bouts
last step is to
perhaps
of giving
calling the
visibly attending to
When
comes.
for the
cue
until the
be
to
sit
cue.
half
dog
is
that's
pup over
liary
in just
sit
clicks.
when
The
signal,
start
fading out
those auxi-
all
cues and just using the word. You have developed cue re-
In
my
observation this
is
way
the fastest
to establish
both
which behavior
to
perform.
A woman brought a
four-month-old
On
the puppy's
Saturday
first
at the
training whatsoever.
what
notice that
lunch break
puppy was
clueless,
down.
feel
am
innocent of any
It
it
my
effect
on the
arrival of
treats.
The next
day, at the
puppy came
to
my
threw
which the
its
right
Guess what
down,
puppy
paw straight up
twenty-four hours:
five" in
side.
sit,
little
this
come,
roll over,
rolled
its
as far as
pup had
a
learned, in
super "high
weight to the
it
left
and
73
rect,
and
in
on cue,
a retrieve. All
electrified,
engaged
muscles
all
When a
dog, by what-
ready for
rapid-fire, cor-
life.
sit
when you
say
"Sit,"
the job
is
finished, right?
Wrong. Only
trained
and
it is
is
finished.
also be
is
also extin-
is
own
time.
It is
"Sit."
in the training or
and
working
signals, are
it
pleases
situation,
up
all
on
its
where
dis-
both the "go" and the "no-go" aspects of a signal must be established
if
performance
is
to
be
reliable.
may have
to
is
be approached
as a separate
2.
when
told to).
never
3.
sits
sit
work
session the
dog
spontaneously).
(if
you say
instead).
"Lie
in response to
some other
offer
74
No
4.
"Sit,"
the
Only when
all
and
understand the
finally
command
Now
"Sit!"
lying
really, fully,
you have
real
stimulus control.
Where,
in real
life,
error.
ductor in rehearsal
He may,
for
and not
signaling for
it,
"Forte,"
meaning of the
much sound
get too
Or he may avoid
signal.
is
famous
anyway. The
for this;
Richard
list
look encouragingly
of rules for
conductor will be
he or she has
satisfied that
is
rookies in close-order
ness,
it
The
a laborious
difficult
training of
and meaningless
establish
prompt
move
skill
large
groups of
men
about
efficiently,
commands, which
ability,
is
after all
constituting a crucial
and often
it
training this
skill.
mind but
a learned
but
drill
has been a
way
75
What Kind
of Signal?
discriminative stimulus
a learned signal
can be
anything,
capable of perceiving.
is
it,
behavior to occur.
know
many
but
signals,
behaviors in
may be
far off,
is
commands.
Zealand
New
ally trained
When
which
New
shepherd in
sells
new owner
the
cassette.
how
fish in
on
or turn
And human
we
when you
all
know
practically anything.
It
useful, in a
is
working
Thus animal
about
the stimuli they use. All over the world horses go forward
when
haviors.
you kick
camels
their ribs
and
halt
Bronx Zoo
at the
lie
the reins.
The
told "Couche,"
pronounced "Coosh," even though no one around them, including their trainer, speaks North African French; everybody just
knows
That
that's
New
how
you're supposed to
tell
camel
hearing "Cool
it,
to lie
to lie
down.
down on
at a
fail
boarding stables
76
made
point proved.
I
From then
saw.
them
on, wherever
to
It
boarded
to
my
ponies,
trainer.
it
At
made them
least
trained
but to whatever
promising amateur
my commands,
think
didn't
have
set
trainer in
was quite
my
signals
crossed!
It was not only possible but easy to train the ponies to two sets
commands. While you don't want more than one behavior occurring on a single stimulus, it's perfectly feasible to have several
learned signals for one behavior. For example, in a crowded room
a speaker can ask for quiet by shouting "Quiet" or by standing up
and raising one hand in a gesture meaning "Hush." Or, if the occupants of the room are noisy, banging a spoon on a water glass
of
will
work. We're
sponse to any of
all
re-
is
called
the
new
stimulus
hand
a voice
signal, say
and
the response
is
and
at all.
it
less
obvious while
new
stimulus, even
behavior" and "Do this behavior on cue" have already been established,
learned.
"Do
this
is
more
easily
77
ume
produces a gradation of
reacts
more vigorously
depending on
results,
to a sharp jab
it
its
intensity;
one
startles.
response.
You
see a
red light and you stop the car; you don't stop faster or slower de-
pending on the
the signal
been learned,
it
same
results.
small that
it
as
you recognize
it is
the
As long
to do. Therefore,
it
it is
still
get
is
form of
We
use fading
all
the time:
What
we do
forcibly
dex
finger).
Animal
trainers
eyebrow or wagged
at the
One
you think of
this
You can
in-
movement
of
what do
dience did not see the signal, the parrots single learned behavior
it
was
maybe
any,
belonged to
fading,
and
transferring
ing but in
worked
if
the scriptwriter.
symphony
rehearsal halls.
in several opera
train-
As an amateur singer
78
many
less standardized,
The meaning of
these
must be established
in
mance
Once, in
time.
make
their usual
sym-
booming
stimulus for
"Come
in softly"
if
to
off a
by combining
stimuli
movement
of the
palm
on the conductor's
left
known
or obvious gesture
an upward
with an unknown
ges-
all
One
must become
attentive
if it
wants
responding
may
trainer
is
century,
One
Germany
which was
said to be a genius.
classic
at the
example
is
turn of the
By pawing with
its
foot
it
tidbit.
The
mal would "answer" questions when the owner was not present.
Many
the horse
was
a genius.
One
psycholo-
cued somehow,
in that
if
no one
in the
room knew
79
paw
horse would
was
a genius
minuscule
right
lift
indefinitely. It
to
number was
reached, a
movement
when
the
originally exaggerated
by
that
it
suppress by conscious
to
when
its
tell
to see (except
to stop
by Clever
effort.
That
owner.
The Clever Hans phenomenon has now become the name for
any circumstance in which apparently amazing behavior, ranging
to psychic phenomena, is actually unsome often-minute or faded behavior of the
has become a discriminative stimulus for the
experimenter that
subject's behavior.
Targeting
device of
at
a favorite
to touch,
is
lion
fist
use
point to point.
You can
to see
see
how
and
feel the
for the
behavior;
it's
new
reinforcement
left,
right,
nose
is
trainer.
its
is
80
stick around.
me
that
on her
The owner
dog
of a
coffee
breakfast table.
to lead
cat to target
it all
around the
that she
imme-
Zoos use
targeting,
treats, to
move
and
tigers
polar bears from one cage to another; to get small animals such as
and
still
go calmly into a
stall
medication or veterinary
for
to separate animals.
targets, so that
and allow
their
in-
curator
giraffes learning
hooves
to
be trimmed.
alacrity.
One
and
stick in the
No jerking on
and longer
it
the leash,
no elabo-
a treat."
You can
dog
to teach the
to
go away from
find difficult.
You can put the dog through obstacles, or into new places, with a
target. Police trainers and search-and-rescue dog trainers are using a laser pointer to send dogs into particular areas. Cats, also,
will readily learn to chase the little red dot that the laser pointer
projects.
cat;
and
It's
it
a great
way
to
on
jump
if,
for
example, your
cat,
cue.
Target-training, established with a
special education
me
that she
treats,
was assigned
to
balls
81
make him
sit at
want
So she held
to.
romping inserted
periodically.
freedom as
a reinforcer!)
your learner
get
willing
targets, in-
cluding the teachers hand and the laser pointer, being used to
help profoundly low-functioning individuals learn to walk to
their classrooms, or desks, or other destinations, voluntarily
and
and
nudge
a tug
is
on
the reins, or
on
the leash, a
origi-
doesn't work,
it
seems as
if
you should
if
lems, however.
The learned
signal
are
two separate
then a
is
little
all
little
they
harder,
dog
treat the
and
this. If
it.
if it is
elicit
is
enough
This
to "refresh his
memory,"
82
enough
to
knock
lus in reserve,
As
gentle tug.
is
on
far
out,
it
and
to a very
Woodhouse pointed
Modern dog
and
primary stimu-
this
level of force.
is,
With
run
in the long
Dane
a Great
marker
signal,
of the traditional
such
as a
that
stimulus that
is
now
word
dog behaviors
A discriminative
more
also
trainers
and
or a click, to accomplish
used
be trained by
to
all
force.
an aversive
event can not only reduce any need for physical control or intervention,
My
it
Border
punish
to
terrier, as a
of digging into
the wastebaskets
want
trainer's absence.
her,
but
also didn't
want
didn't
to constantly
empty
the wastebaskets.
filled a
my
teeth
ran.
in the face.
gritted
away from
was no need
for
neutral in
itself. It
was
by sprinkling
The same
It
principle
is at
collar
with a receiver in
collar
shocks
gives a
it.
was
distasteful.
did
work
radio wire
it.
However,
the
few
dog
Fence systems
strung around
dog can be
is
in the Invisible
the area in
had
for
If
is
a discriminative
the setup
effectively confined
is
properly in-
and
will
never
83
An
actual fence
open
gate; the
were
far
my terrier and I
would have been a
lived in a
it
or escape through an
more
secure.
Limited Holds
criminative stimulus
is
some gap
usually
in time
is
course they come; or you signal a halt, and your elephant gradually
slows to a stop.
If
this interval
downward
physically possible.
You
a limited hold,
you can
actually shape
is
interval in
havior that occurs during that interval. Since living creatures are
some responses
variable,
no longer earn
will
reinforcers.
fall
For example,
if
a set
may
When
within
you
it,
interval
you
set a
and no more
Does
it
it.
Now
How
fast
you can
is strictly
you
call,
or
a matter of judg-
is
spond
trainer
to limited-hold training
will re-
84
stopwatch,
On
if
briefer behaviors,
happen
to
At Sea
do
it
and watch
was
group of
when
the cue
we were
two and
fish
spins, or
had
it
two and
twenty-
fifteen- to
able to crank
a half seconds.
show
effective
hold,
work.
it
to
work-
dolphins performing
leaps
are
Life
for,
you
if
ing in a
highlights
for you.
down
Every animal
knew
went on. As
a result,
loudspeaker.
When
the cue
day while
sitting
among
air; it
the audience,
way we could be
was quite
I
in
an ex-
spectacular.
was amused
companions
One
to overhear a
was by
electric
shock.
life
amount
of time
you
are
pect,
usually regarded as
ited
are consistent as to
hold
the
fair
and
"window"
in time during
is
which
even
if
the lim-
the behavior
must
quite brief.
Anticipation
A common
Once
is
is
anticipation:
85
it
human anticipatory
People who anticipate
it's
an
irritating habit,
not a virtue.
commands by
rodeos.
is
common
are
been told
actually
to,
thus losing
fault in calf-roping
supposed
be given a head
start,
to wait
horses in
behind a bar-
what
is
moves
given,
common
One
incompletely trained
occurrence of anticipa-
player
is
so eager that he
is
One way
to cure anticipation
and
if
that
is
is
undesirable, stop
jumps
the
gun
full
it
all activity.
he's
You
are penaliz-
mand when
fect at
ef-
all.
Once
happens:
school.
It
The
becomes
a reinforcer.
recess bell
And yet
it,
and
if
is
it is
a signal
an interesting thing
perceived as a reinforcer
children
Now
bell in
make
it
are
ring
86
Around
some very
get
it
becomes
a reinforcer.
a desirable event.
my cat with a
this
and does
it
will
is
in itself
me when
If
coming
to
and
it,
if 1
happen
soon happen
say "Come,"
on
then
Now suppose
"Come.")
point to
it,
wanting
the
a tidbit,
teach her to
jump
me
to get
to the
mantel
to say
when
(b) she
happens
to roll
on her back
(a)
.
know she
is
hungry, and
connected behaviors in
steps
real
common. We
life,
at length,
do long
often
series of
many known
and we expect
behaviors involving
on
event
A desirable
for
tidbit for
will
you would
recess time
quiet classrooms.
to
"Sit,"
mind
haviors
do
this for
an hour, do
this a
hundred times
they can
is
actually reinforced
by the
signal
is
jumps
in a row.
when
is
completed. Most
sit at
the
owners
for
owner
is
tosses a
required
dumbbell
87
beyond
jump and
(3) locate
on hearing
(2)
(4) turn
around and jump back over the jump while carrying the dumbbell
and
dumbbell and
(6) return,
on
owner
until the
competition these chains are always performed in the same sequence. They may, however, be trained as individual behaviors or
as parts of the chain in other sequences.
The pattern of
chain.
What
the sequence
essential
is
is
is
each other without a time gap, that they are governed by cues,
ther from the trainer or from the environment,
mary
hunting or herding
trial,
and
ei-
series of learned
when
the pheasant
is re-
What makes
behavior chains
history of reinforcement,
control, or
on
cue.
work
is
cues,
under stimulus
is
which
are guarantees of
The cues
and when
which way
to return.
to turn,
how
also
fast to go,
tell
when
to
be provided by the
jump, the
pickup
is
is
the cue to
sight of the
dumbbell
is
it
up, the
jump back
over
it
again.
jump
verbal cues for those parts of the chain, but the cues are there.
ous behavior.
a
those chains.
Ask me
code and
was stumped,
88
said the
zip
the
be-
havior chain.
Many
things
we do
with developmental
deficits,
need
is
extremely
independently
to live
or semi-independently.
We
What we
misbehavior
is
is
that
of heat/and so
what we
on
back
at
when
is
dog
is
down and
down. In
have heard
many
the
see as
fact, are
the re-
if
not been brought under stimulus control. You can't reinforce the
subject with a cue
if it
if it
cannot ac-
complish what the cue indicates. This means that behavior chains
should be trained backward. Start with the
chain;
it is
make
sure
it
last
behavior in the
recognized; then train the next-to-last one, and so on. For ex-
if
and
you
stuff
you're not quite sure of yet into the great, reinforcing, well-
89
also
it
makes
the
whole
by them myself,
cause
an animal, or
can't get
pushing
making
a cake,
on
you
but
last;
you want
if
by asking
start
end of
a string be-
do some ap-
a child, or myself, to
I've
at the
for "help"
with the
frosting.
who
game. This
is
more
me
a pity,
exercise a big
tells
dog
erratic target
to teach their
in the
city.
The Frisbee
than a simple
ball,
more
is
dog
this
an excellent way to
is
much
like real
slower and
prey perhaps,
encouraging the dog into leaps and fancy catches that are fun for
the owner, too.
What
And
still
people complain of
and
is
legs
when
they throw
go.
Or
it,
the
dog just
it,
dog goes
it
as
encouraged,
it is
when
waved around,
stands there and watches it
try to grab
but
the
off.
this
it
game: The
back.
first is
that
second
is
that the
90
even
dogs almost do
to hold:
it
to
be carefully shaped
to
When
the dog will carry things to you on cue and give them
catching the Frisbee. First you get the dog all exshape
you
up,
cited about the Frisbee, waving it around his face. You let him
take
it
for returning
have
you
it
it
he catches
first
it,
of course.
when he
toss
it
it.
leaps for
When
it,
start
shaping the
it.
few
feet so the
are
bee dog.
so
it
fast
dog
field.
run or a
ground catch
dog sparkle
Dogs seem
it
a Frisbee
to relish their
the star
thrown the
own
expertise.
over-the-shoulder four-legs-off-the-
terrific
all
dog going
to get the
brilliant
watch
a Frisbee as far as
length of a football
so.
to learn to
dog needs
longer, the
dog brings
the Frisbee back because you trained that end of the chain
and because
is
praise
that
is
first,
it
see that
if
you
he
re-
peatedly gets neither the praise nor the toss, retrieving will deteriorate. Also,
will
when
begin to
the
falter
dog
on the
is
retrieve
by coming
it
is
in slowly or drop-
91
to
at first,
start
bringing
you
will find
seems
to
depends upon
From then on,
new
has to do
all it
signals
all
itself
learn to identify
go
much
The sub-
is easy.
is
faster
than the
initial
labo-
rious steps.
faster. If
commands
My
to earn reinforcement.
math teacher
in
start
responding
to
even
to other
New York
always
City,
begins the school year by training his pupils to get rid of their
gum when
chewing
everybody, the
ing
gum
some
he
tells
them
to.
No
first
is
great!
She took
it
end of class,
to
it
for
Doreen."
resume chewing
even
silly
which he
(though
He
gum
seem
got
still
also
(using
frivolous,
it
hates), but
he finds that
awakens
his
by responding
to
his requests.
Of
good
course, like a
reinforcers besides
killer
whale
trainer,
he uses a variety of
own
approval, including
his
first
he
is
free
gum. And of
on gum
92
that
might be spent on
gum. But
pays
sive
off to
and
he
he means what he
is
weird about
says,
and
that
it
attentive.
enough
them
for
doing
so.
he's a
for
keeping
"good
discipli-
And
for
shaped
phenomenon
a behavior,
sponding
to the stimulus,
to the stimulus,
it
it
are bringing
seems
to
hand, but
signal
If
it
raise
it
graph
re-
acts as
if it
has
to do.
trainer.
Or it may stand
doesn't dance.
to
It
to
it
you were
under stimulus
be showing signs of
when you
it
only
You have
call
an
rise to
still
when you
signal
is
dance
at
your
give the
not present.
this
rectness
wrong
strikes:
falls
to zero (as
you
get a
bunch
if you
The behavior
What
is
is
you
raise
under stimulus
going on, in
my
of nonresponses or
persist, illumination
respond-
control.
opinion,
is
that at
first
the subject
is
learning the cue without really being aware of doing so; the
trainer sees only a heartening
and be-
93
comes aware
it
something
do with whether
to
it
Of course it gives no response and goes unWhen, by coincidence or the trainer's perseverance, it
reinforced.
offer the
on,
From then
it
with confidence.
I
realize
am
throwing a
lot
is
it's
events occurring;
the animal
when
it
would be hard
what
to say at
a prelearning dip
is
think
it is
involved.
it
point,
is
if
ever,
doing. But
a sign of a shift in
I
some kind
of awareness shift)
more
but
merely a
after all,
fish.
we
We
all
know how
upsetting
it is
to struggle
knowing only
that
we
it
with something
common
exhibits anger
it.
example),
pencil.
Dolphins breach repeatedly, slapping their bodies against the surface of the water
to kick.
Dogs growl.
Dr.
Walker found
of stimulus recognition, he
reinforced for
more than
let his
tuna
forty- five
that
if,
tails
and want
seconds
at a time,
they got so
have come
seems
to
me
temper tantrum."
it
It
has
94
there's
no
why
clear reason
learned
new
information.
The recognition
that
is
meetings,
at scientific
an Episcopal bishop.
am
skill
to lead the
However,
have come
take place.
there
If
may be rainbows on
let it
is
much
tantrum
to control or
no need
bunch
to boss the
a hurry,
of machines.
world around.
If
all
Most of
the kids
yourself.
and
instructions. There's
no point
in
surrounding ourselves or
and an
effort that
responding
to learned signals is
an
effort,
continuously.
Stimulus control
tive children,
is
is
staff
many group
95
There
is
a certain
amount
to
enjoy
it.
think
this is
all
fun.
Hence
activities,
football,
and singing or
When we
some example
see
controlled behavior
from
it
in terms of discipline:
word
discipline,
knows how
"They
to
we
is
stimulus control.
In popular parlance the disciplinarian
is
on
what the
"or else"
is,
it's
too late to
work very
undo
well.
may produce something we interpret as dissubject. The person who really has to become
disciplined, however,
Yes, but
people
is
the trainer.
who
if
you
live or
work among
(Seeing a
young
change in a hard
visitor's
Here
is
the
case:
wet bathing
suit
and
in the dryer.
96
Young
Visitor:
K.P
young
and stands
visitor
there,
saying nothing.)
Y.V:
K.P.:
put
in the dryer.
it
(N.B:
mean
or anything
it,"
couch and
first
else.
am
time, not to
wait until the signal has been heightened with further details
it
or threats.)
Well, jeez,
Y.V:
if
why
you do
don't
yourself?
no comment.
(Pleasant smile,
K.P.
the behavior
want. Giving
want, so
ignore
it.)
Y.V:
tosses
it
at the
laundry room.)
In the dryer.
K.P.:
Y.V
(Grumbling, puts
K.P
all
I'll
have to do
look
is
at
visitor to
him
and
I'll
my part
will
be
be careful not
fair
to ask
do something,
to get action.
I'll
him
By and by
who do what
feasible,
stuff,
do what he
to
asks,
ask
if it's
do more than
his
share.
Knowing how
roar
subject alike.
When my
life
and
something
a student
was cho-
sen to do every year. She had a big cast of about twenty boys and
girls.
amazed
cast.
drama coach
told
me
that she'd
been
yell,
97
From
thing
was
the look
on
that Gale
of course
all
wrong
meant
who
People
trol
commands,
prehensible
not to
make
at a
fly off
when you
When you
get a
whole
family, or
if
perfectly
honest,
fair
And
it.
when
all
the people
amazing
stimulus control
to.
keep
the
say
try
They
is
communication.
It is
the
most complex,
difficult,
and
Untraining:
Using Reinforcement
to Get Rid of Behavior
that
you know
do you get
rid
all
about establishing
new
behavior,
of behavior
that's
how
already
happening?
we wish
laundry
all
calls.
relative repeatedly
It
doesn't matter
messy roommate or
ing too
to
much
if it's
makes
dirty
quarrel-
they
car.
a behavior.
Only
a short-term
problem such
as kids
(I
am
it is
makgoing
not con-
such as
gerous dog;
behavior.)
am
The
eight
methods
Method
1:
99
Using Reinforcement
nl ruining:
are:
You
will
Method
2:
Method
3:
Punishment. (Everybody's
of the fact that
it
favorite, in spite
a desired
behavior occurs.)
Method
behavior go away by
itself.
Method
5: Train
method
is
and
pet owners.)
Method
6:
is
unwanted
Method
7:
rid of
behavior.)
(A kindly
way
is
Method
8:
Change
is
the
You can
all.)
its
fairies,"
or
methods using
positive reinforcement.
which
that
how
don't
recommend
all
think
WO
(Method
1) is a
night.
all
with
this solution,
my
my uncle John
reluctant approval,
many
the
1
vocal cords
its
Slater resorted to
when
the neighbors
Of
lions.
course, not
method
cannot
it's
eight
methods
is
the
method
of
choice for getting rid of your particular nuisance. You're the trainer;
you have
to decide.
Method
1:
This always works. You will definitely never have that behavioral
problem with
is
in fact the
worldwide and
punishment
Capital
is
Method
1.
may be,
if
you execute
Method
by
porarily or permanently
messy
roommate by changing roommates: all are Method 1. New problems with new people may come along, but the subject whose behavior you are specifically fed up with is gone, and the behavior
goes away, too.
Method
the offense
1 is
is
it is
to
be
easily
this
by
actu-
ally
this
could be
tion,
I
justifiable.
Leaving
home
is
another Method
solu-
101
Method
to sleep.
if
you cov-
1.
many
There are
finally
and
at the behavior,
common
simple and
Method
versions of
1:
sending a child to his or her room for disturbing adult conversation; tying
up
dog so
the
things as punishment
people in
it
(Method
2),
We
Method 1
behavior by re-
by
elimi-
The
vital
Method
1 is
that
it
teaches
behavior
by
restraint,
he
case; all
he
man
steals again,
is
seems
It
rea-
but
we can be
much
we know
sure of
is
is far
from the
he cannot rip
your
TV while
that
off
locked up.
Behavior
is
tablished as a
way
and circumstances
If it
to earn reinforcement,
and
if
the motivation
is
under
restraint,
The
child shut
up
in his or her
room may be
dog
is
not occur-
learning some-
how
to
engage in
and
it
will
Method
and
it is
has
its
place.
It is
often the
most
practical solution,
t02
SAMPLES OF METHOD
'SHOOT THE ANIMAL"
Method
solves the
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
Roommate
all
Change roommates.
Dog
in yard barks
all
night.
Sell
it.
Have
car.
Divorce.
bad mood.
Fire
him
or her.
will
table.
Keep the
rid of
An
adult offspring
to
you
who you
wants
to
move back
in
with you.
Get
cat
outdoors or get
it.
off the
next one.
it.
incarceration
We
ject.
briefly,
when we
and
that
103
Using Reinforcement
nt raining:
their pet
dogs indoors
all
in.
retire to
it
become
a stan-
like
Now
their crate as
home and
will
when you
So confinement
can't
trip to the
is
ready for
yard to relieve
itself,
play,
easily cleaned
up
it
after,
and
at least
needs to piddle,
if it
it's
it's
Method
This
we
is
2:
Punishment
think
first
fine the
When
fact,
much
is
in-
of the time
at all.
we have punished
havior,
ment
try
isn't
working;
punishment.
a
when we
bad report
If
let's
and
try
again.
something
it
away
away
for
some be-
Do we
say,
"Hmm,
else"?
No.
We
If
punish-
escalate the
us
Suppose
doesn't work.
an employee
card, take
it
a child, or a dog, or
let
is
104
SAMPLES OF METHOD
These are seldom
effective
and
PUNISHMENT
2:
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
Roommate
all
Dog
in yard barks
Yell
fiscate
all
night.
Go
him or spray
when he
Dog will be so
him with
the hose
barks. (N.B.:
he'll
probably
Yell at
car.
bad mood.
Start a fight.
self
Scold and
criticize,
it
wrong.
preferably
dock
Hating to write thank-you notes.
pay, or
do
so.
table.
at the
same
Strike
it
time.
and/or chase
it
out of
the kitchen.
to
you
Obtain the
driver's
complain
to the
try to get
him
or her transferred,
reprimanded, or
An
adult offspring
who you
wants
to
move back
in with you.
fired.
but make
or her.
life
number,
company, and
move
in
miserable for
him
105
Dock
no
results?
Suspend them,
fire
them,
call
Maybe thumb-
bad
absolutely
is
that
"maybe
elephants, but
and probably
One
no end
this
it
one
to
will
The search
it.
work"
has preoccupied
is
for a
humans
work
may
it
fail to. If
when
is
that
it
does
occurs afterward,
The subject
flames
punishment so
before.
and sometimes,
off
that
is
therefore
punishment
the escalation of
illegally,
if
a finger
fell
and parking
In
Learning to
alter
more than most animals can underdog and beats it because it has
been chasing rabbits, the dog has no way of knowing which particular recent activity is being reprimanded. It may become more
fearful of the owner, which might allow the owner, from then on,
sequences in the future
stand.
If
to call
it
man
off
away even
faster
rabbit chasing in
itself.
Cats, incidentally,
their
come
is
seem
punishments with
frightened
when
merely be-
which
106
is
why
difficult to train.
trained
They
really can't
snap
to train
they're a
be
with
positive reinforcement.
how
learn
learn
threat of
it
to
especially
if
the behavior
is
(stealing food
it
to try
is
punishment regimen
when
and not so
a sad
ther. Also,
too.
These mental
sometimes de-
that are
One
we keep
reason
sometimes
punished,
if
if
fear of future
punishment
is
who
wall
on
his
and
large,
first
is
which action
finally, if
tracks
the behavior
if
first
is
caught
if
shock
it
early,
may
citizen
not try
so that
punishment
to
the
A child
and
if
small,
is
that
being
is
is
it
it
who
cheats
again.
a behavior in
its
itself is a
novel experience
come hardened.
My parents
punished
me
exactly twice in
once
at
think
I'd
at
my whole
upbringing
rarity of the
effect.
punishment ex-
107
you
If
punishment, you
may want
to arrange
as
its
have a large hairy dog that likes to sleep on the couch, and you
don't
want
doing
it
off the
One
are absent.
Punishment
that.
is
to set a
the
when you
in absentia.
off, startling
Then,
when
and perhaps
on
of staying
own
The
dog's
is
likely to
and then
When
lay
a
on
the blanket
is
on the couch.
punishment does
quence of events
down
me
always surprises
hibited
and defended by
athletic coaches,
ents. Their
own
have seen
It
some
it
ex-
punishing behavior
and
despite the
who
ter
at all.
whether the
victim's behavior
toil
Think of obdurate
clerks
cealed glee, delay or prevent you from getting your license, your
loan, or
technicality;
you
get
is
and helps
to maintain
it
demon-
big enough to hit his brutal father back, the father feels dominant
and
in truth the
is
tivation
behind our
human tendency
may be
fact
may be
fundamental characteristic of
human
of geese to
social groups,
from flocks
we humans
Do you want
alter a
all
to
ing device.
when you
think,
are
tempted
pun-
to
you need
testing
punishment primarily
learn to use
status.
hierarchies
and
primarily interested
are a
main mo-
to punish: establishing
Dominance
the
it's
a training problem,
Or do you
really
want revenge? In
that case
and
train-
you should
Or perhaps you
really
it's
and shame
no sensation
is
Almost
clammy hand
of guilt
human
more
it is
Some animals
I
can
dogs, certainly
The amount
person can
feel
while another
of guilt
we
relaxed
and justified
feels guilty
do not experience
guilt or
shame
One
Many people
I n training:
109
Using Reinforcement
they are perfect, nor because they are unfeeling hedonists, but be-
do something
them
again. Others
at a party,
that bothers
make
the
If
they
do
it
loved one
One would
terrent,
later
but usually
cause
guilt,
at the
we
changing behavior,
moment we
are feeling
guilt
impeccably
Therefore,
if
you
deed
fearless.
As
that will
way
of
are a person
not very
it is
who
effective.
do so
it is
Method
in early
2 solution
and not necessarily something you deserve. You might have good
reasons to want to get rid of the behavior that
guilty,
method or combination
Method
3:
of
much
Negative Reinforcement
A cow
ior.
in a field with
an
and
by changing
electrified fence
pulls back,
one's behav-
fence.
While touch-
ing the fence has been punished, the behavior of avoiding the fence
abounds
rain.
find
Some people
it
if it is
is
offensive.
to
shifting seats
and others
modified
say
in negative reinforcers.
if
the behavior
a garlic-eater,
Don
10
As we saw
'I
in
Chapter
almost
all
learns to turn
so
when
left
the
rein
left
is
it
The horse
pulled, because
by doing
corner of
left
its
move
halter, the
on
correct. Unfortunately,
may be
the prodding
for
is
results in a
ishing, the
pun-
example,
may
is
reinforcing to
much
that the
nagger goes on nagging whether the desired response has occurred or not. Think of the mother in Portnoy's Complaint
child
and
is
lets
Myrna
who
see you!"
me
this
example:
tively reinforced
"We never
Positive
ciprocal. Behaviorist
is visiting,
is
by
stopped.
all
kinds of lengths
reinforcing
a vicious circle.
soothing,
to stop a tantrum.
The parent
protesting, arguing,
So the tantrums
escalate,
will
and
and be-
cause they do, the parents inadvertently reinforcing efforts escalate as well.
know
of one household in
which
a child threw a
every night, just at dinnertime. Both the child's behavior and the
parents' anxious responses
inter-
nt raining:
Ising Reinforcement
/ / /
all
the time: the warning glance, the frown, the disapproving re-
lives,
effort to
way
and
as to avoid dis-
hostile, evasive,
to please, exactly,
phobic patients
tional fears of
tells
me
crowds or
life.
but to bring a
may become
halt, if
timid, self-
therapist specializing in
were
all
on
raised
a steady diet
of negative reinforcement.
improved behavior,
as
As Murray Sidman,
may
on the
something
every instance
and you
left rein,
when
that occurs.
The
as
able.
praise
and
choke chains or
his reins or
punishment. After
wanted
on the whole:
much more
all,
trainers explain,
if
typically continues,
if
you use
no harm
is
a lot of
done
in the
long run.
What
the trainer
may
consider to be mild
may be
all
12
mak-
punishment: avoidance,
and reduced
which anything
happens
that
becomes
distasteful or disliked,
something
to
se-
initiative,
trainer,
be avoided or even
fled from.
you look
for
resulting fallout
it. I
many
unwagged
the
is
ex-
faces,
is
startled
by
the
glum
tails,
Go
if
to
consider themselves to be
looks
trainers, don't
like.
My
daughter's
The baby,
approaches,
tail
new
dog
is
affectionate
He
will stop.
and
dog but
if
he puts
The baby
forestalled.
is
tries
it
is
quite
happy
(less effectively)
on
But on the whole, babies are one class of organisms for which
negative reinforcement
It's
difficult to
wants
to
is
do by arranging
on Grandma's
and
coffee table
to wail
It's
is
but keep
far better
most
for the
likely to ignore
on reaching if
to use Method 8 (Change
out of reach, or Method 5
right
113
Using Reinforcement
nl ruining:
(Train
else to play
with
or both. Babies
are not
One might
positive reinforcement.
programmed
to learn
but the
learn;
problem
real
aversive,
With
praise
is
is
young
too
generally
is
puppy almost
on
and you will cow and
and
try to force
frighten the
There
is
menable
puppy
it
to heel,
for
or
stay,
it
much.
to negative reinforcement:
knows
sit,
an
It is
extraordinarily difficult,
raised
it
you
quite tame.
it is
the wolf,
and
if
who
an otter
sociable
it
If
you
and
if
you have
pull,
it
pulls
usually
is,
panics
tries to escape.
Put a tame pet otter on a leash, and either you go where the otter
wants
seems
to
to go, or
it
with
little
all its
might. There
shape compliance.
if
they
feel
to
all
any kind of
their
force.
vaunted
Push
trainability,
a dolphin,
and
it
they
fear.
You have
and even
if
that,
almost
114
SAMPLES OF METHOD 3:
NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT
may
Negative reinforcement
choice in
some
situations.
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
Roommate
all
Disconnect the
TV
or withhold
is
picked
when compliance
is
obtained;
Dog
in yard barks
all
night.
car.
When the
off
Read
car.
book. Ignore
that's
on when
silence reigns.
bad mood.
when
her voice
is
disagreeable. Return
once
at
when
or normal.
Have
the voice
is silent
'nl
raining: Using
115
Reinforcement
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
below
par.
aversive overtones.
table.
on the kitchen
Surly bus driver is rude
and makes you mad.
to
you
table.
on
until
An
adult offspring
who you
to
move back
for
an
him or her
you would charge
wants
even
charge
in with you.
rent, food,
services
instant.
what
a stranger for
such as laundry or
babysitting.
Make it worthwhile
move on.
financially to
jump
it
alert
human
that has
rushed
drowns.
reinforcement
is
a principal difference
116
cow
pushed around.
erally
that cannot
humans,
that's
will
it
shooed, or gen-
at
them. After
like a
led,
intentionally or accidentally,
and
flees, is
the
cow
the
all,
wolf or dolphin
likely to
be killed
Obedience, whether expressed as a willingness to knuckle under or as a hesitation in the fight-or- flight reaction in which mild
negative reinforcement
into
is,
all
for
may be used
with one
It
a cat show,
and you
bother to try
walked around on
even
leashes.
this is
is
not a true
It
More probably
the cat
is
a symbiote,
mouse
food, shelter,
catching, entertainment,
that,
to its benefit.
cat.
us;
Work
and obedience, however, no. Which may explain why some people don't like cats:
They
For all you cat haters out there, there is one punisher that does
work with cats and can be used as a negative reinforcer: spraying
water at the cat's face. Once at a dinner party where I was wearing
a new black wool dress, my hostess's white angora cat repeatedly
jumped into my lap. The hostess thought that was cute, but I did
dipped
face.
my
It left
at
fingers into
tive reinforcer.
fine
I nt raining:
Method
//
4: Extinction
The behavior
gives up.
Extinction
is
first,
then
and
less
rat
"extinguished."
is
machine, the
refers
It
to the extinction
that dies
Using Reinforcement
candle.
sults, just
no
results
will
re-
al-
an unsocial thing
a behavior
a behavior has
work.
tor,
it
go away. The
will
been reinforced by
attention, ignoring
may
it
running
a rehearsal of the
cious conductor
walked
and
results or
to do.
not good
bad
to the
wind warbled
credibly
but
New
York Philharmonic.
fero-
As Schippers
a woodmade an in-
"I
human
was
in Dixie,"
and
a violin
and
foolery,
it
quickly extinguished.
Extinction in
to verbal
human
behavior
whining,
it
seems
mind
forced.
fit
of rage
When
who
gets his
you flame up
at
rise
me,
these
out of
to
If
someone
is
little sister
being rein-
who
is
We
Any
child
who
is tired,
is
we wish would
a parent-trained behavior.
may whine,
18
like a
the child
is
whose
I'll
get
We
shut up?"
ice
finally
do not understand,
forget, or
crack and
will
say, "All
you please
Once
saw
a pretty
little girl
bring her mother, her grandmother, and the whole Bloomingdale's linen
department
you
display of "But
forth.
As well
as
to a
to leave,
with a virtuoso
standstill
I
wanna" and so
don't
wanted
complete
you promised,
said,
Or she was
to get
What do you do
with someone
else's
if
you happen
whiny
to
be stuck
child? Here's
what
an afternoon
for
I
do.
The minute
inform the child that whining doesn't work with me. (This usu-
him
ally gives
When
it
as logical or
praise or a hug.
If
make
and
even
it
brilliant persua-
starts
whining again,
can
game and
One
in
is
that
Words
or teased, or
their
extinguished.
is
words
guage.
the whining
and make
we humans have
is
expressed
when one
ously in a marital
is
being whined
we tend
fight,
to deal
at,
said, not
with the behavior. "But you promised" evokes the response "No,
did not promise," or
row, so
on
can't
forever.
"I
do what
know, but
I
said; can't
you understand
that?"
and so
nt ruining:
119
Using Reinforcement
SAMPLES OF METHOD
EXTINCTION
4:
Method 4
is not useful for getting rid of well-learned, selfrewarding behavior patterns. It is good, however, for
and are
gratified to
discover
Roommate
in
any
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
all
Wait
him
for
or her to
grow up.
Dog
in yard barks
all
night.
This behavior
is
self-reinforcing
car.
certain
natural
amount
of noise
and harmless;
home
bad mood.
See to
it
have no
be,
it.
Work on
down from
of concentrating
on
If
words
good or bad.
is
let it
the misbehavior
getting attention,
lack
it.
is
way
of
remove the
may be
Hating to write thank-you notes.
self-reinforcing.
so
full
as paying bills
that
becomes
relaxation
by comparison.
120
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
Cat gets on the kitchen
table.
It
may
in extinguishing
your
will not
succeed
own
is
rude to you
An
adult offspring
and
who you
Accept
move back
to
it
in with you.
as a
child will
fare,
it.
and expect
wants
forget
temporary measure
move out
as
soon
as
We
When
what
need
is
to separate the
is
over.
words being
said
to miles of replays of
such
tapes),
show.
right
is
but you
still
to listen
fighting.
we
am not a
coward"),
are reinforcing
it.
And
we
home
in a
What
is,
is
fail
to notice
selves
often
who
always comes
Crabbiness.
sence of
lot to
no speeding up of dinner, and an abhand wringing and upset on the spouses part can do a
cheerful demeanor,
moodiness or temper.
silence or screaming
On
all
be results and
By ignoring
Using Reinforcement
\2i
many
arrange for
'nt raining:
by them-
is
no
result,
you can
become unproductive. Hostility requires a huge amount of energy, and if it doesn't work it is usually quickly abandoned.
Many
of confinement
and
inactivity,
first let
let
a
it
If
you
It's
horse trainer
A wise
When
may
bugs out."
few minutes, to kick and buck and run around, before saddling
and making
it
and
strains
somewhat
the
team or
become more
process.
Habituation
subject
avoid,
is
exposed
is
way
to
to eliminate
unconditioned responses.
it
This
is
no
attention,
Yorkers,
unbearable
If
at first,
cannot escape or
called habituation. In
street noise
It
it
but eventually,
like
it.
found the
most
New
sometimes trained
become
all
and sounds
that they
city streets
have to
\22
Method
5:
One
method
elegant
methods
perform another
fairies:
is
the positive
heavy
my appetite
curb
hate
like to
myself
it
there
is
at
nothing more
as
am
lifting a
piece of steak to
my
mouth.
A Method
solution
is
to
other
it
dog
to lie in the
you
eating. First
train the
in an-
example,
for
dog
to
lie
it
is
meals.
You reward
make
this
dog "Go
the
behavior with
food in the kitchen after the plates are cleared. Going away and
down
lying
is
at
at the table; a
hit
on
is
dog can-
eliminated.
a brilliant use of
an
fell
It
seemed
fast,
It
for
an
"s" in the
made
it
and
it
My own
tially
that "s":
but
conductor looked
we had
at
Apo, and
a pretty
Hawaiian
girl
named
till
123
and
tease.
tail
flukes.
got in the
terrified the
It
or slap-
air,
girl,
and
Method
behavior.
solution
We
got
but meanwhile we
Apo
Apo
each
fish;
inforced
fish rewards.
shows
a trainer
pressing whenever
lever
and simultaneously be
in the
re-
the
lever, at the
phins. During
lever
trained an incompatible
on an underwater
to press
Apo
swimmer harassment,
so the be-
back
down
behind
completely only
bars.)
is
good way
to attack a
movement
ble in the
train
my
fingers
would
patterns
me
it is
as a child
time.)
One way
hard to unlearn.
it seemed
wrong and stum-
because
to deal
with
this is to
footwork,
start,
movement
mind
and go very slowly through each
apart in your
posture, position,
portion
124
SAMPLES OF METHOD 5:
TRAIN AN INCOMPATIBLE BEHAVIOR
Sensible people often employ this method. Singing and
distraction,
and pleasant
many
tense
moments.
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
Roommate
all
Buy
a laundry
hamper and
laundry in
it.
making
together,
occasion,
for placing
Wash laundry
when
Laundry care
is
it
a social
the
hamper
is full.
incompatible
Dog
in yard barks
all
night.
Train
it
to lie
down on command;
the
down.
window
Yell the
the doghouse.
Sing songs,
car.
command
out
or rig an intercom to
Reward with
tell stories,
praise.
play games:
"Ghost,"
bad mood.
home
privacy
is
may need
minutes of
total
switching to family
life.
125
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
from scratch
(see text).
work
harder on a specific
quicker or
to
For other
kinds of presents,
that very night
Then you
write a
table.
will
call
the sender
never have to
letter.
on a kitchen
and food reward.
sit
but
still
want
Surly bus driver is rude
and makes you mad.
to
you
it
it,
the cat
where you
is
not on the
Respond
table.
to snarls or bullying
eye contact, a
appropriate social
morning"
or, if
with
and an
remark "Good
civil smile,
the driver
is
really
An
adult offspring
who you
wants
to
move back
in with you.
live,
to find
even
it
if
another
you
at first.
126
if
tions.
When
put
it
it
patible;
movement
the
pattern,
at full
you can
where the
at first to
Now
pattern.
new mo-
up.
new
at
are
incom-
never get rid of the old pattern completely, you can reduce
ball goes.
the
new
Once
one.
it
may
to a
And
have better
how
my piano-
lesson problem.)
your
own behavior,
such as
especially
grief, anxiety,
incompatible with
Method
6:
when
activity,
loneliness.
Some
dancing,
self-pity:
and
is
choral singing,
or any
It
works
in
It
that
is,
only then
when
is
the organism
some kind
of cue
and
cue. You can use this natural law to get rid of all kinds of things
you don't want, simply by bringing the behavior under the control
I
of a cue
first
nt raining:
We
wanted
to
demonstration
to give a
shows
127
Using Reinforcement
his eyes
at
Sea Life
named Makua
become
a standard item in
The blindfolds
By and
by,
didn't hurt
when he saw
Makua, but he
my
hands, he took to
up
watching
me up
to five
minutes
at
a time, waving
his
He would
tail
gently
lie
and
judged
it
to
earn reinforcers.
Then I introduced an underwater sound as a cue and reinhim only for sinking on cue. Sure enough, he stopped
sinking in the absence of the cue. Sinking was never a problem
again; when 1 went back to blindfold training, he accepted his
forced
car. If
say
you
are
the children
cited to be
songs.
this
may be
amenable
And on
to
to
to
someplace wonderful
the circus,
Method
5,
negative reinforcement,
method
on your way
want
to use
Method
Now Method
is
3,
car until
under
128
SAMPLES OF METHOD 6:
PUT THE BEHAVIOR ON CUE
It
doesn't
seem
can be startlingly
effective,
it
instantaneous cure.
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
Roommate
all
Have
how
make
in
messes
that
and
one
may
like, is
tidy
shirt,
what
then able
up
smaller
two socks
still
by the roommate.)
Dog in
yard barks
all
night.
Train the
dog
to
bark on
command
command, no
Kids too noisy in the
car.
point in barking.
bad mood.
Set a time
and
grouching;
minutes,
During
all
sit
a signal for
down
for ten
say, starting at
5 p.m.
full
If
you
to do it
on purpose, would the fault tend
to extinguish when you did not
ball
give the
command?
It
might.
129
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
Shirking or lazy employee.
Buy
memo
pad, notepaper,
and
When you
get
name on
the
memo
pad, put
it
table.
it.
Train
it
(all
has to
day,
eventually).
is
rude to you
not recommended.
An
As soon
adult offspring
who you
home
move back
back
wants
to
in with you.
is
for
making it clear
that they should come only by
your invitation. Then don't invite
them to move in.
for visits,
130
or
it;
on
this
on
me
to
had
at the
was
out,
back
appropriate
let in.
in
on
off
and
relieving
When
of time
was
amount
at
dog would be
when
that,
dog
a small
Deborah made
to get
E Skinner, passed
itself.
works.
B.
When
to
out, the
bother trying
Deborah judged
that
an
let
dog
the
in as
soon
as
it
asked.
I
high
puppy
Peter
was
at
my
tried Deborah's
toy poodle
really
it
was not
at school,
and
shut
When
produce
him
When
alone, he
made
a terrible
him run
safe to let
watch him.
to
a blanket.
daughter acquired a
a small towel
the towel
results.
When
was
not be responded
and hung
there,
the towel
it
to.
on the
grabbed
inside door-
was removed,
for
the towel
agitating
had
when
felt like
doing
so,
till
let
when
rememthe puppy
to
then let
him
131
this case,
and thus
also
keeping
all
(in
worked splendidly for three days. Then one morning Pedemands were suddenly heard anew. I opened the door
ter's
and discovered that he had figured out how to leap up, with all
his tiny might, and jerk the towel off the doorknob. Once the
It
noisy
Method
This
is
he
floor,
felt
7:
particular that
to stop
what he
phone
calls
by Method
ridicule.
is
from
1,
The
whom
you
like
Method 7
is
DRO
3,
to hurt
scolding or
(Differential Re-
into the
house
socializing wolf
decided to
human household
pastime in a
It
on
the bed; in
An
phone.
home.
invalid for
visited her
some
when
years,
my
large
mother
lived in a nursing
concerned with
ness, lack of
money:
real
my
usually,
were a
pain, loneli-
was powerless
to mitigate.
mother's problems
problems
calls
132
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
Roommate
all
is
Buy beer or
invite over
members
whenever
or roommate
Dog
in yard barks
all
night.
Go
him now
car.
Wait
say "You
all
and then
at
bad mood.
works.)
him
for
any
satisfactorily.
trend.)
133
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
Hating to write thank-you notes.
Treat yourself to a
movie any
Rewarding the
table.
only
is
practical
if
home
by
in the behavior
to
you
If
itself.
driver
day, a pleasant
"good morning'
when he
or she
is
improvement
in a
week
or two.
An
who you
adult offspring
wants
to
move back
living
in with you.
housekeeping, choice
may
decide
is
made me
accusations that
tended
to tears,
angry.
to
and
tears to accusations
calls.
me that there might be a better way. I began conon my own behavior during these phone calls. I used
occurred to
centrating
and
134
"Well, well."
No
attack;
nothing happen.
let
good or bad.
real results,
news from
friends.
These remarks
my
To
months
phone
you
responded
to
my
children,
of weather, or books, or
7.
and
in
home, discussion
the nursing
calls
calls
became
my mothers worries
distress to chat
At
"Have you mailed
reversed.
Would you
call
and laughter
my
worker?"
social
became
filled
Did
a check?
Now
jokes.
My
woman. For
fascinating, witty
really
life,
"Isn't that
with
to deal differently
How much
goal.
again, a
asked. Sure.
not.
in her youth,
What
are
some
my
simpler
you
it
before to
therapist
me was
awfully
ma-
me
seemed
to
actually reinforcing?
don't want.
Method
8:
and most
eat
is
effective
of
all.
is
to
A common
child
method
is
sight
empathize
titious
always wince
at is the
way
arm
to
the tantrum
to
make
is
it
who
jerk-
is
silence, less
is
a surrep-
conspicuous than
nt ruining:
yelling or smacking.
The problem
smell of
all
is
as
is
too
much
is
little
you.)
it.
to
The solution
tell
is
for
when
to dislocate a
that food
have someone
good way
also a
(It's
elbow or shoulder,
child's
135
Using Reinforcement
irritable.
market; any sort of junk food would be preferable to the distressing scenes that upset child, mother, checkout clerks, and everyone
within range.
else
Some behaviors are self- reinforcing that is, the very enactment of the behavior is a reinforcement. Gum chewing, smoking,
and thumb sucking are examples. The best way to get rid of these
behaviors in yourself or another
is
to
gave
up chewing gum
girls
tant to
their
me
than the
an aunt told
Thumb
smoking.
me
it
made
tion to stop
is
as a child because
sucking stops
outweighs
when
when
motiva-
the reinforcers of
that.
We
boss has
we
love to
it
jump
is,
and we
to conclusions:
make an
accurate estimate
is
"She hates
just
own
incompetent
my
guts,"
at
"The
motivations.
fession of psychology
to
reason.
Even
if
we have no unhealthy
motivations ourselves,
especially
cal
when we must
problems,
if
rely
on the medical
all
we pay
hidden motivation,
professions. Physi-
too often
assumed
to
seen a businessman
136
SAMPLES OF METHOD 8:
CHANGE THE MOTIVATION
If you
Roommate
all
to
do
is
it,
this
APPROACH
EH AVIOR
leaves dirty laundry
ther
to cope. This
may be
the best
if
more
Dog
in yard barks
all
night.
casual.
and bored.
dog
Kids too noisy in the
car.
with
at
night
company. Or bring
inside.
Escalation of noise
conflict
and
fruit
is
and
Provide juice,
fatigue.
lounging on home-fromschool
trips.
journeys
all
On long
of the above
and running
137
APPROACH
BEHAVIOR
Spouse habitually comes home
in a
bad mood.
hunger and
motivation.
door
at the
if
problem,
stress is the
may be
and
appropriate.
Pay
for
put
in.
or
is it?)
Western employees.
It's
the barn-
mad
until the
known
works
task
is
Hollywood movies
are
made
this way.
We
because
it is
since there
ment
at the
put
off
it
is
because
we
letter.
Not
recipient needs to
think
know
is
we
clever, or
that
you
symbol of
Fancy words in
a thank-
no more important
than fancy penmanship on a check:
On-time delivery is what counts.
you note
are
138
APPROACH
EH AVIOR
table.
on
the table?
in a high place
to
you
may
well prefer
it.
at on buses
by doing your job: Have your
change ready,
know your
desti-
mumble
questions, try to
be sympathetic about
traffic tie-
be such a pain.
An
adult offspring
who you
wants
to
move back
in with you.
purpose in
work, and
life,
some kind
of
to live
first
three as
they'll
in fact
city, a
woman was
quilizers
by
on
their
you can
all
stay friends.
treated with
when
and
own. Then
the roof
"feeling" exhausted,
half a
139
but in
fact
to a leaky furnace in
her home.
me
quilizers
and
a scolding
and
I'd
I'd told
him
thought so
mumps.
Sometimes, of course, the motive
reassurance,
and therefore
sure,
too,
as a powerful
sugar
(if
pill,
really consists of a
The
will.
that.
The motivation
is
a blessing can
is
to notice
need
it,
see nothing
what
do
even a
spirit,
wrong with
for
perceived
is
a tranquilizer or
need
to identify the
One way
to
do
mothat
and what
doesn't.
The message:
If
you or
lem, think hard about possible motivations. Never forget the possibility of a
illness, loneliness,
it
or
fear. If it is
made.
is a
huge subject
but because
lates to
lies
scientists
sometimes used
will
have devoted
is if
it
an animal
life-
The theory
reliably
it
which
it
training device
tion.
to
is
it
re-
working
work. Laboratory
rats
and pigeons
140
ary to give
them just
is
when
started training,
we
end of each
often
It
cial
day, since
become
and
sick
did occur to
me
first
ishment
or not at the
it
without
was
it
all
assumed
rats
given
so-
successfully,
to get results.
only with simpler organisms, such as rats and pigeons? Yet our
Sea Life Park trainers were shaping behavior with food reinforcers
in pigs, chickens, penguins, even fish
and
octopi,
training, since
sea lions.
it is
so widely used
until
worked only
bit trainers.
and
lions myself,
for fish
and
my
cur-
that they
young
I had
knew
quite large.
for Sea
World
in Florida,
lions
worked
of course for
conditioned reinforcers and on variable schedules as well. Consequently they did not have to be kept hungry in order to
all
and crabby,
as
make
One
result
was
li-
that the
141
They were
friendly to those
was astonished
man
'in
pile
to see trainers
his lap.
Another
lions,
lion,
they en-
on
their
each young
and
grew! Most trained sea lions in the past, Dave speculated, were
small not because of youth but because they were stunted. Sea
seven, eight
six,
are very active, not a bit obese, but they are huge, as nature in-
tended.
And
they
work
hard.
The
five
or
more
daily
shows
are
marvelous.
It's
my suspicion now
company, or
the subject
Maybe
is
it
good
make
by us-
is
and
the reinforcer
more needful
is
just a
it
way
around.
have shown
how
to specific behavioral
problems. For
some problems there are one or two solutions that are obviously
best. For the dog that barks in the night from fear and loneliness,
bringing the dog inside or providing it with a companion will
usually ensure that
it
barks only
when
several ways,
arise
from
142
become firmly entrenched, and are not controlmethod stress symptoms such as nail biting,
multiple causes,
by any
lable
bad
single
smoking. These behaviors can be reduced or eliminated by calculated use of the eight methods, but
several
methods
to bring the
it
may
take a combination of
am
normal
Lets look at
multiple-
method approaches.
is
both a symptom of
stress
and
displacement behavior.
dog
such
activity is called
in a situation of tension
for in-
stance,
self-grooming
activities.
may be
it
lick a
paw
until they
have created
Because the behavior does indeed distract one from stress momentarily,
it
becomes
no
stress
habit fades
it
self-reinforcing
becomes
away
as
to get
extinction.
The
wearing gloves
scoldings
a habit
and
making
Method 2
punishment
by
guilt or
an alternative behavior.
Method
nl raining:
negative reinforcement
3,
you have
If
5,
all
painting
effective
is
the habit
is
to observe yourself
glass of water.
if
only
starting to nail-bite,
Drink a
for
combination of
Method
ing
to use a
143
Using Reinforcement
at the
toward your
else.
drifts
Stretch.
You cannot be
all are,
in
who may
stress in
your
8,
life.
on
at first).
you
down what is
Then every evening sit down at a
your
nails, write
bothering you
specific time
moment.
at the
and
bite
your
nails
on your
list.
In due course,
down
biting time
to
shape the
you combine
to zero, especially if
nail-
this effort
Chronic Lateness
People
who
lead complex,
demanding
cram
it
all
in
somehow
fast-growing businesses,
tend to be
much
lives
to
sometimes get
do and have
doctors,
in
to
to try to
new and
144
some
Since
we have
some
to suspect that
choosing to be
One would
who
of the people
so.
in the
party
is
you miss
own
its
is
furious. But
And
downfall,
They pun-
and
skills
The
fastest
way
to
conquer being
You
fear:
don't
want
There
is
little
that
me,
8,
changing
late.
One
at all
when you
and show-off
my
secretly
much more
is
is
cannot meet
hostile lateness
to
many
many
Method
late is
commitments."
do not wish
lateness,
to
be
It
by deciding
ing to have
will
As
first
late, all
one has
to
do
is
priority over
on time
is
Presto!
go-
You
how
"Can
my hair
to
have to leave for the airport now?" The answers are always no,
choosing
to
and colleagues
is
slip
life
enormously
easier,
and
as well.
145
add Method
5, training
absence
reinforce yourself,
and
Or add Method
shaping the
7,
your friends
get
at
to reinforce
you, for what in others might be normal but what in you takes
special effort, absence of lateness.
And
when
Method 6, putting lateness on cue. Choose some events to which you truly wish to be
late, announce that you intend to be late, and then be late. Since
behavior occurring on cue tends to extinguish in the absence of
try
it's
safe to
really
may help
when you
be so
should be on time.
Addictions
have physical
and so on
symptoms
if
cigarette
smoke, alcohol,
effects that
to give
if
if
smoke
on
ties,
and
eating.
Most smokers,
six
or
example,
and
that
become displacement
to eliminate.
Some peo-
for
In addition to physical
temporary
off.
symp-
on and
tea,
are
Some peo-
caf-
tend to keep
it is
activi-
But because
conceivable
more
of the eight
possibility of
good
results.
Almost
all
146
to
Synanon,
stance
is
try to find
on Methods
rely heavily
made
and
skills,
whatever
on Method
guilt.
to
change the
treatments also
fact
cheated
smoked someone
example
I
felt
frequently
else's cigarettes at a
next morning
tive
given to
stop
is
2,
When
Many
cheated.
rely
8.
me
work
will
in front of the
group
for gain-
shame.
lot of addictive
havior.
The action
has
smoking, whatever
eating,
accidentally
is
a valuable
Method 4 adjunct
to getting
to a
it
might involve
whole
if
life
on
familiar
streets).
as a behavioral
method
con-
and medicine
around
for
to administer
Untraining: Using Reinforcement
and
think the
this is
most
way
to tackle addictive
147
one
behavior in yourself
effective trainer
is
to
study
all
eight
methods and
find
Reinforcement
Real World
in the
and
attacked,
finally
in the evolution of
an
idea:
The idea
think there
is
is
is
what
who
a fourth step
see begin-
among peo-
in the air
around them
people, that
is,
who
Zeitgeist,
parents
ders,
me
may
still
and they
give
nowadays take
computers that
their
infect those
Reinforcement
From my
to the
in
el-
find heartening.
Sports
continues
in the
Reinforcement
Real World
in the
be undergoing a revolution. In
to
prompted
to
me,
Skinner and
symptom
of
seated next to
a nice
was
"I
fact, it
sports, however,
He said
Do you know about
trainer.
Australia.
that?"
all
"Yes."
"Well,
me
help
1
tell
get a
knew
was no such
there
me, but
thing.
be a mystery
to
Meanwhile,
presumably many
meant there
like
set
him,
knew
At that time
was
living in
that will
began
activities
to take a
is.
person, and
exactly
It
a grasp of reit.
life,
it
from
a trainer's curi-
sailing, skiing
and dance.
To
my
surprise, only
and
on
none
feared as
my
earlier
and college
much
browbeating
worked under
traditional
tive reinforcers
of
which
as enjoyed.
shined
Take
memories of physical
gym
in,
classes at school
and
all
of
which
example.
took
The instructor showed us what to do, and then we pracand struggled until we could do it while the instructor
school.
ticed
arm
my
"outside edges"
gliding
in a
150
get very
Now
my
with
left foot.
didn't
far.
York,
and there
Shove
foot? Easy:
off
feet; lift
then do
it
again,
lift
put
briefly,
little
down, then
lift
on two
the other;
longer,
young, and the very old, were gliding on one foot with looks of
wild astonishment and elation on their
I
didn't
even
faces.
shaped in
and natty
little
could do
jump
wall.)
What
outside edges.
And more! By
on
TV,
at first
turns
my
un-
The
a revelation.
difficulty in learning
such
skills is
and
ski
is
on the slopes
is
the teaching
methods
and of course
skied
down an
went
falling
down and
to
entire mountain.
in
my
be-
Reinforcement
ginners' class
in
151
of a week.
last
Don't yell
force
at
is
who produce
decade or two
becoming
way
the
rapid
is
that
implicit in
to teach skiing:
accomplishment
at
using
compete
is
happening
new methods
Learning active
skills
Reinforcement
in
re-
just to
it
fitness craze.
Business
and management
The idea
that everyone
traditionally
is
in the
adopt an adver-
this is really
dumb
little
as possible.
"sensitivity
training"
enlighten
management about
Of course
still
much
the needs
and
feelings of
to
coworkers
and
know what
for the
most
was
is
nor should
it
therefore inappropriate.
up here and
there in
ways
152
to the
down-
gests that
the
20 percent
you
also
make
sure to
tell
the top
your best
they can
now
see
is
percentile themselves.
more interesting work at their present level instead of promotion, which they may not be able to handle (or may not want,
sist
of
if it
and
for quitting
company, and
for
aged by smoke
free
smoking
good
particles.
by one computer-software
are paid
reason:
The products
it
desirable for
tion teams,
in self-managed produc-
what works
Programs aimed
at cost cutting
workers
to
do
workers
to
do not
quite as
programs
bad
a better job
a job as
programs
for
it.
on
their
known
bottom
1981 recession, in
off
One example
line.
any of
its
8 percent pay
good
care of
is
its
is
37,000 employees. In
raise. In a
fact,
it
gave a companywide
Reinforcement
in the
153
Real World
new
Reinforcement
in the
Animal World
Throughout
book
this
theory has enabled professional animal trainers to establish behaviors in creatures that simply cannot be trained by force: cats,
cougars, chickens, birds in the
air,
be-
lieve
One
to
it
to offer
could
do
that;
up something
you can
"talk,"
but
it
for the
is
that
you
happens
leads.
No one dreamed
New
at the
named
Hoover
but very
distinctly): "Hiya,
gists
funny
to hear,
but also of
mammalo-
and bioacousticians.
To
me
is
the
window
It's
been fashionable
it
cleared
up
Konrad Lorenz,
came
say"),
and mis-
by
154
and so on
anger, fear,
and
by very
clear-
When you
bodily
can see the subject and the subject can see you, and
you
yet both of
are protected
harm (perhaps
the animal
is
is
inside a cage or
any internal
free to express
states the
to
how any
month
ample,
if I
why
it
jump up
in the air
something
if,
subject tends to
see a dolphin
in signals ranging
a big splash in a
its
own
in a training session,
fail
me
air
from head
to toe,
it
to
to reinforce
dol-
a big, directed
would seem
likely that
jump-
One can
tell
more than
that.
Engaging
a wild
animal in some
what might be
called species
temperament
of
how not
only that
animals.
my
on
persistent
my side
their side.
to
moved about
be immensely
still
took to offering
for half
rein-
Na-
stood on
en-
its
it
for reinforcement.
could
It
sit
seems
Reinforcement
possible that in an animal
155
Real World
on
stalks seals
ing, this
I
which
in the
no matter how
at
obeyed
throw
a Frisbee, starting
named
Do
wall,
by
and by putting
me elephants like
her
foot.
rattling
it
on the
it
make
to
noise.) Shanti
floor
and
shuffling
it
on
the whistle
little
bit farther
me
whopped me on
the arm.
When Jim
and
didn't
I
took her a
full
fall
had
to
her for
at
how
up
to pick
also quickly
both yelled
which elephants
in return for a
When
stick,
fun.
it
made
and banging
in her trunk
it
Shanti immediately
it.
on the
with retrieving
Shanti.
my hand
my bucket,
car-
with
to get
me
that
were also in
When
and
there.
proved
to
matter
this
on her
to try to get
me
little
to
makopen
bit smart;
shaping session.
When
up
in
many,
many
instead of getting
mad
down
in front of
species in a
or quitting,
it
sitting
like a fur-covered
156
its
failing to reinforce
shoulder,
the kibble
had
my
in
it
pocket;
was
had taken
still
If
its
yard,
should
in the
game
since
it
made
when
it
at
situation,
I
was
still
what would
Vikings.
perfectly.
Ham,
it,
When
Ham saw that at last Melanie was going over to open the door and
let
him
outside, he
knew what
He handed
to do:
her a stalk of
celery.
I
who want
to observe the
such as
And
training.
who
do not sympa-
conclu-
backed up by numerical
data.
both
this tool
field
But
way
to
may be
missing a bet.
may
also
be of enor-
handicapped children
made
cerebral palsy,
night, laughed
made
Reinforcement
amplified,
saw the
she could
make
and
lights increase,
157
Real World
in the
by continuing
teresting event to
happen, made
it
that
laugh
to
an
in-
and forced
to spot
and
to
be
failed to
wear
to
respond
to
to vocalize into
a helmet at
own
he
any visual
all
felt
times,
his
way
stimuli. Bev-
voice amplified.
Then she
real-
new
helped.
In an institutional setting this particular training toy ended
had only
in a closet. Beverly
pected to
initiate
a master's degree
up
no research
with colored
lights,
The point
of illumination
and sometimes
is
is
not the
not only
to the subject
in just a few
moments
of training time.
sometimes seems
to other
people as
human
if
behavior
human
a product of
is
ill,
from wars
is
a rich
is,
to
of
T.
is
inborn, as
C. Schneirla demonstrated
158
amount
of
what we do and
feel is a
good
to
erty ("territoriality").
if
And
ideas or prop-
much on
just as
on past experience or
future expectations.
at a
given
person
may behave
who
is
quite differently
ex-
else
going on.
see nothing
wrong with
we know about
we know about
is
And each
behavior
we
its
contents
tings
results.
tion
home, say
the reinforcing.
may be undermined by
A psychologist
set-
me
token
worked wonderfully
It
fell
apart completely,
when
established at an-
the tokens.
rightly,
whole
And with
think) as an insult
effort
when
offenders, the
crumbled.
Reinforcement
to foster not just specific behavior
society
say, a
You
reinforce creativity
living in a loft in
and reinforced
him.
it
know how
don't
159
in
anything
it
bold,
middle
with two dolphins
anthologized by
unusual cat
going to
attentive, loyal,
At Sea
age.
in
and
Life
full
Park
school and
art
became
most
of delightful sur-
we shaped
creativity
was
stuff
to another.
But training
"shifts" the
curve for
at.
dampening
for
creativity rather
would
is
is
sometimes
than encouraging
warranted,
it's
it.
criticized
think that
value of innovating,
stealing props,
by
predictable
are un-
everybody behaved
like
our
individual creativity
is
tors
I
who do
it
succeed.
forcement
is
doing that
is
on individuals
information
working.
If
of positive reinforcement
it's
we have
itself.
Rein-
how to
get the
160
environment
are
some
obvious reason
on such
like to learn
to get
some
success.
what
control over
ment
is
is
for the
happening.
And
the reason
is
powerful reinforcer.
One
results.
we
like to
little
people
up,
we
at its
extent depends
So subjects
actually get
then
to reinforce us,
no longer
gets absolutely
is
in itself
an extremely
hooked on
the experi-
is
that
at
it
happened
it
When was
trainer.
untamed
dol-
phin, having been shaped with a marker signal, the whistle, and
"hand-tame"
it
or train
it
to
do
so.
have seen
this
itself to
effort
by us
happen with
made
if
pets
The
of.
as
an attachment,
too.
remember
Shanti the elephant and that wolf, D'Artagnan, with respect, and
even have a
happens,
believe,
is
dunderheaded polar
bear.
What
tends to turn the participants into generalized conditioned reinforcers for each other.
The
trainer
is
citing,
On
Comrades
the level of
become
attached.
in the battle of
human
interaction,
Not dependent,
just at-
life.
good use of
effects. It
positive rein-
and
Reinforcement
teaches
makes
them
to
in
of positive reinforcers.
If
in part a
all, is
two people
at reinforcing
pair.
mean
down
dler in a stroller
baby began
to fret, the
healthful snacks
the street,
mother pushing
and nuts
fall
a tod-
raisins
It
mutual exchange
good
get really
Good use
161
and
little
bag of
her hand away Trying to do the right thing, she was conscien-
check
for
None
that
place.
first
and
seems
to
me
punitive society.
that colors
all
that
We
society.
American society
is,
much
of our judgment,
A switch
foundation, raised
teachers, selected
money
by
freedom, a
some
and with-
organizations,
whole portion of
their
It
style in
its
locally,
faculty
little
town
good schoolteachers,
vote,
in Ari-
set
and community
no
to positive rein-
up
amounting
to five
at
in
high
program seemed
typical
to
mixed bag of
races, ethnic
162
national testings.
What
good idea
made
It
less often
may take
is
in
but the
itself,
fact
is at this
moment
in our cul-
becoming an acceptable
idea,
run by intent
(as
much
up
entirely
of
it is
already
of
sometimes
archies.
all,
and
such
as
Idealistic societies, in
fail
to take into
we must
inevitable
and
in fact
think
imagina-
account or seek to
establish
We
are social
dominance
Whether
society,
run).
but badly
Skinners imaginary
on contingencies
and should be
is
hier-
in
all
absolutely
to
reduce
to
keep growling
that individual
and tendencies,
and group
are too
status,
complex
conflict.
it.
feel
at least
on
long-term
basis.
Reinforcement
we
aid to countries
warding someone
on
backfires even
party so
I'd
it
hope of gain
wanted
to get
us
realize this
minded
the
Tilly's
on! Re-
work;
me
to
her
being ex-
this
first
What
if
they
if
place?
simplistic,
but
also think
is
it
simple-
to
tell
you
on an individual
work. As a na-
we ought
level,
to
be continu-
am
it
What
better.
mad in
may be
wonder what
any
stupidly,
Come
to oneself doesn't
bring a present;
is
163
else in
misbehave
Real World
unceasingly prefer to do
in the
What
actually reinforcing?
is
to
comes aware of
the dualistic,
one
to
two-way nature of
It
is
Who
both
learn.
is
the trainer
and who
is
own
as a
and
method
be-
time.
One
communion.
more aware of
this
and
of
soci-
with
shifts
in
just
as species
changes must begin in the individual gene. Social change cannot be dictated from above
is
wrong,
at least
have
a right
not only to
164
understanding of reinforcement
frees
to benefits for
is
all.
an individual experience,
of,
and enhance
not the mechanistic aspects of living but the rich and wonderful
diversity of all behavior.
6
Clicker Training:
A New Technology
When
still
On
was
first
and
institutional settings,
easily
under-
stood ways for untrained people to use their science. But with
dog owners
a
it
was beginning
to
be
different. Ian
Dunbar, D.VM.,
Dog!
It
was
B.
F.
Skinner himself
May
who
first
began in
at the
This was followed a few days later by a "Don't Shoot the Dog!" semi-
mammal
The
166
little
One
them.
nars,
were,
People took to
signals.
shop made
in a novelty
marker
activities
The people
fessional trainers,
were attorneys,
they spawned,
movement.
pilots,
law enforcement
com-
officers, teachers,
and an
analytical turn of
we who
kicked
it
off
far-
it
in Virginia
made
a video
showing
how
to
use the clicker to teach dogs about thirty tricks, ranging from the
easy (ring a bell to be
biscuit
let
to another). Steve
officer
One
dogs.
first
its tail
Dog
was wagging
the
Rosemary Besenick,
clients,
some
of
own
on
its
whole time,
in Texas,
whom
were
helper dogs.
and won
at
Westminster.
up
and
list
trainers
jumped on board
the Internet
and
students,
teaching
among
on the Internet
clicker
these
of Skinner's
first
graduate
and
Clicker Training:
A Mew Technology
167
new
public
audience.
An
astronomer in
New
on the ever-growing
posts
lists:
New York
horses
State,
all
all
for
re-
their
how
to
keys or
TV
open the
skills
remote,
were teaching
how
who
asked for
it?
Of
it.
Then
train
there
The
drink
and bring
was the
your dog
course.
dogs
their
great
to retrieve a
real
show-offs
human consumption.
What was happening was a sort of group creation of a new
technology: a new application of an existing science. You could
the cheeseburger arrived a bit too slimy for
never do this physically; you could never, for example, have that
many
communicating
effectively face-to-face.
many
As Canadian
thinkers
clicker trainer
Manhattan
gether
Project:
a lot of
them, working
to-
on one technology.
effects of
began
to observe
some
by the
New
168
to the
even a
signal
humans, and so on
friendliness to
fish
train
creature
that
becomes
Any
fish?
While these
fish,
commonly
their
That
fish
became king of
little
tank
its
marker
interested in you.
swim through
shaped
hoop and
to follow a target.
and banging
and
signal.)
and
positive reinforcers
I'd
known
the castle in
my
for
far.
spreading
its fins
and
gills
and making
attack- feints.
It
show biz
and
life,
got
even though
all its
food
it
became, to
and
friendly,
retired
from
free.
Long-Term Recall
Whatever the
is
I
once learned,
that behavior,
knew
this
was
is
couldn't be sure
it
mon
when
reactions,
clicker training,
is
their
astonishment
how
at
of the
most com-
it
and brushing
prove
it)
it
up, the
way you
in the behavior,
retrain-
and
know
it's
of yet
reinforcers.
marker
re-
signal,
A New Technology
Clicker Training:
Here's
one of my
cousins' children,
word good
forcer,
as a
One
marker
signal
at the
and
bits of
ham
cat sitting
as the
on
like to train
my
the
primary rein-
the piano
minutes. Cats
five
amuse
With
and plunking
about
favorite
169
people to produce
bench
this takes
treats pre-
it
years later
downstairs:
gation, he
Someone seemed
my
cousin called to
to
And
at the
had been
The
who
on
the piano
meowing
sitting
cat offered a
learned behavior to ask, not for food this time, but for
ferred sleeping place.
that
On investi-
as usual,
me
tell
effort
was
its
pre-
a success.
Accelerated Learning
Another newly apparent element of clicker training
tion of learning that occurs with
(some of
whom
may accomplish
tablish
Competent
is
the accelera-
clicker trainers
by conventional
found so
it.
training.
The most
months or years
clear-cut
examples
to es1
have
traditional train-
is
also very
uniform. People have been developing and testing this very precise
set of
show up
clearly
even two
1.
From Karen
to
70
Open
the highest
Utility,
testing level.
Now people
behaviors in
finishing
all
little
down, come,
signals for
woman
and so on,
sit,
dog
to
hand
do the same
all
the Utility
in three minutes,
by
the breed
is
not
known
shortly thereafter,
this
is
for intellect.)
said she
Some people
and
of old age
life.
This
trainee both.
me
they have
become
diagnostic tools.
When
me
and
tell
just
happened
in a
the
months
clicker timing
down
pat,
them work,
can be
nology correctly
is
new
clicker trainer
is
things in a morning,
and then
Wouldn't
it
be fun
clicker training
make use
to
came
my
horse three
and
clicker-
pig." Click!
will
new
Clicker Training:
A New Technology
71
training
is
that
to
life.
This, of course,
havior;
click
you
is
out to teach
set
might use
it
again
if
it,
Once
you need
my
his
trained
named James.
clicker
some new
and food
treats
you
you
thing;
clicker.
owns
a clicker-
Pat
riders, pulling
what
to "explain"
Daucy
The
that.
For example,
is
is
wagons and
all
sleighs,
fully
edu-
hand
signals.
He
balls,
with his nose, coming into the barn, going out of the barn,
bells
The
vet de-
bucket of
warm
the bucket.
water, set
James took
it
it
James took
it
in.
is
a small
it
out.
woman.
Physi-
cal force
horses.
What
to
back out
to the barn.
and Pat
clicker.
She came
and
ment
No
stand, he didn't
was needed
my
foot in the
James
what was wanted, and when he did under-
carrot
mind doing
it.
72
and Creativity
Clicker Training
my dolphin-training days
During
some
at
psychology-classroom
after
year to
me whether
it
new
Now
perimentation and
training
The
teacher click.
how
to
you watched
If
by-product of clicker
intrinsic
and
makes her
it
think.
is
her ears on
to learn
command,
being
had something
it
or even
who was
show
knew
the
so as to look alert
grain.
she
make
game, you
be true of animals?
also
in the
ring.
engaged in
that will
or at least ex-
a kind of game:
that
an
initiative, is
creativity,
to
do with her
click.
And
ears.
ing her head erect, she rotated her ears individually: one forward,
one back; then the reverse; then she flopped both ears
like a rabbit,
something
straight
didn't
know
went forward
It
at
a horse
to the sides
could do on pur-
it
was
also sad:
seem
to like to
do
Some owners
it.
to canine initiative
We
and they
and experimentation
become so accustomed
on the dog
"offering behaviors,"
Many
dogs that
used
at
Do
game with
their
Clicker
dog
session the
object.
and
is
clicked for
I\ew Technology
73
of manipulating the
click the
dog
for sniffing
might
Tr;i i n i ng:
let
the
dog discover
pawing
and then
it
for
bumping
it
with his
it
that
it
and eventu-
ally getting into the box is what works. The dog might also come
up with dragging the box, or lifting and carrying the box. One
dog, faced anew with the challenge of the box game, got all his
toys and put them into the box. Click! My Border terrier once
tipped the box over onto herself and then scooted around under
it,
in the
room laughed
Some dogs
which seemed
hysterically,
to please her.
like
dolphins
ideas as any
and horsesseem
to
A much-debated
outsiders,
is
still
wisdom
result will
many
its ears:
You
its
head (and
it
hit
knows
it
the
if
they mix
reinforcement of desirable behavior with punishment or correction of behavior that they don't want,
74
First, the
ful,
which
learn,
to school,
is
if
and
stops wanting to
when
it's
They pant,
am
dog
it
chance, to
make
its
a guess, to try to
forceable behavior.
happen
is
ways
show you
to
to
no
wonderful
If it
on the
euphemism
"correction," as a
to
and
we
to
come up on
guesses wrong,
fine.
its
is
free to take a
own
with rein-
The worst
that
can
of,
and
that leads
results.
over and over again: the global behavior of the learner changes.
more
soldiers":
Under
this
They do what
they're told,
regimen, even
interested in their
own
if
life
than in what-
They
are therefore
Furthermore,
in school.
A New Technology
Clicker Training:
In contrast, clicker training
Play
is
I've
and sign
havior,
teacher didn't
"play"
know
75
an important component.
is
new be-
When
of what behavior
They
am told,
run around in
dictable
and
replicable,
and
it is
When
value.
It is
worth
that
much more
it
become
own
He can
little
dog
who
a papillon, a
little
The dog
very
cat.
gets
When
down
off
is
is
TV re-
under the
reinforcing. Here's
pre-
acquires
a clicker-training instructor
is
is
produces
ele-
are happy.
This event
itself.
dogs
it,
and
fertile
an animal participates
enormous
They
circles chirping.
self is
he and Debbie go
The laws of
is
not always
an embarrassed
how
to
do
it.
counterintuitive
giggle,
it
"Does
could. But
all
New
of us,
clicker
this
work
you have
to
easy.
and
reinforce behavior
practice.
you do
like,
76
"I
was
"I
doing
used
to
Now
know what?
to zero."
to
way
like these:
stopped jerking
still
rection.
the
began
ing.
my
dogs
but
for
me
it
has changed
my life."
Clicker training, so simple and straightforward, had given people not just intellectual insight but also a
apply across
many behavioral
Nowadays
new
set of tactics to
settings.
has become
common-
homes
use
the technology
with their
new
skills.
A mother is
make
for
it
can make
life
Parents are learning to shape appropriate behavior instead of accidentally reinforcing inappropriate behavior: to reinforce silence,
It is
is
It's
Best of
cently
her family
when
yell.
He
Clicker Training:
he
wasn't crying
anyway
yet,
A New Technology
was
making
just
a very
77
loud
noise to protest the length of the drive and his incarceration in his
and we were
car seat;
still
My sevenbrother,
little
calmly got rid of the yelling by reinforcing longer and longer peri-
ods of
silence.
grin.
The
reinforcer?
One
lick
of Wylie's lollipop.
When
to
about
fifty
Sharon Ames,
educators,
a
and reinforcement
three-and-a-half-year-old twins.
Though
supposed bedtime,
eight p.m.
three hours or
was the
more
twins'
to get the
little
forcer. In the
penny
for
first
this:
was taking
it
jars,
as the rein-
and
in the bath. Click for getting out, click for getting into pajamas,
lights
went
if
life.
(Sharon told
me
they found
it
more
effective to click
very
78
use the clicker with the twins. Then Sharon's mother adopted a
dog. She complained about
pet.
"Why
don't
Sharon
clicker?"
said.
do you
really think
it's
Applications
man
One
applications.
wonderful for
it
is
training.
is difficult
turning to look
hands
at the
all
training a
the smallest
good thinking:
new
one.
of the hands
lift
late.
and pin
always
much
it
A click,
down
however, can
forever.
initiative
and
for
for
so.
pilot
to build
it's
occurring.
My
seems
is
flight instructor
clicking
in flight
For example,
when
mark
of behavior that
hands
an
in this case,
skill
competency
such as instrument
faster,
flying,
is
retained well. Every pilot I've talked to since this project started
pricks
ment
up
rating
and
skills
Clicker training
is
also
much more
"When you
escalate
try
harder to find
get a click,
A New Technology
Clicker 'framing:
79
It's
yelled at."
My
England Center
The
New
my
for Children, in
two hundred
to children
students,
is
work with
the
New
Southborough, Massachusetts.
and
a five-hundred-person staff
with developmental
consulting
We
an event marker
sometimes
a clicker,
sometimes not
developmental
center,
who
deficits.
at the
major in education or
From
a related field.
and
What
on
teachers
My
we
their
own
to
will
tions.
respond
ap-
its
with
is
who
for the
criteria.
me
great
hope
that
seemed
skills,
sig-
in-
to benefit
deficits
instructions.
Some
teachers
wish
to
England Center,
an interest in
proven yet
to scientifi-
it
might
lift
us clicker
applications.
New
and make
One
this is
and
its
180
What's next? Trainers have been joining the Association for Behavior Analysis (ABA) and presenting papers and symposia at the
and further
further
we used
nize concepts
We
are
many
of the
meanwhile dipping
flu-
and adduction.
ency, latency,
researchers
is
phenomena we
to discover a
group of
schoolrooms
The applications
they have developed are called Precision Teaching and Direct Instruction.
The technology
of the primary
side
sites, a
is
tremendously
effective.
visited
one
named Morning-
Most students
at this
sixty children at
is
is at least
at-
No
but
it
refund
offers a full
if
by two
full
The
self-reinforcing
own
by one,
own
progress.
The gains
are
but they
can pay
raising
your
forcers
course are
all
skill level
also
off in rein-
over, for
one minute,
for,
to nine as fast as
he could, over
Clicker Training:
somehow
made
I\ew Technology
clearly
him
That of course
down
is
girl's
just a tiny
Johnson and
ing. Dr.
running
much
and there
phone number. So
sample of
larger
vators like
make any
program
TV
in the
is
science,
you have
my
yourself.
dog," or "Fix
You
To
to parents.
do something
to
and inno-
are the
You
my
primary
a participation sport.
Clicker Training
their
spread-
This
is
programs elsewhere.
trainer.
from
now
of this work,
it
his partner,
fix
people
numbers
might have
algebra to jotting
to write
little
181
branch of science
of Skinner,
There are
still
which conjures
control,
in
and
But for every one of those there are many more peowho are comfortable with the concept of positive reinforcement.
Some just give it lip service, of course. As Kathleen Weaver, the
founder of the Internet Clicker List, points out, we trainers mean
much more by the term clicker training than mere clicker-using.
Clicker "users," who may call themselves "positive" or "motivaelectric shock.
ple
tional" trainers,
to
mark
clicker,
marker
no
may
182
itself.
And
full
rapid
who
ticipating learners,
of the technology
we
call clicker
training.
new
tech-
mate
identifier
hope
so.
training;
become
a planetary
But that
to the Internet,
veterinarian in Singapore.
lips) to click
Or an Englishwoman writes
my
who
trainers in Finland
ulti-
of teaching
website, www.dontshoot-
month, from
"hits" a
at least
There
is
com-
tuned in on crystal
are pioneering.
We
sets
don't
if
when
much
the same:
We
know where we
will
end up
yet.
Aaron Lynch, author of Thought Contagion, quotes from communication engineering science on the special communication
in-
he says,
must have
it
and
it
It
must be
That's certainly
what happened
for the
easy;
it
must be something
dog owners.
fits
the
When
could never do
that." Or,
"My
Clicker Training:
dog
trained
do
it?
in action
Show me.
You
can't
Let
tell,
A New Technology
me
183
that?
Can
try."
what
in advance,
and
at
tremendous
rates;
but
it
bles
it
To fetch a
had
to
toy, like a
was
all
all
kinds of
new
do
too?"
back
is
"It's
done.
going to be fun."
hope
she's right
know
she's right
It
bottle.
genie
Resources
The Association
1201 Oliver
for
Behavior Analysis
Street
Hall,
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Tel.
616-387-8341
www.wmich.edu/aba
The
Trainers
CA 95017
800-PET-DOGS
www.apdt.com
Davis,
Tel. 1
Positive training
at
Northlake
GA 30084
800-223-6191
setting.
Resources
185
MA 01742
978-369-2227
www.behavior.org
and the
public.
The powerful
website can steer you toward the information you need and the
who
people
have
it
Book
Catalog
Service
Box 2778
Wenatchee,
Tel.
WA 98807-2778
800-776-2665
for pet-training
The
titles.
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Membership
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all.
WA 98122
206-329-9412
cational applications.
The
New England
33 Turnpike Road
Southboro,
MA 01772
t86
Tel.
Resources
508-481-1015
www.necc.org
Specializing in applied behavior analysis, serving children with
49 River
Inc.
Street
MA 02453
800-47CLICK or 781-398-0754
Waltham,
Tel.
www.clickertraining.com
Publisher and distributor of books and videos on positive reinforcement, clicker training, Precision Teaching, and other
by
mail.
human
and
free
Acknowledgments
I'd like to
encouragement and
on
the
first
and
commentary
and on the
revisions.
His wise and kindly guidance contributed vastly to this more in-
formed and
hope
more
useful
new
edition.
Any new
or re-
speak
at the
ABA
for inviting
me
new
to
me to take myself and my work more seriMyrna Libby and Vincent Strully, for giving me the opportunity to work at the New England Center for Children; and the
late Kenneth Norris, for making me a dolphin trainer and getting
Ellie Reese, for forcing
ously;
me
into
all this
trouble in the
Wilkes
first
place.
seminars
we put on
enormous fun
as well,
problem of training
Since then the
and
was
huge
effort,
trainers.
community
Acknowledgments
188
blend of
brilliance, creativity,
cially grateful to
list I
know
of,
all
many
and
valuable
owners),
White
Morgan Spector
to
and her
and
staff (pet
Amy Logan
(llamas),
Myrna Libby
is
Bailey
(all
(children),
ages and
just beginning;
trip.
it's
(falconry),
Jim and
Mike Pryor
(adults),
all
species).
a joy to
The next
have so
many
karen pryor
is
a writer
and
a behavioral biologist.
She was a
at
B.
F.
logical Park.
She
is
a trustee of the
Cambridge Center
for Behavioral
Sciences.
Her
first
book, Nursing Your Baby, has sold more than two million
Pryor
is
updated a revised
and
pers.
She
ioral
publishing company.
is
the founder
some
edition.
Inc., a
behav-
She
lives in the
Boston
area.
Index
9-10
addictions, 145-47
fish,
actors,
160
domesticated, 115-16
80
giraffes,
hyena, 155-56
178-79
alcohol addiction, 145-47
Ames, Sharon, 177
animals, 153-57
affection in,
160
apes, 47, 61
and, 8
late reinforcers
llamas,
153-54
6-7
medicating
of,
negative reinforcement
used with,
5,
110
77
camels, 75
parrot,
pigs,
25,
35-36
156
dogs, see dogs
63
140-41
seals,
153
titmice,
59
192
animals, (cont'd)
traditional training
98-147
anxiety,
84-85
143-45
126
for
complicated problems,
141-47
with, 47, 61
81-83
see also
changing motivation,
134-39
extinction,
reinforcement, negative
176-77
attention span of,
63
and, 112-13
punishment
of,
of,
punishment, 103-9;
see
punishment
126-31
131-34
5-6
100-103
training an incompatible
62
Bailey,
Bob, 166-67
Bailey,
Marian Breland,
166-67
behavior,
122-26
baseball, 9
in,
see also
reinforcement, negative
cue,
negative reinforcement
142-43
negative reinforcement,
also
117-21
109-16;
punishment;
shaping
145-47
for addictions,
154-55
breakdown of, 88
teaching dog to play
Frisbee, 89-90
behaviorism (operant
142
brainwashing, 67
Brearley School,
57-58
Breland, Keller, 15
conditioning), xii-xiii,
bribery,
15-16,70, 162
193
Index
bus
urinating behavior
in,
100-101
133, 138
business management:
training to dance,
35-36
children:
wanting to move
back in with you, 102,
132, 137
adult,
151-53
Butcher, Dave, 140-41
reinforcement
in,
177
caffeine
addiction, 145-47
developmentally disabled,
camels, 75
capital
cats,
punishment, 100
10
conditioned aversive
signals and,
18-19
displacement behavior
142
let
out-of-doors, after
confinement, 121
on kitchen table,
methods for dealing
noisy in
getting
long-term
recall of
behavior
169
in,
in,
learned
59-60
negative reinforcement
and, 116
punishment
105-6
159
stuck in
of, 5,
42, 103,
105
reinforcement schedules
for,
21
110-11,
134-35
teaching to swim,
47-48
timing of reinforcers
trees,
targets for,
59-60
80
86
tantrums
of,
102, 104,
punishment
51
mimicry
car,
for,
8-9
whining
in,
117-18
194
chores, 42
cigarette
62
crab,
145-47
creativity,
159, 172-73
crocheting, 60
xii,
in,
173-74
dancing, 60
Davis, Debbie, 175
169-70
deprivation,
172-73
establishing cues in, 71-72
as fun, 174-75
creativity and,
for,
82-83
baby and, 112
171
139-41
95
discipline,
in,
barking
at night,
methods
long-term
recall of
behaviors learned
in,
168-69
long-term side-effects
of,
167-69
for people,
treats in,
Internet,
175-81
58
17
xiii,
65
166-67, 182
conditioned reinforcers,
13-15
behavior chains
in,
88
choke chains on,
81-82
86-87,
19,
81-83
keep-going signals, 17-18
aversive, 18-20,
behavioral tendencies of
breeds, 63
targeting in,
computers,
begging, 122
punishment
103
172-73
door, 130-31
creativity in,
crying at
deterioration of behavior
in,
50
195
Index
in discrimination tests,
24
displacement behavior
in,
70-73
Invisible
bad behaviors
126-27
103
of,
Fence systems
for,
82-83
and, 8
172
51
jackpots and, 12
out-of-doors, after
keep-going signals
confinement, 121
30
mimicry and, 59
modeling of, 61, 62
no-reward markers for, 20
off-leash behaviors of, 42
medicating
of,
in obstacle course
competitions, 18
prelearning dips
punishment
of,
for,
17-18
limited-hold training
84
mimicry in, 60
moving to new tank, 45
prelearning dips in, 93
93
in,
103, 105
duration behaviors
reinforcement, 113-15
social signals of,
154
staying ahead
in
30-31
in,
24,25,26
of,
shaping, 45
on
targets for,
80
time-outs
89-90
teaching to
training
time
sit,
69,
70-72
for,
sleeping
for,
17-18
let
122-23,
in,
conditioned reinforcers
13,
late reinforcers
160
140
housebreaking
168
xii,
affection in,
amount
142
for,
dolphins,
of,
169-70
types of signals
79
for,
49
one behavior
40-41
training to
wear blindfolds,
126-27
types of signals
for,
75
reinforcement
for,
43-44
for,
75
21-22
variable schedules of
at a
in,
dominance, 108
t96
DRO
(Differential
Reinforcement of Other
behavior),
Ian,
gum
131-34
guilt
habituation, 121
Ham
165
(chimpanzee), 156
hawks, 26
elephants, 10, 155, 175
Herrnstein, Richard, 62
employee, shirking or
Hilliard, Diana,
lazy,
32-33
homework, 29-30
Hoover (harbor seal), 153
horses, 5,7, 10, 110, 183
affection in,
extinction, 71,
117-21
extinction bursts,
167
160
anticipation in, 85
44
fish,
training
flight training,
creativity in,
178-79
food reinforcements,
10-11
football, 9,
155
halter-breaking
span
of,
63
52
of,
jackpots
for,
11-12
89-90
in,
142
foals, attention
85
172
displacement behavior
1, 3, 8,
Frisbee,
120
fighting,
for,
let
51
out-of-doors, after
confinement, 121
gambling, 22
giraffes,
80
Gish, Sheri, 56
Godfrey, Arthur, 48
golf,
41,61,62
Gordon, Ruth, 34
gorilla,
grief,
126
in living statues, 61
prelearning dips
in,
93
39
and timing of
of,
19
reinforcers, 9
197
Index
48
training to bow,
173
types of signals
for,
75-76
management,
see business
management
Martin, Judith, 61
memorization, 88-89
ice skating,
149-50
incompatible behavior,
military, 69,
74
unwanted behavior,
122-26
mongoose, 63
Morningside Academy,
180-81
Internet,
166-67, 182
jackpots,
11-13
motivation:
misreading
for
nagging, 110
acquisition of, 63
laser pointers,
80
lateness, chronic,
nail biting,
142-43
143-45
154-55, 156
negative reinforcement, see
learned helplessness, 67
reinforcement, negative
limited holds,
lions, 5
"No!," 19
83-84
Lindsley Ogden, 16
153
Children, 179
living statues, 61
llamas,
6-7
Logan, Jim, 6
loneliness,
126
long-duration behaviors,
24-26
in,
otter,
32-33
113
198
panda, 10
parrot,
77
people, 157-64
reinforcement, positive
in abusive relationships,
practice,
22-23
move back
in with you,
bossiness
in,
30
175-81
language acquisition
in,
63
for,
51, 52
(correction),
spouse coming
home
105
clicker training and,
conditioned aversive
18-20
signals and,
107
guilt
in
and, 47-48, 63
calls
65-67
telephone
punishment
133. 138
swimming
3-4
80
pnson, 101, 158
Pryor, Gale, 96-97, 130
Pryor, Michael, 159, 178-79
Pryor, Ted, 28-29
173-74
of,
tantrums, 92-94
presents, giving of,
174
132. 137
length of lessons
31,
41
Priest, Gary,
shaping
vs.,
rude bus
shaping
and, 1-2,
131-34
and shame
as,
108-9
interruptions of training
sessions as,
49
negative reinforcement
and, 5-6, 7
tests,
reinforcement
in,
23-24
63
Reese, Ellen, 16
199
Index
conditioned, 13-14, 18-20
defined,
schedules
timing
xi, 1,
4-7, 109-16
as,
overuse
23-24
words in,
111-12
of,
xi,
1,4,82, 148-64
26-29
affection and,
resources,
184-86
107-8
160
reward, x-xi
animals
see also
85-90
151-53
in behavior chains,
in business,
revenge, in punishment,
in animal training,
153-57;
33-34,
64-65
reinforcement, positive, x,
xii, xv,
13, 14, 15
accidental,
21-23, 25,
70
of, 7,
of,
42-44
18-20
signals,
uses
variable,
conditioned aversive
cues
157-64
148-51
29-31
in sports,
reinforcement, negative,
2,
10-11
society and,
7-10
of,
39-40
20-26,
42-44
size of,
of,
rituals
and
superstitions,
26-29, 146
Robbins, Jerome, 180
roommate, methods
for
of creativity, 159
differential (selective),
43-44, 131-34
fixed schedules of,
42
62
Schneirla, T.
jackpots, 11-13
24-26
"No!" and, 19
in organizations,
C, 157
Schonberg, Harold, 36
reinforcements
long schedules
scallop,
32-33
changing teachers
in,
generalized stimulus
control and, 91-92
homework, 29-30
47
200
school, (cont'd)
Morningside Academy,
180-81
increments
46
teachers in,
161-62
Schopenhauer, Arthur,
148
xii,
17,48,50,57,84, 122,
140, 159, 160, 172
new one
in,
44-45
when
behavior
50-51
deteriorates,
45-46
in,
47-49
58
ten laws of, 38-52
Training Game, 52-58
153
targeting in,
3,
140-41
161
shame and
of,
method
140-41
Sea World,
review
switching to another
shaping,
when
sex,
39-40
in,
xiv,
Schusterman, Ronald, 56
seals,
65-67
raising criteria in
guilt,
xiv, xv,
108-9
time
35-67, 70,
176-77
of absence of problem
behavior, 131-34
82, 156,
63
yourself,
46-47
in,
42-44
64-65
100-103
Sidman, Murray,
signals (cues),
7,
49, 111
68-69
85-90
of creativity, 159
conditioned aversive,
81-83
defined, 35
interrupting sessions
of,
establishment
of,
70-73
49
length of sessions
40-41
reinforcement
in,
variable schedule of
of,
51-52
methods vs. principles of,
37-38
mimicry in, 58, 59-61
modeling in, 58, 61-62
of,
77-79
problem behaviors,
126-31
for
types
skating,
75-76
149-50
of,
201
Index
skiing, 60,
150-51
Skinner, B. E,
73-74
rules of,
signal
magnitude and
fading
in,
targeting in,
77-79
79-81
types of signals
society,
reinforcement and,
157-64
golf,
50
148-51
football, 9,
uses
of,
75-76
74
superstitious behaviors,
26-29, 146
swimming, 47-48, 63
85
41, 61, 62
skiing, 60,
150-51
squash, 44-45
targeting, 58,
home in bad
mood, 102, 104, 114,
telephone
tennis, 60,
spouse, coming
132, 137
methods
for
84-85
85-90
in,
conditioned aversive
stimuli as cue in,
81-83
70-73
91-92
limited holds in, 83-84
poor, 69-70
and prelearning dips and
tantrums, 92-94
putting problem behavior
on cue, 126-31
generalized,
1-2, 31,
65
faulty swing,
68-69
establishing cue,
calls,
131-34
squash, 44-45
behavior chains
92-94
79-81
prelearning,
stimuli,
in,
94-97
Strauss, Richard,
76, 77, 78
tests
132, 137
and puzzles,
reinforcement
in,
23-24
182
thumb
sucking, 135
169-70
timing:
accidental patterns
27-28
of,
202
timing: (cont'd)
83-84
7-10
11,46,79
whales, 3,
of reinforcers,
whining, 117-18
titmice,
59
whistles, 13, 15
tourists,
58
Training
Game, 52-58
tuna,
93
twofers,
43
Woodhouse, Barbara, 82
Wylie, Philip, 12
Wylie, Ricky, 12
Walker, Michael, 93
166-67
zoos,
80
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