Training Petting Zoo Sheep to Act Like Petting Zoo Sheep: An Empirical Evaluation of Response-Independent Schedules and Shaping with Negative Reinforcement
Shaping through differential reinforcement of successive approximations to a target response has been a cornerstone procedure for the training of novel behavior. However, much of how it has traditionally been implemented occurs through informal observation, rather than any direct, systematic measure...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/7/1122 |
| _version_ | 1797563592448409600 |
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| author | Eduardo J. Fernandez |
| author_facet | Eduardo J. Fernandez |
| author_sort | Eduardo J. Fernandez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Shaping through differential reinforcement of successive approximations to a target response has been a cornerstone procedure for the training of novel behavior. However, much of how it has traditionally been implemented occurs through informal observation, rather than any direct, systematic measurement. In the present study, we examine the use of response-independent food schedules and shaping for increasing approach and contact behaviors in petting zoo sheep. In Experiment 1, a fixed-time (FT) 15 s food schedule was used to effectively increase approach and contact behaviors in one sheep. In Experiment 2, negative reinforcement in the form of removal of the presence of a trainer was made contingent on the successful completion of approximations within a shaping procedure and later switched to food rewards. A changing-criterion design was used to empirically examine the effects of the shaping procedure during each step of the program. The result is one of the first studies to demonstrate the utility of using negative reinforcement within a shaping procedure to successfully intervene on approach/avoidance behaviors in an applied animal setting. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:44:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-97eb46e1d7d64a4c8216dee597612518 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T18:44:41Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-97eb46e1d7d64a4c8216dee5976125182023-11-20T05:34:24ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-07-01107112210.3390/ani10071122Training Petting Zoo Sheep to Act Like Petting Zoo Sheep: An Empirical Evaluation of Response-Independent Schedules and Shaping with Negative ReinforcementEduardo J. Fernandez0School of Behavior Analysis, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901, USAShaping through differential reinforcement of successive approximations to a target response has been a cornerstone procedure for the training of novel behavior. However, much of how it has traditionally been implemented occurs through informal observation, rather than any direct, systematic measurement. In the present study, we examine the use of response-independent food schedules and shaping for increasing approach and contact behaviors in petting zoo sheep. In Experiment 1, a fixed-time (FT) 15 s food schedule was used to effectively increase approach and contact behaviors in one sheep. In Experiment 2, negative reinforcement in the form of removal of the presence of a trainer was made contingent on the successful completion of approximations within a shaping procedure and later switched to food rewards. A changing-criterion design was used to empirically examine the effects of the shaping procedure during each step of the program. The result is one of the first studies to demonstrate the utility of using negative reinforcement within a shaping procedure to successfully intervene on approach/avoidance behaviors in an applied animal setting.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/7/1122animal trainingcounterconditioninghusbandrynegative reinforcementoperant conditioningpetting zoo |
| spellingShingle | Eduardo J. Fernandez Training Petting Zoo Sheep to Act Like Petting Zoo Sheep: An Empirical Evaluation of Response-Independent Schedules and Shaping with Negative Reinforcement Animals animal training counterconditioning husbandry negative reinforcement operant conditioning petting zoo |
| title | Training Petting Zoo Sheep to Act Like Petting Zoo Sheep: An Empirical Evaluation of Response-Independent Schedules and Shaping with Negative Reinforcement |
| title_full | Training Petting Zoo Sheep to Act Like Petting Zoo Sheep: An Empirical Evaluation of Response-Independent Schedules and Shaping with Negative Reinforcement |
| title_fullStr | Training Petting Zoo Sheep to Act Like Petting Zoo Sheep: An Empirical Evaluation of Response-Independent Schedules and Shaping with Negative Reinforcement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Training Petting Zoo Sheep to Act Like Petting Zoo Sheep: An Empirical Evaluation of Response-Independent Schedules and Shaping with Negative Reinforcement |
| title_short | Training Petting Zoo Sheep to Act Like Petting Zoo Sheep: An Empirical Evaluation of Response-Independent Schedules and Shaping with Negative Reinforcement |
| title_sort | training petting zoo sheep to act like petting zoo sheep an empirical evaluation of response independent schedules and shaping with negative reinforcement |
| topic | animal training counterconditioning husbandry negative reinforcement operant conditioning petting zoo |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/7/1122 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT eduardojfernandez trainingpettingzoosheeptoactlikepettingzoosheepanempiricalevaluationofresponseindependentschedulesandshapingwithnegativereinforcement |