Graded Assignment
Thinking and Feeling Unit Test, Part 2
Part 1
You want to teach your dog, Rusty, to roll over. Define each of the following terms, and then
describe how you would apply each to teach Rusty to roll o
...
Graded Assignment
Thinking and Feeling Unit Test, Part 2
Part 1
You want to teach your dog, Rusty, to roll over. Define each of the following terms, and then
describe how you would apply each to teach Rusty to roll over.
• Operant conditioning
• Primary Reinforcement
• Shaping
Answer:
• Operant conditioning is a form of learning in which certain actions and behaviors are linked
to consequences or rewards. To teach Rusty to rollover using this concept, you can
command Rusty to roll over with your hand, while making a circular motion with your other
hand. Every time you repeat the process and Rusty rolls over successfully, you can reward
him with a treat. However, if Rusty fails to follow the commands, you can ignore Rusty for a
few moments before restarting the process. Eventually, Rusty will learn to associate rolling
over with a treat, and he will also associate bad behavior with being ignored.
• In terms of primary reinforcement, one may use something that is necessary for the
survival of Rusty as an incentive. For instance, food. To teach Rusty to roll over on
command, you may only feed Rusty when he rolls over correctly. In this example, we'll not
feed Rusty for the whole day. At 9:00 p.m. we show Rusty how to roll over a few times, then
give him a small amount of food. From that point on, you don't feed Rusty unless he rolls
over successfully.
• In shaping, you teach something one step at a time. You could give Rusty a reward for lying
on the floor. Then you only give him a reward when he lies on the floor on his belly, and
then rolls to his side. Then you reward him only when he lies on the floor on his belly, then
rolls to his side, then rolls to his back. You give a reward for doing a series of actions, and
keep adding on more steps as the dog learns them
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