Canine Learning Theory Flashcards

Classical conditioning primarily creates associations between what?

Answer: A neutral stimulus and an involuntary response

Classical conditioning pairs a previously neutral stimulus with one that triggers an automatic, involuntary response.

In Pavlov's experiment, the food was the:

Answer: Unconditioned stimulus

Food naturally triggers salivation without any learning, making it the unconditioned stimulus.

Counterconditioning aims to do what to a dog's emotional response?

Answer: Change a negative association into a positive one

Counterconditioning replaces an unwanted emotional reaction with a desirable one by re-pairing the trigger with something pleasant.

Systematic desensitization works best when the trigger is presented at what intensity?

Answer: Below the threshold that provokes a reaction

Desensitization gradually exposes the dog to the trigger at low, sub-threshold levels to avoid triggering fear.

What is 'flooding' and why is it generally discouraged?

Answer: Full-intensity exposure that can worsen fear or cause trauma

Flooding exposes the dog to the full-strength trigger with no escape, risking sensitization and lasting trauma.

A dog that learned to associate the leash with walks gets excited at the sight of the leash. This is:

Answer: A conditioned response

The leash became a conditioned stimulus through pairing with walks, producing a learned conditioned response.

Trigger stacking refers to what phenomenon?

Answer: Multiple stressors accumulating until the dog reacts

Trigger stacking is when several stressors pile up, pushing the dog over its reactivity threshold.