Dog Training Applied Learning Theory 2

Question 1

A dog learns that a clicker sound predicts a treat. The clicker is functioning as which type of reinforcer?

Accepted Answer

Conditioned (secondary) reinforcer

Answer

A clicker gains reinforcing value through association with food, making it a conditioned or secondary reinforcer.

Question 2

Which schedule of reinforcement produces behavior that is most resistant to extinction?

Accepted Answer

Variable ratio

Answer

Variable ratio schedules reward unpredictably, making the behavior persist strongly even when reinforcement stops.

Question 3

A dog stops jumping when you turn your back and remove attention. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Negative punishment

Answer

Removing something the dog wants (attention) to decrease a behavior is negative punishment.

Question 4

When a previously reinforced behavior temporarily increases in intensity after reinforcement stops, this is called:

Accepted Answer

An extinction burst

Answer

An extinction burst is a brief escalation of the behavior when expected reinforcement is withheld.

Question 5

Shaping a complex behavior works by reinforcing:

Accepted Answer

Successive approximations toward the goal

Answer

Shaping reinforces gradually closer approximations until the full target behavior is achieved.

Dog Training Practice Test