Dog Training Canine Learning Theory 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Classical conditioning primarily creates associations between what?
- A neutral stimulus and an involuntary response (Correct answer)
- A behavior and its consequence
- Two different commands
- A reward and a punishment
Correct answer: A neutral stimulus and an involuntary response
Classical conditioning pairs a previously neutral stimulus with one that triggers an automatic, involuntary response.
Question 2: In Pavlov's experiment, the food was the:
- Unconditioned stimulus (Correct answer)
- Conditioned stimulus
- Conditioned response
- Neutral stimulus
Correct answer: Unconditioned stimulus
Food naturally triggers salivation without any learning, making it the unconditioned stimulus.
Question 3: Counterconditioning aims to do what to a dog's emotional response?
- Change a negative association into a positive one (Correct answer)
- Suppress all responses through punishment
- Increase fear to build tolerance
- Remove the cue entirely
Correct 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.
Question 4: Systematic desensitization works best when the trigger is presented at what intensity?
- Below the threshold that provokes a reaction (Correct answer)
- At maximum intensity immediately
- Randomly varying high and low
- Only when the dog is asleep
Correct 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.
Question 5: What is 'flooding' and why is it generally discouraged?
- Full-intensity exposure that can worsen fear or cause trauma (Correct answer)
- Rewarding too frequently, slowing learning
- Using too many commands at once
- Overfeeding during a session
Correct 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.
Question 6: A dog that learned to associate the leash with walks gets excited at the sight of the leash. This is:
- A conditioned response (Correct answer)
- An unconditioned reflex
- Negative punishment
- Extinction
Correct answer: A conditioned response
The leash became a conditioned stimulus through pairing with walks, producing a learned conditioned response.
Question 7: Trigger stacking refers to what phenomenon?
- Multiple stressors accumulating until the dog reacts (Correct answer)
- Stacking treats to increase value
- Teaching tricks in sequence
- Repeating a cue several times
Correct answer: Multiple stressors accumulating until the dog reacts
Trigger stacking is when several stressors pile up, pushing the dog over its reactivity threshold.
Dog Training Canine Learning Theory 3
Classical conditioning primarily creates associations between what?