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The Laws of Positive Reinforcement
Jun. 15th, 2006 10:44 pmSuch as it is.
Well, I'm a dog trainer. Or at least I will be when I complete my training in a grand total of... (checks watch) two weeks. At my store we use something that is euphmistically termed 'reward-based reinforcement'. This is actually because the real terms that animal behaviorists use are very confusing. Don't know what I mean? I'll explain.
We've all heard of the term 'positive reinforcement'. We think it means rewarding good behavior, and it does... just not quite in the way most people mean. Positive reinforcement brings to mind images of goodies for a dog who sat on command, or pretty stickers on a chart for a kid that did their chores. Another term, 'negative reinforcement' is generally considered the opposite of positive reinforcement, and therefore bad. But what about positive punishment, and negative punishment? Which one's bad, and which one's good?
The problem with the terminology is that people place a value-judgement on 'positive' and 'negative' that really doesn't belong. 'Positive' is nothing more then adding something to the interaction with the training subject. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. 'Negative' is subtracting something from the interaction with the training subject. Again, what you are subtracting could be good or bad.
Added to that are two other words that are also emotionally loaded, although they shouldn't be. 'Reinforcement' and 'Punishment'. A Reinforcer is something that increases the likelyhood of a behavior being expressed. A Punshiment decreases the likelyhood of a behavior being expressed.
To put it simply:
Positive Reinforcement is giving something the dog wants (a treat, a toy, a walk, playtime with other dogs, etc) for a good behavior. Giving a dog a treat for sitting is positive reinforcement.
Negative Reinforcement is taking something away the dog finds unpleasent (loosening the pinch-collar) to reward the dog for good behavior.
Positive Punishment is giving something to the dog that they find unpleseant to decrease bad behavior. For example, a static-shock from a bark-collar.
Negative Punishment is taking away something that the dog finds desirable because of bad (or rather incorrect) behavior. Withholding a treat because the dog jumped up on a person to greet them instead of sitting as asked would be negative punishment.
Clear as mud, yes?
Well, I'm a dog trainer. Or at least I will be when I complete my training in a grand total of... (checks watch) two weeks. At my store we use something that is euphmistically termed 'reward-based reinforcement'. This is actually because the real terms that animal behaviorists use are very confusing. Don't know what I mean? I'll explain.
We've all heard of the term 'positive reinforcement'. We think it means rewarding good behavior, and it does... just not quite in the way most people mean. Positive reinforcement brings to mind images of goodies for a dog who sat on command, or pretty stickers on a chart for a kid that did their chores. Another term, 'negative reinforcement' is generally considered the opposite of positive reinforcement, and therefore bad. But what about positive punishment, and negative punishment? Which one's bad, and which one's good?
The problem with the terminology is that people place a value-judgement on 'positive' and 'negative' that really doesn't belong. 'Positive' is nothing more then adding something to the interaction with the training subject. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. 'Negative' is subtracting something from the interaction with the training subject. Again, what you are subtracting could be good or bad.
Added to that are two other words that are also emotionally loaded, although they shouldn't be. 'Reinforcement' and 'Punishment'. A Reinforcer is something that increases the likelyhood of a behavior being expressed. A Punshiment decreases the likelyhood of a behavior being expressed.
To put it simply:
Positive Reinforcement is giving something the dog wants (a treat, a toy, a walk, playtime with other dogs, etc) for a good behavior. Giving a dog a treat for sitting is positive reinforcement.
Negative Reinforcement is taking something away the dog finds unpleasent (loosening the pinch-collar) to reward the dog for good behavior.
Positive Punishment is giving something to the dog that they find unpleseant to decrease bad behavior. For example, a static-shock from a bark-collar.
Negative Punishment is taking away something that the dog finds desirable because of bad (or rather incorrect) behavior. Withholding a treat because the dog jumped up on a person to greet them instead of sitting as asked would be negative punishment.
Clear as mud, yes?