Canine Psychology & Training: Reinforcement, Schedules, and Motivation

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering marker signals, reinforcement schedules, fluency criteria, biddability, and motivation mechanics in canine training.

Event Marker (Bridge)

A signal (such as a clicker, word, or bridging stimulus) used to mark desired behavior at the precise instant it occurs, bridging the delay in time between the performance of the behavior and the actual delivery of reinforcement.

Secondary Reinforcer

A neutral stimulus that acquires reinforcing value and causes pleasure solely through consistent pairing and association with a primary reinforcer.

No-Reward Marker (NRM)

A verbal signal (such as "oops," "nope," or "too bad") delivered when an animal offers an incorrect response; it indicates that no reward will be given and functions as a form of negative punishment to decrease the frequency of incorrect responses.

Keep Going Signal (KGS)

A cue used while an animal is performing a desired behavior to indicate that criteria are being met and to continue the behavior; it functions as a conditioned reinforcer in long-duration tasks and as a tertiary reinforcer when predicting an event marker.

Directional Keep Going Signal

A sophisticated cuing mechanism—often used in military applications—where a continuous tone directs an animal forward through unfamiliar terrain until turned off, prompting the animal to adjust direction until the tone resumes.

Unintentional Keep Going Signal

An accidental dependency created when a trainer chatters constantly during training, inadvertently turning the background talking into an obligatory component of the cue without which the animal hesitates or fails to complete the behavior.

Temporary Criteria

Intermediate approximations toward a final behavior that should be trained to approximately $80\%$ reliability before quickly advancing, preventing the learner from becoming stuck at an intermediate step.

Permanent Criteria

The final target behavior and standard of execution, which is trained to a significantly higher degree of reliability and fluency than any of the intermediate steps.

Precision

The fluency dimension that assesses whether the physical execution of a behavior looks ideal or perfect in the opinion of the trainer.

Latency

The fluency dimension measuring the elapsed time between the delivery of a cue and the exact moment the animal initiates the behavior.

Speed

The fluency dimension evaluating how quickly the behavior is executed once the animal has initiated the movement.

Distraction

The fluency dimension evaluating whether an animal can successfully perform the cued behavior regardless of concurrent environmental stimuli.

Duration

The fluency dimension assessing whether an animal can sustain a behavior for the full length of time requested by the handler.

Distance

The fluency dimension measuring whether an animal can perform a cued behavior at a physical remove from the handler, as well as the maximum span achievable.

Continuous Schedule of Reinforcement (CSR)

A schedule in which every single correct response is reinforced ($1$ behavior to $1$ reward), minimizing errors and learner frustration while maximizing attention during initial learning.

Variable Schedule of Reinforcement (VSR)

An intermittent schedule in which reinforcement is delivered irregularly based on varying quantities of responses or varying intervals of elapsed time.

Fixed Ratio (FR) Schedule

A reinforcement schedule where a reward is delivered only upon the completion of a predetermined, constant number of correct responses (e.g., piecework or paying after every $4\text{th}$ step).

Variable Ratio (VR) Schedule

A reinforcement schedule where reward delivery requires the completion of a fluctuating, unpredictable number of responses that centers on a target average (e.g., slot machines).

Fixed Interval (FI) Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that provides reinforcement for the first correct response after a set, constant period of time has elapsed (e.g., reinforcing the first response after exactly $4\,\text{seconds}$).

Variable Interval (VI) Schedule

A reinforcement schedule where the first correct response is reinforced after varying, unpredictable periods of time that average out to a set time frame.

Differential Reinforcement

An operant procedure combining extinction and reinforcement to decrease the likelihood of an undesirable behavior while simultaneously increasing the frequency of a desirable behavior.

Differential Reinforcement of Incompatible Behavior (DRI)

A schedule that reinforces a behavior that cannot physically occur at the same time as the problem behavior (e.g., reinforcing four paws on the floor to eliminate jumping).

Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior (DRA)

A schedule that reinforces an alternative, more desirable behavior that is not necessarily physically incompatible with the target problem behavior (e.g., rewarding whining rather than barking in the car).

Differential Reinforcement of Other Behavior (DRO)

A schedule that reinforces the delivery of a reward whenever the target problem behavior has not occurred during a specified timeframe (e.g., rewarding anything except biting).

Differential Reinforcement of Low Rates (DRL)

A schedule where reinforcement occurs only after a minimum amount of time has elapsed since the last response, used to reduce the rate of a behavior without extinguishing it entirely.

Differential Reinforcement of High Rates (DRH)

A schedule that requires responses to occur rapidly or within a brief time frame to produce reinforcement, used to increase response frequency and speed.

Limited Hold

A restriction added to a schedule of reinforcement where the availability of the reinforcer is restricted to a fixed window of time (such as requiring a behavior to begin within $2\text{--}3\,\text{seconds}$ of the cue).

Jackpot

An unexpectedly large, high-value, or long-lasting reinforcer delivered for exceptional execution, a breakthrough on a difficult behavior, or sparingly at random to maintain lottery-like motivation.

Biddability

A dog's innate desire, intrinsic eagerness, and constant inclination to work with, learn from, remain engaged with, and comply with the direction of their human handler.

Self-Interested Dog

A dog that pursues its own desires, exhibits low inclination to comply with handler direction, lacks intrinsic motivation to seek solutions for the handler, and remains largely unfazed by punishment or lack of reinforcement.

Extrinsic Motivation

Drive generated by external reinforcers or consequences, including food, toys, monetary rewards, social praise, or avoidance of penalties.

Intrinsic Motivation

Drive generated by internal rewards, personal interest, fun, fulfillment, or inherent enjoyment derived from the activity itself.

The Three Ps of Motivation

A framework consisting of Pleasure (making engagement enjoyable and tapping positive emotion), Paycheck (external rewards compensating hard tasks), and Penalty (fair, minimal negative consequences steering away from undesirable choices).

External Regulation

The most controlled type of extrinsic motivation under Ryan & Deci's self-determination model, driven entirely by external pressure, tangible rewards, or the threat of punishment ("I have to do it").

Introjected Regulation

A form of controlled extrinsic motivation driven by internal pressures, such as pride, fear, guilt, or shame.

Identified Regulation

A form of autonomous extrinsic motivation where an individual chooses to perform an action because they recognize its usefulness, practical value, or personal relevance.

Internal Regulation

The purest form of autonomous intrinsic motivation, driven by pure enjoyment, personal passion, interest, and fun ("I want to do it").

High-Value Food Hierarchy

The relative ranking of edible rewards determined by the learner; the highest value items are generally characterized as novel, stinky, and soft/moist.

Consent Test

A tactile evaluation technique where a handler pauses physical contact to observe the dog's behavior, determining whether the animal genuinely desires touch or finds it aversive.

Life Rewards

Naturally occurring environmental reinforcers—such as access to sniffing, free running, or exploration—granted conditionally upon the completion of a desired behavior.

Reinforcement History

The cumulative total of past rewards an animal has earned for performing a specific behavior (analogous to collecting tokens in a jar), which dictates the future strength and reliability of the response.

Matching Law

A behavioral principle stating that the relative rate of performance of concurrent behaviors correlates mathematically with the relative rate and magnitude of reinforcement available for each behavior.