Question

According to certain operant conditioning principles, what would be the most efficient way to begin to train a dog to "sit"?

Select one:
a. to reward him when he gives you his paw
b. through trial and error
c. to reward him while he is paying attention
d. to push his backside down and reward him

Answer 1

The most efficient way to begin training a dog to sit, according to operant conditioning principles, is through positive reinforcement by immediately rewarding the dog with a treat after it sits. Additionally, shaping by rewarding successive approximations can be very effective.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to certain operant conditioning principles, the most efficient way to begin to train a dog to "sit" is to use positive reinforcement. When you tell the dog to sit and provide a treat after the dog follows the command, the dog begins to associate the act of sitting with receiving a treat. This method is based on B.F. Skinner's work with operant conditioning, where a behavior is gradually modified by its consequences as the animal responds to the stimulus. The operant conditioning approach is particularly effective when reinforcement is presented immediately after the desired behavior occurs, so the dog can make a clear connection between the action of sitting and the positive consequence of getting a treat.

Shaping is another technique in which you reward successive approximations of a target behavior. This is useful when you are trying to train a behavior that the dog does not naturally do frequently. Starting by rewarding small steps towards the final behavior ensures that the dog is progressively learning and not becoming frustrated with the task at hand.