EXCEL-erated Learning by Pamela J. Reid, PhD
Great news for those of you who have wanted to read a dog training book that explains animal learning and behavior in a manner that is easily understood yet entertaining. Not your typical dog psychology book, but rather a clear dissemination of information on topics ranging from common behavior problems, terminology often used and how it actually relates in terms any dog trainer or owner can understand. Agility enthusiast, obedience competitor and psychologist, Dr. Pamela Reid introduces you to cutting-edge scientific techniques in dog training, including autoshaping retrieval and errorless discrimination learning for teaching scent articles and directed jumping. The combination of relaxed writing style and numerous examples that relate to dog training makes learning theory actually fun to learn.
Sections and a few topics from each include:
- Introduction
- What is Learning
- What is Learning Theory
- The Four Stages of Learning
- A Bit of History
- The Principle of Parsimony
- The Science of Behaviorism
- The Lingo
- Classical Conditioning
- Operant Conditioning
- Does What I Do Affect What Happens To Me
- The Four Possibilities
- Positive Reinforcement
- Negative Reinforcement
- Positive Punishment
- Negative Punishment
- Single-Event Learning
- Sensitization
- Habituation or Sensitization
- Adaptation
- Factors the Affect Learning
- Deprivation Level
- The Reward
- Novelty
- Timing
- Schedules of Reinforcement
- Stimulus (Signal) Control
- Discrimination and Generalization
- Salience and Overshadowing
- Blocking
- Context Effects
- Extinction
- Is Extinction Unlearning?
- Aversive Control of Behavior
- NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT
- POSITIVE PUNISHMENT
- Considerations of How to Use Punishment
- How Strong Should a Punisher Be?
- What is the Right Punishment Schedule?
- Punishment is Rewarding to the User
- NONCONTINGENT AVERSIVE STIMULI
- Negative Punishment
- The Application of Learning Principles to Changing Behavior (A.K.A. Behavior Modification Techniques)
- Teaching New Behaviors
- Shaping by Successive Approximations
- Promptiong
- Chaining
- Autoshaping
- Modifying Existing Behaviors
- Some Common Behavior Problems
- Phobias
- Separation Anxiety
- Interdog Aggression
- Aggression Toward People
- Social Learning
- Social Facilitation
- Stimulus or Local Enhancement
- Imitation
- Conclusion
EXCEL-erated Learning, Dr. Pamela Reid, Ph.D., CAAB, 174 pages, 1996, paperback.
Pamela Reid, Ph.D., CAAB is also the author of the NEW book Dog Insight
