Operant Psychology Makes a Splash—In Marine Mammal Training (1955–1965)

Gillaspy, J. Arthur; Brinegar, Jennifer L.; Bailey, Robert E.

doi:10.1002/jhbs.21664

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Originally introduced to the dog training industry by Karen Pryor in her book called Don't Shoot the Dog! (historical account by Gillaspy et al 2014;Pryor 1999), clicker training is currently extremely popular. A Google keyword search in August 2016 for the term "clicker training" yielded approximately 1.35 million hits, and Karen Pryor Clicker Training reported over 1400 clicker trainers attending dedicated ClickerExpo seminars in 2016 (Clayton 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing trainers’ reports of clicker use to the use of clickers in applied research studies: methodological differences may explain conflicting results

2017

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Clicker training refers to an animal training technique, derived from laboratory-based studies of animal learning and behaviour, in which a reward-predicting signal is delivered immediately following performance of a desired behaviour, and is subsequently followed by a reward. While clicker training is popular amongst dog training practitioners, scientific evaluation in applied settings has been largely unsuccessful in replicating the benefits of reward-predicting signals seen in laboratory animal studies. Here we present an analysis of dog trainers’ advice and perceptions, conducted to better understand clicker training as it occurs in the dog training industry. Twenty-five sources (13 interviews with dog trainers, 5 websites, and 7 books) were analysed using a deductive content analysis procedure. We found that, for many sources, “clicker training” referred not only to the technique, but also to a philosophy of training that emphasises positive reinforcement and the deliberate application of Learning Theory principles. Many sources reported that clicker training was fun, for both dog and handler, but that it could be frustrating for handlers to learn and sometimes cumbersome to juggle the extra equipment. In addition, while most sources recommended clicker training particularly when training new behaviours, many stated that it was no longer needed once the dog had learned the desired behaviour. When comparing industry recommendations to methods used in applied studies, different criteria were used for predictor signal conditioning. Inadequate conditioning of the predictor signal in empirical evaluations could partly explain the lack of learning benefits in applied studies. While future research is needed to verify the practitioner beliefs in a wider population, these results provide an in-depth description of what clicker training is, at least for the sources analysed, and a potential starting point for understanding methodological factors that could contribute to previous studies’ failure to demonstrate the benefits purported to exist by industry practitioners.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing trainers’ reports of clicker use to the use of clickers in applied research studies: methodological differences may explain conflicting results

2017

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“…Modern animal training procedures are linked to two major events: (1) Skinner's discovery of shaping, or the differential reinforcement of successive approximations to a target response (Peterson, 2004;Pierce & Cheney, 2013;Skinner, 1951), and (2) the creation of a field of Applied Animal Psychology by Keller and Marian Breland and based on Skinner's operant conditioning principles (Bailey & Gillaspy, 2005;Bihm et al, 2010;Breland & Breland, 1951). It was the latter development that propelled the field of animal training into a modern era, with the Brelands training a wide variety of animal species for commercials, coin-operated fair/zoo acts, and public shows (Curtis, 1957;Gillaspy et al, 2014;Yin, 2012). Many of these animal training procedures relied on the use of conditioned reinforcement to shape desired behavior rapidly and precisely (Dorey & Cox, 2018;Fernandez, 2001;Ramirez, 1999).…”

Section: A Brief History Of Modern Animal Trainingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Training as Enrichment: A Critical Review (Preprint)

Fernández¹

2021

Preprint

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Husbandry training and environmental enrichment are both important advancements associated with current behavioral welfare practices. Additionally, the use of training procedures has been proposed as a form of enrichment, with the implication that training can produce beneficial behavioral welfare results. This paper examines the concept of training as enrichment through three distinct ways training procedures could enrich: (1) training facilitates enrichment usage, (2) training modifies interactions, conspecific or otherwise, and (3) training expands behavioral repertoires. Within each category, the paper focuses on past research that provides empirical support for training functioning as enrichment, as well as related areas of research that provide additional evidence. Previous studies support the claim that training is enriching, with additional research necessary to better understand how prevalent and under what conditions training procedures function as enrichment. Future training research should examine these potential enrichment effects, including methodology that allows for comparisons to traditional enrichment, the use of welfare diversity/variability indices, and the effects of learning on trainers and trainees alike.

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“…The Brelands also continued to train animals for coin-operated acts and other revenue-generating ventures, as well as suggesting the use of naturalistic exhibits and visitor-focused learning opportunities within zoos and similar settings (Bailey & Bailey, 1979;Breland, 1962;1963;Curtis, 1957). By 1955, the Brelands also began working with marine mammal parks to establish some of the first cetacean training shows (Bailey & Gillaspy, 2005;Gillaspy et al, 2014). Originally begun with the training of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) at Marine Studios (now Marineland of Florida), the use of operant conditioning procedures to train marine mammals would soon spread to other parks, including Marineland of the Pacific, Sea Life Park, and SeaWorld (for a review, see Gillaspy et al, 2014).…”

Section: The Emergence Of Reward-based Zoo Husbandry Training Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By 1955, the Brelands also began working with marine mammal parks to establish some of the first cetacean training shows (Bailey & Gillaspy, 2005;Gillaspy et al, 2014). Originally begun with the training of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) at Marine Studios (now Marineland of Florida), the use of operant conditioning procedures to train marine mammals would soon spread to other parks, including Marineland of the Pacific, Sea Life Park, and SeaWorld (for a review, see Gillaspy et al, 2014). Eventually, the success of operant conditioning to shape the behaviors of marine mammals would be popularized by books such as Karen Pryor's Lads Before the Wind (1975) and Don't Shoot the Dog!…”

Section: The Emergence Of Reward-based Zoo Husbandry Training Practicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, and Animal Welfare: A History of Behavior Analysis in Zoos (Preprint)

Fernández¹,

Martin²

2021

Preprint

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The modern zoo has been associated with two major behavioral welfare advances: (a) the use of training to increase voluntary husbandry care, and (b) the implementation of environmental enrichment to promote naturalistic behaviors. Both practices have their roots in behavior analysis, or the operant conditioning-centered, reward-based approach to behavioral psychology. Operant conditioning served as the foundation for the development of reinforcement-based training methods commonly used in zoos to make veterinary and husbandry procedures easier and safer for animals and their caregivers. Likewise, operant conditioning, with its focus on arranging environmental antecedents and consequences to change behavior, also provided a framework for successful environmental enrichment practices. In this paper, we outline the key individuals and events that shaped two of the cornerstones of the modern zoo: (1) the emergence of reward-based husbandry training practices, and (2) the engineering of environmental enrichment. In addition, we (3) suggest ways in which behavior analysis can continue to advance zoo welfare by (i) expanding the efficacy of environmental enrichment, (ii) using within-subject methodology, and (iii) improving animal-visitor interactions. Our goal is to provide a historical and contextual reference for future efforts to improve the well-being of zoo animals.

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Operant Psychology Makes a Splash—In Marine Mammal Training (1955–1965)

Cited by 14 publications

References 31 publications

Comparing trainers’ reports of clicker use to the use of clickers in applied research studies: methodological differences may explain conflicting results

Comparing trainers’ reports of clicker use to the use of clickers in applied research studies: methodological differences may explain conflicting results

Training as Enrichment: A Critical Review (Preprint)

Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, and Animal Welfare: A History of Behavior Analysis in Zoos (Preprint)

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