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Psy 331.03Advanced Laboratory in OperantBehavior
Dr. Val Farmer-Dougan
FALL 2016
Lecture: M 12-1:15 in FSA 231
LaboratorySessions: W and F at 12-12:50, 1:1-50, 2-2:50
all labs meetinFSA 230
Welcome to Psychology 331.03
In this laboratory course you will encounter firsthand the basic theories and some basic procedures fortraining, managing, and conducting research on canines. You will be introduced to the physiological, cognitive and developmental aspects of canine behavior that are critical to understand when working with dogs.
As a result of this class you should develop an understanding andbeginningfluency in the roles of consequences and the scheduling of consequences on acquisition, maintenance and structure of behavior in human and nonhuman organisms. The course emphasizes both the mechanisms and theories surrounding how consequences select and shape behavior, with an emphasis on methodology, measurement and quantification of behavior as a means of explaining underlying mechanisms.
This course is structured so that you will find we move from a basic introduction to the biology of canine behavior, canine development and finally canine cognition. At the same time you will be learning theories and methods of operant and classical conditioning, functional analysis and behavior assessment. We will also discuss ethical issues surrounding animal research, canine behavior and shelter/rescueprograms.
As an upper division class, I prefer that we read original sources- that is, we read the actual research articles, rather than a text. However, to ensure that we all have a good basic grounding in operant conditioning, I have included aspecialbook, Don’t Shoot the Dog, by Karen Pryor, as a wonderful resource. We will cover quite a bit of ground each week - so please keep up with the readings.
PLEASEkeep this syllabus; it contains reading assignments, test dates, grade information, and other items that will be of use throughout the semester.
Office Hours: My office is in Felmley Science Annex (FSA) 230A (inside the lab). I do NOT have an office in DeGarmo, so look for me in the lab! My office phone is 438-4554; the lab phone is 438-8333.
Office hours: MWF 11-11:50 or by appointment
Goalsfor Psychology331.03
As a result of completing the course, the student will be able to:
·Understand and outline the main theoretical positions on the care of laboratory animals exemplified and required by IACUC and the Animal Welfare Act
·Develop an understanding and beginning fluency regarding the roles of consequences and the scheduling of consequences on acquisition, maintenance and structure of behavior in human and nonhuman organisms.
·Become familiar with the mechanisms and theories surrounding how consequences select and shape behavior
·Understand and apply behavioral methodology, measurement and quantification of behavior via laboratory exercises.
·Compare and contrast the major principles of experimental analysis of behavior in general, and in particular operant conditioning, choice, stimulus control, aversive and punished behavior, complex response units, and dynamic behavior.
·Address contemporary social issues contained within the analysis of behavior in experimental and applied situations.
·Understand the physical, cognitive and social development of domestic dogs and be able to relate these concepts to training situations.
·Become fluent in giving the Cannineality and SAFER behavior assessments and conducting a functional analysis with dogs.
·Recognize the similarities and differences in learning processes across species of animals and humans.
·Understand the dynamics of the individual versus a social group and how this may affect learning and cognitive behavior.
·Become familiar with the ethics involved in research with animal subjects and the legal and moral responsibilities of those working with nonhuman subjects.
Required Texts
1.Our main "text" isDon't Shoot the Dog, by Karen Pryor andThe Other End of the Leash, by Patricia McConnell. These books may be purchased at the Alamo, the University Book Store, or most any book store.
2.To supplement this with academic readings, we ALSO tackle original sources. These are available on line from our website. You are responsible fordownloading, reading each article, and completing the reading study guide for each reading!
3.Finally, please purchase theLaboratory Manual (PIP PACKET #, $ )you will use for the labs. You may purchase it at PIP printing in the Bone. These will be your lab assignments and many of your data sheets. Bring the lab manual to EACH lab, please!
Class Activities and Grading
The format of the course includes both lecture tutorials and laboratory sessions. We will have tutorials/lectures on Mondays during our regularly scheduled class time.
Lecture Tutorials:
The lectures will be conducted in the classroom on Mondays. All lab sections/groups meet in the classroom each Monday for lecture. Lecture attendance is critical- announcements, procedural changes, deadlines and assignments will be given out during this time. You will be held responsible for any information disseminated in lecture, whether you attended or not!
The lecture tutorials will focus on concepts, techniques, and issues critical to operant conditioning and canine behavior. Students are expected to participate in group discussions regarding the assigned readings during this lecture/tutorial period. In addition, each student will be required to submit written answers to the study guide questions for each reading each week. These written summaries will be most critical for completing the tests- so keep them.
Laboratory Sessions:
Students are required to attend two (2) laboratory sessions per week. PLEASE ATTEND AT YOUR ASSIGNED SESSION. If you miss a lab session, it is critical to inform your partner AND the TA or Dr. Farmer-Dougan. Failure to attend a lab or inform the instructor PRIOR to the lab session will result in a loss of points for that day.
During lab sessions you will be paired with another student. The two of you will then be assigned a dog. This is your dog as long as s/he remains in the program. It is possible that your dog will be adopted prior to the end of the semester. When this happens, you will be assigned the next available rescue dog.
Laboratory sessions involve moving, getting down on the floor, and touching/interacting with the dogs. Comfortable clothing (that is easily washed) and sturdy shoes are a must. Dog leashes and treats will be provided for you.
DAILY DATA COLLECTION IS MANDATORY….WORKSHEETS
AND/OR A DAILY DATA SHEET ARE TO BE COMPLETED FOR EACH LABORATORY SESSION!
HINT: Do not wear dark clothing, clothing that attracts lint or hair, or any clothing you are concerned about keeping clean……dogs are hairy and can be messy. You may get slobber, dog hair, and other dog emissions on you. But, you also get lots of unconditional positive regard (from the dogs!)
Each laboratory session will focus on a particular training or assessment technique. Dr. Farmer-Dougan will lead the training sessions. It is critical that you have completed all homework related to the lab PRIOR to attending the lab. An unprepared trainer will result in frustrated and unsuccessful dog!
Tests and Projects
There will be two tests and one project/presentation required for this class: The tests will be given at midterm and approximately two weeks before the end of the semester. The final project will include a written APA style research/case studypaper and an oral presentation. Guidelines for the project will be handed out in class.
Daily Work/Regular Assignments
There are two types of daily assignments
1.Laboratory session Data collection. You must complete data collection for EACH laboratory session. It is expected that one student will collect the data during the first half of the lab, and then the second student will collect data during the second half of the session. This is to allow both students the opportunity to conduct the training AND learn to take data. You will receive a total of 10 points for each laboratory session if you have completed your assigned data collection task. (10 points per week x 15 weeks). If you fail to complete a data collection session you will lose points for that session unless your absence is excused.
2.Reading summaries. Each student will complete the assigned reading summary each week, for a possible total of 10 points. Each week's reading summary is posted online. It is your responsibility todownloadand read each of the readings and complete each summary by the deadline (either handwritten or typed is acceptable). These summaries will become CRITICAL for completing the laboratory sessions, for the tests, and for your final project. Written summaries are due NO LATER than FRIDAY after the lecture for those readings.
Summaries will be Graded as: / On Time / LateCompleted accurately and in detail: / 10 Points / 8 Points
Completed, with a fewcorrectionsneeded: / 8 Points / 6 Points
Partially or inaccurately completed, poor detail: / 7 Points / 4 Points
Partially completed or very inaccurate: / 6 Points / 2 Points
Partially completed, no detail, inaccurate: / 5 Points / 1 Points
Anything over a week late: / 0 Points
Final Paper
Each person will write up the results of their work with the dogs as an APA style research/case study paper. This will include background literature (using the readings from class), a method section, results section and discussion. Of course, you will also include your references, tables and figures.
You will also do a brief presentation of one of your dog’s cases during the final examination period. The final project and presentation is worth a total of 150 points.
Final Grades
Grades will be based on the following:
Tests (100 Points Each) / 200 PointsDaily Laboratory Sessions / 150 Points
Final Project / 150 Points
Study Guides / 150 Points
Final Grades:
A / 598.0-650 pointsB / 546.0 to 597.99 points
C / 494.0 to 545.99 points
D / 420.0 to 493.99 points
F / 419 points or less
Academic Dishonesty
Any cheating will not be tolerated. Cheating or plagiarism will result in an F in the course and referral to the Student Code Enforcement Review Board (SCERB) for disciplinary action. Cheating INCLUDES (but is not limited to): plagiarism of both published and unpublished written work, having another individual take or assist you with an online exam, taking an exam for or assisting another individual with an online quiz, performing or completing a class assignment or quiz for another individual or having another individual perform or complete a class assignment or quiz for you. Cheating is thus defined generally as representing work that is NOT your own as your work or allowing your work to be represented as another’s' so that individual receives academic credit. Violators of this policy will receive a failing grade on that assignment or quiz, a possible failing grade for the course, and referral to the department chair and the SCERB for disciplinary action.
Special Problems
If you have a disability, if English is your second language, or need other special considerations, please see me as soon as possible (that's before the first test!) to work out any special arrangements that might be needed. If you fail a test, please see me as soon as possible. I cannot help you if you do not contact me for help!
Please Note that according to University Guidelines: Any student needing to arrange a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability should contact Disability Concerns at 350 Fell Hall, 438-5853 (voice), 438-8620 (TDD). They are there to ensure that you receive the help you need!!
Absences due to Student Bereavement
Students who experience the death of an immediate family member or relative as defined in the University Student Bereavement Policy will be excused from class for funeral leave, subsequent bereavement, and/or travel considerations. Students are responsible for providing appropriate documentation to the Dean of Students office and for contacting the instructor as soon as possible to make arrangements for completing missed work. More information is available in the Student Bereavement Policy at
Lecture Schedule
Week / Lecture Topic / Lecture Reading / Other End of the Leash ReadingW1
8/22 / Intro to Class / Intro to Operant conditioning
(IACUC training assignmentis in your lab manual) / Chapter 1
W2
8/29 / Canine Communication / ASPCA's Guide to Canine Communication
ASPCA Virtual Pet Behaviorist: Aggression in dogs.
An Overview of Types of Aggressive Behavior in Dogs and Methods of Treatment
Lecture 3: Dog behavior and Aggression
Study guide for week 3 / Chapter 3
W3
9/5 / LABOR DAY / NO LECTURE
W4
9/12 / Clicker Training and Operant conditioning! This is how you teach your dog!!!!!! / Effect of reinforcement, reinforcer omission and extinction on a communicative response in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris)
Effects of 2trainingmethods on stress-related behaviors of the dog (canis familiaris) and on the dog-owner relationship
Lecture: Shaping
Study Guide Week 4: / Chapter 2
W5
9/19 / Stimulus Control: Putting a behavior on cue!
/ Prompting and Transfer of Stimulus control
The relationship between number of training sessions per week and learning in dogs
Everything You Wanted to Know About Proofing—But Were Afraid to Ask:
Lecture: Cues and BeginningChains
Study guide Week 5 / Chapter 8
W6
9/26 / Chaining and Advanced Conditioning: Getting to the HARD Stuff!
·Test 1Handed Out / Loading the problem loader: The effects of target training and shaping on trailer- loading behavior of horses.
Conditioning shelter dogs to sit
Comparing traditional and clicker training
Making the Connection: Behavior chains
Lecture: Chains and more conditioning tricks
Psy 331 study guide week 6.docx / Chapter 4
W7
10/3 / Dog Development:
Puppyhood, adolescence and adulthood....dogs have awkward stages, too! / Emotional and Social Development of the Young Dog
What did domestication do to Dogs? A New Account of Dog's Sensitivity to Human Actions
Puppy Development
Lecture Week 7: Cognitive and physical development and domesticty in the dog.
Psy 331 study guide week 7.docx / Chapter 4
W8
10/10 / Functional Analysis: Assessing the dog and the problem.
Test #1 due / Decreasing Dog Problem Behavior WithFunctional Analysis: Linking diagnoses to treatment
Canine-alityandSAFER test
Week 9: FABPowerpoint
Psy 331 study guideweek 8.docx / Chapter 8
W9
10/17 / Negative Reinforcement Extinction and Learned Helpessness
This is why we don't use punishment!!!!! / Why punishment fails and what works.
Alleviation of Learned Helplessness in dogs
Dogs in animal shelters: Problems, suggestions, and needed expertise
Week 8: Lecture on Learned Helplessness
Psy 331 study guide week 9.docx
W10
10/24 / Comparing Training Methods: Why Positive Training? Is there really an Alpha? Why don't we use "dominance training"? / The relationship between training methods and the occurrence of behavior problems, as reported by owners, in a population of domestic dogs.
Dominance in domestic dogs: useful construct or bad habit?
Dominance revisited
Powerpoint: Behavior problems and Dominance
Psy 331 study guide week 10.docx / apter 7
W111
10/31 / Play Behavio: Playing with other dogs and playing with humans!!
/ Attention to attention in domestic dog (Canis familiaris) dyadic play.
Conspecific observational learning by adult dogs in a training context.
Lecture: Dog Play and Intentional Communication
Psy 331 study guide week 11.docx / Chapter 5
W12
11/7 / Jobs and Dogs:
Service, scent and working: It is great for humans...but what about the dog? / Factors Affecting Behavior and Welfare of Service Dogs for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Dogs as catalysts for social interactions: Robustness of the effect.
Lecture:People magnets and service dogs
PSY 331 study guide week 12.docx / Chapter 9
W13
11/14 / Canine Cognition: Dogs are smarter than you think!
Test #2handed out
/ That dog is smarter than you know: Advances in understandning canine learning, memory and cogntiion.
Citizen Science as a new tool in dog cogntion research
Deferred imitationand declarative memory in domestic dogs
Lecture PPT: Dog cognition?
Psy 331 study guide week 13.docx
11/21 / THANKSGIVING BREAK / Try what you've learned with your dog or your relatives dog and show how much you have learned to family and friends (and bring them over to the R+ side!) /
W14
11/28
/ Are All Dogs the Same? Understanding differences and "disABILITIES". / Lessons learned from the dog genome. TRENDS in Genetics, 23, 557-567.
Behavior of hearing or vision impaired and normal vision and hearing dogs (Canis lupis familiaris): Not the same but not that different.
Powerpoint: Deaf dogs and Typical Dogs
Psy 331 study guide week 14.docx / Chapter 6
W15
12/5
/ Data Analysis and Conclusions
Test #2 Due MONDAY morning / Miltenberger’s Behavior Modification: Principles and Procedures
Final Paper Instructions
Final Paper Guidelines.PPT
Week 15 NO study guide- work on your data /
Finals
Week / Final time to be announced
Final Paper is DUE at your final exam period.
Lab Schedule
Lab / Lab Topic / Lab Manual/Reading(DSTG=Don't Shoot the Dog) / Activities
W1a
8/24 / IACUC and safety training / DSTG Ch1
Ethics training and Emergency procedures PPT / Complete IACUC training or CANNOT work with dogs!
W1b
8/26 / Clicker Mechanics and How to interact with a Dog! / Activity sheets 1,2 and 3 / Click then treat practice with people!
W2a
8/31 / More Clicker mechanics / Activity sheets 4,5,6 / Click then treat practice....still with people and maybe a dog!
W2b
9/1 / Dog Behavior and Emotions / Read lab activity / Complete lab activity for grade
W3a
9/3 / YOU get to work with a dog!
Name Game 1 / Working on eye contact and name / Complete lab activity with data
W3b
9/7 / Name Game 1:
Distance and fluency and add a basic behaviors / Working on eye contact and name / Complete lab activity with data
W4a
9/9 / Capturing Behavior: Head dip and paw lift / Capturing Behavior worksheets / Introduction to the dogs; shape "lick it'
W4b
9/14 / Capturing and Shaping: New behaviors and something with a box / Capturing Behavior Worksheets / Advanced free shaping
W5a
9/16 / Targeting 1: Developing the hand target / Targeting data sheets 1 and 2 / Targeting and moving your dog with your hand or target stick
W5b
9/21 / Targeting 2: Developing the object target / Targeting data sheets 3 and 4 / Using the target stick to teach new behavior
W6a
9/23 / Using a cue / Teach a new behavior with cue / Take data on your shaping….you will need it
W6b
9/28 / Transfering a cue / Teach a new cue to an old behavior And assess for stimulus control / Take data on your shaping….you will need it
W7a
9/30 / Shape a second new behavior / Shape a new advanced behavior / Take data on your shaping….you will need it
W7b
10/5 / Shape a quick trick behavior / Shape a “trick” behavior using shaping, targeting and good stimulus control / Take data on your shaping….you will need it
W8a
10/7 / Developing fluency and assessing your shaping / Test for fluency, check for poison cues and tainted cues / Take data on your shaping….you will need it
W8b
10/12 / Shape fluency and assess your shaping / Test for fluency, check for poison cues and tainted cues / Take data on your shaping….you will need it
W9a
10/14 / Functional Analysis / Canine-ality
Safer
Dorey FA / Conduct FA
W9b
10/19 / Functional Analysis / Video session / Special topics and assessing problems
W10a
10/21 / Introduction to chains / Begin to build a chain / Take data on your shaping…
.you will need it
W10b
10/26
/ Build a 3 part chain: Sit/down/come / Shape a 3-part chain that is fluent! / Take data on your shaping….
you will need it
W11a
10/28 / Build a 5 part chain
Sit/down/come/touch hand/touch target / Shape a 5 part chain using behaviors the dog is fluent on / Take data on your shaping….
you will need it
W11b
11/2 / Train an opposite pair of cues
Left/right
back/front
forward/backward / Choose a behavior that could have “opposites” and chain that cue (e.g., left/right; back, front) / Take data on your shaping….
you will need it
W12a
11/4 / Teach a compound cue / Choose a behavior that can build a compound cue and shape it to fluency / Take data on your shaping as
you will need it.
W12b
11/9 / Teach a modifier cue / Choose a behavior that can be used with a modifier and teach that to fluency / Take data on your shaping, as you
Will need it!
W13a
11/11 / Shaping Complex Behavior / Building your final project / 5-part chains
W13b
11/16 / Shaping Complex Behavior / Building your final project / 3-part chains
W14a
11/18 / Shaping Complex Behavior / Chaining Behaviors / 5-part chains
W14b
11/30 / Shaping Complex Behavior / Chaining Behaviors / 5-part chains
W15a
12/2 / Review and Work on Advanced Chain / Re-establish your 5-part chain / Trouble Shooting and dealingwith Extinction from a week off!
W15b
12/7 / Show and Tell! / Video taping of 5-part chains / Demonstrations
Finals Week / Final Paper is DUE