Operant Conditioning Paper

To better understand the idea of operant conditioning and how it works, I have designed a procedure to conduct in order to change the behavior and action of the two dogs that I own. Currently, I have two chihuahuas living in my household. Sugar, the eldest, is eight years old. Her personality is not similar to many dogs as she is introverted and does not bother to associate with humans very often. The youngest, Monkey, is only six years old and is polar opposite to her elder sister. She is completely extroverted, friendly, and loves to be around people. However, the two of them both share the same common behavior that needs to be reversed. Both dogs consistently refuse to come out from under the sofa when it is time to go into the kitchen. In order to reverse this behavior, an operant conditioning plan will be enacted as shown in the table below.
Possible Behaviors
Do I want behavior to be repeated?
Type of Consequence
Example of Consequence
Doesn’t come to the kitchen at all.
No.
Negative punishment.
Does not get to go outside the next day.
Comes to kitchen after being
carried in.
No.
Negative punishment.
No time outside and no treats for the day.
Comes to kitchen after yelling several times.
No.
Positive punishment.
The dogs get scolded for their behavior.
Comes to the kitchen after less yelling/calling.
Yes.
Negative Reinforcement.
Remove the punishment of not being allowed to leave the kitchen.
Comes to the kitchen after being called once.
Yes.
Positive Reinforcement.
A new/special dinner for the night.

In the beginning of the operant conditioning plan, the organisms both did not cooperate well. Both dogs still acted as they did before and went about the situation as they pleased. Later on during the plan, after many privileges were taken, the dogs finally began to realize that their behavior was causing them to miss out on all their previously fun activities. Their behavior did happen to change, however, these changes do not prove to be long-term, and it would take more time of conditioning to conclude whether or not they would continue to behave themselves. The dogs soon began to realize that they were in trouble. For instance, upon opening the cabinet that contains their treats, they previously would be excited, overwhelmed, and joyful to see someone opening it. Once the dogs were in trouble, and they were denied the privilege of having treats, they were no longer joyful, and understood that they would not be rewarded for such behavior.
The first day of this procedure went as expected: the dogs did not listen or do as I asked, and a negative punishment was implemented to change the outcome. During day two, the dogs continued to keep up their bad behavior, resulting in another negative punishment. I chose to use a negative punishment to decrease the chance of this undesired behavior from occuring again. Finally, on day three, the dogs came after just yelling a few times, yet this behavior was still not the goal. Day four happened to be a successful day, which resulted in a reinforcement rather than a punishment as the dogs followed my instructions after only being told a few times. On the last day of this project, the end goal was achieved as the dogs learned to come into the kitchen after being called once. In the event of this happening, I chose to use a positive reinforcement to awknowledge their appropriate behavior. The goal behavior for both dogs was ultimately achieved.
Both showed that their original behavior did not repeat as frequently, and would go into the kitchen upon being told once. If, in any case, the dog were not to go into the kitchen after being called the first time, they would indefinitely go after being called twice. This behavior was much better than before and is what I wanted to obtain during this process. In the future, I hope that the dogs will continue this behavior without being reminded that they should be doing as they are instructed. As for other operant conditioning processes that the two dogs might need to know in the future, under other circumstances, it is also hoped that they do remember this process in order to shorten the amount of time spent on teaching them. And eventually, it is desired that the dogs do as they are told without having to be conditioned to do so at
all. In the duration of this exercise, I learned that operant conditioning is a process that is set to change the behavior of something or someone with the utilization of consequences. Operant conditioning isn’t a procedure that can be effective immediately, and must be repeated over a course of time to become innate to the organism requiring change. I now know that my two dogs are capable of change and having their behavior modified. Before this process, I was unaware that my dogs could ever change their ways and follow orders as they were and are supposed to. The modification of this behavior was successful, and the end goal was primarily accomplished.