Discovering more about human and animal behavior
This video is part of the free resource section that accompanies the PORTL manual. For this shaping exercise, the teacher wanted the learner to push a toy car sideways across the table. That is, the car would be pushed perpendicular to the direction in which cars usually travel. What happens normally when you give someone a toy … Read more
At several conferences around 2010, I heard animal trainer Bob Bailey warn about what he calls “desperation-driven clicks.” When training an animal, things don’t always work out the way the trainer planned. What can sometimes happen when things don’t go as planned is that the trainer, out of desperation or frustration, goes ahead and reinforces … Read more
PORTL is a tabletop game that provides an interactive environment for learning about behavior principles and investigating behavioral phenomena. It is played using a collection of small objects, a clicker to select behavior, and small blocks as reinforcers. It can be used for teaching, inquiry, and research. … Read more