Module 1

Question 1

Aggression can be displayed due to;

Answer 1

Fear
Disease
Predatory patterns
Frustration 
Conflicting emotions

Question 2

Factors affecting new learning

Answer 2

• Pain
• other disease (may inhibit memory consolidation)
• Age
• Sleep amounts and types - can affect concentration, function consolidation of hippocampus
• Stress (cortisol impacts on hippocampal function)
  -Exercise (stress, species, appropriate exercise)
  -Medications (may inhibit memory consolidation)
• Diet/nutrition
  Context of learning experience

Question 3

Types of learning

Answer 3

• overshadowing
• Blocking
• Saliency
• Long term potentiation/frequency
• contiguity
• preparedness

Question 4

Latent inhibition aka cs pre-exposure

Answer 4

is the ability of a pre-exposed nonreinforced stimulus to inhibit later stimulus-response learning

Change the context around the CS and new learning can occur

Question 5

US Pre-exposure

Answer 5

the result of a subject’s exposure to and familiarization with an unconditioned stimulus before the beginning of a conditioning trial. Familiarization slows the development of a conditioned response to the unconditioned stimulus.

CS needs to be changed to allow learning to occur

Question 6

Associated Long Term Potentiation

Answer 6

Learning about other stimuli at the same time as the main stimulus

Question 7

purpose of associated memories

Answer 7

to know whether to approach or avoid

Question 8

Advantages of using SD

Answer 8

• can prevent frustration
• learning is more predictable
• can be speed up learning
• has the potential to limit behaviour change/reduce responses if later training not practiced without the SD

Question 9

Perceptual learning

Answer 9

the process by which the ability of our sensory systems respond to stimuli is improved for the long term through practice or experience

Form of non-associative learning

Question 10

attentional weighting

Answer 10

learning what to pay more attention to in the environment

Question 11

Compound stimuli

Answer 11

compound stimulus is greater then the sum of its parts

can be outside the realm of our abilities to recognise which may hinder cc

need to identify as many pieces of stimuli, work on them individually and then put them back together again

Question 12

Observational learning

Answer 12

aka - social learning, observational conditioning , modeling

Type of associative learning

Question 13

Pedagogy Hypothesis

Answer 13

How you learn and who you learn from in humans

Question 14

3 elements of pedagogy hypothesis

Answer 14

Ostension
- communicating about future communicative action
Reference
- Willingness to follow another’s directing cues
Relevance
- expectancy of the learn that the information provided is relevant

Question 15

2 other factors in observational learning

Answer 15

Preparedness

Contingency

Question 16

Neurotransmitter important in attention

Answer 16

Acetylcholine

can affect observational learning

Question 17

Flow model

Answer 17

The level of challenge posed by a task and the skills of the individual faced with it, are critical to the emotional experience associated with the task performance

• unchallenging tasks can cause boredom/apathy
• challenging tasks can cause anxiety (if the skill set isn’t there)
• When a task and skill level are well met the individual becomes absorbed in the task and experiences a state of ecstasy, pleasure or satisfaction referred to as flow

Question 18

important factors affecting acetylcholine and aggression

Answer 18

Age
CCD - Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome
- It’s the main NT involved in the disease process, dogs can become aggressive due to loss of memory and disorientation,
SD’s - acetylcholine’s function in ‘paying attention’ and theta activity in the hippocampus affects memory consolidation meaning it has a crucial role in context specific learning

Question 19

Poor acetylcholine function may lead to generalisation of aggression rather then the undesired behaviour bein context depended.

Why might acetylcholine be an issue for some dogs

Answer 19

Vegan diet
Poor nutrition ( carbohydrate rich, poor meat quality)
Disease e.g. dementia
Age
Medication - antihistamines, beta blockers, TC’s

Question 20

how can you enhance the formation of new long term memories during a counterconditioning training session?

Answer 20

using scent work during the session

Taking breaks

have a couple of days or at least a few hours off in between sessions

Question 21

what impacts leaning ?

Answer 21

conditioned inhibition/learned irrelevance
CS pre-exposure
UCS pre-exposure
Poor sleep
chronic stress
information overload

Question 22

Creating a ‘new’ owner for the dog - one that is predictable, kind, undemanding, clear, consistent and valuable

what approach can we take ?

Answer 22

Use empathetic listening - what does the client really want?
What is their personality type? - how quickly/easily do they want it?
Avoid LTP - accurately identify triggers and associated management changes should aim for close to 100% problem resolution in the first 3-5 days
Introduce new relationship building activities - unrelated to the behaviour problem, based on the client and the dogs desires and motivations

Question 23

Self confidence, self control and problem solving/enrichment

Answer 23

non frustrating species appropriate problem solving can reduce stress, increase neural plasticity (ultimately improving working memory capacity and input) improving the ‘learning to learn’ ability as well as improving focus, building self confidence and self control

Question 24

Methods of new learning

Answer 24

Desensitisation - only for ‘in the moment of a new experience

Extinction - subject to marked frustration

Blocking reconsolidation - difficult to achieve practically

Training and alternative behaviour - possibly but being aware of conditioned suppression and the potential for spontaneous recovery as underlying emotional motivation not changed

Counter conditioning - considered the most effective way to change emotional motivation

Question 25

mesolimbic system in 1 of the 4 main dopamine circuits in the brain.....

Answer 25

runs predominantly through the mid-brain, not concerned with conscious input, is more reflexive Controls individuals responses to natural rewards e.g. food, social interactions it tells the body to repeat what you just did to get the reward and the memory center to also remember how and where the reward is not just focused on +R also activated in -R

Question 26

Dopamine in the brain

Answer 26

there are 3 main DA centers in the brain its released when an individual experiences- desire reward learning, focus movement - people with Parkinson's don't have full control over their DA systems

Question 27

Dopamine associated with frustrated + reward

Answer 27

when an animal detects something in the environment the brain releases dopamine more DA is released with the item is attained Their is a reduction/drop in DA when the item isn't attained Interactions between DA and 5 HTP (hydroxytryptophan) and oxytocin affect how frustrated an individual feels and what action they take from that frustration

Question 28

Frustration effect of dopamine

Answer 28

may lead to the brain signaling a potential threat only a few mm's separate desire and dread function in the nucleus accumbens - this can easily lead to outbursts of aggression at times of frustration Rewards in the easily frustrated dog must be easily achievable

Question 29

What steps can you taken to reduce frustration in the aggressive dog, before you begin training?

Answer 29

Address feeding regime - frequent feeding, consider soluble CHO vs insoluble CHO, fat vs protein, stabilize sugar levels over 24 hours Ensure adequate sleep - serotonin homeostasis by default reduces catecholamine activity, GABA activity, and glutamate. Lack of sleep can increase hunger due to impact on glucose stability Improve predictability of routine - removing any DA drops, HPA axis (chronic stress pathway) release

Question 30

How to avoid frustration

Answer 30

reduce the acute and chronic stress allow for long term depression initiate species specific behaviour patterns to re-achieve homeostasis (without the need for coping strategies) e.g. - space to make choices - scavenging/search work - regular meals - chewing of edible items - ability to toilet frequently - sleep Be aware of the effects of blood glucose

Question 31

the effects of stress on reward perception

Answer 31

Acute stress appears to reduce reward sensitivity Chronic stress has been shown to produce anhedonia (without pleasure) like syndrome in mammals Rebalancing before training is essential to maximise new learning by reducing acute and chronic stress, that are likely to reduce reward value

Question 32

asymptote

Answer 32

the continuous reinforcement or using the same reinforcement, the reward value becomes less and less until its no longer reinforcement

Question 33

During counterconditioning programmes, how could you use food rewards in a way that ensures maximal DA release?

Answer 33

Variation in type and saliency of reinforcer - use a scale of saliency Set up 'training' sessions to limit the number of reinforcement to avoid asympote

Question 34

When moving from CRF to VF how do you minimise the effect of DA drop that would come from not receiving reinforcements when expected?

Answer 34

Need to think clearly about what you are trying to do... If you are trying to achieve CC you need CRF, if your trying to achieve something else then you need VR

Question 35

Reward prediction error hypothesis

Answer 35

DA is released at the time of the predictor (e.g. click) , then there is no more DA released when the actual reward is being consumed assuming the reward matched their expectation if the predictor isn't followed by the expected reward, DA activity drops below baseline

Question 36

For and against using conditioned reinforcers in counter conditioning programmes?

Answer 36

For; Faster release of DA Maintained DA release when followed by primary reinforcer reflex DA release improves likelihood of reward in circumstances when animal might not enjoy the primary reinforcer alone Improved timing - has the potential to be used as a marker Has a potential to act as a bride Against; Needs prolonged prior conditioning to actually becomes a secondary reinforcer needs to be used effectively by the handler or risks DA reduction - owners may not have sufficient skill Can lead to frustration, potentially even conditioned frustration in its presence - conditioned inhibition has the potential to cause overshadowing