The Premack Principle
A webinar with with Kathy Sdao, December 1, 2022
The Premack Principle
To use positive reinforcement effectively, a trainer must thoroughly understand what reinforcement is and how it functions. Often, we oversimplify this by equating positive reinforcement with a piece of food. While food can work quickly & well in many situations, it’s useless when a learner is satiated, or too frightened or aroused to eat.
Trainers sometimes refer to a dog’s “life rewards”: those everyday pleasures such as the opportunity to go outside, to sniff a tree, or to greet an approaching dog. These can be used to reinforce desired behaviors. This approach is similar to the Premack Principle but doesn’t fully take advantage of his revolutionary insights. Premack said much more than, “If you eat your vegetables, you can have dessert.”
The Premack Principle
A webinar with with Kathy Sdao, December 1, 2022
The Premack Principle
To use positive reinforcement effectively, a trainer must thoroughly understand what reinforcement is and how it functions. Often, we oversimplify this by equating positive reinforcement with a piece of food. While food can work quickly & well in many situations, it’s useless when a learner is satiated, or too frightened or aroused to eat.
Trainers sometimes refer to a dog’s “life rewards”: those everyday pleasures such as the opportunity to go outside, to sniff a tree, or to greet an approaching dog. These can be used to reinforce desired behaviors. This approach is similar to the Premack Principle but doesn’t fully take advantage of his revolutionary insights. Premack said much more than, “If you eat your vegetables, you can have dessert.”