Tag: training

by Staff

Dog Training – The 4 Quadrants of Operant Conditioning – What They Are and How They Are Used


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For a dog owner, it is very important to offer the best training to his pet. Over a period the experts in the field have found out a number of models of training that can be used to offer effective training to any dog. These models can prove helpful to the pet, owner, and trainer as well. A lot of people wish to know that how operant conditioning forms the basis of dog training. Operant conditioning is a kind of instrumental conditioning by which dogs are trained. It is actually a learning process by which the strength of a particular activity or you can say the behavior is modified either by giving a reward or by giving a punishment. Thus to influence the behavior of dogs either punishment is used which will eventually reduce their behavior or reinforcement is used which will increase their behavior. The positive aspect is about adding the stimulus, and negative aspect is removing the stimulus in both cases. The experts have developed some models which are provided here.

The 4 quadrants of operant conditioning are discussed as follows-

  1. Positive reinforcement

In positive reinforcement, one needs to add the stimulus so that the behavior’s frequency increases. For example when a dog sits properly or follows instructions then it gets provided with a yummy treat. Thus when you are adding something to the behavior, that will eventually increase its frequency then it is called as positive reinforcement.

  1. Negative reinforcement

In this reinforcement, the stimulus is to be removed so that the frequency of behavior can be increased. In this case, the example can be when you are teaching a dog to bring things, then pinch the dog’s ear and afterward release it when the dog brings the object you have asked for. Thus here something is getting removed after the behavior which will eventually result in increasing the frequency of the behavior.

  1. Positive punishment

In positive punishment, the trainer needs to provide a stimulus which will eventually help in reduction in the frequency of the behavior. Like if the dog is not following instructions or is behaving inappropriately then acts like shouting, spanking, using a chain, etc. can act as positive punishment. Thus when something is added to the behavior which will eventually help in reduction of its frequency, then it is called as positive punishment.

  1. Negative punishment

In negative punishment, the stimulus is to be reduced so as to reduce the frequency of the behavior. For example, if the dog is having a habit of greeting the other person by jumping on him, then this behavior can be reduced by moving away from the dog when he comes to greet. So in this process, the stimulus has been removed after the behavior, and it will eventually reduce its frequency.

Thus these are the 4 quadrants of operant conditioning used for training dogs. You have to decide which method to follow as per the circumstances, and it is guaranteed that your dog will become well trained really early.

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by Staff

The Forklifts of the Future


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When you think of the way commerce and business has changed over the past couple of decades with increasing globalisation and the rise of internet shopping and same-day delivery, it makes perfect sense that things would have changed as much behind the scenes as they have at a customer-facing level.

That means warehouses are also necessarily different than they used to be several years ago, to keep up with the ever-changing demands of the marketplace.

With those changes to warehouses come changes to jobs, not least that of the forklift truck driver. These vital pieces of the retail jigsaw are operating in faster paced conditions than ever before, with less space and a round-the-clock demand for goods.

So how is the humble forklift changing to cope?

Far from turning to entirely automated ways of stacking and retrieving warehouse items, forklifts are being designed to serve their human operators as much as possible, putting drivers even more firmly in control.

Faster refueling

Where forklifts used to require frequent refueling, there are now forklifts on the market with rechargeable batteries which warn their drivers when they are due to run out of charge – giving them plenty of notice. A quick change of battery – leaving the empty one on charge – and you’re good to go without any stop in service.

Better maneuverability

More demand, more people in the warehouses means less space to move around and do the job forklifts need to do. New models can beat the larger, older and slower versions hands down, moving smoothly through tight spaces and reaching high racks with stability without needing to reach as far. Their turning circles are smaller and they move faster, so no getting stuck just because there’s less space than there used to be.

Data analytics

The forklifts of the future – and the most cutting edge models of today – can track their movements and deliver reports so that warehouse managers can look at where they’ve been and when. This allows warehouses to adjust little things about the environment that will help drivers to do their jobs even better.

Artificial intelligence

And on top of making forklifts even more efficient, this kind of technology can also help to make them safer by tracking their movements and the movements of other forklifts nearby. The result is far less risk of a collision, with safety features stopping accidents from happening in plenty of time.

Take your seat

If you want to get qualified in time to drive some of these incredible machines, training need only take a few days. Companies like Specialised HGV Training, with Forklift training course can teach you everything you need to know to get straight into the warehouse, and there are always plenty of jobs on offer for skilled and enthusiastic drivers.