The reinforcement

From a behavioral perspective, reinforcing is the action that aims to increase the probability that a behavior will be produced more often.

Reinforcement is a learning process of the operant conditioning. It occurs after a behavior has taken place, as a consequence of this very behavior.

After a signal (word, gesture, an element shows up), when a dog produces a behavior several times, it's said it was reinforced. A being is rewarded, and, a behavior is reinforced.

The positive reinforcement

What is called positive reinforcement is when, as a consequence of a behavior, an element is added to motivate a being to reproduce that very behavior.

If you hear your doorbell (antecedent), you will answer (behavior); as a consequence, a delivery man gives you a package. Your behavior of answering is reinforced if it occurs again when your doorbell rings because you are receiving a package.

If your dog hears you coming back home (antecedent), he jumps on you to greet you (behavior); as a consequence, you pet him. If he jumps on you again, being petted (element added after his behavior) will have motivated him to reproduce the behavior.

The negative reinforcement

What is called negative reinforcement is when, as a consequence of a behavior, an element is removed to motivate a being to reproduce that very behavior.

If you smell a foul odor in your kitchen (antecedent), you treat the pipes with a product (behavior); as a consequence, the smell disappears. Your behavior of treating the pipes is likely to happen again to get rid of that smell.

If your dog hears you calling him while he is hungry (antecedent), he rushes to you (behavior); as a consequence, you give him a treat. If he comes back when he is hungry and you call him, it is because taking away this feeling motivates him to repeat the behavior.

In reality, dogs' behaviors are not reinforced by the humans they live with alone. For example: if your dog barks at people passing your gate to keep them away, they move away (because they are actually passing by); their action reinforced your dog's behavior of barking at the gate. If your dog can't stand the rain and gets wet when he leaves your house (antecedent), he quickly goes inside, this relieves him of being exposed to the rain; he will be motivated to reproduce the behavior of quickly going inside if it rains. Whether or not you want to condition your dog, reinforce his behaviors, directly, knowingly, reinforcement happens.

It's only possible to determine whether a behavior is or has been reinforced if we can observe it occurring repeatedly.

Reinforcer

Seul l’individu qui produit le comportement détermine ce qui est renforçant. Tendez-moi un brocolis cru pour me motiver et je vous garantis que vous attendrez encore longtemps ! Si votre chien daigne vaguement recevoir ce que vous lui présentez en conséquence de son comportement, et poursuit d’autres comportements, c’est que vous ne lui proposez pas quelque chose qui le motive. Only the individual who produces the behavior determines what is reinforcing. Hand me a raw broccoli to motivate me and I guarantee you'll be waiting a long time! If your dog vaguely deigns to receive what you present to him as a consequence of his behavior, and keeps other behaviors going, it is because you are not offering him something that motivates him.

Primary or secondary

A reinforcer is considered primary if no learning is necessary; for example: food, choice of the path.

A reinforcer is considered secondary if learning is necessary to give it value; for example: playing, being petted.