BIO 199.

Undergraduate Seminar
Date: October 13,2014
Speaker: Carlos, Kris Pauline H.
TITLE: Learned Behavior Among Members of the Genus Canis(Classical & Operant
Conditioning) A Review of Recent Studies In Animal Behavior Research

SIGNIFICANCE:
This seminar will provide adequate information regarding classical and operant
conditioning and discuss how it can modify the behavior of certain group of animals -specifically
the members of the genus Canis (dogs), into becoming one with a better emotional state. The
seminar will also allow the audience to learn how to apply the knowledge to particular day to day
situations and make it work for them effectively. The discussion will as well educate the
audience regarding the advances in the study of Animal behavior and critical thinking will be
induced since the implications of such behaviors even to current human-related behavior and
medical improvements will also be tackled. This talk will stimulate interest in exploring other
biological fields related to ethology and may lay a good foundation to understanding such fields.
On final note, the seminar will also enable the students to become aware of the needs and current
conditions of this species (specifically in the country) that would then raise social and
environmental concern.

OBJECTIVES:
1. To recognize how classical and operant conditioning modify dogs (Canis) behavioral
state
-improve dogs behavior through classical conditioning
2. To develop awareness and critical thinking regarding new studies on classical and
operant conditioning and their contributions to science as field of study
3. To distinguish possible implications of these behavior to human survival and medical
improvements
-most of dog behavior studies are inspired by research in human cognitive psychology
and suggest that in many ways dogs are more human like than any other species,
nonhuman primates included.
4. To allow the students to reintegrate their previous knowledge in animal behavior to its
relation to the current scientific studies; and
5. Identify and analyze occurrence of such conditioning and learn to effectively articulate
the idea to ones own specific circumstances

DISCUSSION:
A. Learning is essential for species of dogs to survive (overview/definition of terms).
1. Associative learning can be divided into classical and operant
conditioning.
a. Classical conditioning is where the behavior is a conditioned reflex.
b. Operant conditioning is where the behavior is dependent upon earlier
experiences.
2. Dogs play an important Role in Human Society.
B. History of dog behavior research starts way back in history.
C. Current status of dog behavior research is highly associable to associative
learning.
1. How associative learning aids in maintaining a dogs stable emotional
state?
(Presentation of first journal article: Conditioned Placebo Effect in Dogs
Decreases Separation Related Behaviors (2014)
2. How associative learning affects emotional state of dogs?
- Presentation of second journal article: Effects of 2 Training Methods
on Stress-Related Behaviors of the Dog (Canisfamiliaris) and on the
Dog-Owner Relationship(2014)
3. How emotional state affects associative learning of dogs?
- Presentation of third journal article: Conceptualizing the Impact of
Arousal and Affective State on Training Outcomes of Operant
Conditioning (2013)
D. Ordinary people can apply such training to their own mans bestfriend
(presentation of situations handled by the famous Dog whisperer, Caesar Millan,
implying the idea that the class could also train their own dogs effectively).
E. Animal conditioning has its relevance to social care and human medical
advancements.

http://propiraya.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/eva-marie-wergc3a5rd-litteraturuppsats.pdf

Table (overview/summary of literature to be discussed)
Intro of first study
-author, main urpose, research methodology, intended audience, conclusion, how is this study
related to other studiesof the problem ot topic
Research problem of first study
Subtopics
How is subtopic related to the problem
Knowledge based on literatyre
Goals and objectives
Summary and transitin
Relevance to social care
What is the relevance of this for social care?"Pavlov believed that if
something like salivation could be conditioned then it might also be
possible to apply the process to bodily processes that affect illness and
mental disorders. Nowadays the principals of classical conditioning are
applied in the treatment of phobias and in aversion therapies.O'Brien
(2011 p.60)
-add pa yungsa placebo na study namaapply din dawsatao
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:
REFERENCES: (atleast 5; majority should be journal articles)

Studies to be presented:
-Effects of two training methods on stress-related behaviors of the dog
-http://familydogproject.elte.hu/Pdf/publikaciok/2014/SumegiGT2014.pdf
- conceptualizing the impact of arousal and affective state on training outcome of operant
conditioning


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2251326/
http://www.eva.mpg.de/psycho/pdf/dog_cognition/Mersmann_et_al_2011_Simple_Mechanisms
_Social_Learning.pdf
http://www.clickertraining.com/files/Wood_Lindsay_CLICKER_BRIDGING_STIMULUS_EFF
ICACY.pdf

- one of the most interesting subjects of zoo majors is animal behavior. Blah blah
- we tend to focus and base only on the physiological and anatomical features of different
organsims and tend to disregard the social aspects.
- Come on, who does not love a dog?
- -how many of here have dogs? Good, cause what your about to hear (which are based on
recent studies, some of which are only published or released this year) can be applied to
your own dogs