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Abstract Dogs may be relinquished to shelters and are unlikely to be adopted if they engage in problem behavior. A successful way to eliminate problem behavior is through training techniques based on behavioral principles. Obedience training with the use of positive reinforcement has been successful in treating problematic behavior by dogs. In order for this method to work, it is essential that the stimuli selected function as reinforcers. Preference assessments can be used to identify these potential reinforcers. A preference assessment is a systematic method used to identify stimuli that may serve as possible reinforcers by yielding preference hierarchies. Although preference and reinforcer assessments have been successfully used with humans, research with nonhuman animals is limited. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to compare the efficacy and efficiency of paired‐stimulus preference assessment with a multiple‐stimulus preference assessment. The results suggested that the results of both preference assessments corresponded with reinforcer assessments but that the paired‐stimulus method was the most efficient.

Abstract Synchronous schedules of reinforcement are those in which the onset and offset of a reinforcer are synchronized with the onset and offset of a target behavior. The current study replicated and extended Diaz de Villegas et al. (2020) by comparing synchronous reinforcement to noncontingent stimulus delivery while evaluating on‐task behavior of school‐age children. A concurrent‐chains preference assessment was then used to determine the preferred schedule. Results indicated that the synchronous schedule was more effective than the continuous, noncontingent delivery of the stimulus at increasing on‐task behavior but that the children preferred noncontingent delivery. Additionally, the use of synchronous and noncontingent delivery did not alter the children's preference for the task.

Abstract The researchers designed a delayed intervention start randomized controlled trial to compare improvements in functional communication following augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions. The study compared outcomes from function‐based applied behavior analytic (ABA) and eclectic non‐ABA forms of classroom‐based communication strategies (waitlist control) as well as from high‐ and low‐tech forms of AAC. High‐tech AAC consisted of tablet‐based communication, and low‐tech AAC used an exchange of picture cards. The community‐based sample consisted of 29 autistic children with a co‐occurring intellectual disability. Participants were randomized to groups (AAC, waitlist control), and each group received approximately 3 months of communication intervention. Multilevel modeling of learner outcomes indicated that the function‐based approach produced greater improvements than the eclectic alternative, but significant differences were not observed between outcomes of high‐ and low‐tech forms of function‐based AAC. These results are consistent with earlier investigations and provide supporting evidence that both high‐ and low‐tech forms of function‐based intervention are effective for use with autistic children with accompanying intellectual disability. Additional discussion is provided regarding further research into how technology is applied and incorporated into behavior analytic programming.

Abstract Few reviews on procedural fidelity—the degree to which procedures are implemented as designed—provide details to gauge the quality of fidelity reporting in behavior‐analytic research. This review focused on experiments in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (2006–2021) with “integrity” or “fidelity” in the abstract or body. When fidelity data were collected, the coders characterized measurement details (e.g., description of calculation, report of single or multiple values, frequency of fidelity checks, checklist use). The researchers found increasing trends in describing the calculation(s), reporting multiple values, and stating the frequency of measurement. Few studies described using a checklist. Most studies reported fidelity as a percentage, with high obtained values ( M = 97%). When not collecting fidelity data was stated as a limitation, authors were unlikely to provide a rationale for the omission. We discuss recommendations for reporting procedural fidelity to increase the quality of and transparency in behavior‐analytic research.

Abstract Previous studies have found that infrequent targets can reduce dogs' vigilance. The purpose of this study was to develop a laboratory model to evaluate the effects of infrequent targets on dogs' search behavior and performance. Dogs ( n = 18) were trained to detect smokeless powder in an automated olfactometer in two distinct rooms (“operational” and “training”). During baseline, the dogs received five daily sessions at a high target odor frequency (90%) in both rooms. Subsequently, the frequency of the target odor was decreased to 10% only in the “operational” room but remained at 90% in the training room. Last, the odor prevalence was returned to 90% in both rooms. All dogs showed a significant decrement in detection performance in the operational room when the target odor frequency was decreased but simultaneusly mantained high performance in the training room. This decrement was largely due to decreases in adequate search behavior. All dogs recovered performance when the odor frequency was increased again to 90%. Trial accuracy was associated with tail position, search score, latency, and duration of environmentally directed behaviors. The data show that low target odor prevalence significantly reduced search behavior and performance and that there are behaviors that can be used by handlers to assess their dog's search state.

Abstract Detection dogs have demonstrated reduced performance in operational settings when required to search in an environment where few to no target odors are present. This study's purpose was to increase detection dog accuracy using noncontingent reward (NCR) and Pavlovian stimuli associated with reward. Eighteen dogs were randomly spilt into two groups and received four 40‐trial sessions in an operational and training context at 90% odor prevalence (baseline). Following baseline, in the operational context (now at 10% odor prevalence), experimental dogs received an NCR schedule consisting of delivering food rewards at the end of 66% of trials. After the NCR Test, dogs returned to baseline. During baseline, the experimental dogs received 10 days of delayed Pavlovian conditioning to a tone. During the test phase, the conditioned stimulus (tone) was presented to experimental dogs on average every two trials for 30 s in the operational context (now at 10% odor prevalence). Overall, NCR showed a nonsignificant trend for increased responding in the experimental group but tended to increase false alerts; therefore, a permutation of an NCR‐like reward schedule may maintain search. The Pavlovian conditioned stimulus didn't decrease timeouts or improve accuracy, but a within‐session analysis indicated that the dogs were more likely to time out and less likely to false alert when the tone was on than when it was off.

Abstract Procedural fidelity is defined as the extent to which the independent variable is implemented as prescribed. Research using computerized tasks has shown that fidelity errors involving consequences for behavior can hinder skill acquisition. However, studies examining the effects of these errors once skills have been mastered are lacking. Thus, this translational study investigated the effects of varying levels of fidelity following mastery of a computerized arbitrary matching‐to‐sample task. A group design (consisting of five groups) was used in which college students initially completed 250 trials during which no programmed errors (i.e., perfect fidelity) were arranged, followed by an additional 250 trials with consequences delivered across various levels of fidelity (i.e., 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% of trials administered without errors). The results showed that participants assigned to higher fidelity conditions performed better (on average). These results extended the findings of previous studies by demonstrating how errors involving consequences affect behavior across various stages of learning.

Abstract This study sought to enhance current dog training practices by determining whether a finding from human motor skill learning research, the contextual interference (CI) effect, could be replicated in a trick‐training paradigm with companion dogs. In humans, research shows that practicing skills in random order, as compared with blocked order, improves learning of those skills. To test this question in dogs, we randomly allocated 17 dogs to blocked training (low CI) or random training (high CI). The dogs performed three behaviors of varying difficulty. After training, we conducted a retention test in which half of the dogs in each group performed the tasks in blocked order and the other half in random order. We scored each trick, measured duration, and measured whether dogs required one or two tries to perform a behavior. We found no significant differences between dogs who practiced three tricks in random or in blocked order during training and during a retention test. This study is the first to apply the CI effect to dog trick training. Although no evidence of the CI effect was found, the current research provides a preliminary framework for future studies with potential implications for increasing retention of trained skills.

Abstract Conceptual behavior represents a type of complex stimulus control where an organism differentially responds to examples and nonexamples of instances within a stimulus class. Different species have demonstrated conceptual behavior both in their natural environments and through experimental investigations. The current paper investigates preliminary methods to teach conceptual behavior to gray wolves ( Canis lupus) . The researchers used a match‐to‐sample arrangement to teach three shapes: a triangle, square, and cross varying in size, color, and positions. Probe trials used a novel set of stimuli to test for the emergence of conceptual behavior. Although the wolves did not show an immediate transfer to novel stimuli following initial match‐to‐sample training, they did show improvement after explicit discrimination training. We discuss the implications of these results as well as future methods that may enhance experimental procedures investigating concept learning in canids.

Abstract Resurgence is the increase in a previously reinforced and then extinguished target response due to changes in reinforcement conditions for an alternative response, including reductions in the rate or magnitude of reinforcement for the alternative response. Research with nonhumans suggests that reductions in both alternative‐reinforcer rate and magnitude produce resurgence, but the present study was the first to examine effects of downshifts in alternative‐reinforcer magnitude on humans' resurgence. Moreover, it was the first to evaluate whether the quantitative framework, resurgence as choice in context (RaC 2 ), could account for those effects. Consistent with predictions of RaC 2 , resurgence of a target button press occurred with reductions in point gain for an alternative response, with greater reductions producing higher levels of resurgence. However, the model consistently underpredicted and then overpredicted resurgence during tests with low‐magnitude reinforcement and extinction. Systematic deviations in model predictions of alternative responding were also evident and consistent with previous fits of RaC 2 to nonhuman data. Overall, our findings suggest that RaC 2 could be a useful quantitative theoretical framework for understanding processes contributing to resurgence in humans, but further theoretical development is needed to account for the apparent divergent effects of extinction versus downshifts in reinforcer magnitude.