FAQ

1. How are dolphins trained to do all of those amazing things at sea aquariums?
This is accomplished by using discriminative stimuli which signal that a response will be reinforced. For example, an animal trainer can use a whistle as the discriminative stimulus. Whenever the whistle sounds, the dolphin gets fed. The trainer blows the whistle immediately after a correct response and the dolphin approaches the feeding platform to be fed. Using this strategy, dolphins can be taught to leap in the air, lay on their backs, and so on.

2. If I become a parent, should I avoid spanking my children?
Most psychologists do not recommend spanking children because the adult is usually presenting the child with an out-of-control model for handling stressful situations, the punishment can instill fear, rage, or avoidance in children, it tells children what not to do rather than what to do, and it can become abusive. Positive reinforcement or time-out are better alternatives.

3. Do people in different cultures learn the same way?
The principles of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and observational learning operate in the same way for people in all cultures. What is different about learning in different cultures is the content of the learning and the degree to which these processes (like operant conditioning) are used. For example, punishment is a universal learning process but the degree to which it is used may vary from one culture to another.