Karen Pryor Shapes a Generation of Trainers
Karen Pryor, internationally recognized behavioral biologist, author, and expert trainer, has been positively reinforcing animals since she became the lead dolphin trainer for Hawaii’s Sea Life Park in 1963. She talked with me about training with reinforcement and how to apply these principles to humans.
“Any behavior that is occurring can be reinforced,” Pryor explained to me from her home in Massachusetts. It’s important to remember that behavior must occur before it can be reinforced. “If you call a puppy and it comes to you, and then you give it a pat or a treat, it will start coming to you reliably when you call it. But if the puppy doesn’t come, you can’t reinforce the behavior.” This is where ...
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