Conditioned Reinforcers to the Rescue
Pryor is a strong advocate of clicker training, in which a click is paired with a reinforcer multiple times until the click becomes a conditioned reinforcer. If a dog hears a click just before getting a cookie, it associates the click with the cookie. The habitual mind is not learning simply how to get food, but how to get along in the environment. Conditioned reinforcers are just another way of forming shortcuts, making them useful for building habits.
For example, because it can take a long time to earn a trip with frequent flyer miles, airlines could develop a conditioned reinforcer. Imagine receiving an auditory or visual cue at the airport kiosk at check-in. A small chime or visual representation could ...
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