By Marty McGee Bennett
CAMELIDynamics
Superstitious Behavior: Accidentally or unintentionally reinforced behavior. A behavior is reinforced but the reinforcement occurred by random chance instead of in accordance with a specific contingency. For example, if a rat is in a Skinner Box (a controlled environment used for studying behavior) and food is delivered at random intervals, not contingent on any particular behaviors, the rat is likely to be performing a common behavior, such as sniffing, turning or standing on hind feet, more often than other behaviors. Even though the food delivery is not contingent on any particular behavior, the frequency of some behaviors may increase, and this is called accidental or superstitious. In this example, after a few sessions the rat might be spinning in circles well above its previous operant rate believing that the food is arriving BECAUSE he is spinning in circles!
It is interesting to note that humans are also affected by superstitious behavior. Humans are anthropocentric (regarding humankind as the central or most important element of existence, especially as opposed to nature or animals). We assume that everything an animal does when we are present has to do with our behavior. Animals behave for many reasons and humans are certainly an important element of their lives. We hold great power over them, but we are not the only things in their lives and not the only things they react to. The assumption that any behavior exhibited in our presence has to do with us can create superstitious behavior in us.
A llama or alpaca that spits, for example, may have many reasons to exhibit this behavior and it may have to do with past experience with other humans or other animals or the environment. When we get spit on, it may have nothing at all to do with us or what we are doing in that moment… or it might. If, when the animal spits, we assume that whatever we were doing at that moment provoked the spit, our behavior is now shaped by theirs. If you react to the spitting, you have now created the connection for the animal between their behavior-the spit- and your behavior and depending on what you did it may well increase the incidence of spitting!
Kicking is another good example. If you are kicked, it may be that the animal simply missed the intended animal target or perhaps the kick was actually startle response more akin to a reflex than intentional behavior directed at you.
When I am in a pen I have a plan to deal with this phenomenon. When it comes to behavior I don’t want to reinforce, I choose not to react to it— to do my very best not to give ANY response that indicates the behavior has affected me. I notice the behavior, of course, but I do my level best not to give any indication to the animal that their behavior registered with me. I don’t put my hand up, say anything, turn my head, jump away , etc. I make a mental note of the conditions in operation when the behavior occurred and I use that information in future sessions. For example, if I am working in a packed pen with a group of animals and as I move around the pen, "Lucky" kicks me. I look to see where I am standing relative to Lucky and make a mental note of the conditions. I do NOT say or do anything to indicate to Lucky that his behavior had any effect on me at all. In this way I don’t teach Lucky, by accident, that his behavior worked to gain something of value. You may not think that these choices will reduce the likelihood of the behavior but reacting to a behavior draws attention to it and is more likely to cause an increase in the behavior.
I am not suggesting that you just stand there and get kicked or spit on; I am suggesting that you do your best not to teach your animal that if he kicks or spits at you it affects your behavior. Animals make connections between two behaviors when they are contingent, that is, when they happen at the same time. If an animal spits on me while I am working with him, I react as little as I possibly can and press on with what I am doing for a few seconds. If appropriate or necessary, I will change what I am doing but without immediacy. It is that "knee jerk" reaction that will help to teach your animal how to train you!
If I know in advance I am likely to encounter a particular behavior that I don’t want to reinforce, I will approach the animal in a way that based on my experience is not likely to provoke that behavior. If the behavior happens I take note of the current conditions and otherwise behave as if nothing happened.
When you are in a catch pen, you are in a skinner box of sorts and YOU are the rat… Things happen but not everything that happens is connected to YOU or what you are doing. Assuming everything that happens in the pen is a result of something you did will create superstitious behaviors in YOU.
© Fall 2023 RMLA Journal
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