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Episode - 08 December 2019
Host: Barbara Heidenreich
Fluency may seem intuitive on the surface. We often feel like we know it when we see it. In behavioral terms, fluency has been described as the fluid combination of accuracy and speed that characterizes competent performance—in other words, doing the right thing without hesitation. But when we start looking at behavior in real-life applications, determining whether a behavior is truly fluent can involve considerably more than simply asking whether the animal performs it correctly.
In this episode, I explore some of the different criteria we can measure when evaluating the accuracy and fluency of trained behavior. Looking closely at those measures can help us identify which aspects of a behavior have been successfully trained and, perhaps more importantly, which specific components still need work.
This can be particularly useful when a behavior seems well trained but begins to break down under certain conditions. Rather than simply concluding that the animal “knows” or “doesn't know” the behavior, measurement can help us identify exactly where performance is strong and where additional training may be needed.
I share examples relevant to both zoo and companion animal trainers and discuss how taking a closer look at performance can help us make more informed training decisions. Scroll down for video examples from the podcast that demonstrate some of these concepts in action.
Here are some video examples relevant to this episode:
Think about what aspects of the open mouth behavior can be measured? How wide open the mouth is, the duration, the position of the head, etc. These are all criteria that can be considered markers of whether the behavior is fluent or not. All trainers working with the animal will want to aim for a behavior that has the same form.....in other words consistency. This is how measuring can help us achieve fluency.
Fluency also means the animal understands the cues and presents the correct behavior when cued. It also means not jumping the gun and anticipating what may happen next. Watch Laverne learn her criteria is she must wait until cued to present the behavior of jumping onto the cube.
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About Barbara Heidenreich
Barbara Heidenreich is a zoologist and animal training and behavior consultant specializing in species managed in zoological facilities. She earned her B.S. in Zoology from the University of California, Davis. Barbara consults internationally with zoos, universities, veterinary professionals, and conservation programs and has worked onsite with more than 90 facilities in 30 countries.
In addition to her consulting work, Barbara serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Texas A&M University and operates AnimalTrainingFundamentals.com, a comprehensive online education program offering hundreds of courses on animal training and behavior. Her work focuses on applying behavior analysis to improve animal welfare through building behavior, contingency analysis, genuine choice, and constructional approaches to behavior change.
Barbara has authored two books, contributed to five textbooks, and co-authored two Fear Free® Avian Certification Courses. She advises the Animal Training Working Group and Parrot Taxon Advisory Group for the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria and serves as Co-Chair and founding member of the Zoological Association of America’s Animal Training Committee. She has contributed to conservation projects including the Kakapo Recovery Program and the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation and has received seven awards from zoological trade organizations recognizing her contributions to the field.
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