While training her dog to retrieve a newspaper and bring it back to her, Alice rewards her dog with a small treat after he performs the behavior correctly. In order to maximize the value that the reward has on the dog's ability to learn the behavior, the goal gradient hypothesis would suggest that how much time should pass between retrieving the paper and receiving the reward?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the goal gradient hypothesis, the closer the reward is to the behavior, the stronger the effect of the reward on motivating the behavior. By giving the reward immediately after the dog retrieves the paper, the association between the behavior and the reward is strengthened, making it more likely for the behavior to be repeated in the future. Waiting longer than 5 seconds may diminish the effectiveness of the reward in shaping the behavior.

While Training Her Dog to Retrieve a Newspaper and Bring