Under stimulus control, which outcome describes the desired relationship between cue and behavior?

Under stimulus control, which outcome describes the desired relationship between cue and behavior?

• A. The dog gives the behavior only when cued to do so
• B. The dog gives the behavior if not cued to do so
• C. The dog gives the behavior for a different cue
• D. The dog gives a different behavior on the cue

Answer: (A)

Stimulus control means a behavior is reliably produced in the presence of a specific cue and not in its absence. The best outcome is that the dog gives the behavior only when cued to do so, because the cue becomes the signal that reinforcement is available for that behavior. With proper discrimination training, you reinforce the behavior when the cue is present and withhold reinforcement when the cue is absent or when the dog offers the behavior without the cue, strengthening the cue-behavior link. For example, the dog sits when you give the sit cue and does not sit voluntarily or in response to other cues. If the dog responded to other cues, or to the absence of a cue, or performed a different behavior on the cue, that would indicate weaker stimulus control.

Stimulus control means a behavior is reliably produced in the presence of a specific cue and not in its absence. The best outcome is that the dog gives the behavior only when cued to do so, because the cue becomes the signal that reinforcement is available for that behavior. With proper discrimination training, you reinforce the behavior when the cue is present and withhold reinforcement when the cue is absent or when the dog offers the behavior without the cue, strengthening the cue-behavior link. For example, the dog sits when you give the sit cue and does not sit voluntarily or in response to other cues. If the dog responded to other cues, or to the absence of a cue, or performed a different behavior on the cue, that would indicate weaker stimulus control.