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The Constructional Approach for Animal Trainers

Canis Clickertraining Academy are proud to present this 8 webinar course with Sean Will & Maasa Nishimuta. This course is a unique opportunity for dog trainers, behavior consultants and everyone who wants to learn more about Israel Goldiamond´s nonlinear approach, and how these can be applied in practical dog training. 

 

Webinar #1: Introduction to the Science of Behavior – B=ƒ(x) under c

This class introduces a natural science approach to behavior and the scientific statement: B=ƒ(x) under c. This statement will frame how we understand functional relations between behavior and the maintaining variables, and the condition the functional relations hold true. We will explore each variable in B=ƒ(x) under c and how to think about various situations through this lens. Having this lens to analyze behaviors is critical to identifying functional relations and designing function-based interventions.

 

Webinar #2: Constructional Approach and degrees of freedom

When presented with any behavioral challenge, we have two approaches available: the Pathological Approach and the Constructional Approach. When training, the type of approach selected can profoundly impact the training program produced. When taking a Constructional Approach, programs that rely on punishment or extinction have no place since the focus is solely on building repertoires and never removing consequences for undesired behavior. Taking this approach can help ensure degrees of freedom are expanded. Adding the Degrees of Freedom perspective to this movement can provide a thorough and pragmatic approach to ensuring our training is enjoyed by our animals and even guide our decisions as to what kinds of procedures to implement during training. This presentation will explore the five critical components of Constructional programs, what degrees of freedom/coercion are, how they are measured, and the implication this has for modern training.

 

Webinar #3: Nonlinear Analysis and Constructional Questionnaire

In this webinar, you will learn how to use the answers to a series of questions to formulate training programs that fulfill the people’s and animals’ needs in their care. Israel Goldiamond created the Constructional Questionnaire (Goldiamond, 1974) to help individuals achieve meaningful change in their lives by identifying the variables responsible for specific behavior patterns. This presentation will demonstrate a modified version of the questionnaire designed to help achieve significant outcomes in human/ animal situations. This questionnaire’s application can help target clients’ outcomes, fulfill the critical consequence for our animals, and make training programs that maintain in the natural environment.

 

Webinar #4: Behavioral Assessments – How to conduct and what to look for

In this class, we will explore the role of behavioral assessments in professional animal training/consulting. Conducting behavioral assessments is critical to identify contingencies maintaining behaviors we are interested in changing. This class introduces ways to assess behaviors and identify existing contingencies that maintain the behavior. Strategies and guidelines will be presented to help ensure the assessment process is pragmatic for those working in the field. We will practice examining behavior during assessments to determine the contingency maintaining the behavior. We will also explore how monitoring behavior changes during training can constitute an ongoing behavioral assessment to guide training decisions and the benefits of adopting this approach.

 

Webinar #5: Constructional Program – Constructional Aggression Treatment (CAT)

There have been some amazing advances in helping dogs exhibiting fearful or aggressive behavior. Counter Conditioning, Desensitization, and the numerous other procedures designed to help with aggressive and fearful behavior have been wonderful in providing an alternative to punishment-based methods or worse consequences. However, these approaches may not always be sufficient to address the contingencies that maintain the aggressive or fearful behavior. This presentation will present a functional analysis of fearful and aggressive behaviors indicating these behaviors are maintained by distance and a procedure that provides distance as a reinforcer to provide the dog with alternative, easier-to-do behaviors that lead to the same consequences – CAT. Additionally, this presentation will be presenting the newly revised version of CAT that involves only eight steps that can prevent our animals from contacting extinction during training.

 

Webinar #6: Constructional Program – Constructional Affection

One great thing about dogs that behave hyperactively and mouth, jump, and paw at us is that they are telling us something important! They are telling us that we have something they REALLY want – our attention! When we meet dogs who desire our interaction but need help learning how to ask for and receive our affection, Constructional Affection is ideal. During this class, we will explore Constructional Affection through the components that make up a Constructional Approach and the two phases of Constructional Affection: The Interaction Guidelines and The Affection Loop. Real-world applications of this procedure will be reviewed.

 

Webinar #7: Data collection

We all collect data on things important to us. For example, we collect data on our bank accounts, dietary needs, calories, weight, sleep and exercise patterns, educational progress, and so much more. Collecting data on these things allows us to know where we currently are regarding some goal and helps us chart our path towards that goal. In this class, we will practice setting behavioral definitions, choosing desirable measures for training goals, and taking data. We will practice collecting data and testing definitions by watching videos or real animal behavior. This class will be fun as we practice refining definitions to be more objective to sharpen our data collection!

 

Webinar #8: Clean up!

Summary, more practical applications & and all your questions answered.

 

You will have access to these webinars for one year after purchase.

 

About the instructors: Sean Will & Maasa Nishimuta

Sean Will studied under Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz and earned a master’s degree in Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas. While studying at UNT, he spearheaded the development of Constructional Affection under the instruction of Dr. Rosales-Ruiz and developed constructional shelter programs to increase efficiency in local animal shelters. Sean has over 15 years of experience as a professional trainer and has provided consulting for individuals and organizations that oversee the care of animals. Currently, Sean is in Florida Tech’s doctoral program researching problem-solving and animal training.

Maasa Nishimuta studied under Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz and earned a master’s degree in Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas. In her master’s thesis, she studied the reinforcing effects of affection in the form of petting and gentle scratching with rescued equines. She modified Constructional Affection for use with equines and continues to apply Constructional Affection with animals in shelters where she volunteers.

In 2020, Maasa and Sean founded Constructional Approach to Animal Welfare and Training (CAAWT), whose mission is to provide educational content on animal behavior, care, and ways to solve behavioral problems. With Sean, she produces a monthly podcast, runs online private and group classes, and hosts webinars and annual conferences to continue to improve relationships between people and the animals in their care.