© Dr. Karolina Westlund
BARKS presents session details from PPG’s 2020 Summit and Multi-Species Workshop Events in Phoenix, Arizona
Session Details:
Presenter: Dr. Karolina Westlund
Session Title: How Emotions Impact the Outcome of Your Training
Session Type: Keynote Session (1.5 Hours)
Emotional experiences impact brain development, personality, social skills, and stress sensitivity, and this presentation will focus specifically on how emotional reactions impact learning and performance. It will examine several of the mechanisms involved and discuss the importance of not only the animal’s emotional experience, but also the human part of the equation.
The session will also focus on several theoretical models to conceptualize emotions and their effect on training outcome. Although Estonian neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp’s Core Emotions concept has been questioned lately, it is still a very useful model when discussing the choice of reinforcers and ways of promoting good human-animal relationships, as well as identifying potential distractors or aversives that may interfere with training outcomes, particularly with regards to the core emotions of PLAY, SEEKING, CARE, GRIEF, FEAR and RAGE.
Learning Objectives:
- Core Affect Space and the four quadrants of learning.
- Why Panksepp’s Core Emotions concept is useful to animal trainers.
- Why it may be worthwhile to consider your own emotional state when training animals.
- Why the drooling, or other reflexes, are completely uninteresting when it comes to classical conditioning.
BARKS presents session details from PPG’s 2020 Summit and Workshops in Phoenix, Arizona
*Early bird discount available if you register before January 31, 2020!
PPG Summit 2020 will take place in Phoenix, Arizona and offer two unique programs:
Program 1: The Four-Day Summit
Program 2: The Four-Day Summit + Daily Off-Site Workshops at the Arizona Humane Society
Dates: Friday, September 18 – Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Event theme: Collaborative Care and Enrichment – Creating Partnerships for Positive Results
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