3 ms·
I've watched a few in the past and I'm not convinced the more complex interactions are "real" language use instead of operant conditioning combined with confirm
by gs17 3y ago
I've watched a few in the past and I'm not convinced the more complex interactions are "real" language use instead of operant conditioning combined with confirmation bias. Too many of the videos will have button sequences that seem random get assigned a meaning, and even non-request button presses will get attention.
Buttons for "food", "water", "pet me", "play with me", "outside" almost definitely work. Before I lived with a cat again, I was skeptical of those as "well, duh, any of those buttons get a reward, they don't care what it is", but our cats ask for those specific things without buttons.
- at_a_remove 3y agoI've been on the lookout for that, but I was struck by some particular "conversations" that involved re-direction. "Sorry" "How about something else" "Mommy - Sick" and so on. There was some back and forth there that I could not quite discount.
- deathanatos 3y agoI know a dog that, if you've not paid attention to her water bowl and it's empty, and she wants water, will simply paw the rim of the bowl to cause it to overturn, which makes a loud clatter on the hard floor. Once she then has your attention, she'll give you a look, as if it say "water, let's go." I dare say she trained us — after all, we didn't teach her to do that. And sure, it's simple … but she's still purposefully communicating a desire/intent. (She's a good girl, too.)
- greenie_beans 3y agoour dog does that too, among other specifically unique ways to communicate things