Positive Reinforcement changes Behaviour

Good Girl!

During this period of time where a lot of businesses are affected and a lot of people have free time, we have seen how people worked from home, spend time watching Netflix, cooking or perhaps just learning new things. For us, we had the good fortune to attend a Dog – Human obedience class that touches on positive reinforcement.

The rule of the game is simple.

1. Create an action
2. Give a positive verbal cue to the correct response
3. Reward

In a dog’s world, we learnt that their intelligence grows up to perhaps 2 – 3 years old equivalent of that of a human. They do not understand language. They do not understand words. What they do understand is tone and action. These tone and action, when repeatedly repeated, then forms a behaviour. And in the process of forming that behaviour, break down the difficulties into simple methods such that the chances of succeeding are at a high of 90% and above.

So, to give an example. If we are training for the dog to learn how to use their nose to do touch your hand. First, rub some nice smelling food on the palm of your hand. Then reach out the hand to let the dog smell. Leave your hand about 2 – 3 cm away from their nose. The moment they touch it, say “Good Girl” and reward with a treat. Repeat this and over time as you do it, slowly increase the difficulty (for example, your hand is about 1m away from their nose).

To our surprise, within 3 – 5 times, the dog learnt the behaviour and managed to quickly do it without any words said. It was rocket science, but it brought me to discover the power of positive reinforcement!

Coming from a country that is pretty much known as a little red dot, Singapore is pretty well known to be enforcers and complainers. In fact, in the early 1960s – 1970s, the Founding Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, was rather famous to be known to rule Singapore with an Iron’s Fist.

“Even from my sick bed, if you are going to lower me into the grave and I feel something is going wrong, I will get up.”

This is a man who had once told the Singapore Airlines (SIA) pilots who had a strike in Nov 1980 the following:

“I can tell you that when I met the SIA pilots, I didn’t meet them on TV. I met them face-to-face. Five feet across the table so they can see me, and see whether I’m still vigorous, able to campaign and take them on. Whether it’s worth taking me on.

I offered them two choices. Either you stop this intimidation, which is what it was, bringing SIA right down. Disrupting services, ruining its reputation. Millions of dollars worth of advertisements and sales ruined within a matter of two weeks.

I gave them a choice. Continue this and I will by every means at my disposal teach you and get the people of Singapore to help me teach you a lesson you won’t forget. And I’m prepared to start all over again or stop it! Get back to work, restore your discipline, then argue your case!

Took them 65 minutes and they decided ok it isn’t worth the fight.”

And the entire matter with the SIA was resolved.

What we can see is that these are very different approaches that have created pretty much the same outcome. What was clear that Mr Lee Kuan Yew subsequently saw, was that the world is changing and it needs a different kind of leadership. The iron fist ruling worked during his time where discipline and strength with tenacity to bring a country together was critical. As the country moves towards a first world country, empathy, transparency and positive reinforcements are what can help the country become a leader.

With that, the leadership changed hands and eventually went down to Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, the current and third Prime Minister of Singapore – a person well known for his heart and love.

Fast forward to today, when the world is going through a global pandemic, one cannot help but wonder at the trust that Singaporeans have with the government. Alongside with South Korea and Taiwan, Singapore had adopted an approach which encourages honest reporting and on the willing co-operation of a well-informed public.

There had been countries like Hong Kong that went on a savage rampage to wipe out rice and toilet papers. That happened in Singapore too – for 3 days. When the Singapore government came out to assure all that a no-mask policy is the way to go and that there is enough stockpile that does not need to worry anyone, all of that panic dissipated in a moment of seconds. Of course, policies such as having your medical bills fully covered if you contract Covid-19 also helps as well.

Of course, all of these did not come easy. It had been 16 years since Mr Lee Hsien Loong had assumed leadership as Prime Minister of Singapore. It is a constant shaping of behaviour that encourages you to trust, to stand up and to behave like the first class citizen they envision a Singaporean to be.

With that behaviour, values and ability then trickle in without you knowing. The ability to appreciate the hardwork and dedication of all the frontline healthcare workers - In fact, just on 30 March, an entire Singapore came out at 8pm to clap together to applaud them for all their hardwork. The gratitude that working at home means that you are now able to spend more time at home with your babies too, doing horn drawing or even playing ball games. The creativity that came from how you created more laughter and fun on apps like TikTok. And meals with your spouse / love ones in the house when usual times just seems impossible.

It is life-changing when you are able to recognise it.

It is touching when you witness it.

It is you when you become it.

This is what we now realised what positive reinforcement can do for us – through a simple lesson, through our furbabies.

Thank you for the reward in making us a better person!