# Can we shape behaviour using negative reinforcement? Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/lead-a-horse-to-water-3058987/can-we-shape-behaviour-using-negative-reinforcement Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/lead-a-horse-to-water-3058987/can-we-shape-behaviour-using-negative-reinforcement.md Podcast: [Lead a Horse to Water](https://stenobird.com/podcast/lead-a-horse-to-water-3058987) Published: 2025-07-15T13:15:45+00:00 Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/trudi-dempsey/episodes/Can-we-shape-behaviour-using-negative-reinforcement-e35j3ar Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/31cdcf90/podcast/play/105532187/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-6-15%2F403953380-44100-2-9c6f6d51e83ed.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/lead-a-horse-to-water-3058987/episodes/can-we-shape-behaviour-using-negative-reinforcement Duration seconds: 1670 ## Resource We often think of behaviour produced with positive reinforcement as the only behaviour that can be shaped but of course behaviour produced using negative reinforcement can be shaped too. In this episode, I explore what constructional training is, how CAT protocols use R- to build functional skills, and where R- stops serving the learner and starts serving the trainer. Spoiler: for me it’s all about whose needs the behaviour is meeting. ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/lead-a-horse-to-water-3058987/episodes/can-we-shape-behaviour-using-negative-reinforcement/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/lead-a-horse-to-water-3058987/can-we-shape-behaviour-using-negative-reinforcement.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.