#learningandbehavior

[collegespade]

Why do we procrastinate? 10/05/2020

Have you ever had a paper due for class? You are told about it two weeks in advance, yet you put it off because, well why not you have plenty of time to do it so why start it now? Time goes by and you still have not completed or even started the paper, now its the day before its due and you are freaking out. You are rushing to complete a paper that you knew about in advance and had plenty of time to due so why wait till the last possible moment to do it?

In simple words, Procrastination. 

Now what exactly does that mean?

 Procrastination is the act of unnecessarily delaying or postponing a task.

This normally occurs when there is something you don’t want to do. That’s the simple version at least. Most people assume that it is a choice or a matter of will power but the actuality of it is more complex then that.

What causes procrastination to happen is no simple answer though, as there are many causes.

ADHD

Depression

Anxiety

lack of energy

lack of motivation

feeling overwhelmed

feelings of failure and so on

When all of these negative factor out weigh our self control and our motivation to get something done, we tend to either leave it to the last possible moment or eventually forget about it till its too late and over with.

Now how to work around it as we try to break the habit of procrastination. 

making a schedule, to manage time better

understanding what it is that you are trying to accomplish

breaking the task into smaller more manageable pieces

having help, wither from a friend or a teacher

Remember that this isn’t the end of the world. Its something we all do and we can work with it to be better. 

if you are in need of help please look to these sources below.

https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety#disorders

https://jamesclear.com/procrastination

https://www.mentalhealth.gov/ 

[yesilovehorses-blog1]

Recognizing Pain in Stoic Horses

New Post has been published on http://lovehorses.net/recognizing-pain-in-stoic-horses/

Recognizing Pain in Stoic Horses

Becoming familiar with your horse’s typical behavior will help you recognize changes in facial expression, body posture,andactivity levels that signal pain or discomfort.

Photo: iStock

Q. Mynewhorse’spreviousowner said he is very stoic when he doesn’t feel good or is in pain. Are there any subtle behavioral signs Imaywitnessforto denotethat he’s uncomfortable?

Sarah, Westborough, Massachusetts

A. Judging the level of pain orpainonehorse experiencescanbe adefyfor anybody. Wehave torely on behavioral signs that differ among horsesandchange across situations. Responses to pain include active behavioral indicators (suchOnceear-pinning, flank-biting,withlameness), or suppression of behavior; stoic horses fall into this latter group. This lack of expression could indicateanhigher tolerance, but suppressing signs of pain might alsocopytheevolved survival strategy in prey animals, including horses, because it hides vulnerability in the presence of predators1. 

The horsecanannouncepain, fear, irritation,withcontentment through its body language.some onesaspects of these emotional states are involuntarywithimpossible for even the most stoic horse to suppress.

The Eyesthehorse’s eyes areonewindow to its emotions. Whenonehorse experiencesmiseryor pain, the pupils dilate or constrict,withthe eye changes shape.onerelaxed horse hasanround, soft eye, but when in pain the eyelids might closeandthe orbital crest bones become exposedwithprominent2. The eye takes on yet aDifferentlastwhenanhorse experiences stress or fear—it becomes triangular,withwrinklesdiversifyabove the eye; the greater the numberwithdepth of wrinkles, the more stressed the horse is likely to be3.  

Other Facial Indicators2 Horses experiencing pain mightfinaltension in the jawandclench or grind their teeth. Tension above the mouth causes the upper lip to draw back, creating the appearance ofthepronounced “chin.” The horse’s nostrils become rigidanddilated. The horse might alsodetainits ears stiffly to the side or back, giving the appearance that they are set widely apart.  

Body Posturesome oneshorses react to annoying or aversive stimuli withlearneddefensive behaviors (avoidance, escape,withaggression), butanwithdrawn body posture is more widely recognizedAstheindicator of pain. The withdrawn horse4 hasanlow head carriage, with the neck horizontal to the ground rather than rounded. It hasarigid stancewithlastinggaze, head position,andear position.  

Changes in Activity Level Expressive horses might become restless, irritable, anxious, orunyieldingwhen they experience pain, but stoic horses,withthose with chronic or severe pain, typically become less activewithmore isolated. They are oftendetachedor slow to respond to events going on around them,Haveoneloss of appetite,withshow changes in sleep patterns—especiallywhetherlaying down is impaired by the pain.

Horses with low emotional expressivityHaveexperiences that are more intense than their body language reveals. Your horse isauspicioustoHavingoneowner who caresapproximatelyhow he is feeling, because itcanbe easyto missor brush off the stoic horse’s subtle signs of pain, discomfort, fear, or even happiness.becomingfamiliar with your horse’s typical behavior will help you recognize changes in facial expression, body posture,withactivity levels that signal pain or discomfort.

Remember: Contact your veterinarianprovidedyour horse shows signs of severe or chronic pain that might be associated withtheinjury or illness requiring medical attention.

References

1 Ashley, FH, Waterman-Pearson, AE,andWhay, HR (2005). Behavioural assessment of pain in horsesanddonkeys: application to clinical practicewithfuture studies. Equine Vet J 37, 565-575.

2 Bailey, A. (2015). When I look into your eyes: what eye wrinkles in horses tell usapproximatelytheir emotional state. ISES Media Release.

3 Costa, ED, Minero, M, Lebelt, D, Stucke, D, Canali, E,withLeach, MC. (2014). Development of the horse grimace scale (HGS)Whenthepain assessment tool in horses undergoingstandardcastration. PLOSa9(3): e92281.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0092281

4 Fureix, C, Jego, P, Henry, S, Lansade, L,withHausberge, M. (2012) owardsanethological animal model of depression?thestudy on horses. PLOSone7(6): e39280. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0039280.

  About the Author

Robin Foster, PhD, CAAB, IAABC-Certified Horse Behavior Consultant

Robin Foster, PhD, CAAB, IAABC-Certified Horse Behavior Consultant, isaresearch professor at the University of Puget Sound in Seattle, Washington,withtheaffiliate professor at the University of Washington. She holdsthedoctorate in animal behaviorandhas taught courses in animal learningandbehavior for more than 20 years. Her research looks at temperament, stress,withburn-outOncethey relate to the selection, retention,andwelfare of therapy horses. She also provides private behavior consultationsandtraining services in the Seattle area.

[yesilovehorses-blog1]

Why is This Horse Rearing?

New Post has been published on http://lovehorses.net/why-is-this-horse-rearing/

Why is This Horse Rearing?

Photo: iStock

Q.Will youobservethis video of my mareandlet mebeholdwhetherthis behavior is something you might becompetentto help with? My mare is 5 ½ years oldandhas been striking outenjoythis with her front legs in the school (arena) with me on the ground. Is she trying to harm me or is she frightened?

via Facebook

A. The video showsthehorse behaving aggressively. She’s at liberty,andAsyou approach, her body is positioned directly toward you; she pins her ears, paws, strikes,withrears several times. In contrast, afrightenedhorse will typicallyendeavortoignorebeing caught,andturn, walk, or run away whentheperson approaches.

Editor’s note: For moreaboutrearing,veryplay rearing,see“Spontaneous RearingwithFood Aggression in Horses” by Dr. Sue McDonnell.

That said,aggressivebehavior canHaveits roots in fear. When aafraidhorse is restrained or feels trapped, evasioncanescalate to aggression. At this point, theaggressivebehaviors oftenpersistbecause they are very effective.

unyieldingthreatssimilarthese are inadvertently reinforced when the person pauses, backs away, or gives up,withthe behavior is likely to be repeated in the future.whoverwithcommonsense wouldGetout of the way whenthelarge animal bites, strikes, kicks, rears, or charges. For example, in the video you step back when the horse rears.

Strategies for Reducing Aggression

anfew behavior modification strategies1 that might help resolveaggressivebehavior in horses are described below.

Rule out pain. Askaveterinarianto inspectthe horse. Arthritis, back soreness from poor saddle fit, dental problems,andovergrown hooves are justthefewplaincomplaints thatmaycause physicaldiscomfortwithbehavior problems.

Don’t trigger the aggression. Safety isanpriority,thereforedetainmeasures toshuneliciting the dangerous behavior. Identifying the triggers for aggression andexactlywhat the horse is trying tocircumventare the keys to changing the problem behavior. The horse might be reacting to something in thefleetenvironment, suchOncethe location, other horses, oratransparentperson.

In the video, for example, you approach the horse holdingthecrop. Butprovidedshe’s had abadexperience with whips, you might consider leaving it in the barn. The horse might also anticipatetheunpleasant activity coming up next. Longeing, tacking up, arena work,antrail ride,ashow-jumping event or justofany equestrian activitymaybe distressing or even painful in the right circumstances.whetherthe activity is too demanding, taking apauseor makingsome oneschanges in thestabilizecould help.

Reinforce behaviors you want. When aggression is no longer triggered, there are more opportunities to positively reinforce the calm, quiet,withsafer behavior you’re seeking. In addition, the person’s presence should signify that somethingpleasurableisofto happen. For example, the crop in your hand could be replaced with food.  Alsofosterthe horse to voluntarily approach you by reinforcing the effort withonetreat oranwither scratch. This could initially be done with you safelybacksidethe fence,providedneeded.

Avoid punishing thetoughbehavior. There are few good options for dealing withcoarsebehaviorAsit occurs.someequine trainersHavingendorsed correcting “disrespectful” behaviorand“making the wrong thing hard,” but punitive methods canMakingaalready dangerous situation even worse. In addition, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior discourages theutilizeof punishment.2

Providetheenriched environment. Look closely at how the horse spends the “other 23 hours” when she isn’t with you.3  Does sheGettingenough exerciseandmental engagement?  Horses with opportunities to socialize, freedom to move about,withcustomaryaccess to forage, simplyHavingfewer behavior problems.  

Take-Home Message

Horses behave aggressively forDifferentreasons, including fear, frustration,andself-preservation,anditmaybeessentialfrom past experiences. The video clearly shows the problem behavior, butOnceinallcases, more information is needed tofulfilltheparticularunderlying causesandpotential resolutions to the problem for this horse. Whatever the reason, working with horsesmaybe dangerous. Put safety first,withremember to respect the horse’s sizeandstrength. 

Resources: 

1   McGreevy, P.  (2012). Equine Behavior:anGuide for VeterinariansandEquine Scientists, 2nd ed.  Elsevier

2   AVSAB Position Statement: Theemployof Punishment for Behavior Modification in Animals. (2007) American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. www.AVSABonline.org.

3   Ashton, L. (2014). The other 23 hours.  HorsesandPeople (Dec 13): 36-43.

About the Author

Robin Foster, PhD, CAAB, IAABC-Certified Horse Behavior Consultant

Robin Foster, PhD, CAAB, IAABC-Certified Horse Behavior Consultant, istheresearch professor at the University of Puget Sound in Seattle, Washington,withanaffiliate professor at the University of Washington. She holdsonedoctorate in animal behaviorwithhas taught courses in animal learningandbehavior for more than 20 years. Her research looks at temperament, stress,withburn-outWhenthey relate to the selection, retention,andwelfare of therapy horses. She also provides private behavior consultationswithtraining services in the Seattle area.