SeaWorld uses operant conditioning techniques to train Orcas. Food is used as the primary positive reinforcer. It's essential for the whales to know they have performed their desired behaviors immediately. When performing tasks, the reinforcement cannot be administered immediately, so trainers also use conditioned reinforcers (hand/auditory signals) that are introduced prior to administering the primary reinforcers. Eventually, the whale associated the conditioned reinforcer with the primary reinforcer and will perceive it has performed the behavior correctly.
Shaping is used to eventually get the Orcas to perform complex tricks. The animal is first reinforced to perform a natural movement that closely resembles the desired trained behavior. They're lead through behaviors in small steps using targets (ie flagsticks) that direct the whale towards specific positions or directions. Eventually, the animal is reinforced toward the final goal of the finished behavior. For example, a killer whale may be trained to perform a high jump by first being reinforced to touch a target on the surface of the water. The target is then raised above the water a few inches and the animal is reinforced again for touching it. The whale continues to be reinforced as it touches the target that is c raised higher and higher above the water until the whale brings its entire body out of the water!
I've always marveled at the killer whale performances performed at Sea World, so I thought researching the feat of training a 6,000 pound marine mammal would be fascinating. It was! I also train horses, so it was also really cool to see the applications of operant and classical used in my training. I've definitely developed a greater understanding and appreciation for them!
Information and images accredited to: