The use of Behavior Analysis within the animal training and welfare community has become commonplace. While the core principles of Behavior Analysis (i.e., a focus on reinforcement contingencies and functional understandings of behavior) are now frequently used for applied animal behavior purposes, the use of data to measure those applications remains virtually untapped. This creates a conundrum for hopeful Applied Animal Behavior Analysts: An increased demand for applying behavioral principles, but with limited opportunity to bring about their empirical, analytical counterparts. The session continues the discussion of data-based training by focusing more broadly on how to incorporate measurement into overall welfare assessment. Emphasis will be placed upon Part 3 of the previous talk (i.e., behavioral inventories/ethograms), with broader discussion of (a) how do we define behaviors to assess, and (b) what those behaviors mean for “good” vs. “bad” welfare. The broader implications will be considered, including not just how we measure behavior, but why we should care to measure. Thus, this talk is an attempt to foster discussion on the overall implications of taking data, and what it ultimately means to be an empirical animal trainer.

Sponsor:Pet Professional Guild
Speaker(s):Dr. Eduardo Fernandez

Contact: Sharon Nettles
 Email: membershipcoordinator@petprofessionalguild.com
 Phone: 731-300-6520
 Web: https://petprofessionalguild.com/event-4297382