Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D • ClickerExpo New York (2026)
We often say that we care, but as B.F. Skinner (1972) reminded us, “it is important to make clear that caring is first of all a matter of acting and only secondarily a matter of feeling.” In animal training, that distinction matters. True compassion isn’t just about good intentions; it’s about the choices we make, the methods we use, and the environments we create for our learners.
At its core, behavior analysis (BA) is the study of how the environment shapes learning and behavior. It is the science that underpins much of what we do with animals, providing the framework for ethical, effective teaching. But behavior analysis is not static. Far from being a rigid system, applied behavior analysis (ABA) is dynamic and continually evolving, shaped by shifting social values, scientific discovery, and our growing understanding of what it means to teach with compassion.
Today, practitioners often refer to “Compassionate ABA” or “Today’s ABA,” reflecting a modern, humane approach to training. This evolution recognizes learners’ rights and agency, for example, the right to say “no,” the importance of arranging antecedents to elicit “yes,” and the use of multiple-function assessments. Rather than a top-down model, compassionate ABA emphasizes a dialogue between teacher and learner, where both parties contribute to the learning process.
However, compassion must be more than a buzzword. It cannot be reduced to a social media slogan or an abstract ideal. To protect its integrity, we must operationalize compassion—define what it looks like in practice, measure it in our teaching, and hold ourselves accountable for embodying it.
Join Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D, at ClickerExpo New York, as she explores doing compassion—what we mean by compassionate training, what we do to earn that label, and how it differs from yesterday’s ABA. Together, we’ll look at how thoughtful application of behavior science, grounded in empathy and respect, creates not just better behavior, but better relationships.
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