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Dr. Eduardo Fernandez

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Educational Webinar & Resources
What is "LIFE"? How is it different from LIMA?
 

The Least Inhibitive, Functionally Effective (LIFE): A Modern Approach to Ethical Animal Training Methods was developed and presented by Dr. Eduardo J. Fernandez, PhD. School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide (Australia).  This webinar WAS RECORDED and is available on the Shelter Playgroup Alliance YouTube channel.

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Dr. Fernandez published a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior. Read it today!

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The Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) approach to animal training has encompassed an ethical standard for modern force-free animal trainers. Originally developed by Steven R. Lindsay in 2005, LIMA has been used to emphasize greater choice and control for animals while limiting the use of coercion in behavior management practices. Nonetheless, a number of problems were built into the creation of LIMA and continue to exist today, including (a) a lack of clarity in its terminology, (b) ambiguity in desired training approaches, and (c) a history of permitting aversive training techniques, including the use of shock collars. An alternative approach is thus proposed, and one that specifies (1) an inhibitory effect on behaviors to be avoided, (2) the importance in identifying function for behavior change procedures, and (3) the use of effectiveness as a practical metric for training success. The result is the Least Inhibitive, Functionally Effective (LIFE) approach to animal training methods. LIFE is discussed in terms of the importance of established behavioral
principles, terminology, and procedures, as well as its ability to promote optimal welfare for
the animals under our care and in our lives.

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References:

  1. Breland, K., & Breland, M. (1951). A field of applied animal psychology. American Psychologist, 6(6), 202.

  2. Breland, K., & Breland, M. (1966). Animal Behavior. New York: Macmillan.

  3. Capshew, J. H. (1993). Engineering behavior: project pigeon, World War II, and the conditioning of BF Skinner. Technology and Culture, 34(4), 835-857.

  4. Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2020). Applied behavior analysis. Pearson UK.

  5. Domjan, M. P. (2014). The Principles of Learning and Behavior. Cengage Learning.

  6. FAWC  (1979).  Five  Freedoms. Archived from the  original on  2012-10-07.  https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20121010012427/http://www.fawc.org.uk/freedoms.htm

  7. Fernandez, E. J. (2020). Training petting zoo sheep to act like petting zoo sheep: An empirical evaluation of response-independent schedules and shaping with negative reinforcement. Animals, 10(7), 1122.

  8. Fernandez, E. J., & Martin, A. L. (2021). Animal training, environmental enrichment, and animal welfare: a history of behavior analysis in zoos. Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens, 2(4), 531-543.

  9. Festing, S., & Wilkinson, R. (2007). The ethics of animal research: talking point on the use of animals in scientific research. EMBO Reports, 8(6), 526-530.

  10. Friedman, S.G., (2008). What’s wrong with this picture? Effectiveness is not enough. Good Bird Magazine, 4(4), 12-18.

  11. Hanley, G. P. (2012). Functional assessment of problem behavior: Dispelling myths, overcoming implementation obstacles, and developing new lore. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 5(1), 54-72.

  12. Johnston, J. M., & Sherman, R. A. (1993). Applying the least restrictive alternative principle to treatment decisions: A legal and behavioral analysis. The Behavior Analyst, 16(1), 103-115.

  13. Lindsay, S. R. (2005). Handbook of Applied Dog Behaviour and Training: Procedures and Protocols, Vol. 3. Ames, Iowa: Blackwell Publishing.

  14. Mace, F. C. (1994). The significance and future of functional analysis methodologies. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 27(2), 385-392.

  15. Mandal, J., Acharya, S., & Parija, S. C. (2011). Ethics in human research. Tropical Parasitology, 1(1), 2-3.

  16. Mellor, D. J. (2016). Updating animal welfare thinking: Moving beyond the “Five Freedoms” towards “a Life Worth Living”. Animals, 6(3), 21.

  17. Mellor, D. J. (2017). Operational details of the five domains model and its key applications to the assessment and management of animal welfare. Animals, 7(8), 60.

  18. Rescorla, R. A. (1969). Pavlovian conditioned inhibition. Psychological Bulletin, 72(2), 77.

  19. Sidman, M. (1989). Coercion and its fallout. Boston: Authors Cooperative.

  20. Skinner, B. F. (1951). How to teach animals. Scientific American, 185(6), 26-29.

  21. Skinner, B. F. (1960). Pigeons in a pelican. American Psychologist, 15(1), 28.

  22. Skinner, B. F. (1974). About Behaviorism. New York: Knopf.

  23. Van Houten, R., Axelrod, S., Bailey, J. S., Favell, J. E., Foxx, R. M., Iwata, B. A., & Lovaas, O. I. (1988). The right to effective behavioral treatment. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 21(4), 381-384.

  24. Vollmer, T. R., Hagopian, L. P., Bailey, J. S., Dorsey, M. F., Hanley, G. P., Lennox, D., ... & Spreat, S. (2011). The Association for Behavior Analysis International position statement on restraint and seclusion. The Behavior Analyst, 34(1), 103-110.

  25. Winett, R. A., & Winkler, R. C. (1972). Current behavior modification in the classroom: Be still, be quiet, be docile. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 5(4), 499-504.

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