63: Training on the Continuum: Moving Away from Coercion and Towards Genuine Choice with Steve Martin, Natural Encounters, Inc.

This episode Steve Martin, President and CEO of Natural Encounters, Inc., discusses training on a continuum by moving away from coercion and towards genuine choice. Steve starts the episode by giving a review of the concepts of choice and… control with some practical examples.  The discussion then turns to breaking down behavioral degrees of freedom, genuine choice, and coercion with many more great practical examples. The episode ends with Steve outlining that real-world animal training requires us to train on the continuum but always striving towards providing genuine choice in order to enhance an animal’s welfare.  Stay tuned in for Steve’s motivation and emotional "Training Tale" about a trainer from a show at the Singapore Zoo.  For questions or suggestions about the podcast email ⁠[e-mail]⁠ and to contact Steve email [e-mail]⁠ Let's talk some training and banter about behavior!

• 3:45 Introduction to Steve Martin 

• 9:25 Review of Choice and… Control 

• 18:55 Degrees of Behavioral Freedom

• 28:20 Free Choice

• 30:35 Genuine Choice

• 44:05 Coercion 

• 56:15 Training on the Continuum

• 1:04:15 “Training Tales”