Humane Hierarchy

How it works

The order runs from health and nutrition, through antecedent arrangement, then positive reinforcement, then differential reinforcement of alternative behavior, then extinction, negative reinforcement and negative punishment together, and finally positive punishment. The point is procedural rather than moral: it asks a practitioner to demonstrate that less intrusive options have been considered before moving down. Ruling out pain and illness sitting at the top is the step most often skipped, and behavior changes are frequently the first sign of a medical problem.

What it looks like

A dog who has started guarding the sofa is first checked by a vet for pain, then the sofa is made inaccessible while training is arranged, then an alternative resting place is reinforced. Each step is tried before the next is considered.

Commonly confused with

LIMA

LIMA is the principle: use the least intrusive, minimally aversive option that will work. The Humane Hierarchy is the ordered list that makes the principle usable, by saying what counts as less intrusive than what.

Related terms