Beyond Consent: Navigating the Nuances of Assent in Animal Training
Many of us struggle to bridge the gap between high-level theory and daily practice. We hear terms like “choice” and “control,” but implementing them in a way that truly honors the animal can be challenging. To help navigate these waters, I sat down with Hannah D. McGee to unravel a vital but sometimes misunderstood concept: Assent.
Meet Your Guide: Hannah D. McGee
Hannah is a leading voice at the intersection of behavior, learning, and systems improvement. Currently the Manager of Behavior at MSPCA-Angell, Hannah brings a unique perspective as both a behavioral researcher and an instructional design specialist. With her deep roots in research from the University of North Texas and her experience in large-scale behavior program implementation, she bridges the academic and practical worlds.
Why Assent Matters (And How It Differs from Consent)
In our deep-dive podcast episode, Hannah breaks down why simply having an animal “participate” isn’t always enough. Here are the core pillars we explored:
Assent vs. Consent: While consent is often seen as a “yes” to a procedure, assent is about the continuous monitoring of that “yes.” Hannah explains why watching for assent gives you a much clearer picture of your animal’s true desires and your own training efficiency.
The Tricky Terrain of Coercion: This is a tough one for many trainers to swallow. Just because an animal is participating doesn’t mean they aren’t being coerced. We discuss the case of a rat named Puff to illustrate how easily we can inadvertently override an animal’s choice.
Degrees of Freedom: How many choices does your animal actually have? By exploring this concept, we look at how to offer genuine choices rather than just “illusions of choice.” The story of a rat named Perry will likely challenge how you think about reinforcement forever.
Listen to the Deep Dive
If you are looking for a roadmap to master training that respects participation and well-being, this conversation is a must-listen. Avoiding burnout and ineffectiveness starts with arming yourself with a toolkit built on resilience and science.
Keep the Conversation Going
How do you monitor assent in your daily sessions? It’s a journey of constant refinement, and we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Comments on Beyond Consent: Navigating the Nuances of Assent in Animal Training
This was very interessting and important for my way of talking to our customers that we educate regarding giving therapy and schooldogs choice and agency in their work. We have developed questions to ask the dogs during work. But breaking it down an talking about assent in this way and not only the dog giving consent or startbutton behaviours is very interesting and important. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing