Marian and Keller Breland in the Popular Press, 1947-1966 Robert E
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The Behavior Analyst 2005, 28, 143-159 No. 2 (Fall) Operant Psychology Goes to the Fair: Marian and Keller Breland in the Popular Press, 1947-1966 Robert E. Bailey Animal Behavior Enterprises J. Arthur Gillaspy, Jr. University of Central Arkansas Marian and Keller Breland pioneered the application of operant psychology to commercial animal training during the 1940s and 1950s. The Brelands' story is relatively unknown in the history of behavior analysis. Using information from the Breland-Bailey papers, this paper describes the de- velopment and activities of Animal Behavior Enterprises (ABE), the Brelands' animal training business. We also review popular press coverage of the Brelands between 1947 and 1966 to inves- tigate the level of public exposure to ABE-trained animals and to the principles and methods of operant psychology. An examination of 308 popular print articles featuring the Brelands indicates that there was public exposure of behavior analysis through the popular press coverage of ABE- trained animals. Furthermore, the expansion of operant methods to the marine mammal and bird training industries can be linked to the Brelands' mass media exposure. Key words: Marian Breland Bailey, Keller Breland, history, operant psychology, commercial animal training A special section of The Behavior in commercial animal training from Analyst (History and Behavior Analy- 1951 to the 1990s was "history yet to sis, 2003, pp. 233-295) focused on the be told" (p. 283). Our purpose is to tell expansion of operant psychology in the a part of that history; specifically, the 1950s. The expansion was attributed to Brelands' successful application of be- behavior analysis enhancing the under- havior analysis to train animals for standing and prediction of behavior commercial and entertainment purpos- and producing successful applications es during the mid 20th century. We (Dewsbury, 2003). The special section provide evidence of the Brelands' an- included articles describing such appli- imal training activities and examine cations. One article (Morris, 2003) contemporary popular press accounts traced the beginning of the application of their pioneering work. of behavior analysis to animal training The story of the Brelands and their to the work of Marian and Keller Bre- commercial application of behavioral land (K. Breland & Breland, 1951) and technology, Animal Behavior Enter- to Skinner (195 1). Morris further noted prises (ABE), is unlike other stories of that the history of operant psychology the expansion of operant psychology into applied settings in the 1950s. The Brelands did not complete their doc- Preparation of this article was supported by NSF Grant SES-0322431. We thank Ludy T. torates or take academic positions be- Benjamin, Jr., David Baker, Elson Bihm, Gail fore pursuing a commercial enterprise'; Peterson, and Bill Timberlake for their encour- they did not enter an established in- agement and helpful reviews of earlier versions of this manuscript. We also are extremely grate- ful to Marshal Dermer for his critical reading ' Marian received her undergraduate degree and constructive comments. (summa cum laude) from the University of Min- Correspondence concerning this article should nesota in 1941 in psychology, with minors in be addressed to Robert E. Bailey, Animal Be- languages and statistics. She completed her PhD havior Enterprises, 714 Arkridge Circle, Hot in experimental psychology at the University of Springs, Arkansas 71913 (e-mail: behavior@ Arkansas, 38 years after she began study under hsnp.com). B. F Skinner. Marian taught at Henderson State 143 144 ROBERT E. BAILEY & J. ARTHUR GILLASPY, JR. dustry, like pharmaceuticals or psychi- wanted to try to make our living using atry; they did not leave a long Skinner's principles of the control of peer-reviewed publication record. In behavior" (personal communication, addition, the Brelands began to apply 1994). The Brelands chose the name operant technology commercially in "Animal Behavior Enterprises" be- the early 1940s, predating later operant cause it described the product, animal animal trainers and behavior analysts. behavior, and proclaimed that it was a These differences make placing the for-profit business (K. Breland & Bre- Brelands in the context of the history land, 1946). of operant psychology difficult and Putting bread on the table in the may partially explain the relative lack 1940s using a new behavioral technol- of attention given the Brelands in ac- ogy was not easy. Although operant ademic accounts of the history of op- principles were known by some in the erant psychology. We thus begin with academic community (Skinner, 1938), a brief account of the Brelands' path operant training methods were virtually from promising doctoral students to unheard of in entertainment and adver- entrepreneurial animal trainers and re- tising. ABE's success depended on the view their relations with academic psy- Brelands' selling their nascent technol- chology. ogy to businesses that knew nothing of the science of behavior. The high risks The Brelands and ABE of such a venture were recognized by The Brelands' story begins at the many of the Brelands' colleagues who University of Minnesota, where they doubted ABE would succeed (M. B. were students of B. F. Skinner (Marian Bailey & Bailey, 1994b). A University as early as 1938, Keller in 1940). Later, of Minnesota classmate, Paul Meehl, from 1942 through 1943 they worked bet the Brelands $10 that ABE would with Skinner on Project Pigeon (see fail. Meehl's check to Keller (Meehl, Skinner, 1960). Marian recounted that 1961) in payment for the wager hangs their experiences controlling animal on the wall in the Baileys' office (see behavior convinced the Brelands of the Figure 1). Skinner also attempted to commercial potential of operant con- dissuade the couple from abandoning ditioning for animal training (M. B. academia for their untested commercial Bailey & Bailey, 1994b). In 1943, the enterprise (M. B. Bailey & Bailey, Brelands purchased a small farm in 1994b). Despite these cautions, the Mound, Minnesota, and, in their barn Brelands persevered and received their laboratory, began replicating Skinner's first contract in 1947 with General experiments from The Behavior of Or- Mills (Barnes, 1947) to train animals ganisms (1938). Although Skinner had for farm feed promotions (see Figure the Brelands 2). Over the next 2 years, the business primarily studied rats, outgrew the Brelands' training farm. studied operant principles with a vari- The Brelands moved ABE from Min- ety of animals including dogs, cats, nesota to Hot Springs, Arkansas, in chickens, parakeets, turkeys, pigs, 1950 for larger quarters, a warmer cli- ducks, and hamsters. Impressed with mate, and more central rail connections their results, Marian and Keller decid- (Gillaspy & Bihm, 2002). Additional ed not to complete their degrees, but contracts with General Mills and other rather pursued the commercial training companies for more and different ani- of animals for advertising and enter- mal behaviors led to Breland shows tainment. As Marian explained it, "we playing at hundreds of feed stores, trade shows, fairs, and expositions na- University (1981-1998), where she retired as a tionwide. In 1955, the Brelands opened full professor. Keller received his undergraduate degree in psychology at Milsaps College in 1937 the IQ Zoo in Hot Springs, which and a Master's degree in psychology from Lou- served as a training laboratory and a isiana State University in 1939. popular tourist attraction (Coffman, THE BRELANDS IN THE POPULAR PRESS 145 |ifiS.l||I[.. ... Figure 1. Check from Paul Meehl to Keller Breland in payment of a wager made in 1944 that ABE would not succeed. 2002). Figure 3 features the Brelands (Marian Breland Bailey in 1976) and with one of their popular IQ Zoo acts. second husband, Bob Bailey, operated Although Keller Breland died in 1965, the business until 1990 when ABE ABE continued to flourish and became closed. Throughout 47 years of opera- international in scope. Marian Breland tion, ABE trained over 15,000 animals a! 1!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I- ---- -- b~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-- - b" ...w-I ' hW" T,ttt Z.-e tO. ptetoe me_ pee.t1§fi* to esee. teere f ; ,!s.0Eg--tee. AU X t~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"..r b $_ u * " of 9~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~N".~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~..tfF.- 1.*l'LI.W _ 1D 1,b06^s.t1v t 5 [ ;> w~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~l stht. lb.! Oml1iQllPic'. ;W~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.h 1.vta-fW Figure 2. Front-page article from~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OThe Minepoi Star Augus 4, _98_s tigtereotr Frank Murray, "But the whole method of training is~~~~&-Gjust a qusinit" h of"getn onto thepig' basic behavior pattern and*h~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.altering the pig's responses to eacha sti # -ls t sit .Iih. olyuse.kW,_-dwi___P 34 ig 1ttePahDseoeto - o~eIse ___E basic behavior pattern and altering the pig'sresponses to each stimulu to Lsuitlthegoal yOu seek"1 I Fiur2. Frn-pg artcl froSTh Mineapli Star, Auut4 98 utn h eotr Frn Mury Bt th whl meho of trinn isojus a qusto ofe gettin dont h i' 146 ROBERT E. BAILEY & J. ARTHUR GILLASPY, JR. ;......... Figure 3. IQ Zoo's Professor Punch on the piano with Keller and Marian Breland (late 1950s). representing more than 140 species for the term bridging stimulus2 to refer to entertainment, corporations, and gov- this reinforcer. The bridging stimulus ernment agencies and consulted with enabled ABE trainers to control behav- numerous zoos, oceanaria, and amuse- ior in settings in which immediate ac- ment parks (M. B. Bailey & Bailey, cess to a primary reinforcer was im- 1994a; Gillaspy & Bihm, 2002). practical. The Brelands' refined methods led The Brelands and Commercial directly to their pioneering application Animal Training of operant conditioning in the com- mercial animal training industry and to We could find no evidence of animal the dissemination of these highly ef- trainers intentionally using operant fective methods. They taught operant conditioning in commerce prior to the conditioning to local field and obedi- Brelands. Although based on Skinner's ence dog training organizations as ear- operant principles, the Brelands' train- ly as 1944 (M.