Susan Friedman (psychologist)

Susan Friedman (psychologist)
Name	Susan Friedman
Fields	Clinical psychology; Applied behavior analysis
Alma mater	University of Kansas
Known for	Clinical behavior analysis; Compassionate contingency management

Susan Friedman (psychologist) is an American clinical psychologist and applied behavior analyst noted for integrating behavior‑analytic principles with clinical practice, animal welfare, and organizational behavior. She has worked across settings including university clinics, zoos, and veterinary hospitals, and has influenced practitioners associated with behavior analysis, animal welfare, and clinical psychology organizations. Her work bridges experimental analysis developed by figures such as Burrhus Frederic Skinner, B. F. Skinner, and Ogden R. Lindsley with applied domains represented by institutions like the American Psychological Association, the Association for Behavior Analysis International, and the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Early life and education

Friedman completed undergraduate and graduate training culminating in a doctoral degree from the University of Kansas, where she studied behavior analysis influenced by faculty in the experimental tradition linked to Sidney W. Bijou, Donald Baer, and Montrose M. Wolf. Her doctoral work occurred during a period when behavior analysis interacted with clinical programs at universities including University of Florida and University of California, Los Angeles, and contemporaries included trainees who later affiliated with organizations such as the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and the Association for Behavior Analysis International.

Academic and professional career

Friedman held academic appointments and clinical roles that connected university centers, private practice, and zoological institutions such as the Fort Worth Zoo and other accredited facilities within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. She collaborated with clinicians and researchers associated with the American Veterinary Medical Association and with colleagues from departments often represented at conferences hosted by the Association for Behavior Analysis International and the American Psychological Association. Her career includes mentorship of practitioners who later held leadership roles in bodies like the Behavior Analyst Certification Board and editorial positions at journals such as the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Research contributions and theories

Friedman advanced applications of behavior‑analytic concepts including operant conditioning drawn from the work of Burrhus Frederic Skinner and experimental procedures linked to Ivar Lovaas and Montrose M. Wolf. She emphasized functional assessment procedures comparable to those discussed by Geraldine Dawson and Gail G. Horowitz and refined contingency management strategies used in clinical contexts similar to interventions reported by Alan E. Kazdin and Donald M. Baer. Friedman integrated ethical frameworks influenced by professional standards from the American Psychological Association and practice guidelines employed by organizations such as the Association for Behavior Analysis International.

Applied behavior analysis and clinical work

Her applied work encompassed behavioral interventions for companion animals, exotics, and humans, collaborating with practitioners from the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Humane Society of the United States, and animal training professionals with ties to organizations like the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. She promoted force‑free training and welfare assessment methods comparable to positive reinforcement approaches advocated by trainers influenced by research from Karen Pryor and rehabilitation programs discussed at meetings of the Society for Applied Behavior Analysis and the Association for Behavior Analysis International. Friedman also contributed clinical consultation models used in settings similar to clinics affiliated with the American Psychological Association and interdisciplinary teams partnering with professionals from veterinary medicine and zoological institutions.

Awards, honors, and professional service

Friedman received recognitions and served on committees connected with bodies such as the Association for Behavior Analysis International, the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, and organizations representing animal welfare professionals like the Humane Society of the United States. She has been invited to keynote symposia alongside leaders from institutions such as the American Psychological Association, the University of Kansas, and accredited zoological associations. Her service includes editorial contributions to journals comparable to the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis and participation on task forces addressing ethics and practice standards analogous to those convened by the American Psychological Association and the Association for Behavior Analysis International.

Selected publications and influence

Friedman's publications span peer‑reviewed articles, book chapters, and practitioner resources cited in literature from journals such as the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavioral Interventions, and interdisciplinary outlets connecting psychology and veterinary practice. Her work is referenced alongside studies by researchers including Burrhus Frederic Skinner, Alan E. Kazdin, Karen Pryor, Montrose M. Wolf, and Ivar Lovaas, and it informs continuing education programs offered by organizations like the Association for Behavior Analysis International and the Humane Society of the United States. Her influence extends to practitioners in clinical psychology, veterinary behavior, zoo animal management, and applied behavior analysis networks across institutions such as the University of Kansas, the American Psychological Association, and accredited zoological parks.

Category:Living people Category:American psychologists Category:Applied behavior analysts