Publications


Articles

Levy, I. M., Pryor, K. W., & McKeon, T. R. (2016). Is teaching simple surgical skills using an operant learning program more effective than teaching by demonstration?. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, 474(4), 945–955.

Pryor, K. W., & Chase, S. (2014). Training for variability and innovative behavior. International Journal of Comparative Psychology, 27(2).

Pryor, K. (2014). A dolphin journey. Aquatic Mammals 40th Anniversary: Special Issue, 40(1), 104.

Pryor, K. W. (2001). Cultural transmission of behavior in animals: how a modern training technology uses spontaneous social imitation in cetaceans and facilitates social imitation in horses and dogs. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24(2), 352–352.

Boat, B., Loar, L., and Pryor, K. (2001, Summer). Clicker Training: The Training Game–More than meets the eye or the ear. The Latham Letter, 22(3), 6–9. Alameda, CA: The Latham Foundation.

Pryor, K. (2000, Spring). A Transformation Devoutly to be Wished: What we are beginning to discover from the clicker training revolution. The Latham Letter, 21(2), 8–12. Alameda, CA: The Latham Foundation.

Pryor, K. (1997). Falconry and Modern Operant Conditioning. Hawk Chalk, April 1997. North American Falconers Association.

Pryor, K. (1993). The dolphin-human fishing cooperative in Laguna, Brazil: cognitive aspects. In Proceedings of the Tenth Biennial Conference of the Society for Marine Mammalogy. Galveston, Texas.

Pryor, K. (1991). How to take pictures of a nursing mother. Journal of Human Lactation, 7(4), 190–191.

Pryor, K., & Lindbergh, J. (1990). A dolphin–human fishing cooperative in Brazil. Marine Mammal Science, 6(1), 77–82.

Pryor, K. (1989). Traditional methods of identifying individuals in a dolphin-human fishing cooperative in Laguna, Brazil. In Proceedings of the Eighth Biennial Conference of the Society for Marine Mammalogy. Pacific Grove, California.

Pryor, K. (1989). A family business: three generations of related wild dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in a dolphin-human cooperative mullet fishery in Brazil. In Proceedings of the Fifth International Theriological Congress. Rome, Italy.

Lindbergh, J.M. & Pryor, K. (1984, May/June). Six ways to lose money in aquaculture. Aquaculture.

Pryor, K. (1981). Why porpoise trainers are not dolphin lovers: Real and false communication in the operant setting. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 364(1), 137–143.

Pryor, K. (1980). A methodology for ethological study of marine mammals. In Proceedings, 60th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists.

Pryor, K., & Kang, I. (1979). Social behavior and school structure in spotter porpoises (Stenella attenuata) during purse seining for tuna. In Proceedings of the Third Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Seattle, WA.

Pryor, K., & Norris, K. S. (1978). The tuna/porpoise problem: Behavioral aspects. Oceanus, 21(2).

Pryor, K. W. (1973). Behavior and learning in porpoises and whales. Naturwissenschaften, 60(9), 412–420.

Norris, K. S., & Pryor, K. W. (1970). A tagging method for small cetaceans. Journal of Mammalogy, 51(3), 609–610.

Pryor, K. & Kang, I. (1970). The colony of Red-footed boobies Sula sula rubripes at Oahu Sea Life Park. International Zoo Yearbook, 10, 92–95. Zoological Society of London.

Pryor, K. W., Haag, R., & O’Reilly, J. (1969). The creative porpoise: Training for novel behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 12(4), 653–661.

Pryor, K. (1967). Sea Life Park and the Oceanic Institute. Curator, 3. New York: American Museum of Natural History.

Lang, T. G., & Pryor, K. (1966). Hydrodynamic performance of porpoises (Stenella attenuata). Science, 152(3721), 531–533.

Pryor, T., Pryor, K., & Norris, K. S. (1965). Observations on a pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata Gray) from Hawaii. Journal of Mammalogy, 46(3), 450–461.


Monographs

Pryor, K., & Kang, I. (1980). Social behavior and school structure in pelagic porpoises (Stenella attenuata and S. longirostris) during purse seining for tuna (Southwest Fisheries Center Administrative Report #LJ-80-11C). La Jolla, CA: Southwest Fisheries Science Center.

Pryor, K., Haag, R., & O’Reilly, J. (1967). Deutero-learning in a rough-tooth porpoise (Steno bredanensis) (U.S. Naval Ordnance Test Station Technical Publication NOTS TP 4270). China Lake, CA: U. S. Naval Ordnance Test Station.


Books

Pryor, K. (2019). Don't Shoot the Dog: The Art of Teaching and Training. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Pryor, K. (2014). On My Mind: Reflections on Animal Behavior and Learning. Waltham, MA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K. (2009). Reaching the Animal Mind: Clicker Training and What It Teaches Us About All Animals. NY:Scribner.

Pryor, K., & Pryor, G. (2005). Nursing Your Baby 4e. NY: HarperCollins.

Pryor, K. (2003). Clicker Training for Cats (Karen Pryor Clicker Books). Waltham, MA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K. (2002). Click to Win: Clicker Training for the Show Ring (Collected Articles from the AKC Gazette). Waltham, MA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K. (2002). Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs. Waltham, MA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K. (2001). Clicker Training for Cats (Karen Pryor Clicker Books). Waltham, MA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K. (2000). Lads Before the Wind: Diary of a Dolphin Trainer. Waltham, MA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K. (1999). Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training. Bantam.

Pryor, K. (1998). Getting Started: Clicker Training for Dogs. Waltham, MA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K. (1996). A dog & a dolphin 2.0: An introduction to clicker training. North Bend, WA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K. (1995). Karen Pryor on Behavior. North Bend, WA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K. & Norris, K. S., Eds. (1991). Dolphin Societies: Discoveries and Puzzles. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Pryor, K. W. and Pryor, G. (1991). Nursing Your Baby: Revised. NY: HarperCollins.

Pryor, K. (1985). How to Teach Your Dog to Play Frisbee. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Pryor, K. (1985). Don't Shoot the Dog! How to Improve Yourself and Others Through Behavioral Training. NY: Simon & Schuster.

Pryor, K. (1975). LADS BEFORE THE WIND Adventures in Porpoise Training. NY: Harper & Row.

Pryor, K. W. (1963). Nursing Your Baby, NY: Harper & Row.


Chapters

Pryor, K. (2015). Creating Creative Animals. In J. Kaufman & A. Kaufman (Eds.), Animal Creativity and Innovation (Explorations in Creativity Research). London, England: Elsevier.

Pryor, K. (2015). Inside and Outside Behavior Analysis. In R. D. Holdsambeck & H.S. Pennypacker (Eds.),  Behavioral Science: Tales of Inspiration, Discovery, and Service Omnibus Edition. Boston, MA: Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies.

Pryor, K. & Ramirez, K. (2014). Modern Animal Training: A Transformative Technology. In F. K. McSweeney & E. S. Murphy (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Operant and Classical Conditioning. UK: John Wiley & Sons.

Pryor, K. (1995). When the president appointed me. In K. Pryor (Ed.), On behavior (Chapter 15). North Bend, WA: Sunshine Books, Inc.

Pryor, K. (1995). The dreadful dowager dolphin. In K. Pryor (Ed.), On behavior (Chapter 19). North Bend, WA: Sunshine Books, Inc.

Pryor, K. (1994). A gathering of birds. In W. Shore (Ed.), The Nature of Nature. NY: Harcourt Brace.

Pryor, K., & Shallenberger, I. K. (1991). Social structure in spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata) in the tuna purse seine fishery in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. In K. Pryor & K. S. Norris (Eds.), Dolphin societies: Discoveries and puzzles (Chapter 5). Berkeley: University of California Press.

Pryor, K. (1991). Mortal remains: Studying dead animals. In K. Pryor & K. S. Norris (Eds.), Dolphin societies: Discoveries and puzzles. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Norris, K. S. and Pryor, K. (1991). Some thoughts on grandmothers. In K. Pryor & K. S. Norris (Eds.), Dolphin societies: Discoveries and puzzles. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Pryor, K. (1991). The domestic dolphin. In K. Pryor & K. S. Norris (Eds.), Dolphin societies: Discoveries and puzzles. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Pryor, K. and Norris, K. S. (1991). Dolphin politics and dolphin science. In K. Pryor & K. S. Norris (Eds.), Dolphin societies: Discoveries and puzzles. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Pryor, K. W. (1990). Concluding comments on vision, tactition, and chemoreception. In J. A. Thomas & R. A. Kastelein (Eds.), Sensory abilities of cetaceans: laboratory and field evidence. Boston, MA: Springer.

Pryor, K. W. (1990). Non-acoustic communication in small cetaceans: glance, touch, position, gesture, and bubbles. In J. A. Thomas & R. A. Kastelein (Eds.), Sensory abilities of cetaceans: laboratory and field evidence. Boston, MA: Springer.

Wylie, P. (1990). Crunch & Des: Classic Stories of Saltwater Fishing (K. W. Pryor, Ed.). New York, NY: Lyons & Burford. Wonderful preface from Karen discussing her father Phil Wylie.

Pryor, K. (1987). Behavioral conditioning. In B. R. Mate & J. T. Harvey (Eds.), Acoustical deterrents in marine mammal conflicts with fisheries (Oregon State Grant Publication ORESU-W-86-001). Corvallis, OR: Sea Grant Communications, Oregon State University.

Pryor, K. (1986). Non-acoustic communicative behavior of the great whales: origins, comparisons, and implications for management. Report of the International Whaling Commission (Special Issue), 8, 89–96.

Pryor, K. (1986). Reinforcement training as interspecies communication. In R. Schusterman, J. A. Thomas, & F. G. Wood (Eds.). Dolphin cognition and behavior: A comparative approach (Chapter 11). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Pryor, K. (1982). The marine mammals and birds of Georges Bank. In G. C. McLeod & J. H. Prescott (Eds.), Georges Bank: Past, Present, and Future of a Marine Environment. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Pryor, K. (1981). Why porpoise trainers are not dolphin lovers: Real and false communication in the operant setting. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 364(1), 137–143.

Defran, R. H., & Pryor, K. (1980). The behavior and training of cetaceans in captivity. In L. Herman (Ed.), Cetacean behavior: Mechanisms & functions (Chapter 7), 319–362. New York, NY: Wiley-Interscience.

Pryor, K. (1970). Wild things in the wild sea. In V. H. Cahalane (Ed.), Alive in the Wild. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.


Popular Press

Pryor, Gale. (2023, Oct. 11) My mother’s decline into dementia, in her own words. The Boston Globe Magazine.

Pryor, K. (2009). Clicking with shelter cats. Animal Sheltering.

Pryor, K. (2002, Aug & Sep). The poisoned cue. Teaching Dogs.

Pryor, K. (1994, Nov./Dec.). The llama post and the parsing of the llama post. The Clicker Journal.

Pryor, K. (1992, Winter). Indexing: a new burden for authors. Authors Guild Bulletin.

Pryor, K. (1992, Annual). A dog and a dolphin: training without punishment. Dogs in Canada. Apex Publishing.

Pryor, K. (1986, Summer). Why punishing doesn’t work. Mothering.

Pryor, K. (1984, Summer). My favorite joke. The Sun. Chapel Hill, NC.

Pryor, K. (1984, July). The power of praise. Reader’s Digest.

Pryor, K. (1981, April). The rhino likes violets. Psychology Today.

Pryor, K. (1980, February). Philip Wylie, dancin’ man. Prime Time.

Pryor, K. (1978, April 24). The wicked winds of New York. New York.

Pryor, K. (1977, February). Orchestra conductors would make good porpoise trainers. Psychology Today.

Pryor, K. (1975, August). The oculostatic machine. Honolulu.

Pryor, K. (1971, September). The puzzling porpoise. Friends.

Pryor, K. (1969, December). Behavior modification: The porpoise caper. Psychology Today.

Pryor, K. (1963, June). They teach the joys of breastfeeding. Reader’s Digest.


Podcasts

Vedantam, Shankar (Host). (2018, June 4). When Everything Clicks: The Power Of Judgment-Free Learning [51 min. podcast]. In Hidden Brain. Washington, DC: NPR.


Videos

(2019). The 29th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony. Cambridge, MA: Annals of Improbable Research. Available online. Karen receives the Medical Education prize, gives a brief lecture on clicker training, and also was the inspiration for the mini-opera “Creatures of Habit.”

Pryor, K. (2012). The Neurobiology of TAGteach. Brandeis University. Excerpt available online. Complete video and online course available from TAGteach International.

Pryor, K. & Clark, C. (2002). Puppy Love: Raise your dog the clicker way. Waltham, MA: Sunshine Books.

Barnes, M., & McMaster, J. (Writers). (1998, February 3). Animal Hospital [Television series episode]. In NOVA. Boston, MA: WGBH. Karen was one of the animal experts interviewed for the show.

Pryor, K., Lindbergh, J.M., & Wilkes, G. (1994). Sit! Clap! Furbish! Bringing behavior under stimulus control [55 min. video]. North Bend, WA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K., Lindbergh, J. M., & Wilkes, G. (1993). Shaping: building behavior with positive reinforcement [55 min. video]. North Bend, WA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K. (1993). Karen Pryor | The Bailey Interviews [42 min. video]. Interview by Marian and Bob Bailey. Available online. Much biographical information from Karen.

Pryor, K. & Wilkes, G. (1992). Click! Using the conditioned reinforcer [55 min. video]. North Bend, WA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K., Priest, G., Shallenberger, I. K., & Wilkes, G. (1992). Supertraining! How modern animal trainers use operant conditioning [120 min. video]. North Bend, WA: Sunshine Books.

Pryor, K. (1992). “If I Could Talk to the Animals…” Reinforcement Interactions as Communication, President’s Invited Scholar’s Address, Association of Behavior Analysis Annual Convention, San Francisco, CA [55 min. video]. North Bend, WA: Sunshine Books. Available online.