The SIBAM Model and Its Relevance for Work with Animals

The SIBAM model is a framework for describing and analyzing experience and behavior, originating from somatically oriented approaches to working with the nervous system. It is used to systematically observe how an organism responds to stimuli across multiple levels simultaneously.

The acronym SIBAM refers to five interconnected components:

• S – Sensation
Internal bodily experiences, such as tension, relaxation, changes in breathing, or muscle tone.

• I – Image
Internal representations that may accompany experience (in animals, inferred indirectly from behavior and context).

• B – Behavior
Observable actions, including movement, posture, and interaction with the environment.

• A – Affect
The overall emotional state of the organism, such as calmness, tension, or activation.

• M – Meaning
Interpretation of the situation – conscious in humans, and in animals inferred indirectly from context and behavioral patterns.

Core Principles

• Experience is multi-layered
Behavior cannot be separated from bodily and emotional processes.

• Components are interconnected
Changes in one domain (e.g., bodily tension) are reflected in others (behavior, emotional state).

• Parallel observation
Understanding a situation requires observing multiple levels simultaneously, not in isolation.

SIBAM as an Observational Framework

The SIBAM model serves as a structured tool for observation.

It enables:

• systematic recording of behavioral responses
• integration of information about bodily and emotional states
• tracking changes over time and across conditions

Compared to purely behavioral approaches, it extends analysis to include the somatic dimension.

Application in Animals

In animals, some components (especially Image and Meaning) are inferred indirectly based on:

• situational context
• knowledge of the individual
• repeated behavioral patterns

Primary focus is placed on:

• bodily expressions (posture, tension, movement)
• behavior
• emotional state

Relationship to Other Models

The SIBAM model complements other approaches:

• in relation to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), it expands behavioral analysis by incorporating internal (somatic) processes
• in relation to polyvagal theory, it provides a more detailed description of observable expressions of different regulatory states

It is not an alternative model, but a complementary framework.

Relevance for Felinotherapy and Feline Activities & Behavior

In the context of working with cats, SIBAM allows practitioners to:

• systematically observe responses across different situations
• detect subtle changes in bodily and emotional states
• better understand relationships between environment, physiological state, and behavior
• use these insights to adjust conditions and plan activities

The model is particularly useful for video analysis and long-term observation.

Conclusion

The SIBAM model provides a structured framework for observing experience and behavior across multiple levels.

It enables:

• linking observable behavior with bodily and emotional processes
• expanding purely behavioral analysis
• working with behavior within the broader context of the organism and its environment

In practice, it complements other models used in modern approaches to working with animals.