Theories of behaviour modification

This file gives an basic idea about some popular theories of behavior modification.

1. Theories of Behavior Modification Chetan Sharma Master of Social work

2. What is Behaviour Behaviour or behavior is the actions and mannerisms made by individuals, organisms, systems or artificial entities in conjunction with themselves or their environment , which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the physical environment . It is the computed response of the system or organism to various stimuli or inputs, whether internal or external, conscious or subconscious , overt or covert and voluntary or involuntary.

3. Root causes of behaviour differences Individual differences. Differences in family patterns. Impairment / disabilities Environmental factors. Psychological factors.

4. What is behavior modification Behavior modification is defined as “ the alteration of behavioral patterns through the use of such learning techniques as biofeedback and positive or negative reinforcement.” More simply , you can modify your child’s behavior with positive consequences and negative consequences . Behaviour modification is based on the idea that good behaviour should lead to good consequences and bad behaviour should lead to bad consequences.

5. Characteristics of behaviour modification Behaviour modification procedures are designed to change behaviour , not a personal characteristics or trait . Therefore, behaviour modification deemphasizes labelling . Behaviour modification is not used to change autism ; rather , behaviour modification is used to change problem behaviours exhibited by children with autism. In behaviour modification, the behaviour to be modified is called the target behaviour . Behavioral excesses and deficits are targets for change with behaviour modification procedures

6. Theories of behaviour modification There are mainly to theories which are related to the behaviour modification : C lassical conditioning. Operant conditioning.

7. Classical conditioning During the 1890s , Russian physiologist , Ivan Pavlov was researching to begin fed. He inserted a small test tube into the cheek of each dog to measure saliva when the dogs were fed . Pavlov predicted the dogs world salivate in response to the food placed in front of them, but he noticed that his dogs would begin to salivate whenever they heard the footsteps of his assistant who was bringing them the food. When Pavlov discovered that any object or event which the dogs learned to associate with food would trigger the same response.

8. Classical conditioning involves learning to associate an unconditioned stimulus that already brings about a particular response ( i.e., a reflex ) with a new (conditioned ) stimulus, so that the new stimulus brings about the same response. Continued……

9. Operant conditioning B.F. Skinner is regarded as the father of operant conditioning ,but his work was based on Thorndike’s law of effect. According to this principle , behavior that is followed by pleasant consequences is likely to be repeated , and behavior followed by unpleasant consequences is less likely to be repeated . Skinner introduced a new term into the law of effect – Reinforcement. Behavior which is reinforced tends to be repeated ; behavior which is not reinforced tends to die out or be extinguished. During his experiment ,Skinner identified three types of responses , or operant , that can follow behavior . Neutral operants – Responses from the environment that neither increase nor decrease the probability of a behavior being repeated. Reinforcers - Responses from the environment that increase the probability of a behavior being repeated. It can be positive or negative. Punishers – Responses from the environment that decrease the likelihood of a behavior being repeated .Punishment weakens behavior

10. Positive reinforcement Skinner showed how positive reinforcement worked by placing a hungry rat in his skinner box . The box contained a lever on the side , and as the rat moved about the box, it would accidentally knock the lever. Immediately it did so a food pellet would drop into a container next to the lever. The rats quickly learned to go straight to the lever after a few times of being put in the box. The consequences of receiving food if they pressed the lever ensured that they would repeat the action again and again. Positive reinforcement strengthens a behavior by providing a consequence an individual finds rewarding.

11. Negative reinforcement Skinner showed how negative reinforcement worked by placing a rat in his skinner box and then subjecting it to an unpleasant electric current which caused it some discomfort . As the rat moved about the box it would accidentally knock the lever. Immediately it did so the electric current would be switched off . The rats quickly learned to go straight to the lever after a few times of being put in the box. The consequence of escaping the electric current ensured that they would repeat the action again and again.

12. Punishment Punishment is defined as the opposite of reinforcement since it is designed to weaken or eliminate a response rather than increase it. It is an aversive event that decreases the behavior that it follows. Like reinforcement , punishment can work either by directly applying an unpleasant stimulus like a shock after a response or by removing a potentially rewarding stimulus, for instance , deducting someone’s pocket money to punish undesirable behavior.

13. Thank You