Behavior modification
Encyclopedia : B : BE : BEH : Behavior modification
|
| This article may not be compliant with the content policies of Wikipedia. To be compliant, it must be written from a [Neutral point of viewneutral point of view] and must not include [Verifiabilityunverifiable], [What Wikipedia is notunsuitable] material, or [No original researchoriginal research]. |
Please see the relevant discussion on the [talk page].
| |
- This article is about the behaviorist technique. For the Cognitive therapy, see Cognitive therapy
While founded in behaviorism, Behavior modification has long been used by psychotherapists, parents, and caretakers of the disabled, generally without any underlying behaviorist philosophy. It involves the most basic of methods to alter human behavior, such as reward and punishment, aversion therapy, reinforcement, and even biofeedback. The cultivation of life skills are often a central focus.
Analysis of the patients thoughts are not required, but many non-behaviorists feel the therapy can be powerfully improved with such cognitive analysis. Punishment is also frowned upon in many contexts, with extinction of conditioned reflexes often in its place.
A major focus of behavior modification is giving compliments, approval, encouragement and affirmation; a ratio of five compliments for every one complaint is found to be most effectual in altering another's behavior in a desired manner.Kirkhart, Robert and Evelyn, "The Bruised Self: Mending in the Early Years", in Kaoru Yamamoto (ed.), The Child and His Image: Self Concept in the Early Years. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1972.Gottman, J. M., & Levenson, R. W. (1999). "What predicts change in marital interaction over time? A study of alternative models." Family Process, 38 (2), 143-158.
Behavior-based approaches to improving occupational safety performance focus on the study of safety behaviors before and after various interventions to the safety behavior of the individuals involved. The three items for introduction of a behavior-based system are: antecedent, behavior and consequence (ABC). According to behavior modification theory, worker behavior may be influenced by systematically reinforcing the right behavior until a new habit if formed.
From a sociological point-of-view, if punishment is too harsh or the withholding of rewards is too harsh, the subject may seem to be corrected of the maladaptive behavior by scientific measurements, but if a bad example is set -- as described in social learning theory. This bad example and the bad feelings that are a result, as in causing an affective disorder (i.e. an emotiional disorder), the subject could cause the re-infliction of punishment as a chain reaction in society. The punishment and the bad feelings that result may spread through society and be the cause of a contagious reaction referred to as social illness.
In nature
fasciola hepatica and Dicrocoelium dendriticum modify ant behavior so they can be transmitted to their host ruminant.
toxoplasma gondii can modify rodent behavior so they are attracted to cats, resulting in their transmission to the host feline.
See also
- John B. Watson
- Ivan Pavlov
- B. F. Skinner
- Behavior modification facility
- Sociology
- conditioning
- classical conditioning
- operant conditioning
- Beyond Freedom and Dignity
- Life coaching
- A Clockwork Orange
References
External links
- [ldonline.org] - Behavior modification in the Classroom
- [about.com] - Changing Our Perspective Can Help Our Child To Behave
- [ehow.com] - How to Create a Behavior Modification Plan for Students With Behavioral Disabilities
- [Association for Comprehensive NeuroTherapy] - Behavior modification charts for home and school
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.