introduction Flashcards
when did behavioral modification emerge?
the 1950s to 1960s.
why was behavioral modification created?
to see if effective behavioral interventions could be made, particularly in schools.
what is behavioral modification?
- the science of change in behaviors, emotions, and thought processes
- what can we change to alter our emotions and behaviors?
where does behavioral modification play a role?
in education and psychiatric dysfunction (mental health disorders like ADHD, anxiety).
how is behavioral modification guided?
- focus on the behavior
- what factors could be leading to certain behaviors (the why)
- learning and its role in teaching behavior
- measure (explore) a behavior and see what impacts a change had to the behavior afterward
- see if positive changes in one’s behavior can be applied to others as well
what is overt behavior?
- behavior (actions) we can physically see
- our thoughts and feelings are just as important
why is overt behavior focused on?
- it can be easily seen and sometimes effectively addressed
- it is often the cause for the intervention
- easier to see what interventions have worked and what have not
what is the reasoning behind behavioral modification research?
learning why people perform the certain behaviors that they do.
why is the past not as important when it comes to behavioral modification?
- although it does matter, it will not change the fact that we need to focus on what can currently be done to address the behavior
- what are the current influences and can they be addressed?
when does behavior become a problem?
- frequency
- intensity
- longevity
- incorrect context (ex: smiling at a sad time)
- a lack of needed behavior
what is “special” learning?
focuses on the scientific methods developed to change behavior.
what is wrong with the expression “practice makes perfect”?
- you can practice a lot but it means nothing if you are not receiving feedback
- without it, bad habits can be created
what is important to remember about behaviors and learning?
- not all behaviors can be changed with learning as tons of different variables (like cultural factors) that could be at play
- what matters is that we try to change the behavior
what is behavioral assessment?
- measuring current functioning
- what is performance like before, during, and after the procedure?
- often starts by clarifying the goals of the intervention
- evaluations before the actual evaluation may be asked (ex: a parent may need to fill out a questionnaire about their daughter) and often continues throughout the experiment to see what has changed
what is evaluation?
- drawing conclusions about the study
- did the behavior change because of the intervention?
what are paraprofessionals?
people who work alongside the professionals who design the intervention (like parents, teachers, or friends) to change certain behaviors.
where has behavioral intervention been effective?
- education
- therapy
- health
- business
- athletics
- basic life
what was arlene’s case?
- she suffers from agoraphobia (fear of open spaces)
- her treatments included increased exposure and relaxation training (techniques she can use when she starts to feel anxious)
- she progressed quickly (within a 10 week period)
what was john’s case?
- felt the need to sleep in his mom’s bed
- his treatments included developing a sticker system where he would be given a sticker if he did not sleep in his mom’s bed that night. depending on how many stickers he got they could be exchanged for prizes
- his mom made sure to give him hugs and kisses to encourage him
- eventually the sticker system was removed and although the mom still made sure to show him praise, john did not feel the need to sleep in his mother’s bed anymore
who developed classical conditioning?
- ivan b. pavlov
- created the dog experiment: ringing of bells causes dogs to associate them with food coming which caused salivation
- was very precise with his studies, which allowed them to be replicated
- order in classical conditioning matters!
what is an unconditioned stimulus (US)?
- an event that elicits a reflex response (ex: in pavlov’s experiment, the dog food)
- the connection between the stimulus (e.g., dog food) and the response (e.g., salivation) is unlearned
what is an unconditioned response (UR)?
- a reflex response elicited by an unconditioned stimulus (ex: in pavlov’s experiment, the dog salivating at the sight of food)
what is a neutral stimulus?
stimuli that does not initially cause a particular reaction (ex: in pavlov’s experiment, the ringing bell).
what is a conditioned stimulus (CS)?
- a previously neutral stimulus that, through repeated associations with an unconditioned stimulus, elicits a reflex response (ex: in pavlov’s experiment, the ringing bell)
what is a conditioned response (CR)?
- a reflex response elicited by a conditioned stimulus in the absence of the unconditioned stimulus (ex: in pavlov’s experiment, the dog salivated after hearing the bell)
- this response resembles, but is not identical to, the unconditioned response
what is a reflex?
a reaction that occurs with no training. provides survival value, prepares us to fight.