L11 - Behaviour Modification Flashcards
What do behaviour modification programmes do?
Reinforce desirable behaviour and punish undesirable behaviour so that the former increases and the latter becomes extinct
What’s token economy?
A form of behaviour modification where desirable behaviour is reinforced with a token which can then be exchanged for a reward
Tokens are what type of reinforcers?
Secondary as they gain value by being associated for a reward like a phone call
When does negative punishment occur and what happens?
Disobedience or non-compliance occurs
The prisoner doesn’t receive any tokens
What are increments?
When desirable behaviour is broken down into smaller steps
What’s selective reinforcement?
A particular prisoner is rewarded for particular actions
What are some advantages of token economy?
It’s easy to administer, doesn’t need experts or specialised equipment, can be implemented by anyone, is cost-effective, and easy to follow
It’s effective with young offenders - when rewards were more immediate and frequent, the results were more positive
What’s a disadvantage related to staff consistency
If staff aren’t consistent (due to lack of training or high staff turnover), token economy won’t work as well so rewards won’t be consistent either
What’s a disadvantage related to getting to the cause of behaviour?
Token economy only deals with surface behaviour. Other treatments go deeper so offenders reflect on the cause of their behaviour and take responsibility which token economy doesn’t do.
