Lecture 9: Behaviour Modification

Question 1

What are the principles of feedback and reinforcement?

Answer 1

Feedback, Reinforcement, & Punishment are behaviour modification approaches used to direct behaviour, develop motivation, commitment, & desired skills.

Question 2

What component of motivation is feedback and motivation related to?

Answer 2

The direction component of motivation

Question 3

What is behaviour determined/controlled by?

Answer 3

Assumed that it is by its concequences but it is actually by perception

Question 4

Where do concequences/feedback come from?

Answer 4

In the enviornment

Question 5

How do we avoid concequences?

Answer 5

Adjust our behaviour

Question 6

What is feedback?

Answer 6

Information about a behaviour or the consequences of a behaviour

Question 7

Why is feedback (e.g., reinforcement, punishment) important?

Answer 7

1. It is necessary if learning is to occur.
2. It influences the performances of well-learned skills (by acting as an incentive).
3. It affects psychological variables such as motivation, self-confidence, stress, and state anxiety. (Is the work paying off?)

Question 8

What are the two ways feedback influences behaviour?

Answer 8

1. Informational function
2. Motivational function

Question 9

What is informational feedback?

Answer 9

feedback ‘informs’ person what should and should not be done e.g. was shot too long, too short, too much knee bend

Question 10

What is motivational feedback?

Answer 10

feedback increases effort & intensity thru incentives & ‘rewards’ for goal accomplishment (want the same reward or praise in the future)

Question 11

What is reinforcement?

Answer 11

Any reward, praise, or event that increases the frequency or strength of a behaviour (i.e.. it reinforces or ‘strengthens’ the behaviour); defined by its effect to INCREASE

Question 12

What is reinforcement designed to do?

Answer 12

STRENGTHEN behaviours

Question 13

What is positive reinforcement?

Answer 13

contingent (connected to) use of rewards/reinforcers to increase the frequency of a particular behaviour (e.g., increasing praise when a skill/drill is done correctly)

Question 14

What is negative reinforcement?

Answer 14

contingent withdrawal of a negative stimulus to increase the frequency of a particular behaviour (e.g., withdrawing criticism when drill/skill is done correctly)

Question 15

What is punishment?

Answer 15

Application of a negative stimulus (e.g. pain, criticism), or the removal of something positive (e.g. opportunity to play, praise), in order to decrease the frequency of a particular behaviour

Question 16

What is punishment designed to do?

Answer 16

WEAKEN behaviour

Question 17

How can punishments have unintended concequences?

Answer 17

Taking away the opportunity to play is only powerful if they WANT to play/participate
- Something could be seen as a reward and a punishment to two different people

Question 18

If a behaviour is followed by a reinforcer…

Answer 18

it is more likely to occur again under similar conditions (situation-specific)

Question 19

What are the 3 guidelines for proper use of reinforcement?

Answer 19

1. Select appropriate behaviour
2. Choosing an effective reinforcer
3. Apply reinforcement immediately and contingently

Question 20

What are appropriate behaviours to be reinforced?

Answer 20

Need to be specific, observable and measurable

Question 21

How do you choose an effective reinforcer?

Answer 21

Select reinforcers that;
(a) are readily available.
(b) can be used immediately following the desired behaviour.
(c) can be used over and over again without losing their ‘meaning’ / effect (use a variety of reinforcers)
(d) do not require a great deal of time to ‘consume’.

Question 22

Why is applying reinforcements immediately and contingently important?

Answer 22

It makes it crystal clear why they are being rewarded or punished so they can connect the dots and strengthen or modify their behaviour