Topic 1: Introduction to Behavior Modification Flashcards

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1
Q

Behavior

A

the subject matter of behavior modification

behavior is what a person says or does, it involves a person’s actions

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1
Q

Dimensions

A

an aspect of the behavior that can be measured and modified

relevant dimensions may include frequency, duration, intensity, and latency

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2
Q

Frequency

A

a dimension of behavior, specifically the number of times a behavior occurs in a specific time period

the number of responses (frequency) divided by the time equals the rate of behavior

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3
Q

Duration

A

a dimension of behavior, specifically the time from the onset of the behavior to the offset of the behavior

duration is how long an instance of behavior lasts

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4
Q

Intensity

A

a dimension of behavior, specifically the physical force or magnitude of the behavior

often measured with a recording instrument or on a rating scale

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5
Q

Latency

A

a dimension of behavior, specifically the time from some stimulus to the onset of behavior

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6
Q

Overt Behavior

A

behavior that can be observed and recorded by a person other than the one engaging in the behavior

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7
Q

Covert Behaviors

A

behavior that is not observable to others, also called private events

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8
Q

What are the characteristics of behavior?

A

behavior is what people do and say

behaviors have dimensions

behaviors can be observed, described, and recorded

behaviors have an impact on the environment

behavior is lawful

behaviors may be overt or covert

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9
Q

Behavior Modification

A

the field of psychology concerned with analyzing and modifying human behavior (also called applied behavior analysis)

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10
Q

Target Behavior

A

in behavior modification, the behavior to be modified

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11
Q

Behavioral Excess

A

an undesirable target behavior that a person seeks to decrease in frequency, duration, or intensity

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12
Q

Behavioral Deficit

A

a desirable target behavior that a person seeks to increase in frequency, duration, or intensity

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13
Q

Behaviorism

A

the philosophy of the science of behavior

the core tenants are that behavior is lawful and controlled by environmental events occurring in close temporal relation to the behavior

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14
Q

Experimental Analysis of Behavior

A

the scientific study of behavior and the types of environmental events that are functionally related to the occurrence of behavior

involves laboratory research with nonhumans and humans

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15
Q

Applied Behavioral Analysis

A

a term often used interchangeably with the term behavior modification

it involves analyzing and modifying human behavior

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16
Q

Controlling Variables

A

the environmental factors (antecedents and consequences) that influence the probability of a particular behavior

they are the consequences that are functionally related to the behavior

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17
Q

What are the characteristics of behavior modification as listed in the textbook?

A

focus on behavior

guided by the theory and philosophy of behaviorism

based on behavioral principles

emphasis on current environmental events

precise description of procedures

implemented by people in everyday life

measurement of behavior change

de-emphasis on past events as causes of behavior

rejection of hypothetical underlying causes of behavior

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18
Q

Law of Effect

A

states that a behavior that produces a favorable effect on the environment will be more likely to be repeated in the future

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19
Q

What is overt behavior?

A

objectively measurable

verbal (using language), or motor (using the body)

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20
Q

What is covert behavior?

A

not observable by others (may only be inferred from overt behaviors)

also called “private events”

e.g. thoughts and feelings

21
Q

What is a target behavior?

A

the behavior to be modified

22
Q

What is a response?

A

one instance or occurrence of a behavior

23
Q

What is a response class?

A

a group of responses with the same function

that is, each response in the group produces the same effect on the environment (the same consequences)

you could drink one cup of water from a glass, a bottle, or a coconut with a straw, but you would still quench your thirst

24
Q

What is a repertoire?

A

the collection of all behaviors a person can perform

25
Q

What are some things that behavior is not?

A

interpretive descriptions of a personality trait (e.g. honest, introverted)

diagnostic label (e.g. depression, bipolar disorder)

products of behavior (e.g. losing weight)

26
Q

What is the Dead Man Test (Ogden Lindsley, 1965)?

A

“If a dead man can do it, then it ain’t behavior, and if a dead man can’t do it, then it is behavior”

27
Q

How can behaviors and the environment interact?

A

the environment can lead to certain behaviors

behaviors can affect one’s environment

environmental consequences of a behavior can affect subsequent behaviors

28
Q

What was the Fisher, Godwin, & Seltman (2014) study on how cluttered classroom affect students?

A

participants were 24 kindergarten students

independent variable: research laboratory modified to look like a classroom (either a decorated-classroom condition or a sparse-classroom condition)

children participated in six science lessons over a 2-week period

off-task behavior: children were distracted 38.6% of time in the decorated classroom vs. 28.4% in the sparse classroom

learning: test scores were lower in the decorated classroom (42%) vs. sparse classroom (55%)

conclusions: decorated classrooms produce more off-task behavior, and decreased learning

29
Q

What are the three aspects of psychology?

A

theoretical

experimental

applied

30
Q

What is the theoretical aspect of psychology?

A

conceptual thinking, done at a computer, at a desk, in an office

31
Q

What is the experimental aspect of psychology?

A

basic research, often with animals in a lab

32
Q

What is the applied aspect of psychology?

A

practical research and treatments to solve a problem, usually on people, in the real world

33
Q

What is behaviorism?

A

philosophy of the science of behavior

34
Q

What is experimental analysis of behavior?

A

basic scientific research on the functional relationship between environmental events and resulting behavior

35
Q

What is behavior modification?

A

the application of experimentally derived laws of learning to human behavior, and providing behavior analytic services to consumers

36
Q

What is the definition of behavior modification?

A

includes analyzing the relationship between environment and behavior

and changing the environment to help people modify their behavior

these are applied to reach the goal of improving people’s lives

37
Q

What are the characteristics of behavior modification as seen in the lecture notes?

A

typically defines problems in terms of measurable behavior

likewise, solutions are evaluated in terms of those same behaviors

treatments work by affecting an individual’s environment, comprised of stimuli: things perceptible in one’s immediate environment

all aspects are defined specifically, and in detail (including stimuli and behaviors)

can be applied by non-professionals

based on the scientific study of learning, and the two kinds of conditioning (operant and respondent)

emphasizes scientific evidence in evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention

does not rely on hypothetical constructs: theoretical concept that mediate behavior

places high importance on accountability for everyone experiencing, administering, and overseeing treatment programs

38
Q

What are the myths and misconceptions about behavior modification and rebuttals?

A

using rewards is bribery [our behaviors persist because they are reinforced, whether we realize it or not]

ignores the root causes of behavior and just treats the symptoms [antecedent causes are important; further root causes cannot always be determined anyway]

does not deal with thoughts or feelings, just behaviors [behavior modification can be applied to cognitions or affect]

can eb applies to simple problems (e.g. toilet training), but not too complex ones (e.g. low self-esteem) [works with all kinds of problems behaviors, even psychological disorders]

makes people dependent on external incentives; ruins intrinsic motivation [well-designed programs ensure maintenance of behavior]

it only works on children or those with disabilities [correctly implemented programs can be applied to anyone]

is outdated [has gained new relevance in helping those with autism]

treatment methods are dehumanizing, like those in A Clockwork Orange [there are strict ethical controls to prevent abuse]

39
Q

What is applied behavior analysis (ABA)?

A

using knowledge about human behavior to reduce socially undesirable behaviors and/or increase desirable ones

40
Q

What is the relationship between behavior modification and applied behavior analysis?

A

some consider behavior modification to be equivalent to applied behavior analysis

others consider the term “ABA” a replacement for the term “behavior modification”

still others see behavior modification as a larger category that includes: ABA, application of respondent conditioning, behavior therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy

41
Q

What was psychology in the 19th century?

A

the scientific study of conscious experience

example: introspection of the conscious experience of tasting lemonade

criticisms: introspection is unreliable, invalid, and not objective

42
Q

What was psychology in the 20th century?

A

the science of observable behavior

no more study of consciousness

43
Q

Who was Ivan Pavlov?

A

respondent behaviors are involuntary; elicited by stimuli that precede them

stimulus and response from a reflex

S-R psychology: focused on how environmental events and stimuli (S) affect responses (R)

44
Q

Who was E.L. Thorndike?

A

described the law of effect: a behavior that has a favorable outcome is more likely to occur again in that situation in the future

example: a cat placed in a “puzzle box” would discover how to open it and get food, and gradually would improve this behavior

discussed how an animal can “modify it behavior” but did not coin the term behavior modification

45
Q

Who was J.B. Watson?

A

founded behaviorism

developed methodological behaviorism: the study of behavior alone, not of any internal, mental state or event (1913)

rationale: mental events cannot be objectively observed or studied

proposed that most human activities were learned habits

S-R models

46
Q

Who was B.F. Skinner?

A

awarded 1969 US National Medal of Science

radical behaviorism and the S-R-S model

47
Q

What is radical behaviorism?

A

Skinner’s philosophy on the science of behavior

goal is understand and explain all behavior

this includes “private events” that occur “inside the skin” (e.g. thoughts and feelings)

48
Q

What are private events?

A

are behaviors, have no special properties

different from ‘public” behaviors only in that they are not directly accessible to others

influenced by the same kinds of variables as publicly accessible behaviors

49
Q

What is the S-R-S model?

A

a.k.a. three-term contingency, or ABCs of behavior

Antecedent stimulus produces –> Behavior (or response) which in turn produces –> Consequence (also a stimulus or event): reinforcement or punishment

50
Q

What are some areas of application of behavior modification?

A

autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities

clinical behavior analysis/cognitive behavior therapies

environmental sustainability

parenting and parent/child relationships

medical care

health

education

sport psychology

employment settings

self-management