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In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan. 2022 Jul 11. Affiliations
Free Books & Documents Book Behavior ModificationHannah K. Scott et al. Free Books & Documents ExcerptBehavior modification is a psychotherapeutic intervention primarily used to eliminate or reduce maladaptive behavior in children or adults. While some therapies focus on changing thought processes that can affect behavior, for example, cognitive behavioral therapy, behavior modification focuses on changing specific behaviors with little consideration of a person’s thoughts or feelings. The progress and outcome of the intervention can be measured and evaluated. Functional analysis of the antecedents and consequences of the problem behavior(s) must be identified. This leads to the creation of specific target behaviors that will become the focus of change. Then, certain variables can be manipulated via reinforcers and punishments to change problem behavior(s). The goal is to eliminate or reduce maladaptive behavior. Behavior modification is a type of behavior therapy. B. F. Skinner demonstrated that behavior could be shaped through reinforcement and/or punishment. Skinner noted that a reinforcer is a consequence that increases the likelihood of behavior to recur, while punishment is a consequence that decreases the chance. Positive and negative are used in mathematical terms. Positive indicates that something is added, and negative indicates something is subtracted or taken away. Thus, positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior is encouraged by rewards. If a child enjoys candy and cleaning the room is the desired behavior, the candy is a positive reinforcer (reward) because it is something that is given or added when the behavior occurs. This makes the behavior more likely to recur. Negative reinforcement is removing a stimulus as the consequence of behavior but results in a positive outcome for the individual. For example, a fine is dropped, and a person no longer has to go to jail. The removal of the negative stimulus (the fine) results in a positive outcome for the individual, no jail time. Conversely, positive punishment is the addition of an adverse consequence. For example, a child gets spanked when he crosses the street without holding his mother’s hand. He then no longer crosses the street alone. Spanking is positive punishment because it is a consequence added to the situation that decreases the likelihood of the child crossing the street alone. Negative punishment is taking away favorable consequences to reduce unwanted behavior. For example, if Emily doesn’t finish her homework on time, her cell phone gets taken away. She makes it a priority to finish her homework immediately after school before she does anything else. Removal of the cell phone would be a “negative” because it takes something away, decreasing the chance that she won’t finish her homework the next time. Reinforcement and punishment both work independently, as well as together, as part of a behavior plan. Positive reinforcement works exceedingly better and faster than punishment. In child psychiatry, parents often come to the office angry and frustrated with their child because “nothing works.” They have tried multiple types of punishments when bad behavior has occurred using the removal of toys or privileges away or placing a child in time out. Often positive types are not being reinforced. One immediate benefit of behavior modification plans is the shift away from solely punishing unwanted behavior to also rewarding good behavior. (Table 1, Scott and Cogburn, 2017) In table 1, note that punishment and reinforcement have nothing to do with good or bad behavior, only if it increases or decreases the likelihood of the behavior to recur. There are several schedules of reinforcement that can impact behavior. When a behavior plan is initially set up, continuous two is used to establish and reinforce the behavior. Once the behavior has been established, continuous reinforcement can change to intermittent reinforcement which is termed thinning. There are four types of intermittent reinforcement. They are:
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How does positive reinforcement encourage a behavior to be repeated?Thus, positive reinforcement occurs when a behavior is encouraged by rewards. If a child enjoys candy and cleaning the room is the desired behavior, the candy is a positive reinforcer (reward) because it is something that is given or added when the behavior occurs. This makes the behavior more likely to recur.
Which of these increases the likelihood of repeating a behavior?The positive reinforcer increases the likelihood of that behavior occurring again under the same circumstances.
Does positive reinforcement increase behavior?Reinforcement means you are increasing a behavior, and punishment means you are decreasing a behavior. Reinforcement can be positive or negative, and punishment can also be positive or negative. All reinforcers (positive or negative) increase the likelihood of a behavioral response.
Does positive reinforcement increase or decrease behavior?The most effective way to teach a person or animal a new behavior is with positive reinforcement. In positive reinforcement, a desirable stimulus is added to increase a behavior.
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