FACULTY OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES

SEMESTER SEPTEMBER 2019

ABPC3303

PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION

MATRICULATION NO : 730307125428001
IDENTITY CARD NO. : 730307125428
TELEPHONE NO. : 0128206704
E-MAIL : dinnadaisy@hotmail.com
LEARNING CENTRE : SABAH LEARNING CENTRE
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pages

PART A

Video Summary ……………...………..………..………..………………………. 3

PART B

Introduction ………,...,.....…………………..…………….…..………..…..……. 6

Predict TWO reasons for the behaviour of the child ………………………...….. 7

Apply ONE learning theory that can be employed

to improve the child’s behaviour ……………..…..………..………..……………. 9
Conclusion …………………………………..………………….……………….... 11

References ……………………………..………………….……………………..... 12

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Part A
Children misbehave all the time and it is a fact of life. But if it feels like your world
revolves around an obnoxious child, especially when taking them out in public may need
a time for a change.
In this ‘YouTube’ video the child was not compelling to the parent asking her to put on
her coat as it is cold at the playground. With many approaches that the parent tried for
her to put on her coat, the child kept refusing to the request of the parent. One important
aspect of behaviour modification is measuring the behaviour that is targeted for change.
This is known as behavioural assessment. By using behavioural assessment as a parent
to the child we would be able to know what is the best approach in handling the child
misbehaviour. In addition we are also able to assess the differences of the child behaviour
before and after the approach taken to see if there is any differences to the child’s
behaviour. (Kazdin, 2008)
In the video, the narrator suggested here is to instil persuasion to modify the child’s
behaviour. The parent was adamant with one instruction in persuading the child to put
on her coat, which resulted in the child to comply with the request after several demands.
In modifying the child behaviour here any parent would at first may have failed to get
their children to comply, parenting is a method of trial and error of which we can use
behavioural assessment looking at the best approach to the behavioural modification of
the child. (Potvin, 2017)
Behavior modification is defined as "the alteration of behavioral patterns through the use
of such learning techniques as biofeedback and positive or negative reinforcement." More
simply, you can modify your child's behavior with positive consequences and negative
consequences. Behavior modification is based on the idea that good behavior should lead
to positive consequences and bad behavior should lead to negative consequences.
There are many things that can cause a child to have temper tantrums, emotional
outbursts, and general “bad” or unexpected behavior. Their environment can also
influence behavior. Behavior modification is about modifying the environment in a way
that your child has more incentive to follow the rules. (Martin & Pear, 2017)

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It was suggested in the video that consistency is the key to making behavior modification
effective. The parent kept persisting that the child put on her coat, without reasoning
which led to the child giving up and obliging. The parent showing good example to the
child by saying ‘Thank You’ made the child feel good for showing good behavior. This
could apply to other approaches too, by being consistent with praising your child for
doing good behavior, using praise every time she does listen to instructions until it
becomes a habit. Positive reinforcement is using a reward for positive behavior to make
sure the child continues with the desired behavior. It is the most effective method of
shaping behavior because it is the most pleasant. For example, praise and reward are both
used in positive reinforcement. (Martin & Pear, 2017)

This can be a positive reinforcement for the child, as any time the child is being good, to
make sure to let her know how appreciative you are of her good behavior. Everyone
responds in positive ways to praise, so this will encourage the child to behave in desirable
ways. By positive reinforcement to encourage prosocial behaviors, like sharing or
following directions. This can be used to prevent misbehavior, like hitting and rule
violations. Positive reinforcement can also be an effective way to encourage the child to
be responsible, by motivating her to do chores or complete her homework assignments
without arguing. In the video the Parent rewarded the child with a hot chocolate for doing
good by listening to the parent for putting her coat on.

Using positive reinforcement to encourage any behaviors that you want your child to
repeat. Over time, you can space out your reinforcement. Once your child has mastered a
skill, surprise reinforcement from time to time can be effective. Say, "Wow, I'm so
impressed you've been getting ready for school on time lately. I think we'll go to the
playground tonight to celebrate.”

Other researchers, though, have looked at positive reinforcement in a more

parent-relevant way. A psychologist Judy Cameron suggested that the effects of rewards
on motivation for different types of tasks, concluding that rewards reliably boost the
amount of time people spend on unappealing tasks. She and a colleague concluded that
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by rewarding, people are more willing to work on activities than people who do not
receive rewards. (Cameron, 2001) Another support on the consistency of positive
rewards in children is the author of The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child,
called “repeated practice.” In his book, he suggested that the more that the child does
good things and followed by rewarding the more routine that behavior becomes apparent
and eventually, it just becomes part of who he is. (Kazdin, 2008)

From the video about behavior modification and the suggestions for how to use both
positive reinforcers and consistency, in teaching children to learn and repeat desired
behaviors. Modifying behaviour involves developing and implementing procedures to
help people change their behaviour. This will also include altering an individual's
environment with the goal of improving some aspect of a person’s life. Behaviour
modification is a treatment procedure or technique used to change behaviour in this case
it is by altering a child’s current environment to help develop a favorable behavior and
function better in everyday life. This thought was from Martin and Pear, who suggested
that focusing on using principles of learning and cognition to understand and change
people’s behaviour. (Martin & Pear, 2017)

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Introduction
Behavior modification refers to the techniques used to try and decrease or increase a
particular type of behavior or reaction. It is defined as "the alteration of behavioural
patterns through the use of such learning techniques as biofeedback and positive or
negative reinforcement." More simply, you can modify your child's behavior with
positive consequences and negative consequences.
This might sound very technical, but it's used very frequently by all of us. Parents use this
to teach their children right from wrong. Therapists use it to promote healthy behaviors in
their patients. Animal trainers use it to develop obedience between a pet and its owner.
We even use it in our relationships with friends and significant others. Our responses to
them teach them what we like and what we don't.
Behavior modification is based on the idea that good behavior should lead to positive
consequences and bad behavior should lead to negative consequences. Behavior
modification relies on the concept of conditioning. Conditioning is a form of learning.
There are two major types of conditioning; classical conditioning and operant
conditioning. (Edenbrow and Croft 2013)
i) Classical conditioning relies on a particular stimulus or signal. An example of this
would be if a family member came to the kitchen every time you baked cookies because
of the delicious smell.

ii) Operant conditioning, which involves using a system of rewards and/or punishments.
Dog trainers use this technique all the time when they reward a dog with a special treat
after they obey a command.

Behavior modification was developed from these theories because they supported the
idea that just as behaviors can be learned, they also can be unlearned. As a result, many
different techniques were developed to either assist in eliciting a behavior or stopping it.
This is how behavior modification was formed. (Johnson, 2016)

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A) Predict Two Reasons for the Behaviour

Understanding the ways in which individuals cope with threats, respond to challenges,
make use of opportunities and mediate the harmful effects of their surroundings is
important for predicting their ability to function in a rapidly changing world. Perhaps one
of the most essential drivers of coping behaviour in adults is the environment experienced
during their early-life development. Although the study of coping, defined as behaviours
displayed in response to environmental challenges, has a long and rich research history in
biology, recent literature has repeatedly pointed out that the processes through which
coping behaviours develop in individuals are still largely unknown. In looking at and
predicting the child’s behaviour in the video, we make a move towards how her
environment would have shaped behaviour. (Fawcett and Frankenhuis, 2015)
A child after being born reaches many milestones in their lives as in sitting, crawling,
walking and these are distinctly visible to all of us. But there are many other milestones
like, learning ability, social friendliness, handling emotions, developing personalities
which can easily get overridden by a parent. This is where the need comes in to
understand what a child thinks, how the child behaves, what factors are leading to
changes in the child’s behaviours. And being a parent, it calls for a heads up. Observing
any sort of deviance in normal psychology and its early treatment can help a child grow
into a positive and healthy adult. (Kappeler et al. 2013)
From the given video there would be two reasons to why the child behave as she would,
one being;
1) The child may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which may
result in affecting her attention, and self-control. ADHD can affect a child at
school, at home, and in social settings. From the given video perhaps the child
could have lack of self-control in establishing proper behaviour such as comply to
her father’s request. An approach that would help in this situation is positive
reinforcement by providing immediate feedback, or praise when the child does
well in her behaviour, so that the child will repeat similar behaviors in the future.
(Martin & Pear, 2017)

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2) The child has been previously “rewarded” for her misbehavior with adult
attention. It is difficult and tiresome to keep stern to a child and many parents end
up leniency when their child by giving the child demands in keeping them quiet.
No parent would ever think of purposefully rewarding bad behavior, but it subtly
happens quite often.Remember, negative attention is still attention so if they
misbehave and their parent either yells or spanks, they have just been rewarded.
If the child whines, cries or throws a tantrum and mom or dad eventually gives in
to make them become quiet, they have just been rewarded. no emotion and little
talking, as per the video the father insisted from several words for the child to put
on her coat to just telling her “coat” and the child submissively agreed. (Martin &
Pear, 2017)
According to the theory of B.F Skinner in operant conditioning with positive
reinforcement is one of the choices which works in behaviour modification. In operant
conditioning, positive reinforcement involves the addition of a reinforcing stimulus
following a behavior that makes it more likely that the behavior will occur again in the
future. When a favorable outcome, event, or reward occurs after an action, that particular
response or behavior will be strengthened. And in the video the father praises the child
with ‘Good Girl’ and ‘Thank you’ these words are positive reinforcement to the child for
complying to the father’s request. This will ensure that she would likely to show the
same behaviour in the future. In addition to this the narrator suggested a hot chocolate
treat, this in another positive reinforcement by the father for the well behaved manner.
(Lovibond and Shanks, 2002)

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B) Learning Theory
According to B.F. Skinner's theory of learning, the term reinforce means to strengthen,
and is used in psychology to refer to any stimulus that strengthens or increases the
probability of a specific behaviour. Operant conditioning is a learning theory in which
voluntary responses are controlled by their consequences.

For example, in the video the father wanted the child to put on her coat, he praises her
and treats her to hot chocolate, when the child acts in accordance to the need requested.
The child will eventually come to understand that performing a good behaviour when
told to will result in a treat. The praise and the treat are the reinforcement and as a result,
the child will perform a similar behaviour when instructed to do so in the future. (Fawcett
and Frankenhuis, 2015)

Further looking into the reinforcement in the learning theory, there are two types of
reinforcements:

(a) Positive Reinforcement

Adding something positive, as an example, praises and the hot chocolate treat are the
stimulus in order to get the girl to adhere to the behaviour needed. The most common
types of positive reinforcers are praise and reward, and most of us have experienced this
as both the giver and receiver.
Positive reinforcement is one of four types of reinforcement in operant conditioning
theory of human behavior and one of many approaches to parenting. It is intended to
encourage a desired behavior by introducing rewards shortly after the occurrence and
therefore increasing the likelihood of repetition.
It’s not unlike the fundamental principle of positive psychology which stresses the need
to focus on what is good in human nature. And just like positive psychology does not
claim to represent a complete view of human psychology, the use of positive
reinforcement alone does not make for an effective model for parenting but is rather

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complementary to it while taking a central stage in many contemporary models of

positive parenting discussed below.
According to McLeod, for positive reinforcement to be effective and of long-lasting
value, it may require a change of habit on the part of the parent as much as it is intended
to change the behavior of a child. Some of us will have to develop a muscle not only to
praise versus criticize but also to praise well, and it may not feel natural at first. The
most important aspect of effective praise is to complement the behavior not the person.
McLeod further explains how praising the effort versus the personality of the child
supports a growth mindset and a sense of self-efficacy. (McLeod, 2018)

(b) Negative Reinforcement

Taking something away in order to increase a response, basically, this would be for
example the father could have decided to take the child back home, for not complying to
the desired behaviour. Taking away the privilege or to withhold something desirable by
the child in order to increase a certain behaviour. (Taborsky, 2017)
One mistake that people often make is confusing negative reinforcement with
punishment. Remember, however, that negative reinforcement involves the removal of a
negative condition to strengthen a behavior. Punishment, on the other hand, involves
either presenting or taking away a stimulus to weaken a behavior.
Negative reinforcement can be an effective way to strengthen the desired behavior.
However, it is most effective when reinforcers are presented immediately following a
behavior. When a long period elapses between the behavior and the reinforcer, the
response is likely to be weaker. In some cases, behaviors that occur in the intervening
time between the initial action and the reinforcer are may also be inadvertently
strengthened as well. Some experts believe that negative reinforcement should be used
sparingly in classroom settings, while positive reinforcement should be emphasized.
While negative reinforcement can produce immediate results, it may be best suited for
short-term use. (McLeod, 2018)

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Conclusion

B.F. Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning, behavioral modification seeks to change or

shape behavior through a set of stimuli and response actions. Operant conditioning works
under the premise that the best way to understand a person’s behavior is to look at the
reason for action and the consequences of said action. Skinner believed that there were
three types of responses: neutral, reinforcing and punishing. Neutral responses, of course,
were not positive or negative. Reinforcing responses, on the other hand, were considered
to be positive while punishing responses were thought to be negative. (Taborsky, 2017)
By using a system of positive or negative consequences, an individual learns the correct
set of responses for any given stimulus. The practice has several offshoots that attempt to
alter behavior through different actions and has developed throughout the years. Behavior
modification has been found to be successful in treating disorders like attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias,
separation anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), disruptive behavior and autism,
among other conditions. (Bouchard and Loehlin 2001)
This isn’t quite the Pavlovian dog salivation scheme you may be familiar with. That’s
classical conditioning. The way operant conditioning and thus behavior modification in
this sense differs is in the nature of the responses. Unlike Pavlovian conditioning, which
generally deals with elicited or reflexive responses, Skinner’s theory works with
voluntary responses. Behavior modification is commonly used in schools and at home, as
well as in rehabilitation settings. Therefore, creating an environment that fosters good
behavior is important in children behaviour modification. The environment around a
child can influence his behavior so it should be shaped in a predictable way that helps
him behave well. Making the child’s space organized, safe, easy to maneuver, and filled
with stimulating things to play and engage with. If possible, provide natural light and
space dedicated to school work for older children. (Martin & Pear, 2017)

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References:
1. Bouchard, T. & Loehlin J. (2001) Genes, evolution, and personality. Behave
Genet 31:243–273. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012294324713
2. Cameron, J. (2001). Stress and the family: Coping with catastrophe. Routledge.
3. Dr. Kazdin, Allan. E. (2008). The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant
Child. Houghton Mifflin Company. New York.
4. Edenbrow M. & Croft, D. P. (2013) Environmental and genetic effects shape the
development of personality traits. page:122: 667–681.
5. Fawcett, T. W. & Frankenhuis, W. E. (2015) Adaptive explanations for sensitive
windows in development. page: 12:S3.
6. Johnson, A. (2016). The Little Book of Big Change. New Harbinger Publication.
Inc.
7. Kappeler, P. M. &, Barrett L. & Blumstein, D. T. & Clutton-Brock, T. H. (2013)
Constraints and flexibility in children social behaviour: introduction and
synthesis. Fairfield LH. New York
8. Lovibond, P. F. & Shanks, D. R. (2002) The role of awareness in Pavlovian
conditioning: empirical evidence and theoretical implications. J Exp Psychol
Anim Behav Process 28:3–26. https://doi.org/10.1037/0097-7403.28.1.3
9. Martin, G., & Pear, J. (2017). Behavior modification: What it is and how to do it
(10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
10. McLeod, K. (2018). Have a New Kid by Friday: How to Change Your Child’s
Attitude, Behaviour & Character. Revell, Grand Rapids Michigan.
11. Potvin DA (2017) Coping with a changing soundscape: avoidance, adjustments
and adaptations. W. W. Norton & Company, New York
12. Taborsky, B. (2015) Rearing-group size determines social competence and brain
structure in a cooperatively breeding cichlid. Am Nat 186:123–140.
https://doi.org/10.1086/681636

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