of Learning By: Sanchita Khantwal Behavior Modification Theory • Behavior modification refers to the techniques used to try and decrease or increase a particular type of behavior or reaction. • 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 relies on the concept of conditioning. • Conditioning is a form of learning. • There are two major types of conditioning; classical conditioning and operant conditioning. • 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. • The second type is known as 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 Various Techniques of Behavior Modification • Positive Reinforcement • Negative Reinforcement • Punishment • Extinction Positive Reinforcement • Positive reinforcement is a reward you give to an employee when they display desirable behavior • Positive reinforcement encourages the employee to continue to display this desirable behavior • Examples of positive reinforcement rewards include financial bonuses, praise etc Negative Reinforcement • Negative reinforcement also uses rewards • An employee is rewarded for desirable behavior by having something unpleasant removed • For example in case a new team member has joined and everyday you are checking what they have done in the day before the person leaves for home • After one month of good behavior you change this checking system and do it just once per month and not everyday • The removal of daily monitoring is the reward Punishment • Punishment happens when you use negative consequences in the workplace to stop team members from undesirable behavior • For example, issuing an employee with a written warning for use of foul language is an example of punishment • Punishment is different from negative reinforcement as punishment is giving something negative, whereas negative reinforcement is the taking away of something negative Extinction • Extinction refers to stopping someone’s learned behavior • You can extinguish a behavior by withholding the positive reinforcement that led to that behavior in the first place • In other words, extinction implies lowering the probability of an undesired behavior by removing reward for that kind of behavior Reinforcement Theory • As per this theory behavior is the function of its consequences • The reinforcement theory of motivation is based on the “Law of Effect” concept • It means that an individual is likely to repeat those actions having the positive consequences, and will avoid those behaviors that result in negative or unpleasant outcomes • The reinforcement theory lay emphasis on the environmental factors that shape the behaviors • Skinner believed that environment external to the organization must be designed effectively so as to increase the motivation among the employees Reinforcement Theory of Motivation ( BF Skinner)
• Reinforcement theory pays focus on the impact of external
environment consequences on behavior • Law of Effect – The impact of type of consequence on the behavior • Operant Conditioning • Applies law of effect to control behavior by manipulating its consequences • The probability of behavior increases if it is followed by a reward or reinforcement and decreases if it is followed by a punishment • Positive Reinforcement - Increases the frequency of a behavior through the contingent presentation of a pleasant consequence • Negative Reinforcement - Increases the frequency of a behavior through the contingent removal of an unpleasant consequence • Punishment -Decreases the frequency of a behavior through the contingent presentation of an unpleasant consequence • Extinction - Decreases the frequency of a behavior through the contingent removal of an pleasant consequence. Driving forces encourage good behavior, whereas restraining forces aim to limit or stop a poor behavior Positive Reinforcement • Positive reinforcement is a reward you give to an employee when they exhibit desirable behavior • Positive reinforcement encourages the employee to continue to exhibit this desirable behavior • Examples of positive reinforcement rewards include financial bonuses, praise etc Negative Reinforcement • Negative reinforcement also uses rewards • An employee is rewarded for desirable behavior by having something unpleasant removed • For example in case a new team member has joined and everyday you are checking what they have done in the day before the person leaves for home • After one month of good behavior you change this checking system and do it just once per month and not everyday • The removal of daily monitoring is the reward Punishment • Punishment happens when you use negative consequences in the workplace to deter or stop team members from undesirable behavior • For example, issuing an employee with a written warning for use of foul language is an example of punishment • Punishment is different from negative reinforcement as punishment is giving something negative, whereas negative reinforcement is the taking away of something negative Extinction • Extinction refers to stopping someone’s learned behavior • You can extinguish a behavior by withholding the positive reinforcement that led to that behavior in the first place • In other words, extinction implies lowering the probability of an undesired behavior by removing reward for that kind of behavior