INTRODUCTION TO

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION
What is behavior?
1. Behavior involves a person’s actions (what people do or say)
For example
If you say that a person is angry
“Jennifer screamed at her mother, ran upstairs, and slammed the door to her room.”
2. Have one or more dimensions that can be measured
Frequency, duration, intensity are all physical dimensions of a behavior
3. Behaviors can be observed, described, and recorded by others or by the person engaging in the
behavior
4. Behaviors have an impact on the environment
5. Behaviors may be overt or covert
Mandy lies in her crib and cries loudly. Her mother
then picks her up and feeds her.
DEFINING BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION

Behavior modification is the field of psychology concerned with analyzing and modifying human
behavior.

• Analyzing means identifying the functional relationship between environmental events and a particular
behavior to understand the reasons for behavior or to determine why a person behaved as he or she did.

• Modifying means developing and implementing procedures to help people change their behavior
Characteristics of Behavior Modification

•Focus on behavior. Designed to change behavior, not a personal characteristic or trait.

Behavioral excesses and deficits are targets for change with behavior modification
procedures.

•Emphasis on current environmental events. Treatment implemented by people in everyday

life.

•Measurement and Documentation of behavioral change

•De-emphasis on past events as causes of behavior

•Rejection of hypothetical underlying causes of behavior

 AREAS OF APPLICATION
1. Developmental Disabilities
2. Mental Illness
3. Education and Special Education
4. Rehabilitation
5. Community Psychology
6. Clinical Psychology
7. Business, Industry and human services
8. Self-Management
9. Child Behavior Management
10. Sports Performance
11. Health Related Behaviors
12. Gerontology
Observing and Recording of Behavior

Measuring the behavior that is targeted for change.

Measurement of the target behavior (or behaviors) in behavior modification is called behavioral
assessment
 Helps to determine whether treatment is necessary

 Helps you choose the best possible treatment

 Pre and post ratings

Consider the following example.

A supervisor in a manufacturing plant believed the company had a problem with workers showing up
late for work. Before taking any remedial action, the supervisor recorded the arrival times of the
workers for a number of days. The assessment showed that there were few instances of tardiness.
Indirect Assessment
 Using interviews, questionnaires, and rating scales to obtain information on the target behavior from
the person exhibiting the behavior or from others

 Recall of the target behavior

Direct Assessment

Person observes and records the target behavior as it occurs

 Precise definition of the target behavior

 Dimensions of target behavior

 How to measure the target behavior

When a school psychologist observes a socially withdrawn child on the playground and records each
social interaction with another child

Psychologist interviews the student’s teacher and asks the teacher how many times the child usually
interacts with other children on the playground

Why Direct assessment usually is more accurate than indirect assessment?

Steps for assessment include the following:

1. Defining the target behavior

2. Determining the logistics of recording

3. Choosing a recording method

4. Choosing a recording instrument

 DEFINING THE TARGET
BEHAVIOR
Objectively define the target behavior
What the person says or does that constitutes the behavioral excess or deficit targeted for change
Does not refer to any internal states
The behavioral definition does not make inferences about a person’s intentions.
Label is not used to define the behavior because labels do not identify the person’s actions
Labels can not be recorded
For example; unsportsmanlike behavior
Different people can observe the same behavior and agree that the behavior is occurring.
Shows Tantrum
Nighttime tantrum behavior
Cries and sobs, lies on the floor and kicks the floor or walls, or pounds toys or other objects on the
floor, it is defined as a tantrum.
‫ت‬
‫ب ہت زی ادہ زد کر ی ہ‬
‫ے‬
 THE LOGISTICS OF
RECORDING
Who should be the Observer?
Independent observer
Proximity to the client
Observer must be trained to identify the occurrence of the target behavior and to record the
behavior immediately.
Must observe and record at the same time
In some cases, the observer is the person exhibiting the target behavior
When and Where to Record?
 Observation period
 How to choose observation Period?
 Occurrence of target behavior
 Availability of the observer
 Natural/Contrived Setting
 Observation of the target behavior can be structured or unstructured

How do we use these considerations in self-monitoring of behavior?

 CHOOSING THE RECORDING
METHOD
Different aspects of the target behavior may be measured using different recording methods. These
methods include continuous recording, product recording, interval recording, and time sample recording.
Baseline
Period during which the target behavior is recorded before treatment is implemented.
Continuous Recording
Observes the client continuously throughout the observation period and records each occurrence of the
behavior. The observer can record various dimensions of the target behavior

Product Recording
Indirect assessment method that can be used when a behavior results in a certain tangible outcome that you
are interested in.
Observer does not have to be present when the behavior occurs.
Interval Recording

Divides the observation period into a number of smaller time periods or intervals, observes the client
throughout each consecutive interval, and then records whether the behavior occurred in that interval.

There are two types of interval recording: partial interval recording and whole interval recording.

Partial interval recording you simply record whether the behavior occurred during each interval of
time.

Whole interval recording, the occurrence of the behavior is marked in an interval only when the
behavior occurs throughout the entire interval.

Time sample recording

In this you divide the observation period into intervals of time, but you observe and record the
behavior during only part of each interval.
 CHOOSING A RECORDING
INSTRUMENT
What the observer uses to register or make a permanent product of the occurrence of the behavior
Observer uses a data sheet prepared in advance for the particular behavior
Writing the behavior down each time it occurs
GRAPHING BEHAVIOR AND
MEASURING CHANGE
A graph is a visual representation of the occurrence of a behavior over time

Identify the level of behavior before treatment and after treatment begins

Makes it easier to compare the levels of the behavior before, during, and after treatment because the
levels are presented visually for comparison
 EARLY READINESS SKILLS
1. Eye contact
2. On seat behavior
3. Attention
4. Imitation
5. compliance