This document provides information about behavior modification and some of its key concepts. It defines behavior as anything a person says or does, including overt visible behaviors and covert internal behaviors like thinking and feeling. Behavior modification aims to systematically apply learning principles to assess and improve individuals' behaviors. Some common myths about behavior modification are addressed, such as the idea that it only deals with observable behaviors or is outdated. Basic behavioral principles like reinforcement, extinction, shaping, and stimulus control are explained. Reinforcement increases a behavior's likelihood by rewarding it, while extinction decreases a behavior by withholding reinforcement. Shaping involves reinforcing successive approximations of a target behavior until it is fully exhibited.

1. Behavior Modification
CHS 385

2. WHAT IS BEHAVIOR ?
Essentially behavior is anything that a person says or
does..
Technically is any muscular, glandular, or electrical
activity of an organism..

3. Behavior can be :
#Overt(visible) behavior.
E.G. Walking, talking…
#Covert (private, internal)
behavior. E.G. Thinking,
feeling..

4. Behavior
Modification

5. Involves the systematic application of learning principles and
techniques to assess and improve individuals' covert and overt
behaviors in order to enhance their functioning..
Behavior Modification

6. Misconception about behavior modification:
Myth 1: use of rewards by behavior modification to change
behavior is bribery.
Myth2: behavior modification involves the use of drugs,
psychosurgery, and electro-convulsive therapy.
Myth3:behavior modification only changes symptoms, it doesn't get
at the underlying problems.
Myth4: behavior modification can be applied to deal with simple
problems, such as toilet training children or overcoming fear of
heights, but it is not applicable for changing complex problems such
as low self esteem or depression.

7. myth5: behavior modification workers are cold and
unfeeling and don't develop empathy with their clients.
myth6: behavior modification deal only with observable
behavior, they don't deal with thoughts or feelings of
clients.
myth7: behavior modification is outdated.

8. Basic behavioral principles and
procedures
Reinforcement and extinction. Shaping

9. Maintenance or removal
of a response :
Reinforcement &
Extinction

10. Definitions
Reinforcement :
An event, or a condition that increases the
likelihood that a given response will recur in a
situation like that in which the reinforcing
condition originally occurred.
Reinforcer :
A stimulus, such as a reward, that maintains or
strengthens a desired response.
Ex: gift - money

11. Getting A behavior to occur more often
with positive reinforcement
#Positive reinforcer : is an event that,
when presented immediately
following a behavior, causes the
behavior to increase in frequency (or
likelihood of occurrence)…

12. Cinderella Positive Reinforcement.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgvyVqos
Mq0

13. Factors influencing the effectiveness
of positive reinforcement
1-Selecting the behavior to be increased.
2-Choosing reinforces.
3-Reinforcer size.
4-Reinforce immediacy.
5- Contingent versus non-contingent Reinforcement

14. 1-Selecting a behavior to be increased :
-Behavior to be reinforced must be identified
specifically.
Ex: if you start with general behavior such as(being
friendly) you should then identify specific behavior
such as(smiling)

15. 2- Choosing reinforces..
•Different individuals are frequently turned on by
different things.
•The important thing is to use a reinforce that is
effective with the individual with whom you are
working…
Negative Reinforcement or Escape Conditioning:
The removal of an event following a response.

16. Positive reinforcement can be classified
under 5 categories:
1-consumable :
Reinforcer that can be consumed (food or
drink)
Ex: cookies, fruits ,Pepsi ?.
2-Activity:
Ex: watching TV.

17. 3-Manipulative:
Ex: play with favorite toy ,color, paint, surf the
internet.
4-Possetional:
Ex: have a private room.
5-Social:
Ex: hugs, smiles, nods.

19. 3- Reinforcer size:
The size(magnitude)of reinforcer is an
important determinant of its effectiveness.
Ex:
Many of teenagers would likely be
unwilling to eat fruits for 10 SR but many
will eagerly do so for 50SR.

20. 4-Reinforce immediately :
For maximum effectiveness , a reinforcer
should be giver immediately after the desired
response.

21. 5-Contingent versus non-contingent
Reinforcement :
Contingent reinforcement:
When a behavior must occur before a reinforcer will be present .
Ex: child doing his homework after that the mother reward him
with a chocolate.
Non-contingent reinforcement:
If a reinforcer is presented at a particular time , regardless of
preceding behavior.
Ex: The teacher told the student that he’s smart and he can do the
test ,after that the student confidently take the test.

22. Pitfalls of positive reinforcement:
Some of reinforcer unfortunately might
strengthen some undesired behavior
unknowingly.
Ex:
Long-term
effect
Immediate
consequences
response
Situation
Child is more
likely to whine
in similar
situations
Mother is
embarrassed
and leaves the
store
immediately .
Child begins to
whine ‘I want
home , I want
home”
Mother and
child are
shopping in a
supermarket.

23. Positive and negative reinforcment
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxdtMVw
w2q0

24. Decreasing a behavior with extinction
If a response has been increased in frequency
through positive reinforcement, then completely
ceasing to reinforce the response will cause it to
decrease in frequency.
Example:

25. Stimulus Control
*When a particular behavior is more likely to occur in
the presence of a particular stimulus and not others,
we say that the behavior is under the control of that
stimulus.
*The term stimulus control refers to the degree of
the correlation between stimulus and subsequent
response.
stimulus response

27. *Through experience, we learn to
refrain from performing certain
behaviors in the presence of certain
stimuli because we have learnt that
those behaviors will go
unreinforced.

28. Shaping
• Shaping is used to develop a
target behavior that a person
does not currently exhibit.
• Shaping is defined as: the
differential reinforcement of
successive approximations of
a target behavior until the
person exhibits the target
behavior.

29. Differential Reinforcement
• A procedure in which a reinforcer follows a
specific desirable behavior but other
undesirable behaviors are not reinforced
• The result is an increase in the desirable
behavior and extinction of the other behaviors
(Miltenberger, 2012)

30. Successive Approximation
• In the process of shaping, a successive
approximation is a behavior that more closely
resembles the target behavior.
(Miltenberger, 2012)

31. Target Behavior
• Is the behavior one want to see demonstrated;
the end goal.
Reinforcer
•Is a stimulus or event that increases the future
probability of a behavior when it occurs. It is
contingent on the occurrence of the behavior.
(Miltenberger, 2012)

32. What is shaping??
• having a target (goal) behavior in mind
• Establishing steps that work toward that
target behavior
• positively reinforcing only a specific behavior
at a time while ignoring all other behaviors
• once one step has been accomplished,
shaping requires moving on to the next step,
only ever reinforcing the current step until the
target behavior is reached

33. There are five aspects or dimensions of
behavior that can be shaped :
•topography,
•frequency,
•duration,
•latency,
•and intensity.

34. Example
Definition
Dimension
Walking
Physical movement
involved in the behavior
Topography (form)
Number of times to
exercise
Number of instances of
the behavior in given
time
Amount: frequency
Length of time of
exercise
Continuous amount of
time behavior lasts
Amount: duration
Time between time and
exercising
Time between the
controlling stimulus and
the behavior
(Reaction time)
Latency
Force of a punch in
boxing
Amount of energy
expended on the
behavior
Intensity (force)
DIMENSIONS OF BEHAVIOR THAT CAN BE SHAPED

35. Steps to shaping
1. Define the behavior
2. Determine whether shaping is the most
appropriate procedure
3. Identify the starting behavior
4. Choose the shaping steps
5. Choose the reinforcer
6. Differentially reinforce successive approximations
7. Move through the steps at a proper pace

36. 1. Define the behavior
•The first stage in shaping is to identify clearly the final desired
behavior, which is often referred to as the terminal behavior.
• A precise statement of the final desired behavior increases the
chances of consistent reinforcement of successive approximations
of that behavior.
• The final desired behavior should be stated in such a way that all
the relevant characteristics of the behavior (its topography,
amount, latency, and intensity) are identified.
• The conditions under which behavior is or is not to occur should
be stated, and any other guidelines that appear to be necessary
for consistency should be provided.

37. •If the person already demonstrates the behavior on
occasion you can use other techniques to strengthen
that behavior.
•If you can tell the person to do the target behavior,
if you can physically assist the person in doing the
behavior, or if you can show the person the correct
behavior you do not need to use shaping
2. Determine whether shaping is the
most appropriate procedure

38. 3. Identify the starting behavior
•Because the final desired or terminal behavior does not occur
initially, and because it is necessary to reinforce some behavior
that approximates it, you must identify a starting point.
• This should be a behavior that occur often enough and it should
approximate the final desired behavior.

39. •It is helpful to outline the successive approximations through which the
person will be moved, in the attempt to approximate the final desired
behavior.
•There are no specific guidelines for identifying the ideal step size.
•Whatever guidelines or guesses are used, it is important to try to stick
to them and yet be flexible if the trainee does not proceed quickly
enough or is learning more quickly than had been expected.
4. Choose the shaping steps

40. 5. Choose the reinforcer
•Must be a strong reinforcer for the participant being
shaped.
•Must be able to be delivered immediately following
a behavior (i.e. clicker with animals)

41. •Reinforce each behavior until they happen on their
own.
•Once the participant masters a stage, you move on to
the next approximation and only reinforce that
behavior, putting the previous approximation on
extinction.
6. Differentially reinforce successive
approximations

42. •It is advisable not to move too fast from an approximation to
another; on the other hand, it is advisable not to move too
slowly.
•Need to master each approximation before moving on.
7. Move through the steps at a proper pace

43. Shaping is so common in everyday life that
often people are not even aware of it.
Sometimes the shaping proceeding is applied
systemically, sometimes no systemically, and
sometimes shaping occurs from
consequences in the natural environment.

44. Then he decided to try a new procedure.
- Frank’s goal was to jog a quarter of a mile each day.
- Frank decided that, at the very least, he would walk around his home (approximately 30
yards). Although this was along way from a quarter of a mile, it was at least a START.
- Frank decided to use the drinking of beer as a reinforcer. After the first approximation
had occurred on several successive afternoons, Frank increased the requirement to
walk around the home twice(60yards). Then the distance was increased to four
times(120yards), then six times(180yards), then more until the distance became a
quarter of a mile. By reinforcing successive approximations to his goal, Frank reached
the point!
After taking an early retirement at the age of 55, Frank decided to make some changes in his life.
On the advice of his doctor, he resolved to begin a regular exercise program. Frank had been a
“couch potato” all his life. Frank launched his exercise program with a pledge to his wife that he
would jog a quarter of a mile each day. But after a couple of attempts, he returned to his couch-
potato routine.
Examples

45. • In playing “Hot & Cold”, you reinforce any
movement that takes the player closer to the
prize.
• Each of those successive movements is a
closer approximation of the desired
behavior.
• If the prize is under the couch, and the
player is moving toward the couch, every
time the player takes a step toward the
couch, you are yelling “hotter”, and you are
reinforcing the behavior.
• If the player moves away from the couch,
you would yell, “colder” (non-reinforcing).
Examples

46. • Subject: 40 year old woman
• Final Desired Behavior: Workout in the gym 1 hour a day/3
days per week
• Response that could be used as a starting point in working
toward the final desired behavior: Driving directly to the gym
Monday after work and working out for 20 minutes. Although
this was a long way from her final desired goal, it’s a start.
• Reinforce the starting response; then reinforce closer and
closer approximations until eventually the desired response
occurs: She decided to use a small cup of non-fat yogurt as her
reinforcer. Instead of going home to eat ice cream after work,
she is going to have a lower calorie treat but not until she
works out.
Examples