Behavior Modification: How is it done

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Behavior Modification How is it done?

• Psyc 358

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Introduction to Psychology

• What is psychology?
• The science of behavior
• It is a science because psychologists use the
  scientific method
• The focus is behavior because only behavior is
  objectively observable, which is a prerequisite
  of science

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Introduction to Behavior Analysis

• What delineates behavior analysis from other
  areas of psychology?
• Behavior analysts adopt a natural science
  approach
• That is, they place the causes of behavior in the
  physical realm (e.g., the environment)
• According to this approach, the reasons for
  someones behavior are open to discovery

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Free Will vs. Determinism

• Free will is the theoretical viewpoint that
  people can be their own causes
• at least that is one potential explanation of it
• Determinism is the theoretical viewpoint that
  every effect has a physical cause
• Behavior is an effect, therefore, under this
  viewpoint, behavior has a physical cause

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Why accept Determinism?

• Four reasons to accept Determinism
• First, it is impossible to conduct science
  without accepting it
• Science is based upon the scientific method
  which, at its core, relies upon the experiment
• The experiment is designed to determine
  cause-and-effect relationships
• If a person is his or her own cause, then there
  is no relationship to study
• Thus experiments cannot be conducted and
  psychology ceases to be an experimental science

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• Second, if people indeed had free will, then it
  should be nearly impossible to predict their
  behavior.
• However, this is simply not the case. In fact,
  behavior is very orderly.
• The psychological literature is filled with
  results that have been replicated time and time
  again.
• If people have free will, then is there any
  reason to believe that you could get an entire
  group of people to behave in a similar manner?

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• Thirdly, one can make a strong argument for why
  you would want to accept determinism
• According to B.F. Skinner, there are three
  potential causes of behavior. They are
• Physiological make-up of the organism
• Previous experience of the organism
• The organisms current environment
• If free will exists, then one could argue that
  behavior would need to be independent of these
  potential causes of behavior
• Can you identify any behaviors that are
  completely independent of physiology, experience,
  and current environment?

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• Finally, accepting determinism makes you a
  better, more caring, psychologist
• If people have free will, then who or what is
  responsible for their behavior?
• Who can help them change their behavior?
• By accepting determinism, you give yourself
  several different avenues in which to help
  someone
• Physiological functions
• Previous experiences
• Present situations
• Eliminates the need to say, I cant help you
  unless you want to help yourself.

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So what is Behavior Analysis exactly

• Behavior analysts seek to understand the
  environmental determinants of behavior
• By understanding these determinants, they can
  change or maintain them in ways that are
  beneficial to those in need
• Behavior analysis is firmly grounded in the field
  of learning
• Pavlovian/Classical/Respondent conditioning
• Operant/Instrumental conditioning