Hbhe600_2008_10_behavior Modification-1

• Behavior modification

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Behavior modification  Observing/monitoring  Task

analysis

 Reinforcement  Shaping  Modeling  Contracting  Action

planning and goal setting

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Making observations: what is recorded? 

Frequency of behavior (within time frame)



Duration of behavior



Perceptions/feelings (rating scales)

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Making observations 

Observing antecedents and consequences  Things that stimulate/trigger behavior?  



Stressors? Cues?

Things that reward behavior?

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Making observations 

Things to keep in mind: 

Record immediately after behavior occurs



Make note of both positive and negative information



Make recording easy to do

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Self-monitoring 

Goal of self-monitoring   



Gathering of baseline data Increases awareness of behavior Identification of intervention targets for stimulus control and reinforcement/extinction

Difficulties associated with self-monitoring 

Reactivity problem

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Self-monitoring: examples

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Task analysis 

Many behaviors are well-rehearsed behavioral chains



Interventions may focus on breaking these chains

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Reinforcement  All

reinforcement results in increases in behavior frequency or likelihood  Positive

reinforcement



The occurrence of a behavior



Is followed by the addition of a stimulus or an increase in the intensity of a stimulus



Which results in the strengthening of the behavior

Miltenberger R. Behavior Modification: Principles and Procedures (3rd Edition). Thomson, Belmont, CA. 2004.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Reinforcement  All

reinforcement results in increases in behavior frequency or likelihood  Negative

reinforcement – removing something aversive following a behavior •

The occurrence of a behavior

•

Is followed by the removal of a stimulus or an decrease in the intensity of a stimulus

•

Which results in the strengthening of the behavior

Miltenberger R. Behavior Modification: Principles and Procedures (3rd Edition). Thomson, Belmont, CA. 2004.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Reinforcement: types  Unconditioned

reinforcer: function as reinforcers the first time they are presented to most human beings

 Conditioned

reinforcer: a stimulus that was once neutral but became established as a reinforcer by being paired with an unconditioned reinforcer or an already established conditioned reinforcer

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Reinforcement: schedules  Continuous

vs. intermittent



Continuous: Behavior is reinforced each time it occurs



Intermittent: Behavior is reinforced on some occasions but not others Variable

 Immediate  Large

vs. fixed schedule

vs. delayed

vs. small

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Shaping 

Involves reinforcement of successive approximations to the desired behavior



Example: Initially, a diabetic is profusely praised for making relatively minor, inconsistent changes in physical activity (walking rather than driving to the mailbox). Later, only larger, more consistent physical activity behavior is praised.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Modeling 

Conditions that enhance effectiveness of modeling    

Similarity of model to subject Higher status model Multiple models Coping vs. mastery models

Skilled performance, high efficacy, low task difficulty.

Initial struggle, low efficacy, coping, then achievement, high efficacy.

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Behavioral contracts 

Contingency



Non-contingency (self-contracts)

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Action planning

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Goal Setting Setting goals can serve as a major source of motivation: –They provide direction –They provide a reference point to compare progress –They elicit effort, concentration, and persistency

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Goal Setting Set goals that are: Realistic Specific Challenging Short-term vs. long-term goals Evaluate and adjust (goals with no feedback don’t work!)

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Relationship between goal difficulty and goal commitment

Behavior change

High goal commitment

Medium goal commitment

Low goal commitment Low

Medium

Goal difficulty UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

High