Philosophers and Psychologists: Definition of Behavioral Theory
Philosophers and psychologists have long disagreed on the best meaning of behavioral theory. On a fundamental level, it can be defined as a psychological notion that use scientific methodologies and research to investigate observable stimulus-response behaviors of humans and how they learn knowledge through their contact with the environment. Operant and classical conditioning are two main components that support the hypothesis. The two methods proposed by John Watson and B.F Skinner have transformed therapy in both medical and educational settings. These two scholars’ research has resulted in the establishment of a new type of therapy based on a specific person’s conduct. Although the theory and its application to the modern world have been criticized, its use in both educational and health sectors have enhanced the performance of students and patients.
Operant Conditioning
According to B.F Skinner, he argued that observable behaviors of a person were more productive than internal mental activities. Moreover, he explained that looking at the causes of an action was the best way to understand and explain a behavior. He referred to this approach as operant conditioning. To understand operant-intentional actions that influence an environment, Skinner identified the process that makes certain activities to occur or not. According to his explanations, he argued that behaviors were likely to change through the use of motivation which is provided after a desired response (Gormezano et al., 2012).
Moreover, Skinner explained that the behaviors of a person can be strengthened by providing a consequence that is rewarding. For example, when a parent gives a child $2 whenever she behaves well, there is likelihood that she will repeat the act in future, thus strengthening her good manners. On the other hand, negative reinforcement removes unpleasant experience and thus enhances the behavior. For example, when a child misbehaves, she gives her parent $2, hence increasing her good manners to avoid penalties. Punishment acts as another way of changing an individual’s behavior through weakening. This approach can be used in two ways; either removing a rewarding response or applying a direct unpleasant stimulus. For example, a mother may decide to deduct her son’s pocket money to punish his poor performance at school.
B.F Skinner came up with another concept that is widely used today to define the actions of most individuals, especially at schools and hospitals. He introduced the term behavior shaping in which responses were fashioned through successive approximation. He explained that his operant conditioning approach could be applied to produce complex behaviors when penalty and recompense were delivered in a method that motivates an individual to move closer to the expected actions.
The operant conditioning approach led to the introduction of a therapy referred to as behavior modification in which events that are related to the actions of a person in the environment are changed and punished/ignored if they are undesirable. Examples of this technique include behavior changing and token economy. In this approach, targeted actions are rewarded with tokens and later swapped for prizes.
Applications of Operant Conditioning in Behavioral Therapy/ Counselling
Operant conditioning can be applied in behavioral therapy to achieve desired results.
The use of token economies has mostly been employed in school, prisons, and hospital settings for years to improve the behaviors of psychiatric patients, prisoners and students. Moreover, this approach can be used in a more complex situation through contingency management which involves a written agreement between an individual and a counselor that shows the prizes, penalties and the goals that result from a particular behavior. The explicit contract between the two parties’ helps the client feels a sense of accountability and thus increases the chances of changing the actions. Another method applied by therapists to improve the performance is by modeling. The approach involves an individual learning a particular subject through imitation and observation of what other people within the environment are doing. The counselor provides each person with a positive role model figure who is capable of giving him/her something to aim for, thus allowing an individual to improve the actions. The therapist can perform as a role model of the client since they have a close interaction.
Operant conditioning can be used in therapy session through the extinction technique. This method performs by removing all forms of motivation to behavior. For example, a counselor may decide to give a disruptive student time-out. The teacher may choose to remove the child from the situation and every attention associated with him/her. This method has been found to be very useful when dealing with unruly students. However, the approach can be applied to adults, but more complicated tactics will be used.
Classical Conditioning
Classical condition is widely associated with behavioral theory. According to John Watson, he argued that the actions of an individual were defined by the differences in learning behavior. He further explained that emotional responses and speech of a person were as a result of reactions and stimulus. Watson believed that new behaviors were learned through the process of association. In a more simplified context, new responses are acquired when two incentives are put together (Gormezano et al., 2014).
In a bid to understand the concept of classical conditioning, John categorized the approach into three stages. The first step is the 'before conditioning' which produces a response that is unconditioned in an individual. The stimulus in the environment creates an action or a reaction that was unlearned by the subject. This response is natural since it has not been taught before. In this stage, an individual has not yet acquired any new ideas that might change his/her actions.
'During conditioning' stage involves a stimulus that has produced no response to the reactions associated with it and at this point is known as the conditioned stimulus. During this step, the UCS (Unconditioned Stimulus) is linked to the CS (Conditioned stimulus) for learning about a particular subject to occur. At this point, when there is no need to strengthen an association over time, an individual can be involved in one trial learning. The stage is where the conditioned stimulus has been linked with the UCS and creates a new conditioned reaction.
Applications of Classical Conditioning in Behavioral Therapy/Counselling
Watson’s classical conditioning can be applied in behavioral therapy especially in health-related matters. However, this approach can be used in a learning institution although its implications are not as crucial as operant. Teachers try to use this method to ensure that children have a positive feeling towards learning. When students associate with negative emotions and experience with the school, it may have adverse implications for the final grade. When a child is bullied at school, chances of him/her linking the learning institution with fear and intimidation are high.
Classical conditioning can be used in therapy to bring a change in the behavior of an individual. This form of counseling is known as applied behavior analysis. This approach can be used by therapists to patients who are anxious and phobic to particular objects. An individual is exposed to objects/conditions that he is afraid of in an intense manner. For example, when a person who is scared of cats is exposed to cats for long periods without anything bad happening to him, he becomes courageous. The counselor assures the patient that he cannot run from the situation during the process and hence must be ready to face his fear.
The therapist uses a classical conditioning technique referred to as systematic desensitization and would gradually start by asking the patient to write down a list of things that they fear. The individual would then relax while thinking about his fears. The therapist then allows an individual to work through from the least fear-inducing stuff to the most fear-inducing items. The assurance from the counselor helps a person to confront his fear in a relaxed manner. Moreover, counselors use the technique of aversion therapy where undesirable actions are paired with some form of dislike reactions. For example, an alcoholic individual may be prescribed with drugs that stimulate anxiety, headache and nausea when combined with liquor. This implies that the person will be kept away from drinking since every time he drinks, he gets adverse side effects (Leukefeld, 2015).
Concerns of Behavioral Therapy
Although behavioral theory can be applied through various techniques, its use poses some limitations and concerns that need to be addressed. The provision of tokens to the patients can make them over reliant and hence may find it difficult to adjust and cope to the community once they are released from hospital or prison. Moreover, the therapy does not provide solutions to the problem as it just treats the symptoms of the patient. Therefore, critics argue that the method ignores the need of the client hence it can be described as being impersonal (LEVIS & D. O. N. A. L. D., 2017).
Benefit of Behavioral Therapy
Behavioral therapy bases its approach on scientific methods through empirical testing which makes it highly useful. Moreover, its ability to pinpoint and target specific issues that a patient wants to change enables it to be accomplished within a short time. Also, it provides quick results that are ethically accepted by most people.
References
Dallery, J., Jarvis, B., & Kurti, A. (2012). Operant conditioning. New York: Oxford University Press.
Gormezano, I., Prokasy, W. F., & Thompson, R. F. (2014). Classical Conditioning. London: Taylor and Francis.
Leukefeld, C. G. (2015). Behavioral therapy for rural substance abusers: A treatment intervention for substance abusers. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky.
Levis, D. o. n. a. l. d. (2017). Foundations of Behavioral Therapy. S.L.: Routledge.
