Refers to behaviour that is unhelpful to the individual, and may result in unpleasant situations.
Example. A child being naughty may lead to a punishment.
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Changing Behaviour
Conditioning explains that maladaptive behaviour is learned.
Behaviour Modification
A method of changing behaviour that involves reinforcing desired behaviour and ignoring or punishing undesired behaviour.
Some people may find some aspects of everyday life difficult to deal with.
Example. A small boy may be unable to go to the park due to an overwhelming fear of dogs, which he is likely to encounter at a park.
Classical conditioning explains how phobias develop but can also be useful in changing behaviour.
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Coping with Phobias
Systematic Desensitisation
A technique in which an individual is trained, over time, to substitute a feare response with a relaxed response.
It is often used to unlearn behaviours.
Individuals will often create a "hierarchy of fears" from lowest to highest anxiety level.
They will also create a list of aspects that they associate with the phobia.
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Hierarchy of Fears
Patients work their way up a virtual ladder until they are able to face the feared object with no signs of anxiety.
The four stages:
One - the patient is taught relaxation techniques.
Two - the patient creates their "hierarchy of fears".
Three - the patient will practise some of the lower level fears with the relaxation techniques.
Four - the patient will move up onto the next level once the previous level has been satisfactorily overcome. This will continue until they reach the top. If a level is too much for the patient, they will move back down again.
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Shaping Behaviour
We can learn inappropriate or unhelpful behaviours.
We can use the principles of operant conditioning to create new, more helpful behaviours and eliminate the unhelpful ones.
Behaviour modification can be used with autistic children to help them interact socially. Target behaviours such as making eye contact are identified.
Example. The child is initially reinforced (e.g. with a sweet) for looking in the general area of the adult.
Once this behaviour is established, more specific behaviours (looking at the face) are reinforced until the target behaviour of making eye contact is achieved.
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