Behavioral modification is a targeted set of principles employed in homes, classrooms and therapeutic settings. The process works when a facilitator--parent, social worker, teacher or health professional--targets positive and negative attributes of behavior and offers promotion of the positive with rewards while providing consequences for the negative ones to halt them. The New York State Health Department suggests that behavioral modifications be tailored specifically to maximize the strengths of an individual while building upon their weaknesses and rewarding mastery of important social skills. It is up to the facilitator to intervene and shape behaviors with consistency for optimum outcome.
New Behavior Development
New behavior development relies upon successive and continuous reinforcement by teaching the individual appropriate responses and either creating a diversion from aversive stimulus or via the modeling of appropriate actions. The "Principles for Using Behavior Modification" suggests using cues and token economies--consisting of tangible rewards given for appropriate behaviors--as a means to shape an individual's response in similar situations or settings in the future.
Strengthening Behaviors for Permanency
In order to strengthen or prolong appropriate behaviors it requires classical conditioning. Again, the "Principles for Using Behavior Modification" suggests using Decreasing Reinforcement Principles to accomplish longer, more consistent behaviors by requiring longer durations between rewards. To improve performance, application of the Variable Reinforcement Principle provides intermittent rewards or tokens to facilitate motivation to gain mastery.
To Correct Inappropriate Behaviors
To correct inappropriate behaviors, a reinforcement or punishment generally follows suit. "Models and Techniques that Focus on Prevention" suggests that reinforcement with the use of negative consequences are swift and occur immediately following an incident. This reinforces expectancies, draws a clear distinction between appropriate behaviors and inappropriate ones, and should ultimately fit the degree of the behaviors while creating a meaningful impact to be effective.
