PSYC387: Principles and Applications of Learning

Introduction

Behavior modification methods, with psychological principles and evidence-based research as the basis, are vital tools for dealing with behavioral problems encountered in different situations. Understanding the foundational principles of behavior modification and the application of evidence-based strategies such as reinforcement, shaping, and fading equips individuals with the means to modify their behaviors in a way that they achieve their desired results. Be it addressing out-of-seat child behavior while in class, public speaking anxiety, or truancy, these interventions provide thorough systematic approaches to behavior change that focus on observable behaviors and underlying cognitive, emotional, and environmental factors. Through a focus on some specific tough problems, the power and efficiency of behavior modification in affecting positive change in behavior and in improving outcomes in many aspects of life are shown. This calls attention to the necessity of pro-activeness and systematic attitude in behavior management in order to be able to deal with different behavioral issues.

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Out-of-seat behavior in the classroom

Out-of-seat behavior at school is a concern that could affect the student’s learning environment, academic performance, and teachers’ headaches. Adopting efficient behavior modification methods is a fundamental step in the process of overcoming this issue and creating an appropriate atmosphere for students to thrive in it. To change out-of-seat behavior in the classroom, a multifaceted strategy that incorporates reinforcement, shaping, and fading strategies is used. One of the most useful strategies to implement is to develop a token economy system, which is the most successful behavior intervention that rewards students for showing desired behaviors with tokens that they can redeem for various rewards or privileges (Gweon et al., 2019). The first phase of implementation should focus on defining the desired behavior as staying in the seat for a given amount of time in the classroom. Now that the behavioral objective has been established, the next step is to design a reinforcement schedule. It is about choosing the intervals when they become eligible to get tokens for displaying the expected behavior. A token economy system can be introduced by creating a student token ledger or chart that each student can use to record their earned tokens. Students can be entitled to tokens to remain seated during certain activities or for predetermined quantities of time. These markers are an actual reinforcement of the desired action, giving prompt feedback to the student.

Moreover, the tokens can be supplemented with praises in the form of oral encouragement or incentives immediately after students successfully remain seated for a given period. The use of verbal praise for exemplary behaviors helps reinforce that behavior and encourages students to maintain a high level of self-control. Another critical aspect of behavior change includes shaping, which is used for the mitigation of out-of-seat behavior (Chance, 1999). This refers to the process of breaking down the target skill into smaller, more manageable components and rewarding each step when it is accomplished. For instance, if a student has a history of out-of-seat behavior, they may be rewarded for sitting still for a few minutes at the start. Initially, the student should be able to sit for a short period of time, and then the duration should be increased gradually. Students will be more likely to experience feelings of success and reinforcement when they take small steps toward the goal of staying seated for a longer period. This, in turn, will increase their level of motivation and keep them on course to reach their goal.

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When the behavior of staying seated has been shaped and reinforced, the extinction procedure can be used to gradually reduce the rate and intensity of reinforcement while keeping the behavior. The extinction procedure engages the process of systematically decreasing the rate or frequency of reinforcement of the behavior which leads to the independent maintenance of the behavior. For instance, after some time, it is demonstrated that if the student is able to remain seated for extended periods without frequent reinforcement, it would be possible to gradually reduce the frequency of the token distribution. Tokens may be given out less intensively or only for long, complicated bouts of seated activity. Internal motivation could be introduced as an alternative to external reinforcement, such as tokens (Martin & Pear, 2019). G