Techniques for modifying behaviour Psychology ATAR Unit 3

Modifying behaviour Token economies Systematic desensitisation Pages 258-259 Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) Pages 466-467 Reinforcement and punishment Pages 255-256

Token economies Artificial systems that reward and reinforce target (specific) behaviour Involves symbolic tokens such as fake money These can be traded in for a secondary reward Tokens cannot be taken away as a punishment A certain number of tokens must be accumulated before a trade in Examples Class behaviour management technique Prison systems to improve behaviour Fly Buys, loyalty programs, casino chips

Token economies Advantages Person doesn’t become ‘full’ or had enough of the reinforcement because there is a secondary reward(s) Disadvantages Behaviour may not be maintained in the outside environment

Systematic desensitisation Application of classical conditioning to fears and phobias Aim is to replace the fear with a more appropriate response Must identify: The extent of the phobia (eg. all spiders, small spiders …) The reason for the phobia (eg. childhood event/fear) How much it is interfering with daily living (eg. can’t do housework, leads to anxiety attacks)

Systematic desensitisation Graded exposure Making a list of the most fear-provoking situation to the least fear-provoking situation Gradual introduction of these situations, from the least fearful to the most fearful

Systematic desensitisation Steps Relaxation techniques Exposure to least frightening situation Repeated until person is able to relax when exposed to the most frightening situation

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy CBT is used to modify a person’s dysfunctional thoughts (cognitions), feelings or behaviour Based on helping a person understand and manage their thought and behaviour patterns Mental illness Helps with managing anxiety, depression and schizophrenia in conjunction with medication CBT + medication is a more successful management strategy for mental illness than medication alone It has been shown to reduce relapses

Treating depression with CBT Identifies and changes negative thinking associated with depressed feelings View situations from another angle / perspective Helps to focus on the positive things Increase the fun in life to help overcome the depressive cycle Helps to manage problems Gives strategies to manage problems specific to the situation