Regarding behavior modification, explain how aversion therapy and systematic desensitization are both based on classical conditioning, and discuss how each procedure is carried out; and list and describe the six operant principles most often used by behavior therapists to deal with human behavior

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answer will include that behavior therapy is an action therapy that uses learning principles to make constructive changes in behavior with behavior modification (or applied behavior analysis) being defined as any use of classical or operant conditioning to directly alter human behavior. Classical conditioning is a form of learning in which simple responses are associated with new stimuli. In aversion therapy, the client learns to suppress an undesirable response by associating it with a painful or uncomfortable stimulus. For example, in the rapid smoking procedure, the person continually smokes until he or she is miserable and can stand it no more, thus pairing unpleasantness with smoking. In systematic desensitization, there is a reduction in fear and anxiety that is brought about by gradually pairing the phobic stimuli with relaxation. For example, if a person had a phobia to dogs, this person would learn to relax using the tension-release method and then would be exposed to the lowest fear-producing stimulus on his hierarchy of fears for a phobic situation, such as looking at a picture of dog with relaxation being paired with this stimulus. Gradually, the person would be exposed to higher fear-producing stimuli, while pairing relaxation with it. Thus, in aversion therapy something unpleasant is paired with the bad habit, while in systematic desensitization something pleasant (relaxation) is paired with the phobic stimulus. Operant conditioning refers to learning based on the consequences of making a response and is often used to modify behavior during individual therapy as well as in schools and institutions. The operant principles most often used by behavior therapists to deal with human behavior are: (1) Positive reinforcement in which responses that are followed by reinforcement tend to occur more frequently. (2) Another principle involves nonreinforcement and extinction. A response that is not followed by reinforcement will occur less frequently. If a response is not followed by reward after it has been repeated many times, it will extinguish entirely. (3) Regarding punishment, if a response is followed by discomfort or an undesirable effect, the response will be suppressed, but not necessarily extinguished. (4) Shaping means reinforcing actions that are closer and closer approximations to a desired response. (5) Stimulus control means that responses tend to come under the control of the situation in which they occur. (6) A time-out procedure usually involves removing the individual from a situation in which reinforcement occurs. Time out is a variation of response cost and prevents reward from following an undesirable response.