Behaviour modification

• Behaviourist principles

  It should be possible to encourage the unlearning of behaviour by applying the same principles that brought it about. BM programmes aim to reinforce obedient behaviour in offenders instead of punishing disobedience. This is made possible in prison through a “token economy system”.
• What are token economy systems based on?

  Operant conditioning
• what do TE systems reinforce?

  desirable behaviour with a token to be exchanged for some kind of reward
• how does TE work in prisons?

  Desirable behaviour is likely to include avoiding conflict. prisoners are given a token each time they perform a desirable behaviour.
• what are the steps of changing behaviour?

  desirable behaviour is identified, broken down into small steps called increment, and a baseline measure is established
• who oversees in changing behaviour?

  the whole programme must be overseen by prison officials who can monitor the programmes effectiveness and the behaviour of individuals.
• research example.

  Hobbs and Holt introduced a token economy programme using a group of youth délinquants across 3 behavioural units and a control group. They observed a significant different in positive behaviour. Allyon et al found a similar effect with offenders in an adult prison.
• positive - easy to implement

  there is no need for specialist professionals, TE systems can be implement by almost anyone in the institution. It is cost-effective and easy to follow.
• negative - ethical issues

  BM is deemed as manipulative and dehumanising. Human rights campaigners argue that withdrawal of privileges is unethical.