Behaviour modification and shaping

• Behaviour modification

  This is a way to change problematic behaviour using operant conditioning or to increase the outcome of desired behaviours. Behaviour modification works by making a person aware of the consequences of their actions and changing their behaviour to increase the desired behaviour. One way this can be done is by using token economy which is where targeted behaviours are reinforced with tokens (a secondary reinforcer) which can be exchanged for money or an item the person wants. For example a parent could use a token economy by awarding their child's behaviour with a token every time they displayed good behaviour such as doing chores and having tokens taken away if they displayed bad behaviour such as being rude.
• Shaping behaviour

  Desired behaviour might have to be broken down into simpler steps which are then reinforced helping a more complex behaviour to be created. Each reward is given for getting a little bit closer to the behaviour that is being trained. In this way a basic response is rewarded and as this is learned the reinforcement becomes more difficult to obtain as the next time it needs to be closer to the desired behaviour before it is rewarded. Shaping occurs when a desired behaviour is achieved by rewarding each successive approximation of the final behaviour that is produced