Behaviour Modification

Behaviour modification involves psychological methods for changing observable behavioural patterns, based on classical and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning is where something that at first does not stimulate behaviour in someone goes on to do so by the introduction of a stimulus that can elicit such a reaction. They are unlearned but may be conditioned or changed through learning. For example, Ian Pavlov conditioned dogs to associate food with the sound of a bell. An example …

…individual. The therapist might provide some reward for desirable changes such as a decrease in blood pressure. There are usually five steps in behaviour modification. They are defining what the individual needs to improve their problem, putting together a method that changes undesirable behaviour and aids the development of desirable responses, using the program according to the principles of behavioural modification, careful observation and recording of results, and changing the approach if it aids improvement.