मराठी

Behaviour Therapies> Operant-Based Behaviour Therapy

Estimated time: 15 minutes

CISCE: Class 12

Meaning

Behaviour which yields a positive outcome is repeated, and behaviour that yields a negative outcome is suppressed.
These basic principles of learning are incorporated into certain forms of operant-conditioning therapy.
It aims to modify the behaviour of the client using his own behaviour and by influencing the learning process.
Desirable behaviour is reinforced by rewards and undesirable behaviour by punishment.

CISCE: Class 12

This therapy involves the manipulation of various reinforcers to induce and strengthen desired responses.
Food, considered a powerful reinforcer and motivator, has been used to strengthen many adaptive behaviours.
In this technique, rewards play a significant role and are given only on the basis of the response.
The rewards or reinforcers may be verbal or non‑verbal.

CISCE: Class 12

Ayllon and Houghton (1962) found that chronic schizophrenic patients resumed eating themselves when food was used as a reinforcer.
The improvement brought about by the manipulation of food tended to generalise to social interaction among patients.

CISCE: Class 12

Ayllon and Azrin (1968) applied the operant conditioning technique to regressed patients admitted to a mental hospital.
Their performances were systematically reinforced by rewarding them with plastic tokens.
Gradually, the entire life of each patient was more or less controlled by this method.
Operant conditioning is especially successful in the case of children.

CISCE: Class 12

Childhood problems like regression, enuresis, thumb sucking, temper tantrums, nail biting, asthma and poor school achievement have been effectively cured.
Ayllon and Kelly (1972) have reported effective results by using operant conditioning to train retarded children.

CISCE: Class 12

Classical conditioning and operant conditioning methods have also been combined in several behaviour therapies.
By changing the reward and punishment, both techniques try to modify maladaptive behaviour.

CISCE: Class 12

Operant conditioning therapy modifies behaviour using rewards and punishment.
Positive outcomes strengthen behaviour, while negative outcomes suppress it.
Reinforcers like food, praise, or tokens are used to encourage desired behaviour.
It has been used successfully with schizophrenic and regressed patients.
It is effective for children’s behaviour problems and training mentally retarded children.
Classical and operant conditioning can be combined to change maladaptive behaviour.