Behavior Modification

Behaviorism: The belief that observable behavior is more important than inner states (needs, motives, or expectations)

Operant Conditioning: The study of how behavior is controlled by the surrounding environment

Behavior Modification: The systematic management of environmental factors to get people to do the right things more often and the wrong things less often. Managing the antecedents and/or consequences of observable behavior.

Managing Antecedents

1.      Antecedent: An environmental cue for a specific behavior to be exhibited

2.      Cue control: Controlling the presentation of cues to elicit the desired behaviors at specific places and times

3.      Managing antecedents is a way of encouraging good performance.

Managing Antecedents

Managing Consequences

Positive reinforcement: Encouraging a behavior with a pleasing consequence

Negative reinforcement: Encouraging a behavior by immediately withdrawing or terminating a displeasing consequence

Extinction: Discouraging a behavior by ignoring it

Punishment: Discouraging a behavior by the immediate presentation of an undesirable consequence or the withdrawal of something desirable

Positively Reinforce What Is Right About Job Performance

 Build up desirable job behaviors by reinforcing the desirable counterpart to an undesirable behavior.Focus on the positive aspects of job performance.

Schedule Reinforcement Appropriately

—        Continuous reinforcement: Rewarding every instance of a behavior

—         Intermittent reinforcement: Rewarding some, but not all, instances of a behavior; the most effective form of reinforcement