Operant Conditioning to Modify Existing Behavior

Operant Conditioning to Modify Existing Behavior
Name
Institution
Operant Conditioning to Modify Existing Behavior
Introduction
Part A
Application of the principles of operant conditioning to modify an existing behavior
The modification of behavior is a treatment focusing on the approach of treatment of the principles of the operant conditioning, replacing the undesirable behaviors with the desirable ones by positive of negative reinforcement. The modification of the behavior is based on the principle of the operant conditioning developed by the American Behaviorist B.F Skinner of 1904 to 1990. He structured the concept of operant conditioning whereby behavior could be modeled or shaped through reinforcement. Most common behavior modification techniques used are the positive reinforcement encouraging certain characteristics through a reward system. Another behavior modification technique is negative reinforcement which is a method of training using the negative reinforce an event or behavior whose reinforcing aspects is linked with its removal. The purpose of this essay is to explain the influence of operant conditioning on modification of Existing human behavior
Various human behaviors can be modified such as the undesirable human aspects that need elimination and the desirable aspects that require strengthening. The undesirable behaviors include the habits sad as cigarette smoking, eating fatty foods, and excess watching of television, speeding, and procrastination. The desirable behaviors include the correct remembrance of people's names, spending more time doing work, increasing skills in sports, and being punctual.
Let us take the case of the elimination of a desirable behavior such as the elimination of smoking habit as human behavior. Operant conditioning makes human beings or organisms to learn and associate a behavior to its consequences where a pleasant consequence makes the behavior more likely to be repeated in the future. In the smoking habit, a negative modification method can be incorporated to enable people to change their attitudes or behavior towards smoking.
The reason for the existence of the problem such as cigarette smoking in society is through the addition of the smokers and the peer influence among the youth within the society. The problem escalates through getting addicted from the substance through luring of friends in the society after which it becomes a strong habit. The benefit of the change in the smoking habit will bring to society is very magnificent such as the improving of the health status of the addicted individuals within society (Bernstein, 2017).
Designing a program for modifying the behavior
The program includes all the relevant behavior modification methods such as the positive and negative reinforces, punishment, and shaping
* Reinforcement
The positive reinforcement is the most appropriate and effective technique of teaching an individual or an animal a new behavior. Positive reinforcement increases the required new behavior through stimulus such as promising someone to do a task in return of some ...