William G. Huitt
Educational Psychology Interactive
Last rev: June 2012
Behavior Modification Techniques
Five categories of behavior modification
techniques
1. Develop a new behavior
2. Strengthen a new behavior
3. Maintain an established behavior
4. Reduce inappropriate behavior
5. Modify emotional behavior
Adapted from: Krumboltz, J., & Krumboltz, H. (1972).
Changing children's behavior. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall.
Develop a New Behavior
Successive Approximation Principle
Target behavior is one in which learner has
seldom or never behaved.
Reward successive steps to final target
behavior (also called shaping).
Develop a New Behavior
Continuous Application of Consequences
Target behavior is one in which learner has
seldom or never behaved.
Provide immediate reward after every
performance of the target behavior.
Develop a New Behavior
Negative Reinforcement Principle
Learner shows reluctance to exhibit target
behavior or engage in learning process.
Arrange for learner to escape a mild aversive
stimulus by engaging in target behavior.
Allow learner to avoid mild aversive stimulus
by emitting target behavior.
Develop a New Behavior
Premack Principle
High-frequency behavior can be used can be
used to reinforce low-frequency behavior.
Access to preferred activity is contingent on
completing the low-frequency, nonpreferred activity.
Also called “grandma’s rule”
Develop a New Behavior
Cueing Principle
Provide a cue or signal to learner as
reminder to emit the target behavior at a
particular time.
Cue can act as discriminative stimulus.
Strengthen a New Behavior
Decreasing Reinforcement Principle
Gradually require a longer time period or
more desired target behaviors before a
consequence is provided.
Strengthen a New Behavior
Variable Reinforcement Principle
Provide learner with consequences after a
variable number of desired target behaviors
have been emitted.
Generally will have been through a series of
fixed schedules before using variable
schedule.
Maintain Established Behavior
Substitution Principle
May need to change reinforcers when a
previously effective reward begins to no
longer control behavior
Present reinforcer just before (as close as
possible) your presentation of the new,
hopefully more effective, reinforcer.
Reduce Inappropriate Behavior
Satiation Principle
Allow learner to continue (even insist that
he continue) performing the inappropriate
or undesired behavior until he or she tires of
it.
Reduce Inappropriate Behavior
Extinction Principle
Arrange for the learner to receive no
reinforcement for engaging in an
inappropriate or undesired behavior.
Reduce Inappropriate Behavior
Incompatible Alternative Principle
Reinforce an alternative action that is
inconsistent with the inappropriate or
undesired behavior or cannot be performed
at the same time.
Reduce Inappropriate Behavior
Response Cost Principle
Remove a pleasant or positive stimulus
immediately after the undesired act is
emitted.
As response cost and punishment result in
increased hostility and aggression, these
should be used infrequently and in
conjunction with reinforcement.
Modify Emotional Behavior
Avoidance Principle
To teach a learner to avoid a specific
situation, simultaneously present the
situation to be avoided (or some
representation of it) and some aversive
stimulus (or it’s representation).
Modify Emotional Behavior
Fear Reduction Principle
To help a learner overcome a fear of a
particular stimulus and/or situation,
gradually increase the exposure to the
feared situation while the learner is
otherwise comfortable, relaxed, secures,
and/or rewarded.
Behavioral Learning Theories
To review
• Overview of behavioral learning theories.
• Classical conditioning theory.
• Overview of operant conditioning.
• Techniques of operant conditioning.
• Schedules for applying consequences.
• Behavior modification techniques.
To take a quiz on behavioral theories.