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Behavior Modification Research Paper

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Extinction as a Tool for Behavior Modification
Introduction
Modern behavior modification relies on the basic principles of operant conditioning. Within operant conditioning, reinforcement, a behavioral consequence that results in the increase of future behaviors, and punishment, a consequence that results in the decrease of future behaviors, are used to manipulate behavioral deficits or excesses within individuals (Miltenberger, 2016, p. 67, 102).While these two procedures are used frequently within behavior modification, other tools, such as extinction, are frequently used as well. Extinction is the process of no longer providing reinforcement for behaviors that have been previously reinforced. The result of this process is that the behavior …show more content…

Escape is a behavior that seeks to avoid an aversive stimulus that is already present in the environment. Cote, Thompson, and McKerchar (2005) wondered if antecedent strategies and escape extinction could be used as an intervention for children struggling to complete transitions without engaging in problem behaviors. The antecedent strategies of a two minute warning and giving the child a transitioning object were tried. In the extinction condition, the child was blocked from escaping and gestural and full-physical prompts were given to assist the child in transitioning (Cote, Thompson, & McKerchar, 2005, p. 236). In this condition, the child did not receive the usual reinforcement of the staff member talking with him or giving him attention, allowing him to escape, or giving him alternative options. In this study, the antecedent strategies alone did not result in a decrease in the problematic behaviors. However, the extinction condition, where problematic behaviors were no longer reinforced, showed a major decrease in problematic behaviors. Interestingly, a combination of the antecedent strategies and escape extinction also showed reduced problematic behaviors (Cote, Thompson, & McKerchar, 2005, p.

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