Options for Behavior Modification - Research Paper Example

Social Phobia al Affiliation Behavior Modification involves the initiative to change unwanted behavior in an individual. There are various options for behavior modification such as positive and negative reinforcement, Token Economies, Behavioral Contracts, Response Cost, Using Punishment and Time-Out. The research paper analyses reinforcement method of behavior modification in students. The research paper also focuses on the use of positive reinforcement to modify social phobic behavior among students. The paper introduces behavior modification and provides an overview of the various methods used in changing behavior among students. The paper further provides details on how reinforcement is effective in changing social phobia behavior among students. There is further detailed information regarding social phobia identification and treatment using positive reinforcement behavior modification method. The paper identifies a peer research that utilizes positive reinforcement to change social phobia behavior among students. An analysis of the literature is done by evaluating how the behavior was identified and modified. The paper has a conclusion with an overview of reinforcement method and its effectiveness in modifying social phobia behavior among students. Introduction Behavior modification is a type of behavior therapy that involves treatment of behavioral and emotional conditions by use of a therapeutic approach. Behavioral modification entails elimination of unwanted characteristics from an individual and replacing them with more positive behaviors. Behavior modification also involves exposure of the affected person to conditions that emulate a positive behavior in them while eliminating the negative behavior. It is a behavior therapy technique which is applicable in adults as well as children regardless of their genders. Behavior modification techniques find their origin from B.F Skinner (Mennin, 2013). The technique functions by providing an individual with either positive or negative consequences regarding their behaviors. The technique works towards eliminating certain types of behaviors from the person by use of positive or negative approach. Behavior modification techniques constitute positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, exposure and aversive condition. Positive reinforcement includes encouraging the person to terminate a given behavior by giving them incentives or tokens. This type of behavior modification is mainly common among students suffering from various emotional and social disorders (Bartol, 2013). The person is given a positive review and a gift which encourages them to emulate a positive behavior at the cost of the negative behavior. An example of a positive reinforcement is where a person sucks their fingers often. Positive reinforcement can be used to eliminate such behavior by providing the victim with an alternative. The person is further given a token any time they avoid sucking the fingers for a given duration of time. This encourages the person to stop sucking the fingers by involving themselves in an alternative activity (Waters, 2012). Negative reinforcement opposes positive reinforcement. In this case, the person is discouraged from practicing a particular behavior by withdrawing the privileges they enjoyed earlier. An example of negative reinforcement is the withdrawal of television privileges from the children whenever they play around in the house during meals. Children love watching television, and they will stop playing in the house in order to enjoy watching TV. This hence serves in eliminating the unwanted behavior of playing in the house during meals. Negative reinforcement is effective in eliminating certain behaviors, but positive reinforcement can be more effective in eliminating social phobia from the student (Waters, 2012). Phobia is defined as an irrational and extreme fear of a situation or object. Phobia mainly involves presumption of a sense of the negative effect resulting from the situation or object. Social phobia, on the other hand, entails the fear of associating with other individuals in the society through interaction and participating in other social events. Social phobia is common in schools among teenagers and results in isolation of the individual. Social phobia may result from bullying, social classes in the school as well as the fear of discrimination based on cultural background and race (Waters, 2012). There are various indicators of social phobia such as isolation from the rest of the students, unwillingness to participate in group activities in class, as well as sports, fear to associate with certain groups of people in school and the introvert characteristics. Social phobia affects the student’s performance in class and may have lasting effects on their social life. Social phobia among students can be treated effectively through positive reinforcement. Literature Review Social phobia falls under emotional behaviors and is highly prevalent in schools. It emanates from peer rejection as well as emotional problems in an individual. The risks factors that accompany social phobia are many including suicidal, poor performance in school and work as well as development of personality disorders like depression. Various researches have been done with respect to social phobia in school and the society. According to Bowers and Snyder (2008), social phobia is common in students and especially among individuals with disabilities. Research done by Mike Monfore (2012) was able to identify a student suffering from social phobia in a special class. In the research, Monfore (2012) was working alongside the teacher to identify students are suffering from social phobia. According to Monfore (2012), the students showed characteristics of isolation and fear to communicate in class. Moreover, the student was not responsive to the questions directed to him by the teacher but rather mumbled the answer quietly. The student was unable to maintain eye contact while communicating with the teacher. The student kept most of the things to himself and was reluctant in participating in group activities in class. Positive behavior modification technique was used in eliminating social phobia in the student. Monfore (2012) makes use of praise notes to encourage the student to participate in group activities in class. The process involved positive review notes by the students. Each of the students would write a positive review note about the other student and place them on their desks. This served in building self-esteem among the affected students. The method was effective since the student was able to eliminate social phobia and started participating in group activities in class (Mike Monfore, 2012). Social Phobia Treatment Social phobia is common in schools where the students are from different social classes and cultural background. Social phobia among students results from discrimination, rejection by the peer on the basis of performance in class, race, cultural background and the status in the society. The student develops an extreme fear towards specific individuals in the society which limits their interaction levels with their peers in school. The results of social phobia are severe since one may opt to commit suicide or drop out of school. The symptoms of social phobia in the research are identified by observing the behavior of the students while in class and their activeness in co-curricular activities such as sports. The students are not active in class and isolate themselves from other students. Moreover, the students do not participate in group activities in class such as discussions and experiments. The other characteristics observed are that the students are reluctant in answering questions in class and have problems in maintaining eye contact (Lane, 2005). Positive reinforcement is useful in the treatment of social phobia since it encourages the student to interact effectively with others regardless of their social background. The process of changing this behavior starts by evaluating the interests of the students while outside the social limelight. This helps in establishing an effective positive reinforce or taken to motivate the students in participating in social activities. The process involves other students in that, and they would help in encouraging the affected students to take part in group activities. All the students in the class have to meet at least two new friends each week. A student who scores high in terms of the number of friends is given tokens and gifts by other students (Bartol, 2013). The student is further given a tour to a place of their choice by the teacher during holidays. After meeting new friends, the student enters the second stage where they are supposed to form and manage a football team. The best manager is given the opportunity to organize a party for the entire class funded by the teacher. This provides motivation for the student to socialize in order to make more friends who would participate in their teams. In order to win the matches the student would interact effectively with his team hence reducing the social phobia in them (Bartol, 2013) Conclusion Social phobia develops in individual when they face difficulties in interacting with their peers in the society. Use of positive reinforcement to change this behavior is effective since the students are able to make friends and participate fully in social events like sports in school. Social phobia is a behavior that affects people at all levels in the society and needs to be addressed at early stages to avoid adverse effects. Reference Bartol, C. R. (2013). Criminal behavior: A psychological approach. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Upper Saddle River, NJ:. Lane, K. L.-A. (2005). Students with and at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders: Meeting their social and academic needs. Preventing School Failure, 6-9. Mennin, D. S. (2013). United we stand: emphasizing commonalities across cognitive-behavioral therapies. . Behavior therapy, 234-248. Mike Monfore. (2012). Peer Reinforcement to Promote Appropriate Student Behavior. 1-7. Waters, A. M. (2012). Attention bias for angry faces in children with social phobia. Journal of Experimental Psychopathology, 475-489. Read More