Chapter 14: Behavior Therapy

Origins

Clinical application of behavioral principles

Ivan Pavlov: Russia late 1800s/early 1900s; studied digestive system of dogs and ultimately discovered classical conditioning

John Watson: US early 1900s; first US psychologist to argue that psychology should study observable responses and the stimuli that precede them (rather than the inner workings of the mind)- classical conditioning

Operant conditioning

Edward Lee Thorndike: law of effect (all organisms pay attention to the consequences of their actions) and pleasurable consequences that follow are more likely to recur

B.F. Skinner: Experimented with the law of effect; believed that operant conditioning was as important to behavior as classical conditioning

Goal of Behavior Therapy

Observable behavior change

The study of human behavior should be scientific

Scientific method: observing a phenomenon, developing hypothesis, testing hypothesis, observing outcome of the tests, revising the hypothesis (maybe cycle again)

Behaviors are not symptoms of underlying problems- behaviors are the problem

Easy to identify target behaviors and measure changes in therapy

Describe observable, measurable behaviors & explain that the behaviors aren't symptoms of a deeper problem

Establishing baselines and measuring progress on a regular basis

Does not endorse the medical model of psychology

Measuring Change

Observable changes involves defining problems from the outset

Reject introspection (reject the notion that an objective assessment of change can be attained by looking inside the mind) and rather believe that behavior is an outward indicator of client change

Classical Conditioning

Unconditioned stimulus & unconditioned response: a certain stimulus will evoke a natural response

Conditioned stimulus & conditioned response: one stimulus evokes unnatural response (originally natural response with unconditioned stimulus)

Passive type of learning

Generalization: conditioned response is evoked by stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus

Discrimination: conditioned response is not evoked by stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus

Operant Conditioning

Organism operates on the environment, notices the consequences of the behavior and incorporates the consequences into future decisions about the behavior

Active type of learning

Based on contingencies (if...then...)

Techniques of Classical Conditioning

Exposure therapy: client is exposed to feared object and aversive outcome doesn't occur

Phobias (result of classical conditioning): stimulus is paired with an aversive outcome

Imaginal exposure: visualizing phobia and phobia-related items

In vivo exposure: see, hear and touch phobia

Graded exposure: gradual approach to exposure therapy

Flooding/implosion: exposure that happens all at once

Anxiety hierarchy: list and rate stimuli that induce fear- exposure begins at lease distressing stimulus

Exposure and response prevention: exposure to obsessive thoughts or situations while preventing typical response

Systematic desensitization: repairing/counterconditioning feared object with a new response incompatible with anxiety

Relaxation training: therapist teaches client progressive relaxation techniques in which various muscles are systematically tensed and relaxed

Assertiveness training: targets clients' social anxieties- used for people whose timid, apprehensive or ineffectual social behavior has a negative impact on their lives

Begins with direct instructions from the behavior therapist about what to say/do in a particular situation, then assertive behaviors are modeled and the client rehearses behavior before they use them for real

Techniques of Operant Conditioning

Contingency management: change contingencies that control behavior

Reinforcement: any consequence that makes a behavior more likely to recur in the future (generally preferred)

Punishment: any consequence that makes a behavior less likely to recur in the future

Positive= adding a consequence

Negative= removing a consequence

Positive reinforcement: getting something good

Negative reinforcement: losing something bad

Positive punishment: getting something bad

Negative punishment: losing something good

Aversion therapy: an unwanted behavior creates an aversive stimulus

Extinction: removal of an expected reinforcement that results in a decrease in the frequency of a behavior

Extinction burst: immediately after reinforcement is removed, behavior worsens before it gets better

Token economy: clients earn tokens for participating in predetermined target behaviors, which can be exchanged for a reinforcement

Shaping: reinforcing successive approximations of the target behavior- taking baby steps because target behavior is difficult to accomplish entirely at outset

Behavioral activation: designed to treat depression; during the day-to-day lives of depressed people, there is a shortage of positive reinforcement so the goal is to increase the frequency of behaviors that are positively reinforcing to the client which leads the client to experience more positive emotions and become more fully engaged in their lives

Observational learning: modeling/social learning- clients learn from contingencies applied to other people; clients observe demonstration of the desired behavior and is given changes to imitate it

Albert Bandura: psychologist who studied the effects of modeling

Models are most effective when they are more similar to the client

Imitation: client mimics the modeled behavior

Vicarious learning: client observes the modeled behavior and also the model receiving consequences for the modeled behavior

Alternatives to Behavior Therapy

Behavioral consultation: involves the client, consultee (person who spends significant time int he natural setting with the client and has some control over contingencies that govern the client's behavior) and the consultant (therapist)

Stage 1: initiation of consulting relationship, establishing roles & responsibiliites

Step 2: problem identification: target behavior, occurrence, baseline and goals are determined

Step 3: Problem analysis: reinforcement contingency is identified

Step 4: plan implementation

Step 5: plan evaluation: progress from baseline toward goals is measured

Parent training: parents seek help with problematic behaviors of their children (form of behavioral consultation)

Behavior therapist may never see child directly- education occurs with parent

Teacher training: similar to parent training, but with an emphasis on the school setting with teachers; some problem behaviors are interpersonal while others are academic