Behavioral-Conditioning Level

Distinguish the behavioral-conditioning level from the psychodynamic-motivational level

Behavioral-Conditioning Level: Focuses on observable behavior shaped by learning, using reinforcement, punishment, and associations.

Psychodynamic-Motivational Level: Focuses on internal drives and unconscious motives that influence behavior, often rooted in early experiences.

Key Difference: Behavioral level asks “how” behavior is learned; psychodynamic level asks “why” behavior happens.

Learning

Process of behavior change through new knowledge about how a particular cue and response are connected

Primary Needs

Biological needs that are essential for survival, such as hunger, thirst, and sex

Secondary Needs

Needs that are learned through experience and association, such as belonging, money, power

What are the four factors of the learning process?

• Drive (motivation): Internal need; stronger with greater deprivation. Primary drives meet biological needs, but much behavior is driven by learned (secondary) drives.

• Cue (stimulus): Signals when, where, and how to respond; can vary in intensity.

• Response (behavior): The action taken in reaction to a cue.

• Reinforcer/Punisher: Consequences that increase (reinforce) or decrease (punish) the likelihood of the behavior happening again

Classical Conditioning

A type of learning, discovered by Ivan Pavlov, in which a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus by being associated with an unconditioned stimulus

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response without prior learning

Unconditioned Response (UR)

The unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus

Neutral Stimulus (NS)

A stimulus that initially produces no specific response other than focusing attention

Conditioned Stimulus

A previously neutral stimulus that, after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus, triggers a conditioned response

Conditioned Response

The learned response to a previously neutral, now conditioned, stimulus

Extinction

When the conditioned response is no longer reinforced by breaking association between UCS and CS

Higher-order Conditioning

A type of classical conditioning in which a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus by being paired with an already established conditioned stimulus

How does trauma-related anxiety develop and spread to related stimuli from a behavioral-conditioning perspective?

Trauma-related anxiety develops when stressful stimuli occur alongside neutral stimuli, creating an association. Over time, neutral or similar stimuli can trigger anxiety even if they are not inherently stressful or related to the original trauma

Operant Conditioning

A type of learning, discovered by B.F. Skinner, in which behavior is influenced by its consequences: behaviors followed by reinforcements are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by punishments are less likely to occur

Stimulus Control

A scientific approach to behavior change where we can control behavior by specifying conditions and stimuli or situations that influence it

Discriminative Stimuli (DS)

Signals in the environment that tell you whether doing a behavior (operant response) will get a reward or avoid punishment

Positive Reinforcement

Increasing the behavior by adding a pleasant stimulus

Negative Reinforcement

Increasing behavior by removing an unpleasant stimulus

Positive Punishment

Decreasing the behavior by adding an unpleasant stimulus

Negative Punishment

Decreasing the behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus

Discrimination

Differentiation in behavior between two different stimuli because they yield different consequences

Generalization

We respond similarly in similar situations if the operant response is similarly rewarded or punished

Superstitions

Belief that an operant response will lead to a certain outcome when they are not related because they coincidentally occurred together (Reinforcement of irrational beliefs)

Behaviorism Critique

• Focuses too much on observable behavior, rather than physiological/cognitive processes.

– thoughts, feelings also influence behavior

– physiology also influence behavior (eg. hormone levels)

• There are innate behaviors apart from those learned.

• Disregards many individual differences related to people’s learning styles and how they would modify them.

• There can be differences due to culture/society.

• Findings in human vs. animal research may vary

Behavior Observation Priority

Behavioral assessment focuses on specific, observable problem behaviors rather than broad personality traits

Direct Behavior Measurement

Directly measuring behaviors to obtain accurate and objective data for analysis, rather than explaining cognitive processes

What did Gary’s case study reveal about the relationship between situational conditions and anxiety?

• Anxiety occurs mostly in specific situations related to the original stressor (90% within 1 hr of public speaking).

• Rarely occurs in unrelated contexts (10% without public speaking).

• Using this pattern, a hierarchy of anxiety-evoking situations was created to guide systematic desensitization.

Situational Behavior Sampling

Recording behavior at specific time intervals to observe how behavior may change according to the situation

Finding Effective Rewards

Rewards can be used to increase or decrease certain desirable or undesirable behaviors

Primary Reinforcers

Rewards that are naturally reinforcing because they satisfy basic biological needs

Generalized Conditioned Reinforcers

Learned rewards that become reinforcing because they’re linked to many different primary reinforcers

Case Study: How did functional analysis change Ann’s social behavior at nursery school?

• Observation: Initially, Ann spent 10% of time with peers, 40% with adults, and 50% alone.

• Intervention: Adult attention was given only when she played with peers, not during solitary interactions.

• Finding/Result: Peer interaction increased to 60%, time with adults dropped to 20%, and alone time dropped to 20%. When contingencies were reversed, old behavior returned, showing behavior changed due to reinforcement contingencies.

Functional Analyses

Tries to link behavior to the precise conditions that control or determine it

Systematic Desensitization (counterconditioning)

Hypothesized that anxiety is a conditional response to stimuli that is not anxiety-provoking for other people

Desensitization entails 3 steps:

1. Establishing the hierarchy of severity of anxiety

2. Training an incompatible relaxation response

3. Associating anxiety stimuli and incompatible responses

Overjustification

An activity by excessive external reward may interfere with intrinsic interests that would otherwise be generated by the activity itself

Contingency Contracting

The client makes a contract designed with the therapist to help control behavior

Symptom Substitution

Behavior therapies are criticized for neglecting the “roots” of problematic behavior, modifying only the “superficial” or “symptomatic” behaviors