FRHD 3150 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Applied Behavior Analysis, Operant Conditioning, Behaviorism

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Family Relations and Human Development
• Course: FRHD 3150
• Professor: Michelle Preyde

Document Summary

Behavior: any muscular, glandular, or electrical activity in an organism. Dimensions of behavior: characteristics of behavior that can be measured. Advantages: they may be useful for quickly providing general information about how an individual might perform, the labels may imply that a particular treatment program will be helpful. Disadvantages: they may lead to pseudo-explanations of behavior (pseudo means false), labels can negatively affect the way an individual might be treated, may direct focus to an individual"s problem behaviors rather than to their strengths. Some behavioral excesses are inappropriate no matter what the context. Behavior modification: involves the systematic application of learning principles and techniques to assess and improve individuals" covert and overt behaviors in order to enhance their daily functioning. Behavioral assessment: involves the collection and analysis of information and data to: identify and describe target behaviors, identify possible causes of the behavior, guide the selection of an appropriate behavioral treatment, evaluate treatment outcome.