Reinforcement Techniques And Behavior Change

Psychological techniques, such as reinforcement techniques, are used to promote certain behaviors. These are based on behavior change, therapeutic counseling and interventions. Based on experimental psychology, it is claimed here that normal and abnormal behavior share the same principles.

To achieve behavior change, procedures and techniques are used during objective evaluation and empirical verification processes. This is done to eliminate the unwanted behavior and encourage a normal, desired behavior. These techniques are not just dependent on observation. Instead, one also relies here on cognitive aspects and elementary processes that come from the origin, as well as development, maintenance and change.

The behavior change techniques can be divided into three categories:

• Create behavior
• Promote behavior

• Reduce or eliminate behavior

In this article, we will focus on the psychological techniques used to promote certain types of behavior. Among these we find reinforcement techniques, reinforcement eventualities and what is called “drawing economics”.

Reinforcement techniques

Positive reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is when incentives are given to repeat a certain behavior. Thus, eventualities refer to the relationship of dependence between a certain behavior and the incentives people receive.

Negative reinforcement

Negative reinforcement tries to hold the positive reinforcement in place. The main goal is to improve the behavior or just to prevent the patient from falling back into an unwanted behavior.

There are two types of negative reinforcement:

• Escape: Aims to reduce the harmful incentives or to prevent a person from losing the positive reinforcement.

• Avoidance: Consists of introducing or eliminating a seemingly positive reinforcement to prevent a person from performing a certain action or behavior pattern.

Reinforcement techniques and behavioral agreements

A behavioral agreement establishes responsibility between two parties regarding a subject or activity. These behavioral agreements have certain characteristics, such as:

• Reward for taking the right steps towards a desired behavior
• The rewards can come often, but in small doses
• Reinforcement situations must demand and reward performance
• The agreement must be fair to all parties involved
• The terms of the agreement must be easy to understand

• All parties have the right to negotiate the framework for the reinforcement situation
• It must specify the desired behavior and the expected reward
• The conduct we wish to promote must comply with the terms of the agreement

The most important types of behavioral agreements

In some cases, only one party shows signs of unwanted behavior. Nevertheless, it is most common for both parties to have unwanted behavior.

In these cases, two types of behavioral agreements can be used: quid pro quo and bona fide or parallel behavioral agreements.

• Quid pro quo or barter incentive. Here one of the parties says he is willing to do something in return for a certain type of action or behavior from the other party. For example, a married man may say he is willing to cook dinner for his wife if, in return, she is willing to talk to him for 20 minutes every day about his job or how his day has been.

• Bonafide or parallel incentives. One person’s behavior change has no direct consequences on the other person’s behavior change. This type of incentive takes away the problem of who should be the first to change. It allows rewards for the person who follows the agreement, even when the other party does not follow the same development.

It requires several studies to be able to read which type of behavioral agreement works best.

Reinforcement techniques and drawing economics

Another psychological technique for promoting behavior change is the so-called sign economy. It consists of releasing various types of characters to achieve a reinforcing effect. These characters can then be exchanged for other things; activities or privileges.

• Benefits. One can start by issuing signs and usually it does not affect the desired behavior. Signs can be the bridge between what a person wants to achieve by handing out reinforcements that support. The signs can become a visible symbol of a person’s development and progress.

• Disadvantages. The process risks becoming complicated. Physical characters can be stolen, counterfeited or borrowed. Partners in a group can refuse to cooperate if they are not included in the sign system, etc.

The different characteristics of the characters

Chips, coupons and stars can all serve as characters. A good sign should have the following characteristics:

• It should be easy to understand its value
• Easy to carry and deliver
• Easy to identify
• The person handing them out should be held responsible for the extradition
• They should be simple. If they are simple, it is easier to understand their meaning and keep track of them. But if more tangible characters work better for the people in a particular program then it can also be used.

The values ​​of the characters should also be explained to each individual. The goal is to promote behavior through natural intensities and rewards or through the intrinsic value that the improved pattern of action has for the person in question.

To get to this point, drawing economics must be used in accordance with other techniques such as training in social skills and problem solving.