Psychology Roots 413
Behavior modification
Application of operant conditioning principles to individual cases. This has been applied primarily in schools in the United States with students described as having behavioral problems, developmental delays, and autism.
2.
A type of behavioral therapy in which the principles of Operant Conditioning (reinforcement, punishments, etc.) are used to eliminate some type of unwanted, maladaptive, behavior. For example, a person may feel that they no longer want to smoke (the maladaptive behavior) and so the person is given a favorite piece of candy every time a cigarette is desired but refused. So, when the person wants a cigarette but does not have one, they get a piece of their favorite candy as a reward.
