In my Behavioral Analysis class this semester, we were required to read several research articles detailing various studies conducted within the field of behavior analysis. As this is my major field of interest, I thought it both wise and prudent to share two of the more fascinating studies on my website. Behavior analysis is most commonly associated amongst the general public with rats and a laboratory setting. Pavlov’s conditioning and his dog salivating at the sound of a bell or rats being trained to press levers for food reinforcers most frequently come to mind when asked to give an example of behavior analysis’s capabilities. The field, however, is also extremely capable of creating lasting and effective treatments for people with developmental disorders and addiction.
Researchers have found that setting gradually lowered criteria within a monetary incentive program to be effective in reducing caffeine intake in excessive coffee drinkers (Foxx & Rubinoff, 1979). High levels of caffeine can produce physiological effects similar to the side effects of...
During the human life, people experience grief, however, people choose to cope with their grief in various ways. Many talks to a family member, sleep or allow themselves to be sad to relieve the pain. When Tracy K. Smith’s (U.S. poet laureate) father passed, she believed that therapy would help heal her heartache. Years after Smith’s therapy sessions, she wrote “Savior Machine.” She clarifies at a common read at Southeastern Louisiana University, that it is “a poem about feeling freed to look at my life in a clear-eyed way” (Smith). In portions of her poem she also explains how the sessions enhance her acceptance of her father’s death. “Savior Machine,” allows her readers to view the results of her therapy and it reveals that she receives more
The best way to describe Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is to understand human behavior, what causes the behavior and how to use evidence-based techniques to shape the individual’s behavior. I also view ABA as therapy for individuals who struggle with behavioral issues, finding ways to replace problem behaviors and reinforcing the participant’s appropriate behaviors in specific settings.
Baer, Wolf, and Risley wrote a great informative article. It taught much about the seven dimensions of applied behavior analysis, which are applied, behavioral, analytic, technological, conceptually systematic, effective, and generality. They went in depth and explained each dimension allowing the reader to really understand applied behavior analysis. The breakdown of these seven dimensions will allow readers to be informed and know what applied behavior analysis consist of.
As Applied Behavior Analyst, we seek to modify a behavior social significant behavior. Our effectiveness can only be measured how much the behavior we set out to modify is changed to a degree in which it makes a difference in the social situations the behavior occurs in. Baer said that this was not a scientific measurement, but a practical one: "its power in altering behavior enough to be socially important, is the essential criterion” (Cooper 17-18). The effectiveness of the research of an ABA effect both the clinical and educational applications of ABA because these cases are the bases of how ABA grows and changes. They are the way we learn and master our field. Even if modifications are later made to older experiments, without them we would not know where to
After reading the article, I learned the difference between high and low self-monitor as well as the traits. The trait of self-monitor includes an individual regulating their behavior to accommodate their surrounding in any events. For example, one might strategize and be observed in social events to fit in the situation. There are two type of self-monitor high and low monitors. Each have their own traits. High self-monitors will change their opinion or belief so they can adapt to their surroundings. I believe this is what make a good actor or trail lawyers as the article describe as well. Which completely make sense now, a trial lawyer will need to manage his internal feelings so it will not interfere with his external situation which for him will be a court
The field of psychology is a discipline, originated from many branches of science. It has applications from within a complete scope of avenues, from psychotherapy to professional decision-making. The flexibility and versatility of this field reflects its importance and demands in-depth analysis. Psychology was a division of philosophy until it developed independent scientific disciplines. The history of psychology was a scholarly study of the mind and behavior that dates back to the beginning of civilization. There are important details from previous theory psychologist, research have contributed to behaviorism approaches and have contributed towards specific current behavioral practices. Contemporary behavior therapy began to emerge into distinct practical and core learning theories concerning the needs and knowledge engaging cultural and professional differences.
I am drawn to the field of applied behavior analysis as it is a way of understanding that allows me to address the needs of my clients and determine how to help them beyond just the label of a diagnosis. Through using applied behavior analysis effectively the origin and meaning of a behavior can be highlighted. When a behavior occurs a detailed report is created to describe the situation prior, what the behavior was and the consequences of that behavior. Furthermore behaviors within some cases can be used as a form of communication when words are not available. For this reason the study of behavior allows me to help my clients and those around me in a way that is more definite and lasting.
By this definition, and after knowing the effects of caffeine upon the human body, I have come to the conclusion that drinking caffeine is a sign of a lack of respect for oneself, and of an unappreciative attitude toward the life that each of us has been blessed with. Furthermore, it shows of either our inability, or unwillingness to learn to think clearly.
There are many practical applications of the behaviourist approach, including in education, child rearing, treating phobias and advertising, using behaviourist theories to influence societies on a large scale (McLeod 2015). It is very scientific, using repeatable experiments to prove theories on behaviour and puts a strong emphasis on objective measurement (McLeod 2015). It can be used to explain a great quantity of human behaviour, using a small amount of scientifically studied theories (Hill
Caffeine has many negative effects on humans, such as increased heart rate (Lane, J.D., 2002), depression (Goldstein, 2008), and addiction to this “drug.” You may be asking yourself, “What is caffeine?” Well, caffeine is actually a stimulant (Barone, Roberts, 2008) that is found in beverages such as tea, coffee, and soft drinks. In fact, caffeine is the highest grossing and most used stimulant in the United States (Barone, Roberts, 2008). It is estimated that 85% of adults living in the United States consume caffeine on a daily basis (Barone, Roberts, 2008). That means for every 100 adults, 85 of them have had a drink that contained caffeine on any given day. One reason caffeine is so widely available compared to other stimulants is because caffeine is socially acceptable (Brice, Smith, Sutherland, Chistopher, Childs, deWit, 2008). If nicotine was as acceptable to people as caffeine is, cigarettes would be more heavily used and might not even have a law on how old you should be before you smoke. One study showed that 75-98% percent of youth intake at least one beverage containing caffeine each day. 31% of the same youth consume 2 or more beverages containing caffeine daily (Morgan, Stults, Zabmick, NFS, 2008). If caffeine wasn’t so socially acceptable, these numbers would be drastically different. When youth were polled on when they consumed the most caffeine during the week, the results showed that after midday Wednesday, the consuming of caffeine begins to rise. Sometime on Saturday is when it reaches its height, and begins to go back down (Pollack, Bright, 2008). There are many opinions on why this is happening, such as stress relating to school, getting through the week, or less sleep during the week. When scientist Hoidrup lo...
Coffee is the first thing that people associate with instant energy on a groggy morning. “In the U.S., coffee is king of beverages” (Reinke) Research has been done that has named coffee as an addiction to the people who consume large quantities of it. Coffee was named the top source of antioxidants. This is partly because of the amount consumed each day. Some of the antioxidants that coffee has are quinines and chlorogenic acid. It also contains trigonelline, an antibacterial compound. This is where coffee acquires its delicious aroma. Now let’s step back for a minute and just think about how much caffeine people consume. In an 8oz cup of coffee it has about 85 milligrams of caffeine. This is about double the amount that tea contains. Studies have shown that caffeine stimulates the brain and nervous system. This is where you get that energized feeling. After about the third cup, knees start to bounce, pens are clicking and people start running laps around the office. Caffeine can become addicting if you drink too much. Coffee can become that addictive habit people are unable to shake.
The successful application of these theories have been very interdisciplinary in their use, being applicable in the development of disorders and even calculating spending patterns across social groups. Behaviorism and social learning have evolved beyond the original use of solely educational purposes. However, the effectiveness of the behaviorism theory has come into question as an educational approach., L’Ecuyer (2014) explains that the behaviorism approach, “emphasizes the accumulation of information (knowledge), on external behaviors (skills and mechanical habits) and their emotional and physical reactions in given situations, rather than on the person’s internal mental states, such as intentionality, which are much more complex (p.2). The article questions the modern effectiveness of the behaviorism approach on children. I have found that the theory of social learning when paired with the behaviorism theory is still very useful in education, even with the influx of modern technologies. At the very core, behaviorism, both classical and, seeks to explain why humans react to certain stimuli. Operant is more used in socially especially in child rearing, how to effectively discipline and child via reinforcement of positive behaviors or corporal punishment for negative behaviors is still a highly debated topic. Social learning can also heavily influence
Developmental Analytic Behavior Therapy (DABT), one of the newest forms of behavior therapy, is “the first behavioral analytical therapy that incorporates behavioral developmental stage and value of the outcome of a behavior into its working. It is quite different from conventional therapies as it focuses on altering problem behaviors directly to help individuals live satisfying lives despite their existing behavioral problems. Moreover, the behavioral developmental stage also seems to affect the kind of defense mechanism one uses, in the psychoanalytic sense, which in turn affects one’s behavior (Semrad, 1969a, b, c).” (Commons & Tuladhar, 2014, p.
In the Applied Behavior Analysis field, countless individuals can be helped using ABA techniques and psychological theories. My client is a 41-year-old man, who just went through a divorce, lost his job, and is now rebuilding his life. He is dealing with the loss of seeing his two children on a constant basis. He is now dealing with thoughts of failure, not fitting into any place in society, and isolation.
Overall, Behaviorism is an important topic in today’s society. Although the main focus was in the 20th century, Behaviorism is still talked about today by many psychologists. Three important figures like Watson, Pavlov and Skinner were only a few that came up with their own experiments in order to prove that behaviorism all depends on observable behavior. Hence, Behaviorism is known to be behaviors that are acquired through conditioning in the