Skinner's Theory Of Maladaptive Behavior

However, when extinction does happen it is not indefinite. For example, Lattal,Peter,& Escobar(2015) state “That is, even though extinguished, the form of the response may remain stable or intact, at least in the short term but often in the longer term”. What this means is that even when extinction does occur the response that underwent the extinction process can recur/resurface if the reinforcer is reintroduced again.Why this is significant is because it shows how behavior can be learned and relearned all over again which is important if an individual is trying to get rid of a maladaptive behavior. In other words extinction can modify behavior. However, it can do the opposite and introduce a maladaptive behavior. Lattal,Peter,& Escobar(2015)

This is seen in Skinner’s theory because he emphasized that behavior is a result of what is happening in the present such as when a behavior is being learned or unlearned through reinforcements that are being given to the person/animal in the present. Skinner also developed his theory through measuring specific behaviors which resulted to his development of schedule reinforcements. Skinner’s theory focused on reinforcement and this ties to the second historical force because it modifies the behavior through treatments that last a shorter amount of time compared to the the treatments from the First Historical

It is through the idea of rewards and punishments(reinforcements) that these characteristics of american culture have emerged. Specifically using shaping as an example, we have learned to modify our behavior through the rewards we get, usually being a tangible object or most popularly in America, money. We have been trained in our schools systems to work hard for a letter grade, in which we carry with us to our jobs. In our jobs we work hard to get payed and with this pay we reward ourselves even further with material things that can be purchased with the money we received. As a result to the way we centralize our behavior for these materialistic items we live our lives daily not in the present but for the