How does behaviorism fit into GD?

[SouthPaw]

Is this the right forum? Hmm. Move it if it goes somewhere else. :grin

Anyway, I am wondering how you see behavioral psych. principles mesh with GD? What applies to Humans, and what is best reserved for Non-Humans? My emphasis is in behavioral psych. since I am an animal trainer... and I see a lot of basic behavioral principles fitting in with GD.

I really noticed this just tonight when I was writing out a lesson plan for my doggy training class tomorrow. :grin Re: expecting a behavioral response, i sat down and wrote: you must ensure proper motivation, practice the skill, generalize the behavior, and obtain attention before expecting compliance with a particular request, as well as taking into consideration physical & mental fatigue. Then I thought... wow... I'll bet that applies to kids too!

So now I am actually kind of interested in pursuing this further & looking into how behavioral principles as well as neurological aspects (how the brain itself learns) fit into GD. Is it worth the effort? Did someone do this already? ;) For someone like me that really likes learning about the "nuts and bolts" of everything, I think it would really help people learn how GD "works" *without* punitive measures. And for skeptics, it would give proof - based on psychological facts & research - that GD is a valid construct.

I realize that behaviorism skips a lot...and I don't expect for it to fit in with EVERY aspect of GD (ex. reflecting feelings - completely unrelated... i think...) But I am really curious where it DOES fit in, where it is appropriate, where it can be used & applied within the GD framework.

Sooooo...what do you think? :popcorn

[ArmsOfLove]

hmmm the way you worded your question has me thinking more about my answer than I thought I'd have to when I clicked it open :grin

One thing I think about punitive approaches to parenting is that, despite their protestations, they use methods of behaviorism to try and manipulate behavior. I would suggest that behaviorism is a study of the way people are and what motivates them and how they respond to things and these results, for the most part, just *are*. And I think GBD definately takes these realities into consideration--age expected behavior, for example. When you know what to expect you can anticipate it, not get caught off guard by it, and respond with a plan to it :)

Also, the development of the brain is a big thing.

good question :)

[This Busy Mom]

:popcorn

[OpalsMom]

One thing I think about punitive approaches to parenting is that, despite their protestations, they use methods of behaviorism to try and manipulate behavior.


Honestly, they don't. They are no more behaviorist than they are scriptural -- they are throwing around poorly understood terms that sound behaviorist if you don't understand what behaviorists do. But any behaviorist will tell you that punishment is ineffective at best and more frequently destructive. GBD techniques are MUCH more behaviorist than punitive techniques are.

Poor behaviorist parenting tends to look punitive, just as poor grace-based parenting tends to look permissive. But well done, they are two different ways of arriving at very similar conclusions about how to raise children. I have to get a new copy of "Don't Shoot the Dog" because her advice for dealing with kids yelling in a car is going to sound eerily familiar to everybody around here, but with different words around it. "Train an incompatible behavior" (Sing, or practice whispering. Stop the car and only start it when you get not-yelling.) "Put the behavior on cue and don't give the cue" (Have a shouting contest outside the car before you get in, talk about outside voices and tell them it's time for an inside voice.) "Remove the motivation for the behavior" (Make sure they've had plenty of shouting time, get them something else amusing to do, reduce the stress of the situation.)

[Dana Joy]

my study of behaviorism and behavior modification came from the pov of working with children (and adults) with severe developmental delays specifically autism.
we were taught that all behavior has a purpose- analyse that behavior scientifically to find its purpose (remember we're talking severly delayed so asking - why do you bang your head against the wall? just doesn't cut it). when the purpose is found teach a more appropriate way to serve your purpose (for example after analysing the head banging it was determined that the child did this for vestibular stimualtion- so we taught him to use his communication device to request a trip out to the swings.)
We were also taught that rewards can work- but are not as effctive as teaching replacement behaviors- (in the aforementioed example the child loved spicy cheetos- if we rewarded him with spicy cheetos everytime he did not bang his head- he would still have the unmet vestibular need.)
Does this jive with GBD? I'm not sure- I know that with more verbal kiddos- my own- it definatly helps me to remember that all behavior serves a purpose.

[AmyDoll]

When I worked in a behavior lab in college - we looked at behaviors and tried to determine the "reason" behind the behavior so that we could modify the behavior or encourage the behavior.
The example I gave on the Special Needs board was regarding college kids getting more drunk then they really intended. We also looked at seat belt use, bike safety, cigarette sales to minors.
In some cases we could inflict punishment by working with campus police - but we consistently found that positive reinforcement and educating the students worked better - longer lasting and more consistent results.

Another famous study is factory workers were studied and their conditions improved no matter what interventions were taken (lights darker, lights brighter, longer breaks, shorter breaks etc.) The study found that the workers responded to the fact that someone was paying attention to them! They had received such little attention in the past.

Behaviorism looks at behavior as a starting point. I think as humans - it's kind of our tendency. Behavior is what is in our face. Behavior might lead us to look at other aspects - like the brain. But behavior is going to be our cue that something might be amiss with the brain. Or a limp (behavior) will tell us that something might be wrong with a leg and lead us to investigate.

[SouthPaw]

Here's an example...this lady uses the principles of operant conditioning on kids...these stories seem so GD to me :heart It is really worth the read... :poke http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001c/unrulychildren.htm