History of Behavior Modification Essay

Behavior Modification is defined as the use of abide bys or punishwork forcets to reduce or eliminate problematic air, or to teach an single(a) new responses to environmental stimuli.The goal of a conduct modification political programme is to change and adjust style that is incompatible or undesirable.Two main(prenominal) tools used in behavior modification be positive and interdict reinforcement.Behavior modification flowerpot be traced to lab query as far back as the 1800s and 1900s. Most of this research was through with(p) through experimenting with animals. Many had impacting research, here are a few.Ivan P. Pavlov (1849-1936)-Concerned with stimuli that evoke responses (noise, food, lights, and so on)-Pavlovs famous dogs Gastric secretions were stimulated at the sight of food (a reflex fill response). Indicated that digestive processes could be stimulated without direct contact.-He then focused his research on how connections were made among environment stimuli and reflex reactions.This type of instruction became know as Classical Conditioning.-Classical conditioning is concerned with stimuli that evoke driven or automatic responses.Edward L. Thorndike (1874-1949)-Not concerned with reflex responses like Pavlov.-Focused on the encyclopaedism of new behavior.-Well known for his research involving cats and a puzzle- box.-Placed hungry cats in a maze and timed how long it took for them to reach the food at the hold back of the puzzle. He found that the cats got faster and faster. (learned behavior)-From this research Thorndike formed laws of behavior, one of the around famous being the Law of Effect.-The Law of Effect states that the impressions that follow behavior help learning, and that rewards, positive and negative, provide consequences that increase the learning of behavior.B.F. mule driver (1904-1990)-Like Thorndike, skinner focused on learning that resulted from consequences.-From his research, such as, the Skinner Box, the p igeon project, and the baby box, Skinner stated that all behavior is followed by a consequence, and that consequence determines the likeliness of repeating that behavior.-When an association between a behavior and a consequence is formed it is known as Operant Conditioning.-Operant conditioning is learning that is base on a trial and error process in which a subject remembers what behaviors have elicited positive, pleasurable, responses and which elicited negative ones.Simply range, behavior modification is based on the idea that events occur in advance a specific behavior, and events occur after that behavior as well. The appropriate behavior is learned by observing and changing the pre-event behavior and the post-event behavior so that the appropriate behaviorincreases and the inappropriate behavior decreases.The use of rewards to help touch this increase in appropriate behavior is called positive reinforcement- i.e.strokes, gifts, more than privileges, etc.The use of punish ment is called negative reinforcement. i.e.spankings, withdrawal of privileges, etc.To stop an inappropriate behavior, first the behavior must be observed. Then, a pattern can be recognized and a trunk of rewards can then be constructed.Using positive reinforcement, a choice is presented and if a desired action occurs, a reward is presented.If undesirable behavior takes place no reward would be given. This is an example of negative reinforcement.As the juvenile justness system enters a new era, it is faced with major challenges. Each year it is estimated that guard arrest nearly 2 million youths nether the age 18 on criminal charges. Nearly 10,000 children under 17 appear before judges in the work County Circuit Court Juvenile rightness Division both year. The court refers many of these to the juvenile probation segment because they sally several alternatives to detention. Electronic monitoring, home confinement, and intensive supervision are among their teeming go. With t he collaboration of social service agencies and fellowship-based organizations, the department works to afford every youth in its supervision structured programming and services. All services are performed with an emphasis on public safety while alike attending to the ask of minors.The current missionary work statement of the Juvenile Probation subdivision is as followsTo serve the welfare of children and their families at heart a sound manakin of public safety. The department is committed to providing the guidance,structure and services needed by every child under its supervision. In partnership with the community, the Juvenile Probation Department directs delinquent children toward reforming their behavior and making responsible decisions according to the principles of Balanced and pop Justice.(cookcountycourt.org)Alongside this mission the probation department has a prescribed set of objectives that it operates under that assists them in being able to effectively respond to the increasingly mixed need of delinquent children. Of the 8 goals named in conjunction with the mission in that respect are two that spotlight principles set forth by the balance and restorative justice initiative.*To assist the court in developing interventions that serves the needs of the minor and facilitates the restoration of the victim and the community.*To instill in all children a sense of responsibility for their actions and a belief in their own indispensable value and potential through a combination of individualized perplexity and community networking (cookcountycourt.org).Prior to the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 1998 the department always encouraged community involvement. But, a more sophisticated accession has been implemented to create equilibrium between the offender, the victim, and most importantly the community affected by the crime committed.They believe no child is beyond the realms of renewal. They are confident that any child can benefit from reh abilitation and treatment. With these realizations in mind, and an increase in juvenile offenders, the probation department has moved by from locking youth up and taken a kinder, gentler approach in dealing with troubled youth. Innovative alternatives to detention are becoming more prevalent worldwide, especially within the confines of juvenile probation.Several program improvements and changes in legislation can be in part impute for these changes. However, the most important factor responsiblefor effecting change in the mission of the department is the Juvenile Justice Reform Act of 1998. This reform has put in a call to strike a balance between the juvenile justice systems long standing druthers toward rehabilitation and the more recent trend toward a more relatiative system that holds juveniles accountable for their actions(ICJIA).The adoption of the balanced and restorative justice fancy is outlined in a purpose and policy article of the Act. Cook County Assistant States Attorney Randall Roberts, one of the principal facilitators of the legislation, says the clause gives specific guidance to judges, as well as others who work in the system (ICJIA). With the introduction of this reform the probation department and other agencies working within the juvenile justice system have had to reassess their objectives in a manner that addresses the communities need for balance.Keeping the Promise to Americas young personNearly five years after this reform the juvenile justice system has recognized the benefits both the system and the child receive when cases are referred for probation instead of detention. Children are indeed responsive to intervention, supervision, mentoring, and other forms of growth and organic evolution offered by probation. Proof can be seen in the stories of the 19 men and women in Second Chances whos lives changes because of the flexibility and leniency of the juvenile justice system. Without the commitment and service of probation de partments nationwide such successful second chances would be hard to obtain.aftercare focuses on reintegration into the community, using a counselor. This counselor includes the family and community when assessing their system of care. After a program is made to suit the individual, there is severe supervision, used in conjunction with rewards and sanctions available to the successful candidate.