Behavior plan

Author

Institution

Identify the behaviours that are of concern in the chosen case study

Daniels case while quite severe is not an isolated one. As a young boy, there are quite a number of behaviours that are bound to raise a lot of concern from parents and teachers or other concerned parties. Aged thirteen years old, Daniel can be disruptive in the classroom shouting out as the lessons are ongoing. Daniel is also said to be rude even to those older than him or adults not to mention his disobedience as far as getting on with his work is concerned. Consequently, Daniel is not in good terms with some teachers. Daniel’s aggressive behaviour is exhibited by his action of throwing a chair in the classroom during an English lesson possibly due to his dislike for the English teacher with whom he is particularly not in good terms.

Daniel is also unable to accept his mistakes and therefore when he is punished he takes to self-harm where he hits the wall with his fist in anger consequently creating a hole in the wall. He has also been involved in bullying other boys in the same year as him not to mention his involvement in a number of fights in this year. Daniel has also engaged in truancy and has been brushing with the law after being caught hanging out late into the night.

Behaviorist theory

Daniel’s behaviour can be explained using the behaviourist theory. This theory was established in the early 20th century by an American psychologist called John B Watson who is credited with coming up with the word behaviourism (Abbott, 2003). His view was influenced by a research of a Russian psychologist called Ivan P. Pavlov earlier on while B. F. Skinner introduced a more popular version of the theory in 1959. All these behaviourists have recognised conditioning as the general learning process. Essentially, there are two types of conditioning with each of them coming with a varied behavioural pattern. These are the classical conditioning and the operant or instrumental conditioning (Elizabeth, 2000).

Ivan Pavlov initially described the classical conditioning in 1903 where he used dogs and foods in order to look at the dogs’ salivary response. Prior to serving the food, he would ring a bell. Initially, he dogs only salivated when the food was served. With time however, they had identified the ringing of the bell with food and therefore they would salivate even when they had not been served with food as long as the bell was rang. In this case, the classical conditioning paired bell (conditioned stimulus) with food (unconditioned stimulus) (Elizabeth, 2000). In this case, after occurring in pair repeatedly, conditioned stimulus would acquire the ability to produce salivation (conditioned response) even when used alone.

John B Watson customised this theory to the human behaviour believing that they a few inborn reflexes as well as emotional reactions involving rage and love. Any other behaviour would be established via stimulus-response relations through conditioning (Learning Theories Knowledgebase, 2011). In this case he used a young boy named Albert and white rat. Initially, the young boy was not afraid of the white rat. However, Watson would create a loud noise abruptly every time the boy touched the white rat. Consequently, Albert became afraid of the rat, he would actually avoid it. The same case applied to other minute animals. Later on, Watson eliminated this fear by bringing the rat devoid of loud noise.

Operant or instrumental conditioning builds on the fundamental stimulus-response model by Watson. In this conditioning type, Skinner came up with a more all-inclusive view based on the fact that a valuable language behaviour is made up of situations or correct stimuli producing a particular response or behaviour. He insinuates that when responses are followed by reinforcers in terms of rewards, then such behaviours would be occurring again. In this case, Skinner used operant conditioning to outline how consequences of particular behaviours influence occurrence of that behaviour in the future. The basic ideas of instrumental conditioning are punishment and reinforcement.

Skinner outlined that behaviour can be explained in relation to its consequences. He insinuates that behaviour would be consistent in varied situations since it would be maintained by the same consequences in those situations. The behaviour would only change when its consequences are altered or modified. Operant as a term underlines the fact that the organisms would learn by how they respond to the particular environment. Skinner pointed out that positive and negative reinforcement would affect an individual’s behaviour in relation to its being avoided or repeated. Outcomes of particular operant or response patterns determine the likelihood that the individual will perform a similar response in the future. When positively reinforced, an individual would be likely to do it again. Operant conditioning relates to learning to undertaking similar responses over and over again to favourable consequences and stimulus.

Outline of the plan to support the child’s behaviour

While Daniel has mostly been depicted as a largely undisciplined child, it would be important to acknowledge that he has some positive attributes. He is described as a quiet pupil who has always done well in school. This is irrespective of the fact that his older brother and father who should be role models are not positive influences on him.

While it is apparent that his negative behaviour has been punished in many ways, there has been no indication that at one time he has been rewarded for doing well in school. His liking for drama and being good in Information technology and maths have therefore gone more or less unrewarded. According to the Behaviourist theory, lack of reinforcement would in one way or shape behaviour. When an individual is not acknowledged for his or her behaviour, he or she would be likely to substitute that behaviour with another one up to such a time when reinforcement is availed.

Daniel’s behaviour would be explained in relation to its consequences. It would be consistent in different situations since similar consequences are maintained in those situations. Given that an individual’s behaviour is a response to the environment, it would be important to look at Daniel’s father and brother as influences.

In this case, dealing with the delinquent behaviour demands that the teachers and the child’s mother adopt a comprehensive strategy to reward Daniel every time he has done well in class. In addition, his participation in drama where he is particularly good in expressing feelings should be rewarded. This conditions Daniel to respond to class work positively while also engaging in the creative arts thereby limiting his urge to engage in truancy or even staying out late into the night. In addition, given his talent in expressing feelings in drama, the reinforcement of such behaviour would shape his ability to express his feelings positively rather than by engaging in behaviour that would not be reinforced.

Achievement

Negative reinforcements and punishment has been unsuccessful in influencing Daniel to change behaviour. However, rewarding his positive attributes or performances would give him an incentive to do that action again in the future.

Limitations

While these efforts are bound to initiate a particular sequence where Daniel responds in a particular manner to specific situations, it is important to acknowledge that he is of a particular personality and therefore there is no guarantee that reinforcement will conjure a sequence or trend where he responds in a specific manner. Moreover, this strategy treats Daniel as a passive human being without thought and only influenced by what happens in school and home. In any case, different people will react differently to a particular situation. However, there are other influences like the society in which he is living and therefore unless such factors are brought on board, the strategy would be ineffective.

Cognitive psychologists also understand that inner thoughts as well as hypothetical scenarios created by human beings in their consciousness and minds underline the fact that they definitely are not as a result of negative and positive reinforcement but rather free will.

References

Abbott, B. (2003). Behavioural theory explained. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL.

Billy, T. and Bonny, M. (2001). Introductory Sociology. 2nd ed. New York: Anchor.

Charles, A. E. (2004). The Uses and Limitations of Behaviorism in Sociology. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.

Elizabeth, G. (2000). Behavioral Theory. New York: Springer.

John, J. (1999). Effective behavioural plans. Ringwood: Penguin.

Learning Theories Knowledgebase (2011). Behaviorism at Learning-Theories.com. Available at: HYPERLINK “http://www.learning-theories.com/behaviorism.html” http://www.learning-theories.com/behaviorism.html (Accessed: 16 October 2011)