Behavioural Counselling

• Background
• Assumptions
• Key concepts
• Role of reinforcement
• Steps to change behaviour
• Behaviour modification techniques
• Advantages
• Limitations
 Behavioural Counselling

Behavioural theory in psychology focuses on

observable behaviours rather than internal mental
processes. It suggests that behaviours are learned
through interactions with the environment, and thus,
can be modified through conditioning.
 Background

Early pioneers of Behavioural theory

are: Pavlov, Skinner and Watson

However, Albert Bandura and Arnold

Lazarus are key figures of

contemporary Behavioural theory

 Background

Behavioral theory originated as a

radical departure from the

Psychoanalytic perspectives

It follows an action approach to

counselling

 It started in USA and Britain at same

• scientific approach and focuses only on
behaviour that can actually be observed and
measured both before and after counselling
• focuses on the client’s current behaviour and
stresses personal responsibility to change
behaviour by developing clear plans for new
behaviour
• engage in specific actions to deal with their
problems rather than simply talking about their
problems
• This approach has a strong educational focus
and the aim is to teach clients skills of self-
management that can be transferred or
applied in their daily lives.
 Background

It was a major force in areas of education and

social work in 1970s[teachers used techniques to

control behaviour of learners]

It was the most preferred treatment of

psychological problems
Behavioural approach cont..

 This approach places a high emphasis on

taking active steps to bring concrete changes
in behaviour.
 Assumptions/Beliefs

 According to the Behavioral theorists, both good

and bad behaviours are learned through interactions

with other people and environment

 Unwanted behaviour can be learned and also

unlearned by using systematic rewards and punishment

 Assumptions

Behaviours can be observed and

changed
 Client is responsible for changing his
own behaviour
 Counselor should teach clients skills
of self-management
 Key concepts: Classical Conditioning
This theory was pioneered by Ivan Pavlov. It
suggests that a neutral stimulus becomes
associated with a meaningful stimulus and
produces a similar response. The classic example
is Pavlov's experiments with dogs. He found that
dogs would salivate at the sight of food (an
unconditioned stimulus), but through repeated
pairing with the sound of a bell (a neutral
stimulus), they began to salivate at the sound of
the bell alone.
 Classical Conditioning

• reward or punishment is paired with a

stimulus to bring about certain behaviour
• reinforcement associated with the
stimulus and based on this association
specific behaviour is learned
• recall Pavlov’s experiment?
• the stimulus (bell) and the reward (food)
were associated with each other and this led
to the learned behaviour (salivation)
• commonly known as classical conditioning
• Examples from the school?
 Key concepts

Concept Description
• reward or punishment is paired with
a stimulus to bring a certain
Classical behaviour
conditioning • as a result, reward or punishment is
associated with the paired stimulus
• because of this association, new
behaviour is learned.
Concept Description
Key concepts
Classical
Example: if a Grade one learner feels
conditioning
loved in classroom; s/he will associate
these good feelings with school; and will
be motivated to continue schooling.
 Operant Conditioning
Developed by B.F. Skinner, operant conditioning
focuses on how behaviours are strengthened or
weakened by the consequences that follow them.
Positive reinforcement involves adding a favourable
stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior
occurring again, while negative reinforcement
involves removing an unfavourable stimulus to achieve
the same effect. For example, a student receives
praise (positive reinforcement) for completing their
homework on time, increasing the likelihood of them
completing future assignments promptly.
 Operant Conditioning
• the way a person operates in his or
her environment (how he or she
behaves) elicits or brings about
consequences (no pairing).
• positive consequences and negative
consequences
• rewards or punishment follow
behaviour
• Examples from school? Positive
 Reinforcement

• is a reward or punishment
Type Description
• helps to change undesirable behaviour
a conditioning
Types in which a pleasant or
Positive desirable thing is received because the
Reinforcement child has behaved in required manner.
Examples: praises, gold stars, & many
more
Reinforcement: A teacher
praises a learner for completing
their homework on time
(increases the likelihood of
completing homework on time
in the future).
 REINFORCEMENT

Type Description
Negative • a removal of unpleasant or punishing
Reinforcement event because the child has behaved in
required manner.
Examples: classroom detentions, removal
of privileges, & many more
 Reinforcement
Example: a learner who studies hard
(behaviour) passes the test and receives positive
feedback from the teacher (reward); is more likely
to repeat the behaviour.
 Categories of reinforcers
Category Description
= related to physiological needs of
Primary humans
Reinforcers Examples: snacks, shelter, food, human
touch, etc.
= not directly tied to physiological needs
of humans
Secondary Examples: verbal praises, tokens,
Reinforcers privileges, peer recognition, and many
others
 Categories of reinforcers

Category Description
= can be seen or touched
Tangible
Examples: certificates, sweets, etc.
Reinforcers

= that satisfy social or psychological needs

Social
Examples: verbal praises, privileges, and
Reinforcers
many others
 Schedule of reinforcement
• when to give the reinforcers
• how to administer the reinforcers
To be effective:
- counselor administer the reinforcer
continuously, i.e. reinforce each
time desired behaviour is observed
until it becomes a habit
 Schedule of
reinforcement
Principle What to do

• consider the gender of the

Identification learner
of effective • know and be mindful of the
reward learner’s age
• determine the type of
behaviour that need learned or
changed
 Principles of reinforcement
• reward immediately after the
Linkage between desired behaviour has been
reward and desired displayed, OR
behaviour & • punish immediately after the
Timing undesired behaviour has been
displayed

• be specific about the

Specificity and reward/punishment
consistence • stick to the reward/punishment
that was decided
 Steps to change behaviour

 Identify the problem

Assess the conditions maintaining the unwanted

behaviour

Set the goals

Select strategies to change the behaviour

 TECHNIQUES/STRATEGIES

Techniques/ Strategies that Strengthen

Behaviour or Create New Ones
Technique/Strategy Descriptiontechniques
Behaviour modification

 is based on role play

Behaviour
rehearsal
 child learns/practices new behaviour
•

under relaxed condition during

counselling sessions

 child is introduced to alternative

forms of behaviours
 Social Learning Theory: 1
Proposed by Albert Bandura, this
theory suggests that individuals learn
by observing others and modeling their
behaviours. Bandura conducted the
famous Bobo doll experiment, where
children observed adults interacting
aggressively with a doll and later
mimicked this behaviour when given the
opportunity. This theory emphasises the
importance of modeling and vicarious
reinforcement in learning.
 Behaviour modification techniques
Technique/Strategy Description
Modeling child observes other children and
imitate their behaviour
•
 helpful to learners with social skills
problems
 helps children to improve their
communication skills/techniques
 child learns how to handle irrational
fears
 it eases for most learners to find role
models of their own age, race and
status
 Modelling
A teacher demonstrates how to solve a
math problem step-by-step (learners
can imitate the teacher's approach to
solve similar problems).
 Behaviour modification techniques – 2

Technique/ Description
Strategy

•  helps hesitant learners to express their

Assertiveness
training
feelings or stand up for their rights

 helps aggressive learners to express

their feelings or stand up for their

rights without hurting others

A learner practices using "I"
statements to express their needs
to a classmate regarding a group
project (helps the learner
confidently communicate their
ideas).
 Behaviour modification
Technique/ Description
Strategy
techniques – 2
Self-
•
It refers to self-reinforcement.
management

A child should identify her goals

& rewards herself for targets

that are reached.

 TECHNIQUES/STRATEGIES

Strategies That Reduce or Eliminate Unwanted

Behaviour
 Behaviour modification techniques – 2

Technique/Strategy Description
Extinction  reduce or extinguish unwanted
•
behaviour by removing the
conditions that reinforce it
 Extinction

A teacher ignores a learner's low-

level disruptive behavior (like pencil
tapping) to discourage the behavior
(if the behavior doesn't get
attention, it weakens).
 Behaviour modification techniques – 2

Technique/Strategy Description

Punishment
•  presenting a negative stimulus for

unwanted behaviour can eliminate

behaviour, e.g. classroom detention

 Behaviour modification techniques – 2

Technique/Strategy Description

Satiation
•  allowing unwanted behaviour to

continue until the person is tired

of or repelled by it
 Satiation

A learner who constantly burst out out

answers in class is given a designated
time to answer questions (reduces the
need to burst out due to having a
designated opportunity).
 Behavior Modification

This approach involves applying

principles of conditioning to modify
problematic behaviours. For example, a
therapist might use systematic
desensitization to treat a phobia by
gradually exposing the individual to the
feared object or situation while teaching
relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety.
Behaviour modification techniques – 3
Technique/ Description
Strategy

Systematic
•  helps a person to reduce excessive anxiety
desensitization
for something less dangerous

 pair the anxiety-provoking stimulus with a

state of relaxation until the stimulus loses

its ability to create excessive anxiety

 Systematic Desensitization

A learner afraid of public speaking

gradually practices giving presentations in
front of smaller groups, building
confidence towards presenting in front of
the entire class
Behaviour modification techniques – 3
Technique/ Description
Strategy

 is an extreme form of
•
withdrawing positive
Time out
reinforcement
 is placing a child in an
environment with limited
chances of receiving positive
reinforcement
Behaviour modification techniques – 3
Technique/Strategy Description

reduces unwanted behaviour

•
but has also undesired side
Time out
effects, e.g. sending a child
outside the classroom until he
is ready to cooperate may be
rewarding the child the
chance to leave the
classroom.
 Time Out

A learner who throws a tantrum in

class is briefly separated from the
activity (allows the learner to calm
down before rejoining the class).
Application to the School Setting

Behaviourism is attractive to school personnel

because it is a learning-theory approach that can
influence children’s adaptation to their school
environment.
Similarly, it appeals to school personnel because it
is action-oriented and under the control of
adults/teachers
 Application to the School Setting

Many professionals in schools feel more

comfortable when they are in charge of their
relationship with children.
Two different strengths of this practice are
reinforcement and shaping, both of which are
meaningful in the school setting.
 Application to the School Setting
This approach has a strong educational focus and
the aim is to teach clients skills of self-
management that can be transferred or applied in
their daily lives.
This theory also allows learners to be involved in
the planning, analysis, process and evaluation on
his or her problem- management program.
 Application to the School Setting

The teachers can easily apply techniques such as

positive/negative reinforcements to help learners

change behaviour.

 This theory is also very useful for teachers to

maintain discipline in the classroom and the entire

school community.
 Application to the School Setting

The teacher can maintain the record of the

reinforced behaviour to determine whether

response strength of frequency has increased.

The teacher can use various ideas from the

behavioural theory such as compliment the good

behaviours of learners.
 Application to the School Setting

The simplest way in which to apply positive

reinforcement is to praise a learner when she/he

behaves well or completes a task or an assignment.

Finally, specific, observable change is

apparent/obvious.
 ADVANTAGES OF BC APPROACH

 It attacks the unwanted behaviour directly.

 Results can observed and measured accurately

 Immediate and concrete information on

progress is available
 ADVANTAGES OF BC APPROACH

 Allows / accommodates use of many

different techniques
 Principles and procedures are simple
enough for young children to understand
 Limitations
 Counsellor may focus too much on the
presenting problem and lose client’s message.
 Because of too little focus on feelings,
clients do not find enough chance to work
through their emotions.
 The End

End of Behavioural
Theory

Thank you