Waht is behavior modification?

Question

Some people say that it is like brainwashing, is it true? Are all people affected by it or only a group of people.

Answer 1

No, not brainwashing at all, and the only people affected by it are the ones for whom the modification is specifically designed.

Behavior modification is a general term that usually refers to designing a program to cause someone's behavior to change. It can be used on children in school, one's own children, or on clients in therapy. The general idea is that you identify the behavior you want to change, study it, figure out what causes it (through a process called a functional behavioral assessment, in the business), and make a formal plan (behavior modification plan) to correct the behavior or replace it with the desired behavior.

Modern day behavior specialists are held to stringent standards most of the time so that the client's basic rights aren't interfered with, or if they are, that it is done in an ethical fashion, possibly subject to committee review (as with my job, working with MRDD adults). Often they are Ph.D. psychologists, or supervised by same, it depends on the requirements of the state, and what field they work in.

BF Skinner is the most famous behaviorist, also Pavlov who demonstrated how behavior could be controlled with his bells and his salivating dogs. But things have come a long way since then.

Answer 2

it is not brainwashing. Behavior modification is meant to extinguish negative behaviors, without changing the person. An example would be working with someone who engages in self-injurious behavior like cutting. Behavior modifcation aims to help that person find other, healthy ways, or expressing themselves, reliving stress, etc.

Answer 3

This is a psychological technique used on animals, as well as humans. It's not brain washing, unless it's extreme, and for an evil purpose.