PIA 2004 BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION

NAMA: NOR AISYAH BINTI MD NOR

NO. MATRIK : U2104435
PENSYARAH : DR. SIAW YAN LI

1. Seorang klien berkata kepada kaunselor, “Saya ingin menjadi lebih sihat.”
Terangkan mengapa pernyataan beliau perlu dibentuk semula sebagai tingkah laku
sasaran. Berikan dua tingkah laku sasaran yang sesuai yang selari dengan
kenyataan beliau.

A client said to her counsellor, “I want to be healthier”. Explain why her statement
should be refined into target behaviours. Provide two possible target behaviours that
are in line with her statement.

Her statement should be refined because her statement is more like an intention.
Intentions cannot be observed and assumptions about intentions can be interpreted
differently. Her statement is too general, vague and did not have a clear behaviour.
Her statement cannot be defined as target behaviour. It is an ambiguous target as
her statement can mean different things to other people. The client need to have a
specific behaviour that he would like to [Link] define a behaviour it must be an
action. The statement given also did not exhibit any behaviour as a behaviour is
defined as an action that can be observed, described and recorded. Moreover, a
target behaviour should constitute excess or deficit target behaviour that specifically
the client would like to change. Other than that, using active verbs can help to
explain a behaviour that the client exhibits. As target behaviour, it should be
observed and recorded. A good target behaviour is after seeing the definition of the
target behaviour, different people can observe the behaviour and agree the
behaviour is occurring. A target behaviour can be measured through the dimensions
of behaviour intensity, frequency, duration, speed and latency.

Two possible target behaviours that are in line with her statement are to reduce
eating sugary foods. The second one is to walk everyday. With these two target
behaviours, the behaviour can be observed and measured through its dimensions.
 (10markah/marks)

2. Bezakan antara peneguhan negatif dan hukuman positif dari segi kesan, ciri-ciri
stimulus, dan kewujudan stimulus.
Differentiate negative reinforcement and positive punishment in terms of the effects,
the characteristics of the stimulus and the presentation of the stimulus.

The differentiation between negative reinforcement and punishment in terms of its

effects increases or decreases the likelihood of behaviour to occur in the future. The
negative reinforcement increases the behaviour and positive punishment increases
the behaviour. The stimulus presentation is what causes the behaviour's effects.

In reinforcement and punishment, the occurrence of behaviour is followed by

a stimulus. Stimulus is any object or event that elicits a response. A pleasant and
valuable stimulus presented encourages individuals to get it, which can be a
reinforcing stimulus. However, if the stimulus is unpleasant and painful, individuals
would like to have it removed or try to avoid it or it terms as aversive stimulus. The
presentation of stimulus in negative reinforcement, the aversive stimulus is removed
and in positive punishment stimulus is presented. In positive punishment the
aversive stimulus becomes the consequences of a particular behaviour less likely to
occur in the future. For example, Laili needed to clean the house if she was going
out at night. Cleaning the house becomes an aversive stimulus for Laili so to avoid
cleaning the house Laili will reduce the behaviour of going out at night. The example
for negative reinforcement is when Laili was bit by a cat when she tried to give the
cat some food. If the bite was removed she will likely increase the behaviour of
giving food to cats. As an example, the behaviour was strengthened when the
painful stimulus was removed.
 (10 markah/marks)
3. Bezakan antara pemudaran dengan pemupusan.
Differentiate between fading and extinction.

Fading occurs in the process of teaching an individual to make a correct response in

completing a task while extinction happens in operant conditioning. In extinction it
involves termination of reinforcement for a previously reinforced behaviour. As the
behaviour that was reinforced before no longer has the reinforcing consequences
the target behaviour gradually stops occurring and will completely stop in the future.
However, fading is gradual elimination of the prompt or decrease the level assistance
needed in completing a task. Although the prompts have been eliminated, the target
behaviour continues to occur in the presence of the stimulus discrimination. Fading
actually is a way to transfer stimulus as prompts to the natural stimulus. Extinction
helps to eliminate the target behaviour but fading helps to produce correct response
by not depending on the prompt too much to complete the task.

Differences of process of fading in fading is the process of transferring stimulus

while extinction is elimination of stimulus. Though, in fading the behaviour of correct
response still continues to occur under natural stimulus although we already
withdraw the prompt white extinction after withdrawal the stimulus the behaviour
stops engaging, and as long as it is not reinforced but when behaviour is no longer
reinforced. For example, in extinction, a cat previously learned that by catching a toy,
his owner will treat him with some kibbles, therefore, when the owner stops treating
her with kibbles everytime he catches the toys, the behaviour of catching the toys will
eventually stop. While the, for fading as an example, teaching a toddler to give a
high five, when the mother purpose a high five the toddler might not react to it,
however, the mother prompts the toddler to give high five by saying high five and
assist her hand, the mother eventually fading the physical prompts which she
propose and high five and waits for the toddler to response to it independently.

(10 markah/marks)
4. Saleha semakin bimbang dengan anak lelakinya berusia 9 tahun yang
menggunakan telefon pintar secara berlebihan. Gunakan tiga kaedah penaksiran
fungsional untuk mengubah tingkah laku anaknya.
Saleha is increasingly worried with her 9 year old son is using his smartphone
excessively. Apply the three functional assessment methods to change her son’s
Behavior.

The three functional assessment methods that can be used are direct, indirect and
functional analysis. The direct method is a person observer and records the target
behaviour as it occurs. This direct method is also known as observational functional
assessment. For the direct assessment method, the observer must be in the
distance that is able to see or hear when the target exhibits the target behaviour.
This method is more reliable and accurate than indirect methods as the observer
specifically observes the behaviour and is trained to record the behaviour exhibited
immediately instead of relying on memories. In direct methods, the counsellor or the
psychologist directly observe her son in his natural environment. Time chart is an
example of direct method assessment. By using a time chart we can get information
of causes of the behaviour, certain times of day, activities, places, events, or people.
This directly analysed data based on antecedents, behaviour and consequences.

Next, Indirect assessment is a method to gather information from persons that are
closest to the individual. This method involves interviews, questionnaires, and rating
scales to obtain information on the target behaviour from the person elicit the
behaviour or form the others. Indirect assessment does not occur when the target
behaviour occurs but relies on recalling the behaviour. In these situations, people
that are close to his sons can be involved in this assessment, such as his friend and
teachers. One of the example assessments used in this assessment is Functional
Analysis Screening Tool (FAST). It is a sixteen item questionnaire that can be given
to anyone who is aware of her son’s behaviour, what follows those acts, and what
the consequences are. It is not much reliable compared to direct assessment, as the
data collected may be biassed, memory error and people have different opinions
and perspectives of behaviour.
Lasty, functional analysis involves experimenting with several explanations for the
individual's problematic behaviour. This method can be used to explain her son's
behaviors. There are four types which are attention condition, demand condition,
tangible condition and alone condition. Attention condition is to check whether the
behaviour happens due to attention or because of positive reinforcement. Alone
condition is whereby her son is in the room by himself without any toys and activities
and the therapist will observe the behaviour from a one-way mirror to test self
stimulation that maintains the behaviour. Next, the demand condition to test if the
behaviour occurs due to avoidance of an activity. Lastly, the tangible condition is to
analyse whether the person's demanding behaviour is being maintained by concrete
positive reinforcement.

(15 markah/marks)
5. Peter kerap tidak mematuhi tarikh akhir bagi tugasan-tugasan dalam
kelas-kelasnya. Cadangkan tiga strategi swa-pengurusan untuk membantu Peter
menyiapkan tugasan-tugasan pada waktunya.
Peter is frequently unable to meet the deadlines for his classes’ assignments.
Suggest three self-management strategies to help Peter complete his assignments
on time.

The three self management strategies that can help Peter to meet the deadlines are
goal setting, self-monitoring, and behavioural contract. In goal setting, Peter must
specify his target behaviour that he would like to change and also the occurrence for
the target behaviour. Therefore, he has a goal to achieve in a certain time frame.
However, in setting the goal Peter must set an achievable goal. For example writing
three parts of his assignments each day and setting a date to finish all of his
assignments. Thus, it is easier and more likely for him to exhibit his target behaviour
if his goals are achievable. As he is able to achieve the goal set, it will reinforce him
to maintain and increase his target behaviour. This goal setting can be a conditioned
reinforcer for him in completing his assignment.

Next, to make sure the goal setting is more effective, Peter can do self monitoring.
Self monitoring is recording each of the target behaviours. Peter can use a data
sheet. In this data sheet, he records the progres of his goals. This will allow him to
evaluate progress towards goals. For example, Peter writes down the time he took to
finish three parts of his assignment each [Link] this self monitoring, he can have
the baseline data and also the data after he starts the intervention. He can compare
his progress before and after he did self management which likely will help him to
identify the time taken and progress that has been made. Thus, Peter can monitor
his progress by days and weeks to have a clear pattern of his behaviour whether
increase or decrease. This will help him to recognize the aspect influencing him not
completing his assignment.
Lastly, the behavioural contract which involves a written document in which you
identify the target behaviour and arrange consequences contingent on a specified
level of the target behaviour in a specific time period. This contact can control the
behaviour as it is designed to influence the future occurrence of the target behaviour.
With this contract it will increase Peter's awareness towards the consequence of his
behaviour. For example, Peter wrote a contract that he would do three parts of his
assignment everyday and if not he needed to cut down his phone usage. However,
as this is self -management, Peter can write the contract himself and carry out the
contingencies by himself. In a behavioural contract Peter needs to identify and
define the target behaviour that needs to be changed, set up a system for gathering
data, specify the level of the target behaviour that must be attained within the
contract's time frame, and set up the contingencies.

(15 markah/marks)