Behavioural Counselling Theory

EDU3073 Guidance and Counseling

For Children

5. FUNCTIONS OF THEORY

Help counsellor to understand how an individual

whom she/he wishes to help functions in his/her
environment
Help counsellor not to make decision just by relying
on their assumptions
Counsellor will be able to understand why a
behaviour happens the way it happens
Be able to use appropriate strategies to maintain or
change behaviour according to the theory
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5.1 PURPOSES OF A THEORY

Explain an event after making a few

observation
Use the theory to overcome certain
situation;
Use the theory to make prediction

5.1 IMPORTANCE OF THEORY

Gives meaning, confidence and direction to

the counsellor
Gives focus to the counsellor on what he is
doing to his client
Give counsellor opportunity to make plans
and preparation before he advices the client to
plan the stratrgies to make changes
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5.2 COMPONENTS OF BEHAVIOURAL

COUNSELLING THEORY

5.2.1 First Component-Classical

Conditioning
5.2.2 Second Component-Operant
Conditioning
5.2.3 Third Component-Cognitive
Behaviour Therapy
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5.2.1 First Component -CLASSICAL

CONDITIONING

Classical conditioning is a type of

learning in which an animals natural
response to one object or sensory
stimulus transfers to another
stimulus. This illustration shows how
a dog can learn to salivate to the
sound of a tuning fork, an
experiment first carried out in the
early 1900s by Russian physiologist
Ivan Pavlov.
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For conditioning to occur, the pairing

of the food with the tuning fork (step
3 in the illustration) must be
repeated many times, so that the
dog eventually learns to associate
the two items.

Ivan Pavlov(1849-1936)

Russian physiologist who won the Nobel Prize in

1904 for his work on digestion
Dogs who initially salivated when food was
presented to them, began to salivate in response to
cues that signalled the food was about to arrive
He investigated this by systematically delivering a
variety of cues just prior to the arrival of food
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5.2.2 Second Component-Operant

Conditioning.
The subject operates on the environment to
produce an outcome
Instrumental conditioning-the subjects
behaviour is instrumental in producing the
outcomes
..process of changing behaviour by
providing a reinforcement after a response

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Edward Thorndike (1874-1949)Operant Conditioning

Worked with cats, which he placed in

puzzleboxes.
The law of effect: Responses to a situation
that are followed by satisfaction are
strengthened
He de-emphasised the role of punishment,
arguing that it did not directly lead to a
reduction in behaviour
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B.F.Skinner (1904-1990)

American who became

interested in psychology after
reading the work of Pavlov and
Watson
Famous for laboratory studies
with rats and pigeons
Skinner box used to explore the
effects of different types and
schedules of reinforcement
Described himself as a radical
behaviourist

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Operant or Instrumental Conditioning

Skinners basic law of conditioning (1938):

A response that is followed by a reinforcer is
strengthened and is therefore more likely to occur
again
To implement operant conditioning, the reinforcer
must follow the response immediately and only
when the desired response has occurred

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- the mice is given food when he reaches the 1st corner (A)
- This encourages him to strive on. But this time
when he reaches the 1st corner no food is given
- He strives on to the 2nd corner and the food is
given (B)
- The 3rd time when the mice reaches the 2nd corner
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no good is given. He will continue to strive
on to the

5.2.3 Third Component-Cognitive

Behaviour Therapy

Combination of two different trains of

thoughts,
Explain human occurance or behaviour not
only through behavioural perspectives but
also the cognitive process

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5.3 Behaviourism Personality Theory

i.

ii.

The determiner of learning, attitude, habit or

nature and other aspects related to personal
development is the behaviourism of an
organism, not mental phenomenon.
Personality development is deterministic,
where the environment and experiences
determines the personality development.
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5.3 Behaviourism Personality Theory

iii. Individual differences come from experience
differences.
iv. Dualism such as mind-body, body-soul does
not have scientific prove to explain about
human development, to make prediction on
what will happen about the human behaviour
and to overcome human behaviour to do
something.
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5.3 Behaviourism Personality Theory

v. Even though personality development usually
has genetic constraint which cannot change or
be changed anymore, it is resulted from
internal environment and stimulus which
plays the dominant.

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5.3.1 Skinners Principle Adaptation

DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING SKINNERS
PRINCIPLES

Shaping
Modeling
Positive
Reinforcement
Negative
Reinforcement

Negative
Punishment
(Omission
training)
Punishment
(Passive
Avoidance
Role Play
Assertive Practice
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5.3.1 Skinners Principle Adaptation

SHAPING
- Establishing a new response by reinforcing
successive approximations to it
MODELING
-Behaviour is acquired by watching significant
others and is reinforced the more the behaviour
approximates that of significant others eg role
playing to teach assertive training
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5.3.1 Skinners Principle Adaptation

REINFORCEMENT
Reinforcer-an event that follows a response
and increases the later probability or
frequency of that response
Extrinsic Reinforement -material reinforcers
such as toys, token such as stamps/gold star
and social such as goodwill & recognition

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5.3.1 Skinners Principle Adaptation

Positive reinforcement involves presenting a

stimulus or adding something to a situation
following a response, which increase the
future likelihood of that response occurring
in that situation.

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5.3.1 Skinners Principle Adaptation

Negative reinforcement involves removing a

stimulus or taking something away from a situation
following a response, which increases the future
likelihood that the response will occur in that
situation.
Punishment decreases the future likelihood of
responding to a stimulus. Punishment may involve
withdrawing a positive reinforcer or presenting a
negative reinforcer following a response.
Punishment suppresses a response but does not
eliminate it; when the threat of punishment is
removed the punished response may return.
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5.3.1 Skinners Principle Adaptation

INTERMITTENT REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULES :

Fixed-interval-reinforcement occurs at regular intervals such
as receiving a weekly pay check.
Variable-interval-reinforcement occurs on a time schedule
that varies but averages out to a specified time.
Fixed-ratio-reinforcement are delivered at a specified rate
dependent on how many responses re made such as car
salesman who gets commission based on number of cars sold
by him
Variable-ratio-reinforcements are obtained irregularly but
average out to a given figure.
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5.4 INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR

Maladapted behaviour-An
inappropriate behaviour or
prohibited behaviour in a
society and if it is continued
to be practiced by an
individual, he/she is regarded
as a person who could not
adjust himself/herself in a
society (maladjusted person
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5.4 INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR

Maladjustive
behaviourspecific in
different
culture, time,
social class and
situation
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5.4.1 HOW AN INDIVIUDAL IS TROUBLED

Behaviours which are regarded as

maladaptive are all learnt in order to get
positive reinforcement or to lessen the pain or
uncomfortable feeling

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DISCUSSION 2

Explain how behaviour is learnt from

perspective of behaviourism counselling
theory.
Think of behaviour which you regard as
maladaptive, and try to detect how the
behaviour is learnt.

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5.5. THE COUNSELLING PROCESS

Counselling Skills :
Listening actively
Appreciate the clients
Acceptance; and
Understand that the client is unique

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5.5. THE COUNSELLING PROCESS

DUTIES OF A COUNSELLOR;
Be able to help the client in analysing
his/her behaviour
To interpret problem
Choose an objective to be achieved

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5.6 STRATGIES TO HELP CLIENT

Role Play
Assertive practice
Economy token
Self management, self-monitoring
and self-reinforcement

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5.6 STRATGIES TO HELP CLIENT

Role Play

To train clients in various behaviours which they

found very hard to do before this
Acting and training which is guided by counsellor
with a specific purpose
Gives opportunity to client to try bringing out new
behaviour in a safer situation before it is used
outside or in places where troubles frequently arise
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5.6 STRATGIES TO HELP CLIENT

Limitations of Using Role Play
Depends on counsellors skills and eagerness
in administering its ways
Depends on clients own desire to experience,
listen and feel the new behaviour which might
be hard for him to do before this

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5.6 STRATGIES TO HELP CLIENT

Concept Assertive Practice
Technique used to teach client to gain confidence in
coping with the people whom he thought as a threat.
Purposes :
Actively gives strength to initiate chosen desired
behaviour
To guide clients who are passive, dependent and
unmotivated
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5.6 STRATGIES TO HELP CLIENT

Economic Token(Rewards)
An organised procedure where token of gifts
are given as reinforcement for appropriate
behaviour
Token-plastic coins, marks, or anything that
can be cashed in with valuable things or
special privileges
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DISCUSSION
HOW CAN WE ENSURE THE
MODIFIED BEHAVIOUR
CONTINUES TO BE PRACTICED
BY THE CLIENT?

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5.6.4 Self-Management, Self-Monitoring

and Self-reinforcing
Characteristics of this techniques:
Clients play an active role

Clients give his/her own opinions and follow

counselors advice and construct their own
specific and effective plan
Clients thinking process is given attention
and focus
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5.6.4 Self-Management, Self-Monitoring

and Self-reinforcing

Clients are expected to be more responsible in

working hard to achieve the desired changes
Clients learn the way to self-reinforce
Clients are asked to observe, monitor, selfreinforce and are sometimes asked to interpret
behaviour data which they have recorded and
Counselllors role is more of a mentor or
educator instead of an expert
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Steps to Self-Manage, Self-Monitor and SelfReinforce

Step 1: Conceptualisation and Definition of a
Problem and Choosing Behavioural Form
Decide target objective to be achieved
individually
The objective must be

Comprehensible,important and valuable to the

client
Can be analysed and measured objectively
Realistic and achievable, and
Positive and constructive
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5.6.4 Self-Management, Self-Monitoring

and Self-reinforcing
Step 1: Conceptualisation and Definition of a
Problem and Choosing Behavioural Form
Statements about target objective must
include

Clients need at an achievable standard or

eliminated, and
Gradual achievement of target objective
according to the chosen dates
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5.6.4 Self-Management, Self-Monitoring and

Self-reinforcing
Step 2: Managing and Monitoring Target
Behaviour
Choose appropriate aims based on clients
objectives
Start baseline assessment before
implementing behaviour modification
strategies
Start monitoring and take note on any related
targets
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5.6.4 Self-Management, Self-Monitoring and

Self-reinforcing
Step 3: Environmental Change and Taking the Right
Step

At the beginning, try to avoid the environment and

situation which will surely cause unwanted response or
maladaptive behaviour
Change the atmosphere, situation and environment to make
sure that the client :
Realise what he/she is doing
Limit the stimulus that causes unwanted behaviour and
Simplify behaviour which gives satisfaction
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5.6.4 Self-Management, Self-Monitoring and

Self-reinforcing

Step 4: Generating appropriate

reinforcement and determining
meaningful and effective outcome
for client
Identify reinforcement and its result
Implement reinforcement

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5.6.4 Self-Management, Self-Monitoring and

Self-reinforcing
Step 5: Maintaining the achievement and
counting the success
Create an effective evaluation/feedback system
Maintaining the learnt behaviour
Lessening self-noting
Lessening reinforcement
Get social support
Use this strategy to change something which the
client regards as important
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Key Ideas

Primary reinforcers satisfy built-in needs

Secondary reinforcers were originally neutral eg.
money, good grades, gold stars
Reinforcement schedules: continuous, intermittent,
variable.
Shaping or successive approximations
Chaining
Extinction or fading
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Key Ideas (continued)

Learning is defined by the outward expression of

new behaviors

Focuses solely on observable behaviors

A biological basis for learning

Learning is context-independent

Classical & Operant Conditioning

Reflexes (Pavlovs Dogs)

Feedback/Reinforcement (Skinners Pigeon Box)
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Critique

Behaviourists can demonstrate short term success

from rewarding desired behaviour
However studies that investigate long term effects
often find negative outcomes
People may
Be distracted by whether reinforcement is fair
Retain less of what they have learnt into the future
Be less motivated to participate in the activity on another
occasion if no reinforcement is available
Come to believe that the activity itself is unpleasant or not
worthwhile
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Critiques (continued)

Does not account for processes taking place in the

mind that cannot be observed

Advocates for passive student learning in a teachercentric environment

One size fits all

Knowledge itself is given and absolute

Programmed instruction & teacher-proofing

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SOCIAL LEARNING

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