Problem Background
The goal was to find something that Mason, a six-year-old boy, enjoys and determine if this can helps changing his disruptive behavior. Mason has behavioral problems such as screaming, throwing things, and running out of class. However, he likes playing football with others at home after school. Behavior modification presumes that measurable and observable behaviors are good targets for transformation. All behavior is changed, maintained, or shaped by that behavior’s consequences. Despite there being some limits, such as emotional or temperamental influences associated with depression or ADHD, all children operate more effectively under the correct set of consequences (Miller, 2020). This essay explores the use of operant conditioning in resolving disruptive behaviors of Mason, my six-year-old boy, in class.
Operant Conditioning Relevance to the Goal
In operant conditioning, people learn to relate the behavior and its significance. The targeted manner is accompanied by reprimand or support to either weaken or reinforce it; hence, a learner will most likely to display the desired behaviors in the future. Operant conditioning is relevant because it focuses on the control and correction of the misbehavior of Mason. In this case, I am compelled to intervene using the practice, correct my boy’s bad behaviors, and improve it. This technique is relevant in correcting the boy’s disruptive behaviors because it shows how three different forms of responses that influence conduct such as negativity, positivity affect behaviors (Miller, 2020). Many parents struggle with the task of disciplining their children and instilling good manners at home and school. Behaviors that are accompanied by consequences that are fulfilling to a person are repeated while those that are accompanied by horrid implications are not repeated (Yeigh, 2020). Hence, I intend to use the operant conditioning model to modify his behavioral problems.
How the Parent Plan to Effect the Desired Change
I selected operant conditioning for my six-year-old boy Mason to modify his behavioral problems. He was signed up for a football club because he enjoys playing, and this could help him to change his disruptive activities in class. I decided to chastise my boy; subsequently, I was practicing operant conditioning technique. I had to intervene to address my boy’s bad report from school noting he was disruptive during class, exhibiting behaviors such as running out of class, throwing things, and screaming. The boy daily routine after getting home was playing football with others was taken away. Mason enjoys playing football with others after school, but he had to stay in the house without watching television or a tablet. The next day he had a good report about his behavior in class (Miller, 2020). Once he arrived home, I allowed him to play football outside with others and watch television and signed him up for a football club play as a reward.
How the Parents Know That They Have Been Successful
Behaviors followed by a fulfilling state of affairs are more likely to be repeated. Activities accompanied by a dissatisfying state of affairs are not repeated. Mason’s disruptive activities in class were weakened by the punishment even though when he no longer exhibited this kind of disruptive activities, he knew that he would be rewarded (Yeigh, 2020). Therefore, the boy decided to behave well in school and work hard to maintain the reward given to him. As a parent, I will know his behavior has improved completely when he stays in the classroom, earns all his points on his behavior sheets, and does better academically. The reason he reported good behaviors was the reward given at home. Behavior modification utilizes operant conditioning principles to achieve behavior change; thus, undesirable behaviors are eliminated and instilled acceptable ones.
References
Miller, K. D. (2020). Operant conditioning theory: Examples for effective habit formation. Web.
Yeigh, T. (2020). Managing with mindfulness: Connecting with students in the 21st century (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.