Studies in Behavioral Modification

STUDIES IN BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION

HUS 2315 - 3 CREDIT HOURS

St. Petersburg College

“Learning is directly proportional to the amount of fun you have…not a meaningless waste of the learner’s time, but a purposeful interaction that encourages participation and involvement.” Bob Pike

Instructor: Kelly Hallas, M.Ed.

Phone: 727-302-6631

E-mail: You may e-mail me in the MYCOURSES course, preferred method of contact.

Office Hours: By appointment only

* I will make every attempt to respond to your emails and phone calls within 48 hours. If you have an emergency, please call the Human Services Program Director, Cheryl Kerr at 341-3736 or email: .

Course Description:

This course is the study of the use of basic behavior modification techniques in the human services. Emphasis is placed on the application of Operant Conditioning techniques. Both theory and application of behavioral techniques will be covered with special emphasis on their use in human services including: education, child rearing, clinics, and self-modification. 47 contact hours.

Course Objectives:Upon completion of this course students will:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles of operant conditioning by:

a. summarizing how to define, observe, and chart human behavior.

b. explaining reinforcement control in the following:

(1) reinforcement and token economy systems

(2) extinction

(3) differential reinforcement

(4) shaping

(5) schedules of reinforcement.

c. discussing stimulus control, distinguishing the following:

(1) stimulus discrimination

(2) generalization training

(3) programming and fading

(4) instruction and imitation training

d. discussing the professional code of ethics relevant to operant conditioning.

2. Organize a basic behavior modification program generalizable to a human service setting through assessment, evaluation and problem solving skills by:

a. choosing meaningful information leading to an appropriate intervention, in which client records are built with accurate information intake and client behavior is noted and accurately reported.

b. forming accurate judgments on client needs, identifying current problems and precipitating events and behavioral consequences.

c. discussing, with accuracy, significant events in the clients personal and social history.

d. balancing observations with related assessments of behavioral modification alternatives.

Course Text:

Behavior Modification: Basic Principles, (2005, Third Edition), David L. Lee and Saul Axelrod

Selected readings to be distributed in the class

Teaching Methods: Lectures, Class Interactions/Discussion

Grading Policy: Since student participation in class activities is vital to the successful completion of this course, your attendance and active participation is expected. An attendance/participation score is computed into the final grade. Grades will be based on class participation, exams, projects and writing assignments.

* A minimum grade of “C” is required for successful completion of this class as well as all other General Education courses, Support courses, and Major courses for the Human Services program.

Assignments should be typed in 12 point font and double-spaced. Assignment for drop-boxes should be saved in Word or .rtf format and submitted as an attachment.

REQUIREMENTS:

Discussion Posts:Regular attendance and active participation are essential to successful completion of this course.Participation affords each student the opportunity to maximize the learning experience.Participation is expected of everyone. You are expected to be prepared to participate in the discussions about the course material. I suggest you copy and paste the discussion question in your response so you can be sure to address all parts of the question. There are typically two weekly discussion posts and each post typically requires you to respond/leave feedback for 2 class colleagues.

RUBRIC for Discussion Post: 20 possible points

0-10 points for thoughtful feedback to two classmates (5 points per feedback response)

0-10 points for answering ALL parts of the discussion with supporting evidence as necessary. When prompted you will need to provide an INFORMED opinion. Clear, concise with few grammatical errors.

20 points possible per discussion post.

Examinations: There will be two (2)multiple choice / short answer examinations.All students are expected to take the exam during the scheduled time in the course calendar.

The core of behavioral approaches is measurement (observation). Measuring the behavior of interest is a means of identifying progress or (lack of progress) toward a goal and can serve as a motivator. Accordingly, your knowledge of the material and your long term retention of the same will be measured via exams. Because of the hierarchical nature of behavioral principles, each exam must include cumulative items and concepts. The course readings (text pages) include self-quizzes and review questions. Take a few moments to complete each of them as you read the chapters because the information they cover is very likely to appear on your examinations.

Development of Personal Behavioral Modification Plan:

During the first few class sessions you will identify a problem behavior in your personal or business life that, by your judgment, is non-trivial yet manageable. You will develop a personal behavioral modification plan and follow it throughout the course. You will track your progress on an ongoing (daily/weekly) basis (data collection). We will discuss each student’s Personal Behavioral Modification Plan throughout the course and you will create a summary at the end of the course, so make sure you are documenting your progress as you go. On the due date you will submit a summary of your behavior along with the data you collected and the techniques you employed to assist in changing your behavior. 100 Possible Points

Behavioral Modification RESEARCHPROJECT in Human Services field:

Paper length – 3 to 4 pages,double spaced, 12 point font (APA format)

You will develop an idea for a basic behavior modification program generalizable to a human service setting. You will consider a topic that is of interest to you, (i.e., the school system; mental health clinics; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/ADHD; program for individuals with developmental disabilities; parenting programs; teen residential treatment program; substance abuse treatment programs, etc.) and discuss how behavior modification principles and techniques may be applied to this human service setting.

You will select a population (youth, children, veterans etc.…). You will select a location/facility (school system, CASA house, clinic) and you will select a behavior (hitting, smoking, drug use etc....) You will need to complete research in this area and decide which behavioral modification principles and techniques might work bestin this setting. You will submit your project to the class towards the end of the semester. The class will provide feedback on your plan. You will submit a paper which identifies: the topic idea; research on background of your topic (including documentation/works cited); and your ideas for the behavioral modification project.

If you are unfamiliar with APA format, you may want to look at this link

100 Possible points

In Vivo Observation: You will locate and observe a group or dyad on or off campus. In Vivo, which means a group in its “natural setting.” You may try the cafeteria, library, work environment, etc. There must be at least two people and you must observe them for at least 15 minutes.

Type a one-page paper that includes the following information:

- Location of the group, how many people in the dyad/group, male/female?

- Purpose of the group or any other information to provide a feel for how the group appeared (if you can determine the purpose)

- Document the behaviors observed. Apply important concepts

- How did the setting/environment affect the behavior of each individual?

- If you observed more than one group or dyad, compare them.

Keep in Mind:

- Do not mention the names of the people or any other identifying information

- Try to be unobtrusive.

- If you are not able to hear all that is said, you will have to be more sensitive to body language and facial expressions.

100 Possible points

NOTICE: Late assignments will NOT be accepted unless you have extenuating circumstances (ex: hospitalization, death in the immediate family).

ALL coursework is due by 10:00 p.m. Sundays unless otherwise noted in the calendar.

Course at a glance

Spring 2017

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Grading Policy (taken from the Human Services Student Handbook)

The Human Services Program has the following grading scale:

A = 90% - 100%

B = 80% - 89%

C = 70% - 79%

D = 60% - 69%

F = 59% or less

A grade of “C” or better is required for all required courses.

For information on SPC's Grading System, please click on the following link:

This link provides information regarding: the grading system;special instructions for grades; grade point average, and incomplete grades and procedure).

If you are an audit student, please contact the instructor early in the first week of the class. For more information on auditing a course, please see the College BOT (Board of Trustees)Rule 6Hx23-4.20, II.E

ATTENDANCE:

If you are requesting an excused absence due to an emergency or extenuating circumstance you must submit the proper documentation to verify the reason for your absence. The instructor must be notified as soon as possible, preferably before missing the class.The documentation must be faxed to the Human Services Program Director at: 727-444-6907. The Instructor has the discretion to determine if the excuse and documentation meet the criteria for an approved excused absence or an extension on an assignment.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:

January 13, 2017 -Last day to drop this course with a refund.

January 16, 2017 – Martin Luther King Jr.’s B-day, College Closed

March 5- 12 –Spring Break, College closed

April 14- 16 – Spring Holiday, College Closed

May 4, 2017 -LAST DAY OF SEMESTER (Final Grades Due5/5)

WITHDRAWAL:

LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW WITH A GRADE OF “W”

It is the student’s responsibility to perform withdrawal procedures if a grade of “W” is desired, byMarch 22, 2017(withdrawing from this course after this date will result in a “WF” grade)

** Refer to the course Calendar in MyCourses for due dates for all assignments.

** Also refer to the SPC College Academic Calendar for important dates:

** Please see the Syllabus Addendum for more information:(link included as well as the entire content is copied and pasted below)

In the event that topics listed in this addendum also appear in your syllabus, please note that you should rely on the addendum information as this information is the most current.

How to Be A Successful Student

SUCCESS FACTORS

Attending class is vital to your success, particularly the first few days of class as you are introduced to the requirements and topics you will be covering. Therefore the college limits when you can add classes. For online classes, you must be registered the day before the first day of the semester or term. For classes held in the classroom, you can’t add a class if it has already met. You may drop a course through Friday of the first day of class and be eligible for a refund although withdrawing may affect your financial aid. If you are thinking of withdrawing, please speak with your instructor first and then a financial aid counselor –

Showing up is the first step in ensuring your academic success. Active participation is the next step – whether you are in a classroom or taking classes online. Each of your faculty will give details in the syllabus about their attendance policies. If you are going to miss a session, or be offline for any reason, please let your instructor know in advance. If you don’t attend during the first two weeks of a term you will automatically be withdrawn from the class and this can cause serious problems if you receive financial aid. In fact, if you withdraw prior to completing 60% of a class and receive any form of federal financial aid (grants or loans) you will be required to repay a portion. So if you are thinking of withdrawing, please speak with your instructor or a financial aid counselor –

St. Petersburg College is supported by the state of Florida so it’s important for you to know the state rules that affect your academics. If you’ve completed a class with a grade of “C” or higher you can’t take that class again. This gives other students an opportunity to enroll in the classes they need. If you earned less than a “C”, you may repeat the course one time without a penalty but on the third attempt your costs will be higher. Make sure you talk to your advisor if you need to repeat a class. The third attempt will be the final attempt allowed and you can’t receive a grade of incomplete, withdrawn, or audit but must receive the letter grade earned.

Your grade point average is used to determine financial aid eligibility, entrance into certain programs, and warnings, probation, and suspension. If you repeat a course, at SPC or another college, only the last attempt will be used in computing the grade-point average.

The Office of Accessibility Services is available to assist you if you have a documented disability or think that you may have a disability. Please make an appointment with the Accessibility Coordinator on your campus or online. Registering with Accessibility Services is especially important if you are on campus and will need assistance during an emergency classroom evacuation. For contact information, please see the Accessibility Services website – /Accessibility/.

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

It is important that all of your attention be focused on the content to be learned so when you are in class you shouldn’t be using your computer, cell phone, and tablet for casual use, only academic purposes. Any use of these devices (including texting) for non-academic purposes draws your attention away from the course work and is therefore subject to disciplinary action.

Whether you are taking a course online, blended, or in the classroom, you may be required to have discussions of class assignments and share papers and other class materials with instructors and classmates online. The learning management system, MyCourses, will be used for this purpose and you should complete the Introduction to MyCourses so that you are comfortable with the system and can complete your assignments.

Whether you are in an online class or a physical classroom, certain behaviors are expected when you communicate with your peers and your instructors. You need to contribute to a positive learning/teaching environment, respecting the rights of others and their opportunity to learn. No one has the right to interfere with the teaching/learning process.

Below are the traits of a successful student. These guidelines pertain whether your course is online or in the classroom.

When communicating, you should always:

• treat everyone with respect in every communication
• use your professor’s proper title: Dr. or Prof., or if you are in doubt use Mr. or Ms.
• use clear and concise language
• remember that college level communication should use correct grammar, whether written or spoken. Avoid slang.
• use correct spelling and avoid texting abbreviations
• avoid using the caps lock feature as it can be interpreted as yelling online
• be cautious when using humor or sarcasm as tone is sometimes lost in an email or discussion post and, even when spoken, your message might be misunderstood
• be cautious with personal information (both yours and others’)

When you send an email to your instructor, department chair, dean, or classmates, you should:

• use a subject line that describes what you are writing about
• avoid attachments unless you are sure your recipients can open them
• be clear, concise, and courteous
• sign your message with your name
• use your SPC email account to ensure delivery. Sometime emails from non-SPC accounts are stopped by the spam filter and the recipient may not receive it.

Your faculty member will include in the syllabus expectations for response times on email.

When posting to a discussion board, you should:

• write posts that are on-topic and within the scope of the course material
• take your posts seriously; review and edit your posts before sending
• be as brief as possible while still making a thorough comment
• always give proper credit when referencing or quoting another source
• read all messages in a thread before replying
• avoid repeating someone else’s post without adding something of your own to it
• avoid short, generic replies such as, “I agree.” You should include why you agree or add to the previous point
• always be respectful of others’ opinions, even when they differ from your own
• express any differing opinions in a respectful, non-critical way
• not make personal or insulting remarks
• be open-minded

The instructor has the authority to ask a disruptive student to leave a classroom or lab. The instructor may also delete posts or materials from an online or blended class and/or take disciplinary action if disruptive behavior continues. This ensures that all students in the class have an opportunity to learn.