Behavior-Modifying Psychotherapies
About 3 min read
Psychotherapists will often use a number of techniques on patients to modify or improve their behavior. Typical psychotherapies used to change behavior include:
- Consciousness raising
- Social liberation
- Emotional arousal
- Self-reevaluation
- Commitment
- Countering
- Environmental control
- Rewards
- Helping relationships
Most of these psychotherapies are mildly effective by themselves. They are better employed in a behavior-modification strategy, as explained in Strategies to Change Human Behavior.
Questions you may have include:
- What are the definitions of these psychotherapy methods?
- What are some issues?
- What are examples of their usage?
This lesson will try to answer those questions. There is a mini-quiz at the end of this lesson.
Consciousness raising
Consciousness raising is raising the person’s level of awareness about him- or herself and the problem. Techniques used include observations, confrontations, interpretations and bibliotherapy. For example, being aware of which foods cause weight gain can help in dieting.
Social liberation
Change through social liberation is done by increasing social alternatives for certain behaviors. For example, a low-fat diet menu in a restaurant gives a person an alternative. Techniques used are often external, such as advocating the right of repressed people and policy interventions. This not only makes more actions possible, but it can also increase self-esteem, so the person will believe in his or her ability to change.
Emotional arousal
Emotional arousal often comes from experiencing and expressing feelings about one’s problems and solutions. It can make a person to become aware of defenses against change. Techniques include psychodrama, grieving losses, and role playing. The goal is to increase awareness and depth of feeling to move a person to change.
Self-reevaluation
Self-reevaluation is done by experiencing and expressing feelings about one’s problems and solutions with respect to the problem. Techniques used are value clarification, imagery, corrective emotional experience. The person may ask questions concerning the pros and cons of a problem behavior.
Commitment
Commitment is done by choosing and committing to act and include the belief in the ability to change. The person first makes a personal commitment to change and later goes public by announcing to others of the decision to change. The public commitment is more powerful than the private decision.
Countering
Countering is done by substituting alternatives for problem behaviors. Techniques used are relaxation, desensitization, assertion and positive self-statements. The trick is in finding healthy alternatives to unhealthy behaviors.
Environmental Control
By restructuring the environment, temptations are eliminated or warnings are posted, so that the problem-causing event is reduced. Removing alcohol from the home or putting a warning note on the refrigerator door are methods to control the behavioral environment.
Rewards
A person can reward him- or herself or be rewarded by others for making changes. Self-praise is a simple form of reward. Praise or some other form of reward from another is also effective in improving behavior. This is often used by parents with their children.
Helping Relationships
A helping relationship usually concerns enlisting the assistance of someone who cares. Although family and friends care, their help is typically not as effective as self-help groups and special social support.
In conclusion
A trained psychologist or psychotherapist can use one or a number of the following techniques to improve a person’s behavior: consciousness raising, social liberation, emotional arousal, self-reevaluation, commitment, countering, environmental control, rewards, and a helping relationship. These techniques can be applied, as explained in Strategies to Change Human Behavior.
Reader Questions and Comments | Where can you go from here?
Seek to be a person of character
Resources
The following are resources on this subject.
Websites
Six Stages for Improving Human Behavior
Strategies to Change Human Behavior
Principles for Using Behavior Modification – Listing of principles, adapted from: Changing Children’s Behavior by Krumboltz, J., & Krumboltz, H., Prentice-Hall (1972)
Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment
Biological Basis of Human Behavior – A different look at human behavior
Books
Miscellaneous
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Some of the many designs and products
Mini-quiz to check your understanding
QUIZSelf-check your understanding
How can consciousness raising help a person change?
What is an example of a healthy alternative to an unhealthy practice?
What is a simple form of reward used to motivate change in workers?
Pick an answer to see instant feedback. Re-read the lesson if you miss one.
If you got all three correct, you are on your way to becoming a champion in understanding behavior. If you had problems, you had better look over the material again.
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