COUN106 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: B. F. Skinner, Steve De Shazer, Dance Therapy
Document Summary
Reminded that the purpose of counselling is to foster behavioural change. Theory underlying this approach: we are born empty headed, we are products of learned behaviour; shaped by our environment and reinforced and moulded by the world around us (our values, attitudes, thinking styles, emotional responses, personality) Focus on mutually agreed goals: match treatment to particular problems. Operant conditioning clients receive rewards by way of points or privileges when they cooperate or are compliant; they lose points for obstructing progress. Reinforcement produces the desired result; negative remove a stimulus that client perceives as aversive (seat belt noise); positive reinforcement - praising etc. Extinction removing the reinforcement for a behaviour e. g. ignoring a child who is throwing a tantrum. Contingency contracting a behavioural contract; define an event/goal work out how to achieve it. Shaping consistent reinforcement to work toward the ultimate goal.
