Why this course?

Description

This course introduces students to the fundamental principles and procedures of behaviour modification, providing a comprehensive understanding of behaviour analysis and practical techniques for changing behaviour in various settings, including clinical, educational, and organisational environments.

Duration: 12 Weeks (Approx. 3 Months)

Modality: Online (Asynchronous with weekly live Q&A)
Total Modules: 12
Assessment: Weekly quizzes, assignments, final project
Suggested Hours/Week: 4–6

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Understand and apply the core principles of operant and respondent conditioning.
• Implement practical behaviour modification strategies in real-world settings.
• Conduct functional behaviour assessments and design behaviour intervention plans.
• Analyse ethical implications in the use of punishment and reinforcement.

Weekly Breakdown

Module 1: Introduction to Behaviour Modification

• Defining behaviour and characteristics of behavior
• Historical roots and major contributors (Skinner, Pavlov, Thorndike, Watson)
• Application areas and ethical considerations

Module 2: Measuring Behavior and Behavioral Change

• Observation methods: direct vs indirect
• Recording methods: frequency, duration, interval
• Interobserver reliability and data collection tools

Module 3: Graphing and Evaluating Behavioral Data

• Graph types and components
• A-B, A-B-A-B, and multiple baseline designs
• Data-driven decision making

Module 4: Reinforcement Principles

• Positive and negative reinforcement
• Schedules of reinforcement
• Factors affecting reinforcement efficacy

Module 5: Extinction and Punishment

• Extinction process and extinction burst
• Positive and negative punishment
• Misconceptions and ethical use

Module 6: Stimulus Control and Respondent Conditioning

• Stimulus discrimination and generalization
• Classical conditioning: acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery
• Respondent vs operant conditioning

Module 7: Procedures to Teach New Behavior

• Shaping
• Prompting and fading
• Chaining: forward, backward, total task

Module 8: Behavioral Skills Training (BST)

• Components: modeling, instruction, rehearsal, feedback
• In situ training and generalization
• Group BST

Module 9: Functional Assessment and Behavioral Interventions

• Indirect, direct, and experimental methods
• Functional analysis
• Designing function-based interventions

Module 10: Reinforcement-Based Reduction Techniques

• Differential reinforcement: DRA, DRO, DRL
• Antecedent control procedures
• Promoting generalization and maintenance

Module 11: Advanced Procedures and Ethics

• Token economy and behavioral contracts
• Time-out and response cost
• Ethical considerations in aversive procedures

Module 12: Self-Management & Cognitive Behavior Modification

• Self-monitoring, goal setting, reinforcement
• Habit reversal training
• Cognitive restructuring and coping skills

 Evaluation Criteria

• Weekly Quizzes – 20%
• Short Assignments (Reflection/Case Design) – 30%
• Final Project (Behavior Intervention Plan) – 30%
• Participation in Forums/Live Q&A – 20%

Certification

A certificate of completion will be awarded to participants who score at least 60% overall and complete the final project