The experimental analysis of operant behavior has led to a technology often called behavior modification. It usually consists of changing the consequences of behavior, removing consequences, which have caused trouble, or arranging new consequences for behavior which has lacked strength (BF Skinner, date unknown).
In 1938 American behaviorist B.F. Skinner's Operant Conditioning theory was published in his first book The Behavior of Organisms: An Experimental Analysis. In it he examined the basic mechanism of behavior change (learning). Simply stated, the consequences of the behavior influence the likelihood that the behavior will occur again.
Skinner's laboratory research demonstrated that a behavior would increase when it is followed by a reward such as a highly desired item. Behaviors will decrease in frequency when they are followed by punishment (social disapproval, loss of privileges).
At that time, psychology was a relatively new science. It was an offspring of philosophy and science, born in 1879 when the German scientist Wilhelm Wundt established a laboratory to explore human consciousness and mental processes. This event signaled the beginning of a scientific approach to the mind and human behavior, and a formal discipline to pursue it (Ashcraft, 1998:16).
In the early years of psychology, the science was dominated by interest in mental states and research methods of introspection originally developed by Wundt. By the turn of the century however, a small number of scientists became concerned with more concrete areas of behavior such as response conditioning. American psychologist John B. Watson was one of them and firmly rejected mentalistic approaches in psychology. In 1913 he published a paper that is now known as the "behaviorist manifesto". In it he advocated for a psychology without the terms consciousness, mental states, mind, content, introspectively verifiable, imagery, and the like (Watson, 1913 in Ashcraft, 1998:18.) Thus, by calling upon other psychologists to also reject introspection and interpretation of mental states as scientifically valid, and to develop psychology as the science of observable and quantifiable behaviors, Watson began the era of behaviorism which was to dominate American psychology through the mid-1950s.
Watson and the early behaviorists explained behavior as a response to environmental states or events (stimuli). This basic stimulus – response concept spawned various forms of behaviorism including the "radical behaviorism" of Skinner. With his development of the Operant Conditioning Theory of Behavior, Skinner laid out the basic principles of behavioral science: reinforcement, prompting, fading, reinforcement schedules, extinction, shaping, discrimination, differentiation, etc . . . the theoretical basis of ABA.
In the 1960s, behaviorists began applying Skinner's theory to the development of teaching methods. Some, like Ivar Lovaas at UCLA, designed programs specifically for children with autism. Until then autism treatment was generally based on a psychodynamic model . . . offering some hope for recovery through experiential manipulations. By the mid-1960s, an increasing number of studies reported that psychodymanic practitioners were unable to deliver on that promise (Rimland cited in Lovaas, 1987). These failures prompted some professionals to abandon Kanner's position that children with autism have potential for normal intelligence and led to an emphasis on organic theories of autism that offered little or no hope for major improvements through psychological and educational interventions (Lovaas, 1987). Meanwhile, applied behavioral approaches were firmly suggesting otherwise. Children with autism were making treatment gains within behavior modification programs and these findings were making their way into professional journals (Lovaas, 1987). These two occurrences, the increased reports of the inefficacy of psychotherapy and the documentation of favorable outcome with behavioral intervention, made the 1960s pivotal for the study and treatment of autism.
It wasn’t until the mid-1990s however that intensive behavioral treatment for children with autism began receiving serious attention among families and others outside the scientific community. In 1993 Catherine Maurice published an autobiographical account of her family’s successful experience with the intensive ABA of the Lovaas model. This book, Let Me Hear Your Voice, along with the previously published ME BOOK (Lovaas, 1981) gave families hope and direction that was supported by scientific research. The Internet served as a conduit for the growing interest in ABA. The continually growing number of web sites and mailing lists, like Ruth Allen’s indispensable ME LIST, provided access to additional information and support from families and professionals. Several articles on Lovaas style home programs appeared in major publications. ABA was working and improving the lives of the families who used it and was propelled into the spotlight of autism treatment. By the end of the decade, ABA had received several major endorsements (state and federal), including a 1999 report from the U S Surgeon General.
Thirty years of research demonstrated the efficacy of applied behavioral methods in reducing inappropriate behavior and in increasing communication, learning, and appropriate social behavior. (Satcher, D. 1999)
In 1938 American behaviorist B.F. Skinner's Operant Conditioning theory was published in his first book The Behavior of Organisms: An Experimental Analysis. In it he examined the basic mechanism of behavior change (learning). Simply stated, the consequences of the behavior influence the likelihood that the behavior will occur again.
Skinner's laboratory research demonstrated that a behavior would increase when it is followed by a reward such as a highly desired item. Behaviors will decrease in frequency when they are followed by punishment (social disapproval, loss of privileges).
At that time, psychology was a relatively new science. It was an offspring of philosophy and science, born in 1879 when the German scientist Wilhelm Wundt established a laboratory to explore human consciousness and mental processes. This event signaled the beginning of a scientific approach to the mind and human behavior, and a formal discipline to pursue it (Ashcraft, 1998:16).
In the early years of psychology, the science was dominated by interest in mental states and research methods of introspection originally developed by Wundt. By the turn of the century however, a small number of scientists became concerned with more concrete areas of behavior such as response conditioning. American psychologist John B. Watson was one of them and firmly rejected mentalistic approaches in psychology. In 1913 he published a paper that is now known as the "behaviorist manifesto". In it he advocated for a psychology without the terms consciousness, mental states, mind, content, introspectively verifiable, imagery, and the like (Watson, 1913 in Ashcraft, 1998:18.) Thus, by calling upon other psychologists to also reject introspection and interpretation of mental states as scientifically valid, and to develop psychology as the science of observable and quantifiable behaviors, Watson began the era of behaviorism which was to dominate American psychology through the mid-1950s.
Watson and the early behaviorists explained behavior as a response to environmental states or events (stimuli). This basic stimulus – response concept spawned various forms of behaviorism including the "radical behaviorism" of Skinner. With his development of the Operant Conditioning Theory of Behavior, Skinner laid out the basic principles of behavioral science: reinforcement, prompting, fading, reinforcement schedules, extinction, shaping, discrimination, differentiation, etc . . . the theoretical basis of ABA.
In the 1960s, behaviorists began applying Skinner's theory to the development of teaching methods. Some, like Ivar Lovaas at UCLA, designed programs specifically for children with autism. Until then autism treatment was generally based on a psychodynamic model . . . offering some hope for recovery through experiential manipulations. By the mid-1960s, an increasing number of studies reported that psychodymanic practitioners were unable to deliver on that promise (Rimland cited in Lovaas, 1987). These failures prompted some professionals to abandon Kanner's position that children with autism have potential for normal intelligence and led to an emphasis on organic theories of autism that offered little or no hope for major improvements through psychological and educational interventions (Lovaas, 1987). Meanwhile, applied behavioral approaches were firmly suggesting otherwise. Children with autism were making treatment gains within behavior modification programs and these findings were making their way into professional journals (Lovaas, 1987). These two occurrences, the increased reports of the inefficacy of psychotherapy and the documentation of favorable outcome with behavioral intervention, made the 1960s pivotal for the study and treatment of autism.
It wasn’t until the mid-1990s however that intensive behavioral treatment for children with autism began receiving serious attention among families and others outside the scientific community. In 1993 Catherine Maurice published an autobiographical account of her family’s successful experience with the intensive ABA of the Lovaas model. This book, Let Me Hear Your Voice, along with the previously published ME BOOK (Lovaas, 1981) gave families hope and direction that was supported by scientific research. The Internet served as a conduit for the growing interest in ABA. The continually growing number of web sites and mailing lists, like Ruth Allen’s indispensable ME LIST, provided access to additional information and support from families and professionals. Several articles on Lovaas style home programs appeared in major publications. ABA was working and improving the lives of the families who used it and was propelled into the spotlight of autism treatment. By the end of the decade, ABA had received several major endorsements (state and federal), including a 1999 report from the U S Surgeon General.
Thirty years of research demonstrated the efficacy of applied behavioral methods in reducing inappropriate behavior and in increasing communication, learning, and appropriate social behavior. (Satcher, D. 1999)
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