What is the basic idea of operant conditioning therapy, and what arguments have been used for and against it?

What is the basic idea of operant conditioning therapy, and what arguments have been used for and against it?



Therapy based on operant conditioning principles uses behavior modification techniques to change unwanted behaviors through positively reinforcing desired behaviors and ignoring or punishing undesirable behaviors.

Critics maintain that

(1) techniques such as those used in token economies may produce behavior changes that disappear when rewards end, and

(2) deciding which behaviors should change is authoritarian and unethical. Proponents argue that treatment with positive rewards is more humane than punishing people or institutionalizing them for undesired behaviors.

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