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Cognitive conditioning therapy: A behavioral technique
Author(s) -
Berecz John M.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
behavioral science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1099-1743
pISSN - 0005-7940
DOI - 10.1002/bs.3830170606
Subject(s) - psychology , punishment (psychology) , cognition , classical conditioning , perspective (graphical) , acceptance and commitment therapy , cognitive psychology , stuttering , stimulus (psychology) , aversive stimulus , developmental psychology , psychotherapist , conditioning , neuroscience , intervention (counseling) , psychiatry , statistics , mathematics , artificial intelligence , computer science
Classical punishment theory is viewed as lacking the theoretical structure for adequately dealing with complex human behaviors. The cognitive state of the person at the moment aversive or reinforcing stimulation occurs is seen as crucial in determining the effects on target behaviors. The punishing or reinforcing value of a stimulus is viewed as a function of many factors not generally considered in animal studies. A method of therapy is outlined in which (1) awareness (broadly defined) is activated by imagining the target behavior or an appropriate segment of it, (2) a contingent, self‐administered shock is experienced as painful, (3) this shock is experienced as closely in time as possible to the most vivid imaginings, and (4) the period of shock cessation is utilized for reinforcing new behaviors. A number of behavior problems such as smoking, alcoholism, obesity, sexual disorders, stuttering, tics, and drug abuse are considered from this perspective. It is suggested that the theory of cognitive conditioning offers a more fluid and innovative approach to the problems of human conditioning than is presently available from the animal literature.