Patient Education

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Patient Education

• Theories and Principles of Learning

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Four Learning Theories

• Behavioralism (stimulus-response)
• Gestaltism (cognitive field)
• Humanism
• Information processing

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A Theory

• A theory helps you make sense of what you observe
  and is a way to view relationships and principles
  of observed phenomena that have been verified to
  some degree.
• Basically---it helps you understand the way
  clients learn.

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Historical Perspective

• Aristotle We learn by doing.
• Our ability to reason is an essential
  characteristic that makes us human.

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Theories of LearningBehavioral

• First to be widely used in the American
  educational system
• Pavlov---hungry dogunconditioned stimulus vs.
  conditioned stimulus

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Thorndike

• Trial and error
• Confront a problem---select from a number of
  different solutions that will provide you with
  the goal you seek.
• Accompanied by a lot of random behavior until the
  actual goal is met.
• Formed the basis for the principle of positive
  reinforcement.

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Guthrie

• The Law of Contiguous Conditioning
• Events that occur together are eventually paired
  together.

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Skinner

• Skinner box
• Experimenter controlled cage
• Two kinds of learning respondent and operant
• Respondent Knee jerk response
• Operant When a response is reinforced, whether
  random or planned, the behavior tends to be
  repeated.

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Operant Behavior

• Most human behavior is the result of operant
  behavior.

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Propositions of Behavioral Theory

• An event that is regularly followed by a specific
  response may be considered a stimulus to that
  response.
• Example Drug addiction. The high that is
  experienced after taking a particular drug, may
  in fact be considered the stimulus for taking the
  drug again.

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Propositions

• Behavior that is followed by a reinforcer tends
  to increase in strength.
• Example Offering praise to your client for a
  job well done will often encourage the client to
  continue their positive behavior.
• Remember, a reinforcer can be positive or
  negative.

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Propositions

• Behavior that is followed by punishment tends to
  be suppressed.
• Spankings, taking away a privilege etc. can
  suppress a behavior.
• Punishment is NOT a long term suppressor of
  behavior.

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Propositions

• Behavior that is followed by the removal of a
  negative stimulus tends to increase in strength.
• If it feels good, do it. Example Labor pains
  can be lessened through relaxation and proper
  breathing. This motivates the mother to continue
  the relaxation and deep breathing.

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Propositions

• Behavior that tends to recur is in some way being
  reinforced or is itself reinforcing.
• Dr. Philism---We teach people how to treat
  us.what is the payoff.

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Proposition

• Frequently recurring behavior may serve as a
  reinforcer to strengthen another behavior.
• Psychiatric hospitals..smokingyou participate
  in the group session and we will let you smoke.
• Childrenclean up your room and I will give you a
  cookie.

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Propositions

• Irregular and inconsistent reinforcement of a
  behavior strengthens the persistence of the
  behavior.
• Example Try and resist the tantrums one day and
  give in the next day.

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Propositions

• Immediate and consistent reinforcement of a
  behavior strengthens the behavior most rapidly.
• Example Immediate feedback or reinforcement on a
  task you have performed will do more to teach you
  what you did right/wrong than waiting a week.

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Propositions

• Rewards and punishments that are clearly
  connected to the behavior are more powerful than
  vague or inconsistent responses.
• Weight controlthe effects of overeating
  (dieting) are not immediate.therefore the
  punishment/reward is not immediate.
• House training a puppy

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Proposition

• Behavior that receives no response and meets no
  biologic need tends to be extinguished.
• Example New vocabulary words

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So, what to do with this information?

• How can you use the propositions in developing a
  plan of actionto teach your client using the
  theory of behaviorism?
• Behavior Modification---change the stimulus
  thereby changing the response.
• Change the antecedent event.an antecedent event
  is the event that happens before the negative
  behavior occurs.

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Antecedent Event

• A preceding occurrence.
• Shop while hungry (antecedent).buy more
  groceries. Eat while full (antecedent) buy less
  groceries.

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The Individual Client

• You MUST know what your individual client finds
  to be reinforcing.
• What do you give yourself or do for yourself to
  celebrate a job well done?
• For a child What are your three favorite toys?

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The Behaviorist

• To the behavioristlearning is a change in
  behavior.
• Teaching is how you arrange the stimuli to get
  the desired result.

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AssignmentBehavior Modification

• Search the Internet for an advertised Behavior
  Modification program. Example
• http//www.lighten-up.com/behavior.htm
• What is the agency/company advertising? In this
  case, weight loss via behavior modification.

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How they do it?

• Using hypnosis to make it EASY to be in charge of
  what foods you choose to put into your body.
• Eliminating emotional eating such as grazing,
  closet eating or binge eating.
• Motivating your body to WANT to exercise as a
  natural part of your day.
• Supporting you to WANT to eat less and healthier
  without deprivation.
• Being the most affordable weight loss program.
• Offering you a money back guarantee.

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More..

• Hypnosis can help make your transformation easy!
  Through the Lighten Up! program, you will
  experience how the power of hypnosis can help you
  conquer the difficult problem of losing weight.
• Find out what is compelling you to eat, even when
  you are not hungry. 
• Eliminate addictive foods with no deprivation and
  teach yourself to want to eat healthy foods.
• Give up counting calories and taking pills.
• Learn the hidden powers of your own mind.

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Your Assignment

• Copy the information from the Internet. There
  are many, many Behavior Modification programs out
  there. Be creative and find something unique.
  Seriously read about your program and be prepared
  to come back Monday and tell us which of the
  propositions on pp. 35-36 you believe your
  program uses to ensure success.

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Finally

• Identify some things in your life that you think
  could be rectified via behavior modification.
  Would you be willing to try behavior modification
  to break your bad habit? Why or why not?