Behavior management

Behavior management is similar to behavior modification. It is a less intensive version of behavior modification. In behavior modification the focus is on changing behavior, while in behavior management the focus is on maintaining order. Behavior management skills are particularly of importance to teachers in the educational system.Behavior management is all of the actions and conscious inactions to enhance the probability people, individually and in groups, choose behaviors which are personally fulfilling, productive, and socially acceptable

Uses of Behavior Management
Many of the principles and techniques used are the same as behavior modification yet delivered in a less intensive and consistent fashion. Usually, behavior management is applied at the group level by a classroom teacher as a form of behavioral engineering to produce high rates of student work completion and minimize classroom disruption. In addition, greater focus has been placed on building self control- Brophy (1986) writes:

"Contemporary behavior modification approaches involve students more actively in planning and shaping their own behavior through participation in the negotiation of contracts with their teachers and through exposure to training designed to help them to monitor and evaluate their behavior more actively, to learn techniques of self-control and problem solving, and to set goals and reinforce themselves for meeting these goals." (p. 191)

In general behavior management strategies have been very effective in reducing classroom disruption

While such programs can come from a variety of Behavioural change theories, the most common practices rely on the use of of applied behavior analysis principles such as positive reinforcement and mild punishments (such as response cost and Child time-out. In general the reward component is considered effective.For example, Cotton (1988) reviewed 37 studies on tokens, praise and other reward systems and found them to be highly effective in managing student classroom behavior. . The most comprehensive review of token procedures to match to children's level of behavioral severity was Walker's text "The acting out child"

Building Prosocial Behavior
Over the years, behavioral management principles such as reinforcement, modeling and even the use of punishment have been explored in the building of prosocial behavior. This area is sometimes referred to as "Behavioral Development" or Behavior Analysis of Child Development". Midlarsky and colleagues (1973) used a combination of modeling and reinforcement to build altruistic behavior . Two studies exist in which modeling by itself did not increase prosocial behavior ; however, modeling is much more effective then instruction giving such as "preaching"  The role of rewards has been implicated in the building of self-control and empathy   . Cooperation seems particularly susceptible to rewards    . Sharing is another prosocial behavior influenced by reinforcement

Reinforcement is particularly effective at least early in the learning series if context conditions are similar. Evidence exists to show some generalization

More controversial has been the role of punishment in forming prosocial behavior. One study found that donation rates of children could be increased by punishing episodes of failure to donate

The socialization process continues by peers with reinforcement and punishment playing major roles. Peers are more likely to punish cross gender play and reinforce play speific to gender

Behavior management and reading
Behavioral interventions have been shown to be effective in increasing the rates of reading. Recently, however, a more longitudinal look shows that behavioral rewards of reading correlates with long term positive outcomes. Childhood rewards for reading even seem to correlate with performance in college.

Also See

 * Contingency management
 * Applied Behavior Analysis
 * Behavior Modification
 * Behavioral engineering
 * Child time-out
 * Professional practice of behavior analysis