I think that a lot of people have a skewed version of what behavior modification is though... (FWIW, I have my bachelor's in psych and soc, masters in counseling, and am ABD in counseling. I worked as a behaviorist. I also have one son in montessori school and will be homeschooling DD1 using montessori philosophy). Behavior modification is EVERWHERE. Getting a paycheck for working is a form of behavior modification. Modeling a behavior to show a child how to do the behavior is a form of behavior modification. There are tons of examples in a montessori school of behavior mod...
1) In my son's school, they are responsible for their library books. If they don't bring their books back to school on the right date, they do not get to check out another book. After a couple weeks of not getting to check out a new book, eventually they will bring their old books back. The behavior of being responsible and bringing your book back is reinforced by getting to check out a new book.
2) When a new work is presented, the teacher models the correct use of the material. Modeling is a form of behavior modification.
3) Most of the works in Montessori are self-correcting. Self-correction modifies behavior as well.
4) If a child breaks a glass during a pouring exercise because he slammed the cup on the table instead of gently setting it down, the child is asked to help clean up the mess (which is a 'punisher'...punishers are not always mean...sometimes they are natural consequences). That 'punisher' modifies the behavior because next time, the child will put the glass down more gently.
And my own son has problems remembering to be responsible for his belongings...he rarely brings home what he needs to bring home and instead of putting his stuff on a hook, he tosses it all over the common area (he has asperger's and needs a couple extra accomodations, such as the one I'm about to describe). To change this behavior, his teachers helped him to write out a checklist of things that need to be packed in his backpack. He independently wrote the list and independently completes the list each day. That is an attempt at behavior modification.
So yeah, montessori uses behavior modification. Almost EVERYTHING in life utilizes behavior modification...in the purest sense of the word, it almost never involves sitting at a table passing a child an M&M for doing a task or giving them jolts of electric shocks for doing something wrong, as are the common stereotypes.
Why did you go to bed before 4 AM last night? Because at one point, your behavior was shaped in such a way that you learned that you can function better if you go to bed at a certain time. Why don't you just go to the bank and rob it to get money for the week? Because at one point, your behavior was shaped in such a way that you learned that you can't just steal to get what you need. Why don't you cook spaghettios and donuts for lunch every day? Because at some point, your behavior was shaped in such a way that you learned that healthier foods make your body feel better. ALL of this is behavior modification. Intrinsic rewards are still reinforcers.
Now, behaviorism and attachment theory aren't mutually exclusive. Attachment theory is based on a set of reinforcers and punishers. If a baby's cues to be picked up are reinforced by the parents picking the baby up, the baby will learn to continue to make cues to be picked up. If a baby's cues are punished by the parent ignoring the cries, the baby's behavior of cuing for a need to be met will eventually be extinguished.
1) In my son's school, they are responsible for their library books. If they don't bring their books back to school on the right date, they do not get to check out another book. After a couple weeks of not getting to check out a new book, eventually they will bring their old books back. The behavior of being responsible and bringing your book back is reinforced by getting to check out a new book.
2) When a new work is presented, the teacher models the correct use of the material. Modeling is a form of behavior modification.
3) Most of the works in Montessori are self-correcting. Self-correction modifies behavior as well.
4) If a child breaks a glass during a pouring exercise because he slammed the cup on the table instead of gently setting it down, the child is asked to help clean up the mess (which is a 'punisher'...punishers are not always mean...sometimes they are natural consequences). That 'punisher' modifies the behavior because next time, the child will put the glass down more gently.
And my own son has problems remembering to be responsible for his belongings...he rarely brings home what he needs to bring home and instead of putting his stuff on a hook, he tosses it all over the common area (he has asperger's and needs a couple extra accomodations, such as the one I'm about to describe). To change this behavior, his teachers helped him to write out a checklist of things that need to be packed in his backpack. He independently wrote the list and independently completes the list each day. That is an attempt at behavior modification.
So yeah, montessori uses behavior modification. Almost EVERYTHING in life utilizes behavior modification...in the purest sense of the word, it almost never involves sitting at a table passing a child an M&M for doing a task or giving them jolts of electric shocks for doing something wrong, as are the common stereotypes.
Why did you go to bed before 4 AM last night? Because at one point, your behavior was shaped in such a way that you learned that you can function better if you go to bed at a certain time. Why don't you just go to the bank and rob it to get money for the week? Because at one point, your behavior was shaped in such a way that you learned that you can't just steal to get what you need. Why don't you cook spaghettios and donuts for lunch every day? Because at some point, your behavior was shaped in such a way that you learned that healthier foods make your body feel better. ALL of this is behavior modification. Intrinsic rewards are still reinforcers.
Now, behaviorism and attachment theory aren't mutually exclusive. Attachment theory is based on a set of reinforcers and punishers. If a baby's cues to be picked up are reinforced by the parents picking the baby up, the baby will learn to continue to make cues to be picked up. If a baby's cues are punished by the parent ignoring the cries, the baby's behavior of cuing for a need to be met will eventually be extinguished.
