Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Behavioral Modeling WorksBehavioral Modeling StepsUsesBenefits and LimitationsMaking It More Effective

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

How Behavioral Modeling Works

Behavioral Modeling Steps

Uses

Benefits and Limitations

Making It More Effective

However, behavior modeling can also be harmful, such as a parent passing on a prejudiced way of dealing with others or a friend teaching a child to use drugs. Therapeutic behavior modeling is often used to help clients change previously learned negative behaviors.

At a Glance

Research has found that modeling therapy is great for short-term learning but should be combined with other methods to help produce longer-lasting change.

How Behavior Modeling in Psychology Works

Bandura discovered how behavioral modeling could help people overcome phobias.In his work with people withsnake phobias, Bandura found that when people observed others who had overcome the same fear of handling snakes, they were more likely to find relief.

Bandura’s learning theory suggests that there are four stages involved in behavioral modeling:

Uses for Behavioral Modeling

As adults, people may watch and imitate other people’s actions, such as picking up skills in the workplace or developing new parenting techniques.

Behavioral Modeling in Therapy

Behavioral modeling is a technique that is often used in many different types of therapy. A therapist might model a desired behavior to help their clients acquire new skills. In some cases, they might role-play situations so that people can learn more about how they might respond in different situations.

This can be a great way to help people acquire new coping skills. Once modeled in therapy, people can start practicing and applying those skills in their daily life.

Behavioral modeling is used effectively to treat people with a variety of mental health concerns, including:

Behavioral Modeling to Treat Phobias

When witnessing the model respond to thephobiawith relaxation rather than fear, people are able to develop a new reference framework for imitating that response. In theory, the patient could transfer this new response to real-life situations.

Benefits and Limitations of Behavioral Modeling

When used alone, behavioral modeling has been found effective for short-term learning. However, behavior modeling alone is unlikely to produce long-term behavior change unless it is combined with role-playing and reinforcement such as rewards.

Used together in sequence, modeling, role-play, andreinforcementimprove the effectiveness of this therapy.

One potential downside of behavioral modeling is that it can sometimes be used to model unhelpful or even harmful behaviors. For example, watching family members model anxious behaviors can increase a person’s risk of developing an anxiety disorder.

How to Make Behavioral Modeling More Effective

In addition, other factors have been shown to increase the effectiveness of behavior modeling therapy. These factors involve the characteristics of the model and the target behaviors that are involved.

Characteristics of the Model

People are more likely to respond to models that are:

Characteristics of the Target Behaviors

Behavioral modeling is also more likely to be effective when the target behaviors are:

Takeaway

Behavior modeling is one technique used to try to help people withphobiasand other mental health conditions. When it doesn’t achieve the desired response or change, people should be encouraged to try different techniques, approaches, or medications to help them overcome their fears.

Many other behavioral modification techniques are available, and some are more successful for certain people and problems.

5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Husband J, Chong I.Behavior modeling. In: Goldstein S, Naglieri JA, eds.Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Springer US; 2011:225-226. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_307Guerrin B.Albert Bandura and his work.Rech Soins Infirm. 2012;(108):106-16. doi:10.3917/rsi.108.0106Appukuttan D.Strategies to manage patients with dental anxiety and dental phobia: literature review.Clin Cosmet Investig Dent. 2016;8:35-50. doi:10.2147%2FCCIDE.S63626Tadayon R.Bandura’s Social Learning Theory & Social Cognitive Learning Theory.University of Science and Culture. 2011Ginsburg GS, Schleider J, Tein JY, Drake KL.Family and parent predictors of anxiety disorder onset in offspring of anxious parents.Child Youth Care Forum. 2018;47(3):363-376.

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Husband J, Chong I.Behavior modeling. In: Goldstein S, Naglieri JA, eds.Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Springer US; 2011:225-226. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_307Guerrin B.Albert Bandura and his work.Rech Soins Infirm. 2012;(108):106-16. doi:10.3917/rsi.108.0106Appukuttan D.Strategies to manage patients with dental anxiety and dental phobia: literature review.Clin Cosmet Investig Dent. 2016;8:35-50. doi:10.2147%2FCCIDE.S63626Tadayon R.Bandura’s Social Learning Theory & Social Cognitive Learning Theory.University of Science and Culture. 2011Ginsburg GS, Schleider J, Tein JY, Drake KL.Family and parent predictors of anxiety disorder onset in offspring of anxious parents.Child Youth Care Forum. 2018;47(3):363-376.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Husband J, Chong I.Behavior modeling. In: Goldstein S, Naglieri JA, eds.Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Springer US; 2011:225-226. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_307Guerrin B.Albert Bandura and his work.Rech Soins Infirm. 2012;(108):106-16. doi:10.3917/rsi.108.0106Appukuttan D.Strategies to manage patients with dental anxiety and dental phobia: literature review.Clin Cosmet Investig Dent. 2016;8:35-50. doi:10.2147%2FCCIDE.S63626Tadayon R.Bandura’s Social Learning Theory & Social Cognitive Learning Theory.University of Science and Culture. 2011Ginsburg GS, Schleider J, Tein JY, Drake KL.Family and parent predictors of anxiety disorder onset in offspring of anxious parents.Child Youth Care Forum. 2018;47(3):363-376.

Husband J, Chong I.Behavior modeling. In: Goldstein S, Naglieri JA, eds.Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development. Springer US; 2011:225-226. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_307

Guerrin B.Albert Bandura and his work.Rech Soins Infirm. 2012;(108):106-16. doi:10.3917/rsi.108.0106

Appukuttan D.Strategies to manage patients with dental anxiety and dental phobia: literature review.Clin Cosmet Investig Dent. 2016;8:35-50. doi:10.2147%2FCCIDE.S63626

Tadayon R.Bandura’s Social Learning Theory & Social Cognitive Learning Theory.University of Science and Culture. 2011

Ginsburg GS, Schleider J, Tein JY, Drake KL.Family and parent predictors of anxiety disorder onset in offspring of anxious parents.Child Youth Care Forum. 2018;47(3):363-376.

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