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BEHAVIOR IS WHATEVER SOMEBODY DOES

NCJ Number
61921
Author(s)
B C PENNINGTON
Date Published
Unknown
Length
30 pages
Annotation
IN BOOKLET TWO OF THIS 17-PART, SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL SERIES FOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, TYPES OF BEHAVIOR ARE DEFINED AND DISCUSSED AND PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
THIS SELF-INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM CONSISTS OF INFORMATION REGARDING BEHAVIOR AND BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PRESENTED IN ILLUSTRATED NARRATIVE FORM WITH MULTIPLE CHOICE, FILL-IN, AND SITUATIONAL QUESTIONS INCLUDED THROUGHOUT; CORRECT ANSWERS ARE PROVIDED IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE QUESTIONS FOR FEEDBACK ON COMPREHENSION. USERS SHOULD START AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOKLET, WORK STRAIGHT THROUGH, WRITE OR MARK ANSWERS AS DIRECTED, AND CHECK COMPLETED WORK. THE THEME IS THAT EACH INMATE IS IN PRISON BECAUSE OF HIS BEHAVIOR, AND THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICER'S BEHAVIOR SHOULD HELP THE INMATE TO CHANGE. IF THE INMATE'S BEHAVIOR IS CHANGED SUCCESSFULLY, THEN HE IS 'REHABILITATED' OR 'CORRECTED.' TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR, ACTORS MUST UNDERSTAND THE REASONS PEOPLE BEHAVE AS THEY DO. IN ADDITION, THEY MUST BE ABLE TO DISTINGUISH AMONG BEHAVIOR TYPES. OVERT BEHAVIOR CAN BE SEEN, HEARD, OR PHYSICALLY FELT; COVERT BEHAVIOR CANNOT BE SEEN, HEARD, OR FELT. DAYDREAMING AND THINKING ARE EXAMPLES OF COVERT BEHAVIOR. FREQUENTLY, COVERT AND OVERT BEHAVIORS OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME. FOR EXAMPLE, A PERSON WHO IS HITTING AND YELLING (OVERT) IS PROBABLY ALSO MAD (COVERT). BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE DEALS WITH OVERT BEHAVIOR. IT IS BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE THAT IS IMPORTANT TO CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS. BEHAVIORAL DESCRIPTIONS ARE IMPORTANT IN DETERMINING HOW TO CHANGE UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR. THEY ARE ALSO IMPORTANT IN COURT TESTIMONY AND SHOULD BE ACCURATE AND SPECIFIC. IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT BEHAVIOR IS NOT IN ITSELF 'GOOD' OR 'BAD;' THE SITUATIONS IN WHICH THE BEHAVIOR OCCURS DETERMINE WHETHER SOCIETY PRAISES OR CONDEMNS IT. BEHAVIORS WHICH ARE UNACCEPTABLE TO SOCIETY ARE CALLED CRIMES. BEHAVIORAL SCIENTISTS STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF CHANGING A PERSON'S BEHAVIOR, NOT MERELY HIS ATTITUDE, TO ACHIEVE PERMANENT RESULTS. (LWM)