Behavior Modification of Transferable Skills Activity

Written by Drew Appleby, Lindsey Herting, Sejal Schullo

Purpose

This lesson is designed to help students identify the skills that are necessary for success in future environments. Students will evaluate their strengths and perceived weaknesses and create a behavior modification plan to improve their transferable skills. This lesson will also allow students to apply terms from operant conditioning.    

National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula

• Pillar: Development and Learning

• Standard Area: Learning

• Content Standard 2: Operant conditioning
  

  2.1 Describe processes of operant conditioning
  2.2 Describe the clinical and experimental examples of operant conditioning

Time Required

1-2 class periods for set up and presentations; 1-2 weeks for behavior modification

Materials

1. Digital or print access to this Skills Assessment Worksheet (PDF, 75KB)opens in new window, provided by the Community College of Vermont.

2. Prior knowledge/preparation of operant conditioning principles and other learning theories.

3. Digital or print access to assignment (found below).

Task

1. Students will go to the Skills Assessment Worksheet and complete the survey and reflection questions. 

2. Students will take their answers to question 3 and choose one skill they would like to improve and create a behavior modification plan.  This plan should include operant conditioning concepts, such as positive and negative reinforcement and schedules of reinforcement, punishment, overjustification effect etc.

3. Students will implement their plan and follow up with reflection on its success.