Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-07T08:35:03.742Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An Experimental Test of Cautela's Operant Explanation of Covert Conditioning Procedures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2009

Michael J. Dougher
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
John R. Crossen
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque
R. J. Garland
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

Extract

Although covert conditioning procedures are widely employed by behavior therapists, the literature is marked by considerable procedural variability and inconsistent results. Part of the problem is attributable to the lack of a generally agreed upon and experimentally supported theoretical account of covert conditioning procedures. Inasmuch as the procedural arrangements of covert conditioning techniques depend upon the underlying theoretical framework, it is important that the framework be experimentally supported. One prominent theoretical account of covert conditioning is the operant account proposed by the main proponent of covert conditioning, Joseph Cautela. As an explanation of the clinical effects of covert conditioning, however, Cautela's account has not been adequately tested. Two experiments were conducted, the purpose of which were to conduct laboratory analogue tests of Cautela's account of covert conditioning by examining the effects of covert reinforcement and covert punishment procedures on the subsequent free-operant rate of selected target responses of college students. The results failed to support Cautela's operant explanation of covert conditioning.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 1986

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allison, J. and Timberlake, W. (1975). Response deprivation and instrumental performance in the controlled-amount paradigm. Learning and Motivation 6, 122142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ascher, L. M. (1973). An analog study of covert positive reinforcement. In Rubin, R. D., Brady, J. P. and Henderson, J. D. (Eds), Advances in Behavior Therapy. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Ashem, B., Poser, E. and Trudell, P. (1972). The use of covert sensitization in the treatment of overeating. In: Advances in Behavior Therapy: Vol. 3. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Barlow, D. H., Leitenberg, H. and Agras, W. S. (1969). The experimental control of sexual deviation through manipulaton of the noxious scene in covert sensitization. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 74, 596601.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boyd, T. L. and Levis, D. J. (1983). Exposure is a necessary condition for fear reduction: a reply to de Silva and Rachman. Behavior Research and Therapy 21, 143150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brownell, K. D. and Barlow, D. H. (1976). Measurement and treatment of two sexual deviations in one person. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 7, 349355.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Callahan, E. J. and Leitenberg, H. (1973). Aversion therapy for sexual deviation: Contingent shock and covert sensitization. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 81, 6073.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cautela, J. R. (1966). Treatment of compulsive behavior by covert sensitization. Psychological Record 16, 3341.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cautela, J. R. (1967). Covert sensitization. Psychological Reports 20, 459468.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cautela, J. R. (1970a). Covert negative reinforcement. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 1, 273278.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cautela, J. R. (1970b). Covert reinforcement. Behavior Therapy 1, 3350.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cautela, J. R. (1971). Covert extinction. Behavior Therapy 2, 192200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cautela, J. R. (1972). Rationale and procedures for covert conditioning. In Advances in Behavior Therapy, Rubin, R. D., Fensterheim, H., Henderson, J. D. and Ullman, L. P. (Eds), New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Cautela, J. R. (1976a). Covert response cost. Psychotherapy Theory and Research Practice 13, 397404.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cautela, J. R. (1976b). The present status of covert modeling. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 7, 323326.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cautela, J. R. (1977). Covert conditioning: Assumptions and procedures. Journal of Mental Imagery 1, 5364.Google Scholar
Cautela, J. R. and Baron, M. G. (1973). Multifaceted behavior therapy of self-injurious behavior. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 4, 121131.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cautela, J. R. and Baron, M. G. (1977). Covert conditioning: A theoretical analysis. Behavior Modification 1, 351368.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cautela, J. R. and Kastenbaum, R. (1967). A reinforcement survey schedule for use in therapy, training, and research. Psychological Reports 20, 11151130.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cautela, J. R. and Wisocki, P. A. (1971). Covert sensitization for the treatment of sexual deviations. Psychological Record 21, 3748.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dougher, M. J. (1983). Clinical effects of response deprivation and response satiation procedures. Behavior Therapy 14, 286298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elkins, R. L. (1980). Covert sensitiazation and alcoholism: Contributions of successful conditioning to subsequent abstinence maintenance. Addictive Behaviors 5, 6789.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Flannery, R. B. (1972). A laboratory analogue of two covert reinforcement procedures. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 3, 171177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foreyt, J. P. and Hagen, R. L. (1973). Covert sensitization: Conditioning or suggestion? Journal of Abnormal Psychiatry 82, 1723CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hersen, M. and Barlow, D. H. (1976). Single-case Experimental Designs. New York: Pergamon.Google Scholar
Heth, C. D. and Warren, A. C. (1978). Response deprivation and response satiation as determinants of instrumental performances: Some data and theory. Animal Learning and Behavior 6, 299300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kazdin, A. E. (1973). Covert modeling and the reduction of avoidance behavior. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 81, 8795.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kazdin, A. E. (1974a). Comparative effects of some variations of covert modeling. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychology 5, 225231.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kazdin, A. E. (1974b). Covert modeling, model similarity, and reduction of avoidance behavior. Behavior Therapy 5, 325340.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kazdin, A. E. (1976). Effects of covert modeling, multiple model reinforcement on assertive behavior. Behavior Therapy 7, 211222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kazdin, A. E. and Smith, G. A. (1979). Covert conditioning: A review and evaluation. Archives of Behavior Research and Therapy 2, 5798.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Konarski, E. A., Crowell, C. R., Johnson, M. R. and Whitman, T. L. (1982). Response deprivation, reinforcement and instrumental academic performance in an EMR classroom. Behavior Therapy 13, 99102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Konarski, E. A., Johnson, M. R., Crowell, C. R. and Whitman, T. L. (1981). An alternative approach to reinforcement for applied researchers: Response deprivation. Behavior Therapy 12, 653666.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lichstein, K. L. and Sallis, J. F. (1981). Covert sensitization for smoking: In search of efficacy. Addictive Behaviors 6, 8391.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Little, L. M. and Curran, J. P. (1978). Covert sensitization: A clinical procedure in need of some explanations. Psychological Bulletin 85, 513531.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mahoney, M. J. (1974). Cognition and Behavior Modification. Cambridge, MA: Balinger.Google Scholar
Mahoney, M. J., Thorsen, C. E. and Danaher, B. G. (1972). Covert behavior modification: An experimental analogue. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 3, 714.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meichenbaum, D. (1973). Cognitive factors in behavior modification: Modifying what clients say to themselves. In Anual Review of Behavior Therapy Theory and Practice, Franks, C. M. and Wilson, G. T. (Eds), Vol 1. New York: Brunner/Mazel. Pp. 416431. (a).Google Scholar
Paivio, A., Yuille, J. C. and Madigan, S. (1968). Concreteness, imagery, and meaningfulness values for 925 nouns. Journal of Experimental Psychology 76, (1, pt. 2).CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sheehan, P. W. (1967). A shortened form of the Bett's questionnaire on mental imagery. Journal of Clinical Psychology 23, 386389.3.0.CO;2-S>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steffen, J. J. (1977). Covert reinforcement: Two studies and a comment. Psychological Reports 40, 291294.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Timberlake, W. and Allison, J. (1974). Response deprivation: An empirical approach to instrumental performance. Psychological Review 81, 146164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Upper, D. and Cautela, J. R. (1979). Covert Conditioning. New York: Pergamon General Psychology Series.Google Scholar
Wisocki, P. A. (1970). Treatment of obsessive-compulsive behavior by covert sensitization and covert reinforcement: A case report. Journal of Behavior and Experimental Psychiatry 1, 233239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.