Ravi, aged 9, freezes and looks away whenever guests visit his home. His therapist asks him to sit beside his elder sister on several evenings and watch her greet visitors with a smile and a namaste. Ravi is not rewarded for this. After some days he begins to greet guests in the same way. Which principle of behavioural techniques is the therapist using?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Using a vicarious learning procedure
Option (1) Reducing the arousal level of the client — Incorrect. This principle lowers the client's anxiety, as in relaxation procedures. Ravi is not taught to relax. He picks up a new behaviour by watching.
Option (2) Altering behaviour through classical conditioning — Incorrect. Classical conditioning changes behaviour by repeated pairing of a response with another stimulus, as in aversive conditioning. Nothing is paired with Ravi's behaviour here.
Option (3) Using a vicarious learning procedure — Correct. Ravi learns to greet guests by observing his sister. Learning by observing others is vicarious learning. The technique built on it is modelling, where the client copies a role model.
Option (4) Altering behaviour through operant conditioning — Incorrect. Operant conditioning changes behaviour through its consequences, such as rewards. Ravi gets no reward or punishment, so his change does not come from reinforcement.
NCERT (2026-27): “Behavioural Techniques “… Modelling is the procedure wherein the client learns to behave in a certain way by observing the behaviour of a role model or the therapist who initially acts as the role model. …” |