Glossary / Lexicon

Deutsch: Kontingenz / Español: Contingencia / Português: Contingência / Français: Contingence / Italiano: Contingenza /

Contingency refers to the relationship between a response and its outcome in operant conditioning or the conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus relationship in classical conditioning.

Moreover; Contingency is a consequence. The outcome of a behavior. What follows behavior. Positive and negative contingencies define the various kinds of reinforcement and punishment. Contingency implies dependency. Events are said to be contingent when the occurrence of one depends on the occurrence of the other. For example, daylight is contingent on sunrise; good grades are contingent on studying or intelligence, or good luck, etc. Contingency is also defined a predictive relationship between two events such that the occurrence of one event predicts the probable occurrence of the other.

Description

Contingency in psychology refers to the relationship between two events, where one event depends on the other. It involves the idea that a certain behavior will result in a specific consequence. This concept is widely used in the field of behavior analysis to understand and modify behaviors. Contingency theory suggests that behavior is influenced by the consequences that follow it, whether positive or negative. Understanding contingencies can help psychologists predict and control behavior in various settings. It is essential in studying decision-making processes, reinforcement, and punishment.

Application Areas

• Behavior modification therapies
• Organizational behavior management
• Parenting techniques
• Educational settings
• Conflict resolution

Treatment and Risks

• Behavioral therapy can use contingency management to reinforce desired behaviors.
• Risks include unintentionally reinforcing undesirable behaviors if contingencies are not carefully managed.
• Failure to recognize contingent relationships may lead to ineffective interventions.

Similar Concepts and Synonyms

• Response-contingent reinforcement
• Operant conditioning
• Consequence-based learning

Articles with 'Contingency' in the title

• Contingency contracting: Contingency contracting: Contingency contracting refers to a procedure in which an individual forms a contract with another person, such as a therapist, detailing what rewards or punishments are contingent on the performance or non-performa . . .
• Contingency management: Contingency management refers to a form of behavioral therapy that involves the principle of rewarding a client for desired behaviors and not providing rewards for undesired behaviors
• Contingency question: Contingency question refers to a survey question intended for only some respondents, determined by their responses to some other question. For example, all respondents might be asked whether they belong to Southeast Asian cultural group, an . . .
• Contingency research: Contingency research refers to a relational research design in which the frequencies of all combinations of two (2) variables are assessed to determine the relationship between them
• Contingency theory: Contingency theory refers to Fred Fiedler’s conceptual analysis of leadership which posits that a leader’s success is determined by his or her leadership style and the favorability of the group situation- more generally, any analysis of . . .
• Null contingency: Null contingency refers to a reinforcement contingency in which there is no relation between a response and reinforcing stimuli. In psychology, null contingency refers to a lack of relationship or association between two variables
• Performance contingency: Performance contingency is a concept in psychology that refers to the conditions or situations where an individual's outcomes or rewards are directly dependent on their performance
• Principle of contingency: Principle of contingency stated thate the more consistently the reinforcer is delivered only for the desired behavior, the more effective the reinforcer
• Contingency theory of leadership: Contingency theory of leadership : Contingency theory of leadership refers to the theory that leadership effectiveness depends both on how task-oriented or relationship-oriented the leader is and on the amount of control and influence . . .
• Three-term contingency: Three-term contingency refers to the relationship between a discriminative stimulus, an operant behavior, and a reinforcer or punisher.
• Contingencies of self-worth: Contingencies of self-worth refers to the domains of self-concept an individual uses to evaluate his or her self. It is the "If-Then" rules concerning self-worth, as in "If"I am not loved by very person I care about, "Then" I am nothing
• Avoidance contingency: Avoidance contingency : Avoidance contingency refers to the situation in which the organism can avoid an aversive stimulus by engaging in appropriate activity

Summary

Contingency in psychology focuses on the relationship between behavior and its consequences. It is a fundamental concept in behavior analysis, emphasizing how behaviors are shaped by the events that follow them. Understanding contingencies is crucial for predicting and influencing behavior in various contexts, from therapy to organizational settings. By recognizing the contingent relationships between behaviors and consequences, psychologists can effectively modify behaviors and achieve desired outcomes.

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