Often people are unaware that habit controls much of their behavior. Through modeling, they can be shown that there are other ways of doing things. Although modeling can take place when an individual observes someone demonstrating specific social skills, it also occurs informally, for example, when children imitate the heroes of television shows. The clinical applications of modeling and the demonstrations by models are often combined with guided rehearsals, in which the individual is encouraged to imitate the behavior of the model with the model helping whenever necessary. Then people imitate the adaptive behavior of models, their new responses are strengthened by positive reinforcement. The success of a modeling program depends on several factors.
1. How carefully the observer attends to the modeled behavior. 2. How well what was observed is retained. 3. The observer's ability to reproduce the modeled behavior. 4. How motivated the observer is to use the modeled behavior.
Give modeling involves direct observation of a model. Symbolic modeling refers to observation of a model who is presented indirectly through film, video or audio tape, or printed word. Covert modeling is a logical extension of symbolic modeling in which the individual is asked to imagine observing a model and a particular consequence. For example, a male cross dresser was asked to imagine the following scene. A bare room except for two closets with clothes in them. One bed has male clothes on it and the other has female clothes on it. Straight ahead at the other end of the room, you see a door open and a naked man about your age walks into the room. He walks toward the beds which are next to each other about [our feet apart. He starts to go toward the bed with the female clothes on it. He looks at the clothes, then suddenly you can see a painful expression on his face. He sits down on the bed and he starts to sweat and looks sick. He reaches for a bra and he starts to gag. As he puts the bra on he starts to vomit all over the clothes and on himself. He groans in agony as he doubles over and falls down to the ground. A covert modeling scene was then presented in which the model puts on the male clothes and looks happy. In general, covert modeling involves constructing scenes or situations in which the client can picture the behavior that is to be changed. Although this is a relatively new technique and requires more research for porn addicts, available evidence suggests that it is a promising clinical tool for addictive issues related to porn and sex addiction.
Like other cognitive and behavioral therapies, modeling is often combined with other approaches. For example, while reinforcing adaptive overt behavior, the therapist might help the client acquire more realistic ideas about problem areas. In treating a complex problem such as intense anger in a child, the therapist might: (1) teach the parents to be more effective in reacting to temper tantrums (modeling might be used to accomplish this); (2) help the child identify the situations and thoughts that evoke the tantrums; (3) model cognitive and behavioral responses to stress and frustration that are more effective than anger; and (4) use guided rehearsal and praise to strengthen the child's adaptive behavior.