Pattern - what is it in psychology? Behavior patterns

The definition of pattern (from the English “pattern” - pattern, model) is used in many areas of human activity and scientific methodologies. A pattern in psychology is a pattern of human reactions or a pattern (system) of creating stereotypical actions.

In life, people use patterns much more than they realize, either unconsciously or consciously. Every day, people in communicating with each other are helped by language patterns - these are patterns of sentences, reactions to various questions and statements, and thought patterns also help people, for example, when the perception of the world occurs with the help of stereotypes - generalizations.

Photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash

This text will discuss behavior patterns. Knowledge of how they work will help you better understand your actions and the behavior of those around you.

Let's get acquainted with the concept

The concept of “pattern” is found in physics, computer science, design, music and psychology. Translated from English it means “template, “model”. In relation to psychology, a pattern can be briefly defined as a paradigm of behavior characteristic of a person in certain circumstances. This model works automatically, involuntarily, in the process of human interaction with the outside world. Patterns can be found everywhere: washing your face in the morning, shaking hands when meeting, eating an apple, answering the phone, etc.

Even a beloved pet who sees its owner putting on a jacket and boots is already internally preparing for a walk. You say this is a conditioned reflex? And you will be wrong. A pattern in psychology is deeper than instinct or reflex. This is a certain program embedded in a person’s brain, according to which he lives and communicates with others.

Ways to eliminate unwanted behavior and reinforce new adequate forms of response

A child with autism spectrum disorder has certain behavioral characteristics that may not always be understandable and pleasant to the people around him. A child with autism requires specially created conditions and much more effort on the part of teachers, parents, and specialists to form effective, adaptive behavior that is adequate to the social situation in which he finds himself.

Teachers, first of all, need to remember that a child with ASD in itself does not represent a concentration of behavior unfavorable to others - there are certain conditions and stimuli that can “trigger” the child’s undesirable behavior. And these “trigger mechanisms” need to be observed and understood in relation to each individual child with ASD. Then, by controlling these external environmental variables, undesirable behavioral patterns can be greatly reduced.

The task of the educator and teacher is to understand what environmental factors and internal experiences lead the child to the emergence of behavioral problems. In some cases, children can react very sensitively to certain external stimuli (bright light, sound, a large number of people around, etc.). Then the child may develop anxieties, fears, obsessive or aggressive forms of behavior.

Practice shows that if you intervene in time with negative changes in a child’s behavior, you can reduce the likelihood of their occurrence, and sometimes simply stop unwanted behavioral acts.

Typically, teachers who have experience teaching a child with ASD in a general class note the following behavioral difficulties:

• the emerging feeling of anxiety and excitement of the child, which is expressed in motor restlessness, screaming, etc.;
• aggression or destructive forms of behavior demonstrated by the child;
• stereotypy in behavior associated with an intense desire to maintain constant, familiar living conditions; preoccupation with monotonous actions - motor and speech (swinging; waving hands; reproducing the same sounds or words; repetition of the same movements; monotonous, repeated manipulations with objects).

The teacher needs to remember that the disciplinary measures that he usually uses when working with students in the classroom do not always work effectively when interacting with children with autism. To correct the behavior of a child with ASD, special technologies are needed and, most importantly, an understanding that the behavior of a child with ASD, even its not very desirable forms, is not a manifestation of internal negativism, but the child’s attempts to communicate and contact the environment. Our usual logic, which is updated when we use various methods of modifying the behavior of students, is not always suitable for correcting the behavior of a child with ASD.

Let us list those of our beliefs that will not always “work” in relation to correcting the behavior of a child with ASD:

1. Use of rewards and punishments in relation to a child with ASD. A child with ASD does not always understand the cause-and-effect relationship between the behavior he demonstrates and the “rewards” or “punishments” that follow in response to his behavior.
2. A child cannot always understand long, lengthy speeches that explain something to him. The teacher’s lengthy “reasonings” about the child’s negative behavior and an attempt to conduct an “explanatory conversation” will most likely not be accepted by the child.
3. It is difficult to motivate children with ASD to take into account the needs of others - it is difficult to call them to order, asking them to put themselves in the place of another person, to feel that those present in the class may be unpleasant with the child’s behavior. We have already indicated that a child with ASD has serious problems with the ability to identify with other people.
4. It is difficult for a child with ASD to generalize positive changes in his behavior that occur from one situation to another if this is not reinforced and clearly indicated.
5. A child with ASD himself can “establish” some rituals or procedures that trigger negative forms of his behavior.

In order to understand what causes the child’s unwanted behavior, the teacher needs to analyze the following points.

First, how often does a child with ASD engage in challenging behavior?

Secondly, in what situations, at what time of day, etc. is this child’s behavior “triggered”?

Thirdly, what is the child trying to demonstrate with this behavior, what is he trying to “tell” others in this way?

Fourth, how do the behavior of a child with ASD (eg, aggressive behavior) differ from similar behavior of other children of the same age?

Fifth, is there an urgent need to change and transform this behavior, or does it not harm anyone and allow the child to express himself or calm down?

Sixth, what specific skills might a child need to learn to cope with the situation he is experiencing? What should he learn to do this? What could be the alternative?

For example, a child may exhibit overt reactions of negativism and anxiety when sudden changes occur in the sequence of actions he performs. Then the teacher can set a goal - gradually teach the child to switch from one type of activity to another (using visual cues, working with a schedule, etc.). Accordingly, switching activities will no longer cause such strong emotions of anxiety or aggression in the child, and his behavior will not demonstrate emotions of fear and anxiety in an undesirable way.

Next, we present the teacher’s algorithm for modifying the child’s unwanted behavior.

1. Triggering incident analysis:

• What usually happens before a child begins to exhibit “unwanted behavior”?
• How does this affect the child's ability to complete tasks and how does this behavior impact the classroom?
• What are the consequences of the behavior of a child with ASD?
• When and where does the behavior occur?
• What happens next?
• Who is involved (intentionally or not) in this child's behavior?

1. Developing a strategy to solve behavioral problems of a child with ASD:

• If possible, talk to the child about his behavior or, if this is not possible, discuss it with the parents, who probably have their own “experiences” in interacting with a child in this state.
• If you are at a loss in determining the causes of a child’s behavior disorder, consult a specialist: a psychologist, educational psychologist, defectologist. Specialists who have experience interacting with children with autism spectrum disorders will certainly tell you how to understand the “message” expressed in the child’s behavior and what to do with this behavior.
• Offer the child, in this particular situation that causes negative behavior, an alternative behavior that is appropriate to the situation. That is, if he cannot scream and express his anger when he experiences anxiety due to the inability to adapt to a new type of activity, then how can he express his anxiety? Provide him with an alternative that is acceptable to him and the whole class. For example, you can use a Stress Scale that is visually designed for your child. This scale will help your child tell you that he is starting to feel irritated or afraid. This could be a help card that the child keeps in his pocket and can show to an adult if the situation becomes unbearable for him. This can be done in the form of a traffic light, with three state colors (red, yellow, green), in the form of a thermometer of the “intensity” of emotions. A child, for example, showing a card with the color red, demonstrates to the teacher that he needs help to cope with an emotion. With the help of the Stress Scale, the symbolism of which is clear to the child, he will be able to show an adult what is happening to him, and the adult will be able to determine how well the child is coping with the situation.
• Encourage the child if he managed to use the alternative: it is desirable that this encouragement is not only verbal, but also supported by something (tokens, pictures that the child likes, etc.). For example, you can prepare specially prepared tokens (stars, flags, etc.) for this purpose, which the child would perceive as a reward for the achieved changes in behavior.
• During the learning process, try to involve tasks that are interesting for the child and that correspond to his inclinations and hobbies. This will allow the child to be included in the interaction process as much as possible and prevent unwanted behavior.

1. Adapting the classroom space to support the sense of safety of a child with ASD:

• Try to minimize stimuli that distract the child, as well as irritating stimuli; Remember that a child with ASD has sensory processing differences that affect his or her mood and behavior.
• Do not forget that the child must have a place where he can calm down, where he can be taken if he cannot cope with his condition (resource class, resource area in the classroom).
• Remember to use visual cues and techniques to shift your child's attention from one activity to another.
• Incorporate self-soothing and relaxation exercises into your daily class activities.
• Be prepared for crisis situations in the behavior of a child with ASD that are beyond your control. Do not try to “put pressure” on the child in these crises, do not fight with him, do not scold him - it is better to offer the possibility of space for calming down, a time-out.
• You may need the help and support of other specialists who will help develop an action plan in the event of difficulties in the child’s behavior and will be able to take care of the child in a resource class (teacher psychologist, defectologist, inclusive education methodologist, psychologist). Do not neglect the help of your colleagues and use all resources to increase the child’s adaptability in the inclusive space of the class or group.
• Use teaching technologies for a child with autism to make the interaction situation more transparent and understandable for him:

1) schedules, graphs, calendars that illustrate the sequence of actions and events;

2) pictures of classroom rules to remind you what you can and cannot do in the classroom;

3) a competently visually organized classroom environment, where objects and objects necessary for the child’s learning and interaction are labeled or accompanied by a picture, and the order of actions is also depicted;

4) presentations that visualize the explanation of a topic, a phenomenon or a task;

1. Replacing unwanted behavior with appropriate and appropriate behavior:

• Teach your child to interact in difficult social situations. For example, it is important to teach a child to ask for help (from a teacher, from another child); learn to express your requests; teach to express emotions in acceptable ways (teach a child with ASD to express his needs and experiences to the teacher and peers).
• Use child-specific social stories when teaching social skills. This technique helps people on the autism spectrum understand social situations. Social stories are developed individually for a particular child, taking into account his capabilities, using and understanding the impressions and events of his individual experience. When compiling a social history, it is important to present adequate social behavior of a situation in the form of a story, depicted using pictures that visualize the sequence of actions.

Example:

When the bell rings, you need to remove all objects from the desk (table).

I hear the bell ringing.

I stop my game (completing the task). I put all the items on the desk back in their place.

We are all waiting for the teacher to say that we can go to recess.

I am also waiting for the teacher’s permission so as not to disturb anyone.

My teacher is pleased that I calmly waited for his permission to go to recess.

The other children were also glad that I didn’t bother anyone, and we all went to rest together. Examples of social stories can be viewed on the website of the Foundation for Promoting Solving Autism Problems in Russia at the link https://outfund.ru/socialnye-istoriidlya-detej-s-autizmom/

When compiling social stories, it is important to use the following algorithm:

1) describe the social situation that causes difficulty for the child;

2) add to the description what should be expected from a particular situation, including text about the possible feelings, experiences and behavior the child demonstrates under such circumstances (usually fear, anxiety or irritation);

3) add to the description the child’s expected behavior that is adequate to the situation, indicating the reason why such behavior is important;

4) complete the story with reinforcement for achieving the desired behavior and its importance for all participants in the interaction.

• Teach your child social skills that will help him initiate communication and maintain contact. Teach your child to calm himself down before social acts that are disturbing to him, using relaxation and self-soothing methods.
• Teach your child specific games and activities that will relax him and shift his attention away from negative behavior.
• Avoid planning activities that require simultaneous engagement in both content learning and socializing. If the emphasis in the lesson is on working together with other children, then the tasks themselves should then be within the capabilities of the child with autism spectrum disorder. Tasks that require academic knowledge are best completed individually in a quiet place.
• Avoid overtiring your child.
• Try to maintain calm and a positive attitude yourself, as your irritation and anxiety can be transmitted to the child, aggravating his condition and behavior.

Technology to help a child with ASD develop self-control

It is very important to help your child learn to control himself. In addition to social stories, visualized cognitive rehearsal can be used to develop self-control skills. The algorithm for this method is as follows:

1. Identify the child's unwanted behavior that needs to be reduced (for example, the child screams loudly in response to certain sounds).
2. Determine what stimuli cause this unwanted behavior of the child (what kind of sounds cause such a reaction, what kind of noise or irritant). Provide your child with an alternative way to deal with the unpleasant stimulus. If a child is annoyed by noises and noises in the gym, let him put on special headphones before entering this gym that drown out extraneous noise.
3. Identify reinforcers that are pleasurable to the child. Give these reinforcers for “correcting” behavior, for being able to respond in an alternative way (this could be tokens or some kind of enjoyable activity that the child can do after gym class).
4. Rehearse this sequence using photographs and pictures so that your child knows what to do when he finds himself in a stressful situation. All photographs should be understandable to the child and symbolize for him a chain of events: stimuli leading him to undesirable behavior, alternative behavior, reinforcement.
5. The sequence of actions is learned by the child with the help of cognitive (mental) rehearsal, the instructor of which is a teacher, and the main material for rehearsal is a sequence of photographs. After mastering this sequence cognitively, it will be easier for the child to control his behavior in a stressful situation for him (when he hears a loud sound again) in reality.
6. Use this sequence in situations where your child begins to have problems with self-control; Keep the photos nearby so you can use them when needed.

Next, in Table 2, in one column, we present the main difficulties in the interaction of a teacher with a child with ASD, and in the other, possible recommendations for eliminating these difficulties.

Table 2.

Teacher eliminating difficulties when interacting with a child with ASD

Pattern properties

• Pattern is a stable category. It is easy to recognize because it is often repeated. As a rule, an unconsciously created behavior algorithm is rare and difficult to correct.
• The pattern can appear in whole or in part. In the latter case, experts call it a code. For example, when a person hears the name of a person he knows or the name of a vacation spot where he has been, he is overwhelmed by memories and emotions associated with them. So, when the code is spoken, the entire pattern is launched.
• Psychological patterns do not exist separately from each other. There is an innate pattern - a starting point. Others are layered on top of it. They combine with stereotypes and habits, shaping a person’s character and lifestyle.
• A person is constantly developing, accumulating experience, and self-improving. The pattern is transformed accordingly. What it is? For example, a person has become accustomed to isolation since childhood, but socialization is inevitable. He understands that for a harmonious life in society you need to make acquaintances, be able to conduct a dialogue with people, and be reciprocal. As new “skills” are mastered, a shift in behavior patterns occurs. However, some habits of the “old model” may still be active.

What to do? How to recognize a negative behavior pattern?

And in order to influence the result and reduce the stress reaction to an event, the first thing you need to do is:

1. Recognize situations in your life that cause you excessive stress.

When you are feeling very stressed, ask yourself, “What exactly is causing me stress?”

It is difficult to “scatter” the situation in your mind and understand who is right and who is wrong.

Therefore, I advise you to record your thoughts in writing. In a special diary or a separate file.

Second thing to do:

Trace the train of thoughts leading to a negative conclusion

Thoughts literally slip through like lightning. You don’t think them, but your subconscious does it for you. You just have to accept the result of the reaction as a given. This is called a behavior pattern .

Simply put, at some time in the past you used a negative reaction to an event several times. This reaction is fixed in your subconscious and becomes “natural”. And in the future, if a similar event happens, this reaction will take place “automatically” without your knowledge.

Where did the patterns come from?

Patterns are applied mechanically, even if they ultimately harm you.

This behavior mechanism was invented by evolution itself, so that you don’t have to control your reactions and actions every time. For example, when a predator is chasing you, you don’t think about whether to run or continue to bask in the sun. The decision is applied for you to save your life.

However, when we talk about patterns in the modern world, where the issue of survival fades into the background, in this case, you should have a higher level of awareness, different from animal instincts like “flight or die”, so that your life is manageable and therefore comfortable .

Social and individual patterns

Social patterns are patterns of behavior of people in society. In other words, these are certain actions that are repeated under certain circumstances. These include a handshake when meeting or a nod of the head, a wave of the hand when parting, etc. These examples, on the one hand, demonstrate typical patterns of behavior of any person in society, on the other hand, they speak about cultural experience. For example, in Japan, a common social pattern is to bow when meeting someone you know or respect.

Individual patterns, as a rule, include a person’s personal habits and preferences. Examples include the preference to start breakfast with a sip of tea or a bite of bread, putting on socks first, then trousers or a blouse, then a skirt.

What can they tell us about us and how can we use them?

A pattern is essentially a portrait of a person. Knowing what patterns a person is guided by, one can predict in advance how he will behave in a difficult and extreme situation, how he will react during a conflict, etc.

For example, if a friend regularly promises to help, but after a while forgets about his promises, this is a pattern . It can be assumed that you should not count on him in a difficult situation, since, in accordance with the dominant pattern of behavior, he can fail.

A person also tends to look for a partner who will allow him to realize the pattern .

For example, if a girl has an unconscious negative attitude that all men cheat, she will be expected to build relationships with guys who are prone to cheating.

Otherwise, the owner of the pattern will be forced to refute her basic template, and this will greatly disorient her in life. As a result, you will have to leave your comfort zone and develop a new, positive pattern.

Congenital and acquired patterns

Hereditary patterns are those behavioral characteristics that a person receives in the first minutes of his life. This is a genetic program that works at the level of instincts and reflexes. The innate pattern is given to a person by nature. This model comes in many forms. For example, the nutritional form is manifested in the process of sucking in an infant. Acquired patterns of behavior are the subsequent development of a person, his learning, the formation of worldview, habits, way of thinking, etc.

Sometimes there is confusion between innate and acquired patterns. So, when a child, just like one of the parents, performs some operation in a certain way, they talk about genetic similarity. In fact, this is just the result of imitation.

Positive and Negative Patterns

When a person has difficulties interacting with the outside world, he turns to a psychologist for help. After pouring out his soul and going through a series of tests, the patient often hears from a specialist: “this is your negative pattern.” What it is? The fact is that not all of our habits and ways of moving in society can be comfortable. Some behavioral patterns openly interfere with a person's life. There are people who are terrified of difficulties and therefore avoid them in every possible way. Others, on the contrary, are obsessed with the search for difficulties to the point of fanaticism, and ultimately face unpleasant consequences. All these are negative patterns that interfere with life and accumulate negative experiences. It is possible and necessary to combat such patterns, but sometimes it can be difficult. It is much easier to change something when the cause of all problems is clearly visible and understandable and the internal potential is adequately assessed.

Comfortable patterns are those patterns of behavior that help a person develop harmoniously and overcome obstacles. Their range extends from basic washing and shaking hands to the ability to compromise and friendliness.

Communication patterns

Since man is a social creature, his communication patterns are most developed. They can be determined in the reaction of facial expressions, the system of gestures, and elements of vocalization. It is quite obvious that when good news is announced, a person smiles, while bad news, he frowns. When a person is angry, he stomps his feet. When asking another person to hand over an object, he uses a pointing gesture. Even blind and deaf-mute children implement similar communication patterns without the possibility of imitating the model.

Is it possible to change the pattern?

Patterns of behavior are the basis of a person. They are very stable, so it is very difficult to change them or even get rid of them altogether. However, you can control the pattern. What it is? For example, a person develops some kind of phobia. He turns to a specialist for help. He, in turn, offers him a certain algorithm of actions, by performing which the patient learns to control his fears. He is not able to get rid of them forever, but he can change his “positions of power.”

The greatest interest is generated by experiments in replacing patterns with opposite ones. There is a known case when an introverted woman came to the famous psychotherapist Milton Erickson asking him to help her become a more open and friendly person. Based on the patient’s hobby—flower growing—Erickson advised her to purchase 200 pots of violets and care for them. As the sprouts began to take root, the woman was supposed to send a pot to friends and strangers on their birthday, engagement, wedding, or to someone who was sick. Caring for two hundred violets distracted the woman from her depressive thoughts, and she soon became the “queen of violets” in her state. From a withdrawn person prone to severe depression, this woman turned into a desirable, open and friendly person.

Reprogram old habits

An already learned habit can be changed. Just knowing how a habit is formed makes the process easier: for example, Columbia University and the University of Alberta conducted a series of experiments on developing an exercise habit. Half of the participants were told about the “habit loop” and asked to create triggers and rewards for themselves that would help them exercise regularly. Over the next four months, those participants who learned about the habit cycle and identified triggers and rewards spent twice as much time exercising as those who did not learn anything about habits.

Let's return to the rats from the University of Massachusetts experiment. When the reward was removed from the maze, the rats gave up their habit of running around in search of chocolate. But as soon as it was returned, the habit returned.

Why did it happen? Old habits are not forgotten, they are forever “hardwired” in the brain, and each repetition strengthens them. This explains why it is so difficult for us to give them up.

Charles Duhigg, a Pulitzer Prize winner for writing on technology companies and an iconic behavior designer, describes the “golden rule” of breaking bad habits this way: there is no point in trying to destroy them, you need to change them

.

“I developed a bad habit of going to the cafeteria every day and eating chocolate chip cookies,” Duhigg recalls of his own experience. — I put a note on the computer that said NO MORE COOKIES. But every day I managed to ignore this note.” It was not possible to give up cookies either with the help of notes or with an effort of will - but then Duhigg studied the habit loop and consciously replaced the habitual action and reward with less harmful ones.

To change a habit, Duhigg advises:

Define a habitual action.

For himself, Duhigg formulated the action this way: get up from work during the day, go to the cafeteria, buy chocolate chip cookies and eat them while chatting with friends.

Experiment with rewards.

Duhigg didn't know what brought him pleasure: the cookies themselves, the energy boost from the sugar in the cookies, or the temporary respite from work. He began to consistently experiment: feeling the urge to go out for cookies, on different days he walked around the block without eating anything; I bought a donut instead of cookies, then an apple, then coffee; Instead of the cafeteria, I went to chat in a friend’s office. Each time, after 15 minutes, he asked himself: Do I still want cookies? So Duhigg realized that he was not eating cookies because he was hungry - he just needed a break from work.

To get rid of an unwanted habit:

Find the trigger that starts the habit.

Triggers can be internal (hunger, boredom, sadness) and external (a notification on the phone, advertising, the smell of baking). Sometimes it is enough to select the right trigger for the desired behavior, and to get rid of the unwanted behavior, you need to remove the trigger that initiates it: for example, turn off the phone so that the trigger notification does not distract you from work.

Duhigg tried to figure out what the signal was for his daily walk to buy cookies. To do this, he asked himself the following questions in writing.

Where are you?

(Sitting at my desk)

What time is it now?

(3:36 pm)

What is your emotional state?

(Boring)

Who else is here?

(Nobody)

What actions preceded the impulse?

(Answered a letter)

After three days, Duhigg realized that the trigger was time. Every day he was drawn to cookies between 15:00 and 16:00.

Schedule a cycle for your new habit.

By understanding the routine, reward, and trigger, Duhigg built a new habit loop. He wrote:

“At 3:30 pm every day I will go to my partner and talk for 10 minutes.”

And set the alarm for 15:30. After a few weeks, the new habit became automatic, and Duhigg no longer craved cookies.

You don't have to tackle all your annoying habits at once. Sometimes it is enough to change one key habit, which will teach you to reprogram others. Such a habit could be exercise: for example, Duhigg mentions that regular physical activity not only improves eating behavior, but also inexplicably makes you use less credit cards.