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Cognitive modeling is one of the techniques based on cognitive behavior management, which involves the manipulation of antecedents (before response of the student) and consequences (after response of the student) to change both overt (external) and covert (internal [cognitive]) behavior. Cognitive modeling incorporates modeling plus some form of verbal rehearsal such as verbal mediation, self instruction, or problem-solving procedures. Students are active participants in the program and imitate as the model uses various types of verbal mediation. The students then rehearse the behaviors aloud, in a whisper, and silently. Cognitive modeling is often used to develop self-control in students.

Rationale

Overt behavior is a function of covert behavior. If you change covert behavior, the overt behavior will change. Moreover, overt behavior can be changed by modifying a person’s pattern of thoughts. Changing the way a student thinks about a task will change how the student approaches the task. For example, labeling the task as fun, sad, scary, and so on will determine whether the student attacks the task vigorously or approaches it reluctantly.

A student’s thoughts and perceptions are important since people often respond to a perceived, not necessarily real, environment. To rephrase an example from Mahoney (1974), a frightened airline passenger who hears the airplane engines often reacts not to the external stimulus (a loud noise after takeoff), but to the passenger’s perceptions (labeling) of the stimulus (“Oh no, we’ve lost an engine!”). The person’s overt behavior is altered only after the perceptions have been altered.

Implementation Phase

Cognitive modeling is implemented in the following steps:

  1. Cue the student into attending to both the physical and verbal action of the model. As the initial step in their cognitive modeling procedures Camp and Bash (1978, p. 28) announced to the students, “We’re going to play copycat”.
  2. Select one or more of the following verbal recitation procedures: (a) the model (teacher) describes the model’s feeling as the task is completed; (b) the model describes the step-by-step procedures necessary to complete the task (self- instruction); and (c) the model describes the problem-solving strategies used. The following procedure – employing problem solving, self reinforcement, and self-instruction – is a strategy that has been used successfully by Camp and Bash (1974) with aggressive students. In this procedure, the model defines the problem (What does the teacher want me to do? Oh yes, the teacher wants me to … or I must . . . ), lists the possible solutions (Oh yes, I can do … or … ), mentions some appropriate general behaviors (I must remember to write neatly, color slowly, etc.), selects the solution (I plan to do . . . ), evaluates (Oh yes, I did well to remember to stay in the line, etc.), and self-reinforces (Oh yes, I did a great job). It may be necessary to add questions to the evaluation procedures since most students responded tersely with a yes or no answer to the general question “How did I do?” They found questions such as “Did I follow my plan?”, “How does it make me feel?”, “Is it safe?”, and “Is it fair to me and others?” assisted in the students’ understanding of the evaluation process.
  3. Direct the students to copy the model’s statements aloud as they complete the task with the model.
  4. Instruct the students to rehearse the model’s verbalization while thinking aloud without the teacher’s help.
  5. Direct the students to whisper the self-verbalizations as they complete the task.
  6. Direct the students to perform the verbalizations and the task via private speech [speaking only to themselves].
  7. Evaluate with the students how well they copied the verbal and physical actions of the model and how well they evaluated their own performances. This step is particularly important for students who have trouble making behavioral evaluation.
  8. Socially praise or reinforce the students in various ways throughout the process. Many students require reinforcement to imitate the model.

Practical Application

After being exposed to the cognitive modeling strategy in a university class, a graduate student [Mentor] used cognitive modeling procedures during a summer practicum to teach second graders to complete worksheets independently without constantly interrupting the teacher while the teacher was working with others. The Mentor first gave each student a worksheet and proceeded to cue the students into attending with statements such as: “Look at me. Let’s think aloud to help us do this paper. My turn first. Listen. “The Mentor then defined the problem with questions such as “What does the teacher want?” and with answers such as “She wants me to mark the pictures with long vowels.” Next the Mentor demonstrated the solutions, saying “Oh yes, first I look at the first picture. It’s a hat. Then I decide whether I hear a long sound. The long sounds are … Oh, I must remember to go slowly and be careful.” The Mentor continued in that manner until the page was completed. The Mentor then evaluated by asking questions and self-reinforced with “Gee, I did a good job. Everything is so neat.”

The students proceeded through the sheet with directions from the Mentor. Then they did the same sheet over and practiced aloud. This was followed by whispering and finally silent rehearsal. Throughout the process the Mentor reinforced the students with praise for following directions, evaluating the task, and so on.

Over the course of the summer school, the students learned to ask and answer questions without a model or teacher assistance. More students completed the worksheets independently. They were also better able to offer various solutions when the teacher presented them with problems not directly connected to the worksheets.

Lawrence (Eaton & Hansen, 1978) employed a mediating written model to decrease talking-out behavior. For each talking out the student was required to copy a paragraph that stated the consequences of the talking outs (interrupts work), a solution (quiet during work time), and evaluation of the solution (people will like me more, and both they and I will finish work). Lawrence found the number of talking outs decreased significantly.

Advantages

The advantages of cognitive modeling are:

  • With this technique, students learn behaviors, such as solving problems, that are necessary throughout life.
  • The technique does not require expensive material.
  • Students save time in learning because they learn through observation, not through trial and error.
  • Cognitive modeling is a behavior familiar to most teachers; consequently it requires minimal learning of new skills.
  • In cognitive modeling students are taught to manage their own behaviors.

Disadvantages

The disadvantages of cognitive modeling are:

  • The amount of time for skill practice decreases as more time is devoted to verbal rehearsal.
  • Verbalization does not ensure that the task will be completed.
  • The usefulness of the verbal rehearsal is limited for nonverbal students.
  • Cognitive modeling requires a student to attend and to organize information. For many students, especially emotionally handicapped (EH) students, the teacher will more than likely need to teach these skills first.
  • It may be difficult to select the correct skill since students become easily bored with verbalizations if the task is too easy.

Summary

Cognitive modeling is a relatively new strategy that is often used to teach students self-control skills. The strategy provides teachers with options, although most of the procedures require the students to rehearse the verbal input aloud, then in a whisper, and, finally, with silent speech.

Two available commercial programs are: (1) Think Aloud, by Camp and Bash (1978), and (2) Social Adjustment for Young Students: A Cognitive Approach to Solving Real-Life Problems, by Spivack and Shure (1974). Both programs use modeling and direct instruction. Both programs include such topics as understanding cause and effect, increasing the repertoire of evaluation strategies, increasing generalization to real-life social situations, and increasing the repertoire of solution alternatives. The Spivack and Shure program was written for students four and five years of age. The Bash and Camp program was developed for aggressive first and second graders. Cognitive modeling is an exciting strategy because it merges the management of inner thought and overt behavior.

The interested reader can also investigate Cogntive Behavioral Therapy for Impulsive Children by Kendall and Braswell (1985), particularly Chapter 5 which outlines the Basic Ingredients of Problem Solving, Self Instruction, Behavior Contingencies and Modeling. See also, CBT#21 – Self Verbalization which was built from material in this book.