Abstract
The
commencement of any political, ethnic and or religious intolerance in Nigeria is traceable to one or some acclaimed leaders who have and nurture an obnoxious ideology
of a kind and possibly sells same to people. This opinion paper holds that such
people and even those who buy the ideas from them need conselling and in
particular, behavioral therapies.
Procedural behavior modification programmes
can be used as panacea to changing these ugly trends in the society to a better
state where every one knows the value of truth, worth and dignity of man, respect
for life and due regards to other people’s religion, beliefs and culture.
Correcting the peoples’ ethnic and religious intolerance through behaviour
therapies will induce an enduring and sustainable co-existence, filial respect
for diverse cultures and national development in Nigeria.
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Introduction
In
Nigeria, a good part of our behaviors are environmentally influenced.
Acquisition of behavioural traits and characteristics can therefore be a matter
of who you are, what you are, where you are and how you interact with people.
The implication is that behavioural traits can be picked and can be dropped,
depending on circumstances and the environment. Omebe (2005) writes that many
behavior problems are learned and can as well be unlearned, can be changed or
successfully maintained over time. Those ones which are usually rewarded tend
to be repeated and those that receive no rewards, tend to be eliminated. The
indication is that, no type of unwanted behaviour can not be dropped, if the
behaviourist is properly counselled.
Some
people can grow up as religious or ethnic fanatics but when taken to places
where such behaviour traits are de-emphasized, the behavior tends to wane. Where
however, the individual finds himself in the midst of other fanatics, he could
grow to be lethal and violent and as well, plant seeds of discord as much as he
can be allowed. In the face of such characteristics, behavior therapies can be
used to reshape the persons’ ideas, constructs and focus. Behavior therapy is
also known as behavior modification and cognitive behavioural therapy. Behavior
therapy involves all concerted efforts directed at impressing on a defiantly
characterized fellow in order to turn a new leaf and live in such a way that it
would not constitute nuisance to people around him.
Behaviour
Some
human behaviours are observable while some are unobservable. A good part of
what builds up ones personality can be traced to be part of the behavioural
processes. These behaviours at times are in forms of activities but the
important thing is that it represents ones feelings, ideas or principles.
Behaviour therefore can be described as any activity of man which is usually
induced by ideas. It can be learnt and or unlearnt. It can be exhibited and
clearly observed and such is described as overt behavior. Some of the
behavioural traits can occur at a very high frequency and can easily be
recorded and that used as basis for an individuals’ characteristics or
personality. Thus laughter, talking, neatness, etc. can easily be observed.
Mental processes, thinking and feelings can not be observed. A good part of
these are engineered by physio-psychological processes or environmental factors
and are thus regarded as covert behavior.
Thus,
Spielger and Guevremont (2010) write that accessing overt behaviours is
relatively straight forward because they are directly observable unlike the
assessment of covert behaviours which are inferred from overt behaviours. We
learn of other peoples covert behaviours when they tell us about their thoughts
and feelings and by observing what the person does and inferring from his or
her overt actions. For example missing an appointment (overt behavior) might be
an anchor for forgetting (covert behavior). Behaviours according to Essuman,
Nwaogu and Nwachukwu (1990) can be classified into three types, viz:
respondent, operant and learned behaviours.
Respondent
behaviours
These
constitute reflex behaviours that occur as a result of stimuli. Most of these
behaviours are genetically determined because they only happen as a result of
their being elicited by other known stimuli.
Operant
behavior
These
behaviours operate in the environment to generate consequences. They are
emitted responses not elicited by any stimuli. They are practically, the
natural behaviours of the organism which are freely emitted like smiling,
laughing, walking, etc.
Learned
behaviours
These
are typical behavioural patterns that can both be desirable or undesirable
which are often governed by particular consequences of what is next, after the
behavior has occurred. They are usually learnt in the environment.
Conclusion
All
the ethnic and religious groups in Nigeria need each other. Kubber-Ross
(1970:4) wrote that “a husband and wife may have been fighting for years but
when the partner dies, the survivor will pull the hair, whine and cry louder
and beat the chest in regret, fear and anguish and will hence fear his own
death more than before still believing in the law of an eye for an eye; a tooth
for a tooth….I am responsible for the death I will have to die a pitiful death
in retribution”. Any thing that goes around comes around.
Therapists
should do some task analysis and know when and how to apply which therapeutic
processes and procedures on whom. Good assessment of events and situations can
dictate the need for such therapeutics. Good awareness and educative programmes
should be availed to people with good aversive training techniques. Good
behavior control approach which Kadzin (1989) expresses, represent explicit
attempts to alter specific behaviours in the context of education, treatment
and rehabilitation of every day life. Lastly a basic feature of behavior
modification programmes is the confident delivery of reinforcing events to alter
behaviour. This should be the watchword.
REFERENCES
Aja-Akpuru,
A (1997). Theory and practice of Marxism in a world in transition.
Abakaliki: WAP publishers.
Craighead,
W.E., Kadzin, A. E & Mahoney, M. J. (1976). Behavior modification:
principles, issues and applications. Boston: Houghton Miflin.
Egbo, J.O.E (2012). Ideology and value system: implication
for counselling for indigenous values and norms. The Tertiary Counsellor.
Vol. 1 (1) 31-43.
Essuman,
J.K, Nwaogu, P.O. and Nwachukwu, V.C (1990) Principles and techniques of
behaviour modification. Owerri: International Universities.
Goleman,
D. (1999). Working with emotional in applied settings. California:
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Omebe,
S.E.(2005). Guidance and counselling: a comprehensive approach. Enugu: Chester
Books.
Rubber
–Kuss, E. (1970) On death and dying: what the dying have to teach doctors, nurses, clergy
and their own families. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
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