Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Modeling in Therapy

Modeling in Therapy

Modeling, a key technique in therapy, uses observational learning to help clients acquire and practice new skills by watching therapists demonstrate desired behaviors. This approach, rooted in Albert Bandura's concept of vicarious learning, plays a significant role in therapeutic interventions for various psychological conditions, including social anxiety, ADHD, and depression.
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in situations...

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.

Operant Conditioning Intervention

Operant Conditioning Intervention

Operant conditioning serves as a foundational principle in therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive behaviors. Central to this approach is the notion that behaviors, both adaptive and maladaptive, are learned through reinforcement. By analyzing the environmental factors that reinforce problematic behaviors, clinicians can design interventions to weaken these reinforcements and replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives.
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...

Primary and Secondary Reinforcers

Primary and Secondary Reinforcers

In psychology, reinforcement is a key concept in behavior modification. B.F. Skinner demonstrated this with his experiments involving rats in what is known as a Skinner box. The rats learned to press a lever to receive food, a primary reinforcer that fulfilled their innate need for nourishment.
Effective reinforcers for humans vary depending on the individual and the context. Primary reinforcers, such as food, water, sleep, shelter, and pleasure, have inherent value and satisfy basic biological...

Behavior Modification

Behavior Modification

Behavioral approaches have often been criticized for ignoring mental processes and focusing solely on observable behavior. However, these approaches provide an optimistic perspective for individuals seeking to change their behaviors. Rather than concentrating on intrinsic personality traits, behavioral approaches suggest that even longstanding habits can be modified by changing the reward contingencies that maintain them.
A real-world application of operant conditioning principles is applied...

Automatic Processing and Automatic Social Behavior

Automatic Processing and Automatic Social Behavior

Automatic processing refers to the cognitive operations that occur without conscious intent or awareness, playing a fundamental role in shaping social cognition and behavior. These processes enable individuals to navigate complex social environments efficiently by relying on mental shortcuts and pre-existing knowledge structures known as schemas. One of the most influential mechanisms underlying automatic processing is priming, which subtly activates mental representations through exposure to...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

"Dense Amygdala": Extensive Complex-valued Functional MRI of the Ventral and Medial Temporal Lobe during Passive Movie Watching in Three Individuals.

Scientific data·2026

Same author

Investigating the Structure of Emotion: Tools, Pitfalls and Recommendations.

Affective science·2026

Same author

Unsupervised mapping of causal relations between brain lesions and behavior.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Same author

Variability and stability of autistic traits in the general population: A systematic comparison between online and in-lab samples.

Personality neuroscience·2025

Same author

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Behavioral and Emotional Problems in Adolescents With and Without Autism.

Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBP·2025

Same author

Changes in Autism Traits from Early Childhood to Adolescence in the Study to Explore Early Development.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

An Electrophysiology Protocol to Measure Reward Anticipation and Processing in Children

An Electrophysiology Protocol to Measure Reward Anticipation and Processing in Children

Published on: October 4, 2018

Reward processing in autism: a thematic series.

Gabriel Dichter¹, Ralph Adolphs

¹Department of Psychiatry and the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA. dichter@biac.duke.edu.

Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

|September 11, 2012

Summary

This research explores autism through the lens of reward processing deficits, suggesting altered brain reward circuitry impacts learning and behavior. This novel framework may offer new therapeutic insights for autism spectrum disorder.

More Related Videos

A Familiarization Protocol Facilitates the Participation of Children with ASD in Electrophysiological Research

A Familiarization Protocol Facilitates the Participation of Children with ASD in Electrophysiological Research

Published on: July 31, 2017

Strategies for Assessing Autistic-Like Behaviors in Mice

Strategies for Assessing Autistic-Like Behaviors in Mice

Published on: September 20, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 18, 2026

An Electrophysiology Protocol to Measure Reward Anticipation and Processing in Children

An Electrophysiology Protocol to Measure Reward Anticipation and Processing in Children

Published on: October 4, 2018

A Familiarization Protocol Facilitates the Participation of Children with ASD in Electrophysiological Research

A Familiarization Protocol Facilitates the Participation of Children with ASD in Electrophysiological Research

Published on: July 31, 2017

Strategies for Assessing Autistic-Like Behaviors in Mice

Strategies for Assessing Autistic-Like Behaviors in Mice

Published on: September 20, 2024

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Psychology
Psychiatry

Background:

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) core symptoms are not traditionally linked to reward processing.
Brain reward circuitry is crucial for social and nonsocial learning and behavior.
Emerging data indicate abnormal reward responses in individuals with autism.

Purpose of the Study:

To present theoretical and empirical research on autism through the perspective of reward processing deficits.
To highlight the role of brain reward circuitry in autism pathophysiology.
To explore potential therapeutic implications of this novel framework.

Main Methods:

Thematic series compiling theoretical and empirical papers.
Review of existing clinical data and neurobiological findings.
Focus on behavioral and neurobiological responses to rewards in autism.

Main Results:

Reward processing deficits offer a new perspective on understanding autism.
Altered brain reward circuitry influences learning and behavior in ASD.
Social stimuli may be processed similarly to primary rewards in typical development, but differently in autism.

Conclusions:

Viewing autism through the lens of reward processing deficits can elucidate pathophysiology.
This framework may lead to novel therapeutic strategies for autism spectrum disorder.
Further research is needed to fully understand the implications of reward processing in autism.