Final answer:
Behavior therapists decrease maladaptive behaviors through punishment and the promotion of adaptive behaviors using classical and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning is about creating associations, while operant conditioning modifies behavior through consequences like reinforcements and punishments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Behavior therapists use classical conditioning techniques to decrease maladaptive behaviors by associating a maladaptive behavior with a punishment and by replacing the maladaptive behavior with a more adaptive one. In the realm of psychology, particularly behavioral therapy, the techniques of classical and operant conditioning are employed strategically to modify behavior. Classical conditioning involves learning through association, whereby an initially neutral stimulus becomes associated with a significant outcome, eliciting a conditioned response.
On the other hand, operant conditioning focuses on modifying the behavior by adding consequences after the behavior is exhibited. These consequences could be reinforcements, which increase the likelihood of the behavior occurring again, or punishments, which decrease its likelihood. Tactics for behavior modification in children and animals alike often utilize operant conditioning principles, effectively reshaping desired behaviors through a system of rewards and consequences.