So CarolC, if I understand correctly, you are saying that by removing the emotional response to ... for argument's sake let's stick with your example ....

...you are saying that in response to not being able to read person X's mind with regard to watering the plants...

... if person Y, who didn't read person X's mind, removed the feeling of victimization from the response, the behavior of expecting person Y to read person X's mind would diminish?......

...even if person Y went ahead and watered the plants anyway? Wouldn't the response of watering the plants - with or without the feeling of victimization - reinforce the expectation for person Y to read person X's mind?

I can sort of see how the behavior would diminish if person Y removed the feeling of victimization and did not read person X's mind and didn't water the plants.

The behavioral model predicts that the behavior would eventually become extinct (but allowing for other dynamics operating at the same time that the model doesn't take into account, other negative behaviors might arise to take its place. We can leave speculation about what shape those negative behaviors might take up to the individual's imagination)....

I was always fascinated with behavioral psychology, but wondered how well it would work in situations such as relationships where many daynamics are operating.

Boring, dry, dull, technical stuff. But if someone could come up with a therapy or whatever that would be applicable across many situations in which any number of dynamics might be working at any time, then.........???