Behavior Change

PAPER ASSIGNMENT

CHANGING BEHAVIOR

Behavioral psychologists have repeatedly demonstrated that most people can modify their

own behavior through the application of operant principles. The text authors delineate

some of the mechanisms involved in self control, such as self reinforcement and stimulus

control. The following exercise, outlines steps (suggested by Anthony Grasha), that will

allow you to experience directly the often, powerful effects of behavior change and

modification. You will be designing a program for yourself in order to change a behavior

that you would like to either increase, decrease or eliminate entirely.

1.

Identify a habit or behavior that you would like to

change

, either by decreasing it or

increasing it.

It could be a habit you want to eliminate like smoking, or a behavior

you want to increase, like studying more. Set a very specific goal to change that is

observable and measurable

.

a.

Don’t say “I want to get more exercise”; it’s too vague. You will need to

operationally define

“more exercise” and set a goal that is measurable and

observable; such as: “ I need to start jogging one mile every day”.

b.

Don’t say: “ I need to lose weight”; say “ I need to lose 10 pounds in 8 weeks.

c.

” Don’t say: “I need to cut back on my smoking”, say: “ I need to cut my

cigarette smoking from one pack a day to half a pack a day for three

consecutive months”;

d.

Don’t say: “I need to spend more time studying”, state “ I need to study at

least 1 hour a day, 5 times a week”.

2.

Measure your Baseline

– How often do you currently engage in the behavior or habit

you want to change? In other words, if you are trying to cut back or quit smoking

how many cigarettes are you smoking per day now, before you start on a change

program?

3.

Analyze your “triggers”

or environments that make your habitual behavior more

likely to occur

.

In other words:

a.

What

settings, people, or times of day or week trigger or stimulate your bad

habit or behavior to occur? (e.g. smoking, eating or drinking too much);

Or,

b.

What setting, people or times of day or week tend to prevent you from

engaging in the behavior or habit you want to increase? (e.g. studying or

exercising more).

c.

Also look if you have paired or associated two stimuli (e.g. the smell of coffee

triggers your cigarette craving).

4.

After analyzing these triggers, describe how you would avoid them or change them.

In other words, how would you control your environment so as to optimize your

success? How will you gain control over the settings that either trigger the bad

habits or prevent you from building good habits. Some people may smoke while

drinking coffee, so giving up coffee may help in changing the target behavior.

5.

Identify how you could use

classical conditioning

to change your behavior (eg. Pair a

noxious stimulus with a bad habit, or a pleasant sound or smell with a good habit

you want to build).

6.

Identify

operant conditioning

techniques such as:

PAPER ASSIGNMENT

CHANGING BEHAVIOR

Behavioral psychologists have repeatedly demonstrated that most people can modify their

own behavior through the application of operant principles. The text authors delineate

some of the mechanisms involved in self control, such as self reinforcement and stimulus

control. The following exercise, outlines steps (suggested by Anthony Grasha), that will

allow you to experience directly the often, powerful effects of behavior change and