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Chapter 27 |
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Chapter Summary
We tend to assign causal states to events that precede behavior. When causal variables are not apparent in the immediate environment, the tendency to resort to internal causes, such as willpower or drive, is strong. However, these hypothetical constructs do little to actually help us understand the behaviors they claim to explain and instead lead to circular reasoning. Skinner (1953) was the first to apply the philosophy and theory of radical behaviorism to actions considered to be controlled by the self, and he conceptualized self-control as a two-response phenomenon: the controlling response and the controlled response. The controlling response affects the variables in such a way as to change the probability of the other behavior, the controlled response.
Self-management is defined as the personal application of behavior change tactics that produces a desired change in behavior. The term self-control is also used to refer to this type of behavior change program. However, self-control as a term implies several additional constructs beyond the reference of a person acting in some way in order to change subsequent behavior. Self-management is a relative concept—a behavior change program may necessitate a small level of self-management or a wide-spanned scale of self-management. Self-management can be used to live a more effective and efficient daily life, break bad habits and acquire new ones, accomplish difficult tasks, and achieve personal goals. Learning and teaching self-management skills have many advantages and benefits to the individual actually learning or implementing the skills, those teaching it, and others who may benefit from the individual’s use of the skills. One categorization of self-management tactics involves the manipulation of stimuli antecedent to the target behavior and is collectively referred to as antecedent-based self-management tactics.
Self-monitoring is often a component of a self-management program and is the procedure by which a person observes and responds to the behavior she is trying to change. Self-monitoring was originally developed as a method of clinical assessment for behaviors that were thought to be observable only by the client herself. Self-monitoring is frequently combined with additional strategies such as goal setting, self-evaluation, and reinforcement delivered for meeting predetermined criteria. It is difficult to determine exactly how it works since it is confounded by private events. Even so, self-monitoring is a widely applicable tactic useful for individuals of varying ages and abilities as well as across a wide range of behaviors. The chapter provides several suggestions for effective use and implementation of self-monitoring.
Self-administered consequences are not synonymous with self-reinforcement or self-punishment because the variables influencing the controlling response make self-management strategies more than an application of operant reinforcement. Self-administered consequences analogous to positive and negative reinforcement and positive and negative punishment can be incorporated into self-management programs. The chapter details several suggestions for promoting the success of these consequences.
In addition to self-management and self-monitoring there are other types of self-management tactics. These include self-instruction, habit reversal, systematic desensitization, and massed practice. Each tactic varies in the exact procedures for implementing the self-management process, but the reference of a person acting in some way in order to change subsequent behavior remains constant.
Implementing a self-management program can have a great impact on the target behavior. Six steps are recommended for designing and implementing an effective self-management program. By following the six steps as well as other considerations outlined in the chapter, self-management can be a very effective behavior change tactic.
Chapter Objectives