Please use this to comment on your reading for sec 4.3.
1) I'll leave it up to you about what and how you would like to comment, however I would ask that you attempt to write using behavioral terms.
2) Discuss the goals that you have related to your behavioral project in terms of the material in section 4.3.
1) I really liked section 4.3 as it was simply structured and really applicable to one's life. I especially related to the intro, specifically the quote: "Most people aim at nothing in life and hit it with amazing accuracy." People can affect the course of their lives by determining where we want to go in life and what we want to do. As this section iterates, being realistic, acknowledging a timeframe, achievability, having subgoals, manageability/disruptiveness, having a support base, etc. are all important facets of setting a goal. Personally, when my goals fail, I think it is because they just aren't manageable and conflict with other goals (such as homework and achieving a 4.0). Whether it is eating healthier or working out, I need to develop a timeframe and have subgoals to help reinforce my behaviors (which are often tempted by my environment--whether hanging with friends and drinking, McDonald's, etc.). I really do believe in the importance of goals, especially one's which come to be from intrinsic motivation. For example, I am a perfectionist at heart--thus to satisfy my physiological and psychological need, I strive for straight A's every semester. I'm strange, I know, but I can't help it. I also believe it's related to one of my long-term goals to teach and coach at secondary and postsecondary schools--which leads me to the second part of this comment...
2)In my behavioral project, I would like to become more physcially fit, setting a goal to work out at least 3 times a week for 60 mins. and eat a healthy high protein diet consisting of 175-200 grams of protein. I think the goal is realistic and to be analyzed within a month-to-month timeline, full of subgoals to gain 5 pounds in a month and/or lost 2% body fat. The one element I am worried about is my ability to manage my time and incorporate the behaviors associated with my goal within other ongoing goals, etc. My plan is to start waking up 1.5 hours earlier to help counter this. For these goals to be achieved, my drinking habits will have to be stemmed--which hopefully Spring Break will take of!
1) I thought the goal-setting guidelines that were laid out in this section were very helpful. They are extremely practical to the person who is trying to set a goal that can actually be accomplished. I think the best one for me to be reminded of was to be realistic. It seems like this may be one of the most common hindrances for people when they are setting goals. Often I am so far from where I want to be with my behavior that I think I can alter that in one giant step, or at least that would be my preferred method. However, this is rarely realistic, and it usually has ended up in failure for me. I need positive reinforcement in order to continue, and if my behavior is so far-fetched that I have no hope of attaining the reinforcement, then my behavior will not change. I also related to the disruptive discussion. A few times in my life I have given up desserts. However, it often seems that the disruptions are so great that it's almost like I'm being punished more than I'm being reinforced. I will get punished with having to be rude when offered desserts or being questioned a lot by friends. It is important when trying to emit a new behavior that that new behavior be reinforced more than it is punished.
2) The goals that I have for my behavioral project involve drinking a cup of water with meals, after workouts, and during classes. The things I discussed in the previous paragraph are relevant to my drinking of water, but one that really stuck out to me was the support base. It is very important for me to have people around me who are aware of my goal and who can hold me accountable for what I'm trying to do. If my roommate asks me how my water drinking is going, I will be more likely to do it then if I'm not. In a way, being able to tell her that I am doing well at it is a type of positive reinforcement. I am reinforced by feeling good when I am able to answer affirmatively.
Terms: positive reinforcement, punishment, emit
1.)I really liked section 4.3. I thought it was an easy read and straight to the point. I think it is very important to be realistic about your goals in life. I think too many people aim for higher than they should and end up with disappointment. Or don’t aim at all and are disappointed with what they get. I thought the example about the nuns was very interesting. I think that kind of behavior happens all the time. You see people reaching for dreams that you think are unrealistic, so you don’t support them. But when they get close to reaching that goal, people are suddenly supportive. I know as children, it is very our goals or dreams are very unrealistic, but as we get older it is important to be more specific about our goals.
I also thought timeframe and sub goals were very interesting. People need to have these so that they don’t get too far ahead of themselves. One of my goals in life to get my master’s and maybe a PhD, but I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. I have broken down this goal into steps. First all I thought about was just completely high school. Now, I am just thinking about completely college. I think it also feels better to have sub goals because then you have “goals” that you can reach along the way and it feels good.
This section also talked about making your goals achievable and making sure you have the ability achieve them. I think I already knew most of this, but it was good seeing it in words and having examples. As I stated earlier one of my goals is to get my master’s. Well in order to do that I need to go to college. This goal had to be achievable because it isn’t cheap to go to college – I had to get the money part squared away first.
I learned that managing, disrupting, maintenance, and support base also affect a person from reaching his or her goal. I am sure that I have thought about this before, but never really spent much time with it. I liked how these, along with the others, were broken down and had exercises to do for each one. This section made you think more about setting goals, how to achieve them, and what might get in the way.
2.)In relation to this section, I have been able to apply some of these to my behavioral project. My goal was to create better study habits. After reading this section, I have realized a lot of things. I believe that my goal is specific and realistic. I know exactly how I want to do it. I know that I have the timeframe to do this in. Within my goal I have 3 sub goals. One of my sub goals was to read over my notes each day. I realize that I will have to manage my time to do this and there may be some pitfalls that I will have to work around. To do this, I plan on setting aside 30 minutes to an hour each day for my classes. Another goal of mine was to complete my study guides before the exam. To do this I will also need to manage my time between other things to make sure it gets done. I will preferably try to spend half an hour to an hour trying to get it caught up with the notes. My last one is to read the assigned readings and take notes. To do this I will also need time management. I may also have a few disruptions or pitfalls that I may need to work around.
1) I really liked this section because it's another section that is helping us and building us up for our project. What you say in the packet for some guidelines is extremely true and your goals need to be realistic. Emitting behaviors of training to become the winner of the track olympics at the age of 65 is not a very realistic goal behavior. Something that kind of worried me is a phrase that you used that if you don't aim for anything you won't achieve anything, and I don't have anything I want to aim for in the future! I have subgoals I suppose to getting somewhere in life (graduating to get a job for example), but I'm just not sure what I want to do with my life. Last thing I thought about this section is that I was surprised at myself to think that I didn't even wonder about the disruptions one can have while having a goal behavior. If you emit the behavior of running, you may come into a consequence of your legs getting sore which could definitely be a disruption to your training. That's why I don't run:)
2) Some of my goals that are related for my behavioral project is going to bed earlier. Though I royally sucked last night (and got the reinforcement of being super tired today), I am going to continue not to go out and drink until Thursday, and hopefully I will be reinforced by people who think I don't look half dead because I got so much sleep! A sub goal of mine would be getting everything I need to get done before 10 pm.
1) I liked 4.3 a lot. It tells us to remember that our goals should be acheivable, realistic, and within our ability. I'd like to be able to run for miles, but that will take a lot of time and dedication and with work and trying to get good grades in school most of the time I my scehdule is full so I would not be able to invest a lot of time into training myself to run long distances and would eventually give up on that goal.
2) My goal of trying to eat healthier for the behavioral project can be broken down into different sub goals: Eat a serving of fruit and/or vegetables at each meal, aviod fast food restaraunts, aviod sugary foods, and eat smaller portions. I have the ability to make healthy food choices, however my weak will power and my affinity for cookies may make managing my goal a bit difficult.
1. I found this section very interesting and personally applicable to my life. It caused me to reassess many of the goals that I either consciously or subconsciously set for myself. I have been doing a lot of thinking/reflecting this semester (probably because it is my last semester of undergrad classes) about the expectations that I have or have had for myself during my entire college career. When I read through the goal setting guidelines, I realized that some of the expectations I have had for myself have not been entirely realistic and that I tend not to set sub goals for myself. I tend to focus on the overall goal (like maintaining a 3.5+ GPA) and become overwhelmed and/or discouraged when I get a poor grade on an exam or an assignment. However, I am wondering if getting good grades on assignments/exams could be considered a sub goal? Is that sort of my way of breaking down my overall goal into smaller goals over the course of the semester?
2. As I read through this section, I did some thinking about my goal for the behavioral project. I did some mental assessment and realized that I have the time and ability to achieve the goal of getting my homework completed on time. However, I need to realign my life schedule so that I am actually making time for my homework. I also need to surround myself with people who will provide support for my behavior of completing my homework on time. I also need to be realistic and provide my self with positive reinforcement for getting my homework done ON TIME ... by doing something like baking cookies that I can use to provide Dr. M and other people with positive reinforcement/bribes. :-)
1) Section 4.3 is my favorite chapter so far in that it helped me step by step to look at my goal and analyze it. I was able to comprehend and apply what I learned from the chapter to my goal.
For the goal setting guidelines:
-Be realistic: I think all too often, we take on things we think we can do but really can't do, especially in such a short timeframe. This was a good reminder for me!
-Timeframe: When I was thinking about this part of the section, I was not thinking about my goal of flossing but my side for losing weight. I've always tried to lose so much weight in a short amount of time. Obviously, it doesn't work like that. That is why I liked the idea of subgoals. I could see myself setting a goal to lose a couple pounds in a wider spread time. This way, I will feel reinforced to continue losing weight once I've reached my small goals.
-Achievable: When I think about losing weight, I say it is possible although I might have a big food holiday coming up. Realistically, I know I'll give in to food but I still say I can do it. In that, I need to create a goal that is manageable for my lifestyle. I need to have proper reinforcers that I stick to and abide by.
2) My desired behavior is to floss every night.
Is this realistic? I would say so. I have the floss to use, the mirror to go "awww" to as I am flossing, and the ability to do it. My timeframe is technically for the rest of my life. I want to do this to better the condition of my teeth or at least prevent them from getting worse. I don't feel I need subgoals for flossing because I will not see the results until the next time I go to the dentist. My goal is achievable and I have the ability to complete this "complicated" task of flossing my teeth. Flossing my teeth is manageable in that I can fit it in to my lifestyle. I need to get ready for bed and now what I need to do is make that part of my bed routine. Maintenance will not be a problem as long as I keep a supply of floss in the house. I don't need a support base. I feel that I have chosen a goal that meets the criteria to the section.
1) Section 4.3 was very beneficial in helping me realize how I need to set up my goals and the steps I need to work toward in order to attain them. I thought Jim Cathcart's quote "Most people aim at nothing in life and hit it with amazing accuracy" is a very true statement. This quote is very motivational for people to set goals. If we are intrinsically motivated to set goals, it makes it easier for us to emit the behaviors necessary to obtain all the sub goals on the way to obtaining the overall goal. However, it is much easier to come up with a goal than actually working towards it and completing it. Goals need to be realistic in the sense that they fit one's abilities and lifestyle. There needs to be an alloted time that allows for the goal to be achieved. It is important to set goals within reach, and having a strong supportive system that will positively praise and reinforce one's achievement.
2) For my goal of exercising more frequently, I think it qualifies for all the goal setting guidelines. It is definitely realistic. The timeframe for my goal is sort of an ongoing process so it is achievable, but not all in one week or month. It has to become a habit, which takes time and repetition to reach. There are sub goals along the way, such as starting off small to reach my desired amount of physical activity per week. In addition, I hope to see results physically from my increased amount of exercise. My goal is within my abilities and it is achievable if I allot more time for it. It is also manageable, I just need to start incorporating it into my daily routine, such as waking up a couple hours earlier each day or finding time inbetween classes. It could be disruptive in some aspects, with spring break coming up and a busy work schedule, but if I allow more time for it I should be able to fit it into my routine without much disruption. Maintenance should be easy once it becomes a habit, because I will want to keep up my weekly routine. And lasty, as for my support base, I'm sure most of my friends have a similar goal; therefore we could exercise together or motivate each other to go to the gym. Ultimately, my instrinsic motivation should be enough to get me there and push toward my goal.
1) I liked this section on the importance of goals. I think it was nice to read because everyone can relate to goals; we've been making them since we were in elementary school, and many people throughout our lives have stressed the importance of making them and achieving them. I think it's important to point out that goals should be realistic, achievable, and manageable. You do not want to set a goal that you are unable to reach because it takes up too much time or it is outside of your abilities. You want to set a goal that you are able to reach so you can feel that sense of accomplishment. It is also important to consider whether or not the goal is disruptive. You don't want to set a goal that is too disruptive and you are not able to handle. Support from you family and friends is also very important because that support gives you even more ambition to achieve that goal. I don't know what I would do without my family and friends supporting me with all of my goals throughout my life.
2) I think my goal on completing at least 2 hours of homework per night meets all of the necessary guidelines discussed throughout section 4.3. It is very realistic; I'm a student, so I have plenty of homework and time at night to complete it. My goal is also something that can be done throughout the rest of the semester; I'm not limited in that sense. It is also very manageable because I have a lot of free time or wasted time at night that I could be using to do more homework, but I choose not to because it is not something anyone necessarily wants to do. This goal is definitely not disruptive because I already need to do homework, so it fits in nicely with me being a full-time student and having a lot of homework my last semester at UNI. I think my goal suits me well.
I really liked this section. Either goals aren't a hard concept to understand, or did you a great job of explaining it. It was nice to be able to apply the goals/examples to ourselves or people we know. I really liked the importance of other people supporting your goals as well, as long as they seem obtainable.
My goals for my behavioral project include doing homework for at least 2 hours every night. I think this can be easily achieved because not only am I student, I'd really like to do well on my homework so that I can get my GPA up. This is a goal that can be easily tracked, easily achieved and is obtainable. Another goal that I have is to raise my GPA. That is more of a long term goal, but my goal of doing homework for 2 hours every week night will help me get to my long term goal of a 3.0
1. I thought that the structure of section 4.3 was perfect for what was discussed within that section. The examples were just right and as such it was pretty easy for me to come up with my own examples as required in the text. I think that when many people arrive at a decision about what they are going to do about something, maybe a life situation maybe other they don’t take the time to consider all the careful steps that need to be implemented to reach said goals. One section I did like was the section about achievement and ability. In my organizational psych class we are talking about job satisfaction and the culture of the environment. In this we talk about P-E Fit and as such the values and abilities one places on a job. In this I see much the same with setting goals, the way you value those goals and as such your ability to arrive at those goals. I especially like the examples on maintenance of goals and the support structure you have in place to help you stay strong when striving for those goals. I know have a very strong family with which I wouldn’t be here in school today. As such I strive to make them happy as well as myself happy and this pushes me to do more and more challenging things that in the process are very difficult. The achievement and recognition I feel makes the ends totally worthy of the means.
2. The goals for my behavioral project are to emit a more studious behavior by attending class regularly. I will also be doing class readings before the days they are due as well as study for tests a week prior to the test date. I know that most of these behaviors aren't ones I have carried through on quite often. To maintain these behaviors on weeks I know I have an exam I wont go out on the weeknights and I will reserve that time for studying and reading up on the material that will be covered on the exam. I will also attend every class weekly and will do my best to pay attention during class periods. These behaviors will be reinforced through the achievement of better scores on test and consequentially will result in a better grade in each class. This will also very much please my parents and possibly get me something that I very much desire upon my successful graduation in May.
1. This whole section sets up very smoothly and is very easy to follow. Granted, there aren't a lot of overwhelmingly difficult concepts to wrap your head around or anything, so it should flow fairly smoothly, but it seemed like it was well written even taking that into account.
The idea of goal setting is something that I'd mentioned I had experience with very early in the semester, since my Psycho-Social Aspects of Competitive Sport course (I think it was in that class, at least..and I don't think it's supposed to be capitalized like that, but whatever) covered goal-setting. I should probably be more polished in setting my goals and target behaviors in this class as a result of my experience, but I don't think I have been up until this point. Anyhow, in the goal-setting section of that class, we discussed the SMART principle, how goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. While this text doesn't use that same system, it is functionally the same thing (just without the handy mnemonic of the SMART acronym); the goal setting guidelines in this section of the text are:
Be Realistic --> obviously, Realistic from the SMART principle
Timeframe --> Timely
Subgoals --> Could be linked with the Specific and Measurable parts of the SMART principle, but its not a part of the SMART principle as it's spelled out. It is a significant part of the goal-setting process as I learned it, though.
Achievable --> Achievable
Ability --> Would fall under the Achievable and Realistic categories of the SMART principle
Manageable --> Realistic
Disruptive --> This is a good addition to the SMART principle, as it's not really addressed by any of the facets.
Maintenance --> Also not a part of the principle, but discussed.
Support base --> Again, not really part of the SMART principle, but its another thing we discussed in class.
These are 2 different approaches to setting goals, but share a lot of similarities. The ones outlined in this section of the book don't really focus on the goal being specific and measurable as much as what I'd previously learned, but those are definitely focused on when it comes to identifying target behaviors, so it is covered elsewhere. I think an understanding and implementation of either system would provide effective goals, assuming the individual is prepared to follow the necessary steps. The approach taken in this text is more thorough though, and may provide a higher instance of success. So...I followed one of the easiest and most clear sections of the text so far with what is probably my most muddled comment to this point in the class. Oh well.
Forgot the 2nd part of my comment again..I am struggling tonight, apparently. And when I started with my last comment and comparing the SMART principle, I was thinking about comparing it to the 4 aspects of target behaviors mentioned in 4.2, not the guidelines of a goal discussed in 4.3. Chalk that up as a misstep on my part.
2) My goals are:
A- To get out of bed and start my day as soon as my alarm goes off.
B- To accomplish my 7-8 hours of sleep through the course of 7-8 continuous hours, without sleeping at any other time in the day.
C- Providing myself an environment conducive to sleep, including: a dark room, limiting distractions (no internet, TV, etc.), no caffeine 6 hours before I try to sleep, a comfortable temperature in the room, and getting potential sources of stress taken care of during my day.
1} Section 4.3 was an easy but useful read. It was good to read the goal setting guidelines because they were organized and were easy to follow. Since we are working on altering behaviors and goals it was nice to think in terms of how unrealistic goals can be a waste (of time and effort) at times. It is definitely important to have sub-goals that allow you to reach your ultimate long-term goal(s).
2} The goals for my behavioral project of studying more (target behavior) are: going over notes on a nightly basis, reading chapter text 1-2 weeks in advance of upcoming test(s), sacrificing one weekend night (Fri or Sat) to stay in and study instead of getting blind drunk at the bar...
Reinforcers: allowing video games after 2 hours studying time
Support-base: relocating to the library instead of being amongst slob-like roommates (whom have worse studying habits than my original baseline)
Realistic: This is my last semester at UNI. Therefore I have no long-term goal of raising my GPA. Let's just shoot for graduation!
I really liked this section. I felt that gave a lot of great information on how to be successful about your goals, and I certainly feel more confident about obtaining mine, now.
I've always had certain goals in life. One was after visiting England with my grandpa was wanting to return to Europe. I wanted to take more French classes in college (antecedent), so I signed up for some (behavior) and attended them (consequence). While in my first semester, I decided that I wanted to use these classes as my chance to study abroad and return to Europe.
Like 4.3 said, I didn't decide this and just go to France. That would be unrealistic. I started back at beginner's Frech. I knew that this would take a while because learning a foreign language is a long, difficult process. However, I knew a few friends who wanted to also, so I relied upon them (and our teacher) for the support group to keep me motivated to get there. I set sub goals. Again, I didn't just move to France. I took four consecutive semesters of French language courses. I started talking to the travel abroad office at UNI. I filled out applications, found a host family, etc. Then was finally completely ready to move over. I knew that I had the ability to do this, I just had to work on managing the details.
After reading this section, I feel that I have a much better understanding on how to achieve any goal. You don't decide to tackle them head on. You have to break them down, find a support system that won't fail you, self-reflect and make sur that the goal is obtainable and that you have the capabilities to obtain it. Also, you have to plan ahead for any disruptions that this might cause.
The structure and emphasis in section 4.3 makes goal setting and implementation very do-able. It was a very practical guide that everyone can apply while trying to achieve their goals, whether they happen to be big or small. I think people fail at achieving their goals because they dont consider all the facets that go into setting a goal, carrying it out, and ending in success. The factors described in this section make goals more realistic. The time frame should be appropriate to the goal. I can see where this factor may be especially important in some goals and not so much in others. For example, having a "deadline" so to speak, is all the more motivation to lose that weight for your best friend's wedding.
A really helpful part was the section on subgoals. It is very true that larger goals seem more unobtainable and realistic because we don't celebrate the small successes that go along with it and only stay focused on the big finale. Personally this can be very overwhelming and the goal seems to become unrealistic in my mind. Focusing on the subgoals, of say losing weight and celebrating every few pounds lost, as they occur helps you focus on the big finale, but just in a different, more manageable way.
Manageable was another great factor. You need to be able to somehow make time and fit the goal into your daily routine. Your schedule needs to allow for flexibility, as does your goal. It is important to set aside time for your goal in order to remain dedicated to it, yet you should not feel like you have to bend over backwards to do so. In order to prevent chaos or conflict in your daily routine, a person trying to lose weight may choose to excerise on his or her lunch break so this does not interfere with nightly family time.
I think a support system is very important. Having people believe in you is pure inspiration for achieving a goal. Some goals take alot of support while other goals dont need as much. Life-changing goals for example often rely on a good support system. A person moving to another state for his or her career is probably in need of a good support system as they physically make the move and as they become comfortable in a new environment. The book example about the workout buddy was a good way to show how support can sometimes work negatively against you, especially if your support system has the same goal and you are working on achieving it together.
I also enjoyed section 4.3. Sometimes I have trouble emitting behaviors that relate to the goals I have. Also, I put myself in situations (changing the antecedents) that are not conducive to achieving my goals! Hopefully with the information from this chapter, I will be able to pick clear goals and follow through with them. Now that I know about reinforcement procedures, I will be able to use self-reinforcement to keep myself on track.
The target behaviors (or they could also be viewed as goals) related to my project are:
a)I will spend at least 2 hours (ending before 10:30 pm) studying and/or doing homework Sunday through Thursday each week.
b) Do not have any web browsers open unless they are specifically needed for the homework assignment I am working on.
c) Read assigned pages for at least 1 hour per day on the day that they are assigned.
d) Take notes by quoting important things from the book and typing them in a word document I will be able to print and review before the test.
e) Do not have TV or music turned on while studying/doing homework.
I chose to focus on the first target behavior for my project. I think it is realistic, because I usually spend about an hour doing homework per night, and I usually finish it around 11 or 11:30pm. I won't need to make any major changes to my normal routine except for starting earlier, and leaving myself more time to work. The timeframe for this goal will depend on how long I am in school. I have one more semester left for my undergraduate degree, but I would like to get into grad school. (Although, in grad school I will probably need to spend more than 2 hours on homework!). This goal is definitely achievable because I have done it in the past (so this also means I have the ability). It is manageable, but I will probably need to give up some time I spend watching TV. This will also be a good thing though. This goal will probably be disruptive because it will change my normal routine. However, I think it will be much more beneficial to me in the long run. Maintenance might be difficult because I don't usually enjoy doing any homework. I will have to change my environment (such as not having the TV on) in order to maintain this goal. I also have a strong support base because my family and boyfriend want me to do well in school.
1. I really enjoyed section 4.3. I thought it was very easy to follow and understand. I liked how it broke down all of the different things that need to be taken into account when working on a behavior class. I really liked the idea of sub goals.
This section also shows that you must be open-minded but also know specifically what it is you want to modify. This section also brings us back to the idea of the behavior modification ABCs, in the idea that the antecedents may change or be disrupted which may slow but hopefully not stop the modification process.
2. I don't think that for my particular behavioral class (being more studious), sub goals will be a large part of the modification process. I did take into consideration how realistic my goal was though. I said I would like to study at least an hour and a half each weekday and a total of three hours on the weekends. I would have liked to say I would to study three hours on weekdays but I knew that for me, at this point anyway, that goal would be unrealistic though I hope that some day I can move up to that goal. In a way that is kind of my long term goal and the hour and a half is a kind of sub goal for me.
I really enjoyed reading 4.3. It was an easy read and reliable to everyday situation in goal setting. In every class we learn about goal setting. Every class discusses similar ways of setting them. We need to create SMART (specific measurable attainable realistic time) goals. I like the idea of having sub goals to help achieve long term goals. Having a support system with a goal is important. When you have someone there for you will make you push harder to reach your goals. Many people have goals and then use reinforcements to help them accomplish their goals. Achievable goals are dependent on the resources you are able to commit to them. Goals should be manageable to the extent they can fit into your daily life. And they should be not be disruptive.
This relates to my goal because in certain aspects the goal of stop procrastinating is not realistic. Yes I may achieve the goal for a while but the question is will I maintain this goal throughout my life time or just for a moment for this class. The goal that I create needs to be realistic and measurable in order for me to achieve it.
1)Section 4.3 was definitely an easy read. Though I have heard many things from this section before. It is very helpful to be reminded the keys of accomplishing a goal. I tend to forget that it is very important to create subgoals and to establish a time frame. I never really have a problem of setting an obtainable goal, it is just following through with the goal.
2) This helps me with my goal quite a bit. My goal is to improve my school work. One of my sub goals is to complete all of my assignments 24 hours before they are due. It is currently 11:31pm on thursday, this means I have NOT even come close to completing my goal on this assignment. Granted, being struck with being sick and preparing for an interview has played a role in my completing this assignment on time. However, this teaches me that I need to be able to create time where I would not normally thing it exists, so that I can follow through with completing me goal. The section talks about making things manageable, I can find 20 min a day to complete these and other assignments so that I don't have to worry about it even when I get sick.
Section 4.3 was very easy to follow and understand. For me it was more of a review, which may have helped make it be more understandable. But a good review is always helpful in reminding yourself on how to set goal so you actually have a chance of reaching them. It is very easy to set yourself up for failure if you don't fully think through what you are expecting of yourself while setting new goals.
My goal of studying and or working on homework at least two hours a night for five nights a week is really going to be a hard goal for me. While reviewing section 4.3 I know that I need to break that goal down and work on it in sections rather than just jump right in. To break it down I can refer to my schedule, what to I have coming up that is due first, I could have a small goal of completing all assignments on time, complete assignments that are due before others first, not just completing the easiest first. I can also set reasonable time frames for my studying, I know that studying from 7-9pm Sunday through Thursday nights may not always work, I need to plan ahead and make sure that I can make time every day, and each day I may need to be reinforced to motivate me for the next day.
1. This chapter was pretty basic and straight forward, but I think it was beneficial to aid in understanding how to set and complete goals. The section explained goals need to be realistic, there needs to be a time frame, there needs to be sub goals, they need to be achievable while having the ability to complete, while also being manageable. The ideas of goals being being disruptive is a new idea for me but it was an easy concept to grasp. Maintenance is important for goals because once you start working on a goal, it needs to be maintained otherwise it won't be able to be completed.
2. This section will help me in having better hygiene because I can follow these stipulations in order to complete my goal. This goal is achievable and realistic. I need to create sub goals; that could possibly be making sure I have accessibility to toothbrush, toothpaste and floss wherever I venture.
1.Reading over this section helped a lot with how I looked at goals. The ideas and aspects that it displayed made me look at peoples behaviors in a slightly different way. People do not just fall into discoveries or high paying power jobs. Every individual that holds a corner office job has set sub goals for themselves in order to reach that end results. Somewhere along the line he/she has been reinforced for their work ethic, and those little promotions have served a reward for their small sub goals. However, these goals do have to be manageable and attainable. If someone is not a runner and decided to run a marathon by the end of the month would most likely come short of the end result. If the goal was to participate in the marathon the following year or six months away then the odds to achieving that goal are higher.
2.The goals that I have outlined in my behavioral project are that I would like to have a more structured workout. For me this goal is realistic. Exercising is something that I do weekly and the idea of my behavioral project is to make it more structured; what I am going to do, when I am going to do it, and how often. When looking at achieving my goal I can set may sub goals. These sub goals would be thing such as how many miles I’m going to run in a day/a workout, or how many pounds I would like to reach for weight lifting. Another aspect of my behavioral project is to make sure I stretch before and after I run and weight lift. This could be put into a couple sub goals by stating what types of stretches I will incorporate into my routine. Overall my goal is attainable and achievable. Exercise is something that I already do therefore I am only altering it and make it more productive. Therefore, when I make getting to the gym four time a week a requirement for my behavioral project I’d say that is attainable because I already go 3-4 times a week. The fact that I already for 3-4 times a week also transfers over into the questions as the whether my goal is manageable or not. Increasing my workout by one day can be a matter of getting up early and working out at 7:00 on days I have a full workload.
This was a quick and easy chapter to read and understand. Even if you don't think about the ideas behind goals many people use the information in everyday life. I know when I set goals I try to make sure they are achievable. I've found that when I have a long term goal and I set sub-goals once I start to reach the different steps my long term goal often changes. I think this is a good thing though because as I work towards it I am able to tweak the goal to fit my lifestyle.
My behavioral project is to spend less time on my computer. I have found that when I am at home I will sit on the computer for hours doing mindless things. My goal is easily achievable because it will not disrupt any part of my life. I am still able to use my computer I just won't spend every free moment on it. For one of my target behaviors I chose to set reading 50 pages a day. I am actually going to modify this part of the goal because I bought a book to try and work on this and ended up reading over 700 pages in 2 days. I spent time on my computer to check in but didn't just sit around doing the same thing over and over again. I'm still trying to work on setting my other target behaviors. I had them set but after reading the response I am trying to set them to be more defined and easier for my lifestyle.
1) This chapter is great at further demonstrating how the behavioral principles we've learned relate to life outside of the laboratory. Or perhaps, how to take the data from the lab and utilize it outside of the lab. I'll use just a few examples here but there are many more. First, this chapter said goals must be realistic. Common sense tells us why extreme examples are unrealistic, but behavior modification gives us a better idea. If a goal is set to high such that you cannot achieve it you will not recieve reinforcement, naturally at the end but also you are unlikely to recieve much reinforcement throughout the process since any particular step in the right direction is not likely to seem very important. This will lead to extinction of the "goal-like" behaviors.
The necessity of sub-goals is a great example of the knowledge we have about shaping. First you set a goal, the desired target behavior. You then break the behavior up into smaller steps to shape the behavior into the main target behavior. This is a good idea for at least two reasons.
1- data suggests that shaping is a much more efficient way of teaching/learning/conditioning a complex behavior. and
2- (and this probably explains number 1) shaping maximizes the amount of pleasure or reinforcement we can get out of learning a target behavior, or meeting a goal. Why reward only at the end when you could reward yourself throughout for little victories along the way? In essence everything can be broken down into smaller steps. The behavioral class might be the main goal, it can be broken up into target behaviors. Target behaviors can be broken up into smaller target behaviors, etc.
I'll end with a few more quick examples. The problems associated with maintenance, and the necessity of a support group for some complex behaviors is evidenced by our understanding of deprivation and extinction. This relates most obviosuly to drug abuse but numerous other goals can be difficult to maintain for a long period of time due to the increasing reinforcing power of whatever we may be deprived of, and the power of an extinction burst when we are almost to our goal (also a good reason why it's important to use DRO).
2) My behavioral class is to exercise more. My target behavior is to work out three days a week using one of the P90X videos. Previous experience with these dvd’s has taught me that this is a realistic goal. Setting a goal of 3 days/week as opposed to every day is achievable given my current workload. I’d say that this target behavior is one sub-goal within the behavioral class of exercising more. A good target behavior, though it could still be shaped if necessary, ought to be put into as non-reducible of terminology as possible to avoid confusion in documentation, etc. This goal is within my ability, and is also manageable since most medical professionals recommend that people exercise at least three days a week. The dvd’s are an hour long as opposed to the recommended 30 minutes, 3 days/week but this is still realistic for me right now and will also help with my other goals involving losing weight and getting more fit that I have outside of this project. I don’t see this goal being too disruptive, however there may be times when I need to switch around which of the 3 days that week I use to achieve my goal. Working out three days per week with the dvd’s will not likely be manageable for an extended period of time for reasons I’ve stated regarding the intensity and length and to this extent it may become disruptive in the future, however these are relatively easy problems to work out in the future and will still have helped achieve the behavioral class goal of “exercising more.”
I think 4.3 reminds of the importance of goals and how we should go about setting goals. It is important to be specific when it comes to goals. We need to be realistic when setting a goal and give time frames. I'm sure this is a big reason why people get discouraged when working on a goal. We tend to try to acheive the impossible, especially for the new year. If we can set an acheivable goal, it is more likely for the goal to become a common behavior. I have realized in this class and this chapter that I am more likely to acheive a goal if I give myself a reinforcements and rewards. It sounded kind of silly at first, but I give my son reinforcements and rewards. Why not reward myself.
My behavioral class is to drink more water everyday. (Specifically 64oz) This has been a realistic goal because I have been very specific. I want to drink 64 ounces a day, so I keep track of this goal with a daily chart. I carry a water bottle with me at all times. If I meet my goal, I also reward myself at the end of the day with another beverage.
1.) I enjoyed reading section 4.3 because goals are something that I set for myself everyday. The most important thing when it comes to setting goals is making sure that they are realistic. Being able to achieve something that is unrealistic will never happen so you will just be setting yourself up for failure. The section mentions goal setting guidelines that are very helpful. These guidelines are: Be realistic, know the timeframe of your goal, set sub goals, make sure the goal is achievable, make sure you have the ability to accomplish your goal, and that your goal is manageable. I think these are great guidelines to follow and I believe that the main reason why some people don't accomplish their goals is because they are setting unrealistic goals for themselves and they can never reach it so they give up. I am definitely guilty of this so while I am doing my behavioral project I am trying to remember the goal setting guidelines and sticking to them the best that I can.
2.) My behavioral class is to workout more often. I have set many goals for this behavior and I believe that they are all very realistic. My goals are to: Incorporate exercise into my routine 3 days a week, drinking at least 5 glasses of water a day, and waking up an hour earlier the days that I workout. I have broken these larger goals down into sub goals to make reaching my goals more attainable. When I workout I need to remember to stretch so that I don't cramp up and have to stop exercising. Also,when I am craving a pop I fill my cup up with water and I put a crystal lite packet in it so that I still get my water intake that I am aiming for each day. I am used to setting goals for myself for work and class, but not usually for working out because I don't exercise, so this is a fun and challenging behavioral project for me that will hopefully continue when the class is over.