Please read sections 5.4 Changing Antecedents and 5.5 Selecting a Reinforcer.
When you answer the questions below use the behavioral language you have been learning all semester.
What is the behavior you are modifying?
What are some of the antecedents to that behavior?
How might you change some of the antecedents to help change the behavior?
What are some antecedents of the behavior that might be difficult to change or have control of?
How might you avoid situations where the antecedent might be present?
What reinforcer are you going to use to modify your behavior?
What is the Premack Principle?
What are some of your high frequency behaviors that might be used as reinforcers?
What is the behavioral chain related to your behavior?
How can you reorganize or change the behavioral chain associated with your behavior?
GO AHEAD AND IMPLEMENT YOUR BEHAIORAL CHANGE.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO KEEP A RECORD OF YOUR TARGET BEHAVIOR.
The behavior I have chosen to modify is studying more often. The antecedents where this behavior does not happen well is when I’m at home when my roommates are here or when I am spending too much time on the computer not doing anything productive (facebooking). Some ways in which I can modify these antecedents are going to the library or somewhere similar where I will not have the urge to talk to my friends or possibly just be more productive during the times when I am home by myself. I could also block facebook or have somebody change my password so I can’t get on at all but that might be a little too cruel!
Even though these changes may have some effect and help me accomplish my goal, some of them may not be too plausible. For example, whenever I go to the library my friends usually come too and we make a date out of it. Most of the time though, we sit on different floors if we can to reduce the temptation to talk but this isn’t always the case. It also may not be an option for me to block facebook from our router because I am obviously not the only one who accesses it even though it may be a good idea that we all stay off of facebook and study for finals! My roommate actually makes her dad block facebook whenever she is home so she can actually get work done and it really works for her so I believe that it would work for me as well if I actually decide to go through with it.
If my roommates don’t approve of blocking facebook, I could just avoid getting on my computer because it seems whenever I am on the computer, my fingers type in facebook.com even when I don’t want them too. If I do this, I still have facebook on my iPod which is super easy to get on, so I could just temporarily delete the application so it would take more effort to get on because I would have to wait for it to re-download. Although I can’t really avoid going to my apartment, I could decide to go to the library after class instead of coming back here where my roommates are so I could get a lot done before I come back. Coming back to my friends here would also be a reinforcer for going to the library! Other reinforcers I have chosen are watching a half an hour of t.v. as well as watching a movie after achieving a bigger goal.
All of the reinforcers I have chosen for myself follow the Premack Principle in that I am allowing myself to do something I like to do (watch tv, movies) in exchange for doing something that I don’t necessarily enjoy doing (studying). Playing board games and watching movies are some of my highest frequency behaviors other than facebook which I am trying to avoid. Because of this, I could use movies (I already am – plus all the good 25 days of Christmas movies are coming up!) and playing board games as reinforcers. These two reinforcers may also help me accomplish studying at home when my friends are home because we could all watch a movie or play a game after we all have been doing homework for X amount of time – this would be helpful because I wouldn’t be going it alone and would have a support system and someone to set me straight if I get off track.
Right now, my behavioral chain goes as such: class, home, snack, computer, tv, dinner, study. This is often times problematic because as time passes, my roommates come home and distract me and leave me with no motivation to do homework later in the evening. Instead, I should alter my behavioral chain to look like this: class, snack (grab something at the Union), library, dinner, computer, tv. Changing my behavioral chain will allow me to reward myself for emitting studying behaviors post hoc rather than before which is not really successful! It will also ensure that I have enough time to get what needs to be done, done. For example, if I wait until after dinner to do homework I may not have enough time from the time I eat until I go to bed to get everything done that I need to.
As of right now, I think altering my behavioral chain will be very beneficial to the achievement of my overall goal, even more powerful than the reinforcements I have lined up to give myself!
What is the behavior you are modifying: late night snacking
What are some of the antecedents to that behavior: it being later at night (after 10 p.m.), being bored in dorm room, trying to procrastinate certain tasks, roommate wanting to snack as well
How might you change some of the antecedents to help change the behavior: leaving the dorm room to study, going to bed earlier, eating a healthier snack when roommate wants to have a snack
What are some antecedents of the behavior that might be difficult to change or have control of: time of night, roommate wanting a snack
How might you avoid situations where the antecedent might be present: leaving the room around the time my roommate usually requests that we have a snack, not staying up so late at night, doing homework earlier in the day to avoid the procrastination effect
What reinforce are you going to use to modify your behavior: the nights that I do not late night snack I will put a dollar aside (the dollar I would’ve spent on the snack) so that I can have a mini shopping spree in two weeks
What is the Premack Principle: using a more desired behavior as a reinforcement for emitting a less desired behavior. For example, if I did not want to do my homework, I would tell myself that if I get all my homework done during the week, I am allowed to have a lazy Saturday afternoon.
What are some of your high frequency behaviors that might be used as reinforcers: sleeping, dancing, spending time with friends and family
What is the behavioral chain related to your behavior: getting back from doing late night activities, putting on comfy clothing, getting on the computer, snacking, watching T.V. or a movie, snacking, more computer time, computer games, possibly more snacks, brushing teeth, bathroom, bed
How can you reorganize or change the behavioral chain associated with your behavior: instead of changing into comfy clothes right away upon reaching my dorm, I could do some homework first, then check my email, avoid snacking, then change my clothing right before I brush my teeth and get ready for bed.
The behavior that I am modifying originally was to just straight up drink more water, but for this exercise I will change it to say to drink pop less and to drink more water instead. Some antecedents of the behavior include, taste of the drink, occasional availability of it being at home, around others who drink pop.
I would change these antecedents by not being around people who drink pop, Ask my parents to not buy pop when I am coming home or to not put it it my easy access. The antecedent difficult to change is the Taste. Water has no taste and therefore is unpleasing, pop has sugars and carbonation and is overall a party in your mouth which water cannot compete with.
I would avoid some of these antecedents by asking my parents to not buy pop, and not going to the store with my friends who like to buy pop. When out and about carry a water bottle to lessen my chances of buying a drink.
Some reinforcements I am going to use is to allow myself either a snack or dessert when I do not drink pop for the day. Removing the sugars in the drink allows me to choose different sugars in the form of a snack.
The Premack Principle is basically allowing a person or animal to do something they like if they emit the correct behavior. By knowing that there is something good on the other end the frequency to do the correct behavior is then emitted more frequently.
Some of the high frequency behaviors that are rein forcers include; less headaches, more money, less caffeine, able to choose a dessert.
The behavioral chain related to my behavior include; going to a restaurant, ordering pop, drinking pop.. or going out to eat, ordering water, and not drinking the water
I can change the chain by not going out to eat in general and then not allowing pop to be in my house. Thus forcing me to drink water when I get thirsty.
The behavior I’m modifying is spending money on things I don’t need like new clothes or going out to eat. Some antecedents to that behavior are being at the mall or another shopping center or having no food at my apartment. I could change these antecedents by not going to the mall unless I have a purpose or making sure that I have food at my apartment. I could have problems not going to the mall if a friend asks me to go with them or help them pick out something. It’s also hard to always have food in my apartment, especially food that I always want to eat. I could avoid that situation by just saying no to my friend or buying enough groceries when I go the first time.
A reinforcer I could use would be spending a little money on myself once I have $100 saved up. I would only spend $10.
The Premack Principle is the idea that humans and animals will emit a behavior if they have the chance to something that they enjoy doing. A high frequency behavior that could be reinforcing is eating. I could get myself Cold Stone once I save up a certain amount of money.
My behavior chain is being hungry, looking through my kitchen and not seeing food I want, thinking about food that sounds good, spending money on food not in my kitchen. I can change this chain by recognizing each step in the chain to realize what happens before I spend money.
The behavior I have chosen to modify is my knuckle-cracking behavior. It usually occurs when I am in class, stressed, or really bored. I could try to change the antecedents by skipping class (just kidding), staying engaged during lecture (to reduce boredom), and staying relaxed throughout the day (getting enough sleep or soaking hands in warm water). For the most part, I think the antecedents are going to be difficult to change/avoid. As I joked about before, it's impractical for me to skip class to see if my knuckle-cracking behavior will decrease. I am using a DRO method to modify my behavior. I am reinforcing the use of power-putty (to occupy my hands) with chocolate (Hershey’s Hugs to be exact).
The Premack Principle is demonstrated when people emit a behavior they normally wouldn’t do (low frequency behavior) for the chance to emit a behavior they really enjoy (high frequency behavior). For example: I may reward myself with an extra 30 minutes on the computer if I complete all my chores. For the behavior that I am currently modifying, I am planning to use chocolate as a reinforcer for emitting a “power-putty using” behavior.
The behavioral chain related to my behavior is walking to campus, attending class, taking notes, cracking my knuckles, taking more notes, walking back to my apartment, eating lunch, and working on my homework. It was difficult for me to create a behavioral chain, because I know that attending class does not cause me to crack my knuckles; however, I know that I do crack my knuckles most often when I’m in class. I don’t know how I would reorder my behavioral chain. I could change it by adding a step though. If I start using power-putty when I attend class and while I am taking notes, my knuckle-cracking behavior will hopefully decrease.
The behavior that I am trying to modify is not working out as much as I should. Some antecedents for this particular behavior would be not having enough time in the day to work out, so I should make time by working out right after I wake up. Also, I tend to not work out when I don’t have anyone to work out with, so I should try to find a workout buddy. Some antecedents of my behavior that would be difficult to change would definitely be working out as soon as I get up because I am not a morning person at all. I would avoid the situation where the antecedent is present by not staying up so late, therefore I will not want to sleep in.
The reinforcer that I am going to use to modify my behavior is letting myself have a day off, which would be Sunday. This would reinforce my behavior because I would want to keep working out to get that day off. The Premark Principle is the idea that humans and animals will emit a behavior if they have the chance to something that they enjoy doing. A high frequency behavior that could be reinforcing would definitely be eating my favorite food or drinking my favorite beer, because it is something that I would be craving.
A behavioral chain related to my behavior would be not working out, therefore gaining weight, which would lead to me feeling guilty. Another behavioral chain of my behavior would be to work out, lose weight, feel a lot better about myself, which would ultimately lead to me repeating this behavior, or increase the likelihood of it happening again.
I am trying to modify my target behavior of eating unhealthy snacks. The antecedents to this behavior are typically done in the context of my room when I am studying. Another antecedent in which the behavior is emitted when I am relaxing with friends and they are also eating unhealthy snacks.
In order to change these antecedents I will not keep unhealthy snacks in the house. I will also talk with my roommates and ask them to try and not eat such snacks around me. I will replace the unhealthy snacks with healthy ones. This way when I am hungry and need a study break, I will still have food but it will be better for me. I can also change the antecedents by learning to eat in other areas of the house and not in my room. When I study in my room I also eat in my room and pay little attention to the amount of the unhealthy snacks I am eating. I would also reinforce myself for eating healthy snacks. By keeping close track of this behavior I will also learn when and where my behavior are occurring and how often. This can help me understand which types of social situations I should look out for, like when my roommates all eat unhealthy snacks while watching a movie. It will be hard for this antecedent to change because I really don’t have much control of what my roommates eat and when they eat. This is something I would need to be aware of. I could avoid these situations by eating a snack before I sit down and watch a movie with them.
To reinforce my behavior I will reinforce it with one of my high frequency behaviors. I love playing the piano but have little time to when I am busy with class and studying. I would reinforce myself each night that I chose healthy over unhealthy snacks and play piano for an hour instead of studying. I will find this very reinforcing because I really love to play piano. This reinforce might work great for me, but it’s good to realize that this probably wouldn’t be very reinforcing to other people. It’s important to match a reinforcer with the person needing to be reinforced. Through behavior modification we realize that it’s the differences in people that help us to modify certain behaviors or certain people and certain situations.
The Premack Principle tells us that a person will engage in a low frequency behavior for the opportunity to engage in a high frequency behavior. I really enjoyed this principle because it takes what people like, and basically makes them do the things they don’t really like to do, in order to do what they like. I also enjoyed the readings of the kindergarten examples. It’s interesting to think that teachers could help kids behave by reinforcing them different. I always remember being reinforced as a class and even punished as a class. I think the reinforcing at an individual is smart, and probably a lot more effective.
My high frequency behaviors include playing piano, watching movies, and going tanning. My behavioral chain goes as follows, Class, study, dinner, class, tv, facebook, snack, tv, supper, study. This is sad that this is basically what I do every day. I’m not entirely sure how I should change up my behavior chain, but I would insert healthy snacking and then after that I would write play piano. The playing piano is a reinforcement I can then enjoy daily when I am eating healthy snacks.
The behavior I am modifying is the behavioral class of “wasting time.” My target behavior is ‘watching tv’ and I am trying to emit that behavior less by putting restrictions on it and trying to elicit other behaviors and reinforcing them. Antecedents to this behavior are having free time. Either in the morning while I am getting ready and have a few hours, after class while I have a few hours or when I only have a little bit between class and work.
I changed the antecedent a little bit for next semester. My classes are mostly all together so that I don’t have any long breaks between them. I have also arranged my schedule so that I am done by 2/3.30 every day. I’ll like this because then I have ample time to work on homework, work out, or do other things that need to get done and still have time to relax at night before I go to bed. This is how I’m avoiding the antecedent and changing it a little. Another way I will manipulate the environment of the antecedent is that when I get home from school next semester I can give myself about an hour max to eat, and perhaps watch television while doing so and then get right back to being efficient. This way I can unwind, but if I give myself an hour then I’ve got a specific time when I am supposed to stop. I could also schedule a study date with a friend for a specific time, which would get me out of the antecedent (my bedroom and lots of free time). I also have scheduled my classes so that they start early, instead of 11am or 1pm. This way I will be less likely to get up hours before my class starts, unless I force myself in order to get work done.
A= in the context of having time after class
B= give myself an hour to check facebook and watch tv and eat a bit
C= Am a bit refreshed and ready to dive into another couple of hours of work
A= In the context of having class at 9am every morning
B= Waking up at 8am to get ready, maybe earlier if homework needs to get done
C= not wasting hours of my day, getting started earlier than this semester.
As for reinforcement I will give myself what I want but not until after I have done everything I need to. Which means when I make a to-do list I have to complete half of it in order to watch one episode of Smallville or one hour of TV at the end of the day. In the event of finishing all of my to do list I can watch all the tv I want, and will most likely have the next day to myself because my to-do lists include things that need to be done in the future. Also, in the event that I get everything done in time to work out, I am allowing myself to have ice cream and oreos afterwards. I think these are good reinforcers because as consequences for my good behavior, they are likely to elicit the correct behavior. Motivation is something that is often lacking when I am wasting time but if I go into my day with the mentality that I have to finish this before I get that and give myself rules I will be more likely to follow them, then if I just go into it with ‘the best of intentions.’
The Premack Principal says that people and animals will do something they do not like to do for the chance to do something they do like to do. This is how I am going about my reinforcing. I am trading doing homework and cleaning and such things that are not as fun for lieing around, watching tv and getting on facebook. Other high frequency behaviors I could use for myself are shopping, or doing my nails, or better yet getting them done, or having some friends over. I don’t get to do these (besides shopping, which I don’t do for lack of money) because I don’t really have a lot of time to do them at the end of the day.
In order to rearrange my behavioral chain, based on the plan I have for next semester, I think that I will set a timer on my phone to go off an hour after I get home. I can set this phone in the bathroom, this way I am going to want to turn it off quickly so that I don’t annoy my roommates and then I’m already up, so I might as well wash my dishes and get going on my other things. Often times it is simply getting myself out from under my deliciously warm covers, and if I’m tired I can always make more coffee and start it while I’m washing my dishes so that its ready when I’m done. I think this will actually be really good for changing my behavioral chain! I’m really excited to start my program and you’ll have to ask me next semester (I’ll be taking your history and systems class) how its going!
Terms used: Behavioral chain, emit, elicit, antecedent, behavior, consequence, reinforcement, reinforcer, behavioral class, target behavior,
The target behavior in which I am trying to modify is to work out more often. Thus far I have been using reinforcements techniques to increase my exercising behaviors. In order to reinforce the behavior it is important to look at what the antecedents for the particular behavior are which possibly elicit the behavior. One antecedent to my lack of exercise behavior is the winter weather. It really makes it difficult to want to go outside to workout, so to change this antecedent, since I am not mother nature I could join a gym or by a tredmill to use inside my own apartment. To avoid this antecedent I could move into a warmer climate, but at this point in my life that is not a realistic option.
Another antecedent to my lack of exercise is my television watching behavior. I watch far too much television and it takes up way too much of my free time. In order to increase my exercising behaviors I could possibly decrease my television watching behaviors. Putting this into the ABC's of behavior it could possibly look as follows: A=want more free time, B=watch less television, C=have more free time to exercise. As a reinforecer of working out more often I can a television show to watch for an hour everyday I reach my workout goals.
The Premack Principal states that if a person or animal has the opportunity to do something they like to do at the cost of having to do something they dont really enjoy they will emit the behavior. This is an interesting principal and as college students I am sure it relates to many of our lives in different aspects. I work to make money so I can go shopping which is something I enjoy doing, I dont like working but I do it so I can get resources needed to do something I do enjoy.
My behavioral chain on a usual weekday usually looks like this: work, class, study, class, lunch, class, online shop, supper, facebook, study, sleep. I have really been attempting to lessen my shopping and facebook behaviors on the computer because they really take up a lot of valuable time. I do enjoy taking a break from studying to do these behaviors (my reinforcers) but I need to implement so set amount of time each day I can surf the web, like a half hour. This will allow for more free time in my schedule to get important school work completed.
What is the behavior you are modifying?
My behavior that I am attempting to modify is the pulling/plucking behavior.
What are some of the antecedents to that behavior?
Some of the antecedents are the contexts of sitting in class, at my desk, or watching TV. I also do it when I am working a project or homework. Also, when my hair and fingernails are long enough, they are primed for picking. These are probably the antecedents that elicit the behavior the most.
How might you change some of the antecedents to help change the behavior?
I could change the antecedent by keeping my face and neck shaved. Clipping my fingernails on a regular basis to keep them short also changes it. These two things prevent me from being able to find and grab the hairs to pull. By removing my nails and the hair, the hair pulling behavior becomes so difficult that it does not occur.
What are some antecedents of the behavior that might be difficult to change or have control of?
I can’t really alter the classroom setting. It would be detrimental for me to skip class as I would be missing out on important information. I also need to do my homework, so not completing assignments is out of the question.
How might you avoid situations where the antecedent might be present?
It would be easier to go without television as opposed to skipping class and homework but I think I would become even more bored, thus eliciting the plucking behavior more frequently. I could introduce a stimulus into situations that could help me avoid pulling at my almost beard hairs. Playing with a rubber band or a pen could keep my hands busy and prevent me from plucking.
What reinforcer are you going to use to modify your behavior?
The reinforcer I am going to use is Old Chicago pizza once a week. I may become satiated on pizza however, which is why I plan to use going to a movie as a backup reinforcer.
What is the Premack Principle?
The Premack Principle states that we humans and even other animals will emit less pleasurable behaviors in order to do ones that we like. This is a great way to reinforce somebody and increase one of their behaviors.
What are some of your high frequency behaviors that might be used as reinforcers?
I absolutely love the TV show Fringe. If I had to do certain things, or not do certain things to be able to watch it, that would be very effective. I also listen to a lot of music. Perhaps by performing a low frequency behavior I could reinforce myself with one hour of listening time.
What is the behavioral chain related to your behavior?
Receive homework assignmentgo homesit down at deskpull out assignmentget on Facebookcheck emailstart homeworkhit a speed bump in homeworkstart pullingcontinue homework
How can you reorganize or change the behavioral chain associated with your behavior?
I could change it by doing something else when I hit a snag in doing the homework assignment. Instead of remaining at my desk and plucking, I could get up and go talk to a roommate or go find a snack. I could also move the Facebook checking to after completing the assignment, but only if I do not pluck any hairs while doing it.
Terms Used: reinforce, low frequency behavior, Premack Principle, emit, reinforce, satiate, antecedent, context, elicit
1. What is the behavior you are modifying?
The behavior I am trying really hard to modify is saving money.
2.What are some of the antecedents to that behavior?
The antecedents are when I am with friends, and they are shopping or seeing them shop online. When I am at home and watching all the advertising commercials.
3. How might you change some of the antecedents to help change the behavior?
Tell them not to shop in front of me, hide my debit card so I cant buy online, So main thing is keeping my money away from me.
4. What are some antecedents of the behavior that might be difficult to change or have control of?
Since I always know where my debit card is, I can give it to my sister and she can put it somewhere I cant find it.
5. How might you avoid situations where the antecedent might be present?
Preoccupy my time with something else, some other desirable behaviors, like baking, going to the gym, reading, doing homework.
6. What reinforcer are you going to use to modify your behavior?
Spend more time with friends and family. Doing things like ice skating, watching movies and hanging out more often.
7. What is the Premack Principle?
People will engage in a low frequency behavior for the opportunity to engage in a high frequency behavior.
8. What are some of your high frequency behaviors that might be used as reinforcers?
Visiting friends, going to sporting events, going to concerts.
9. What is the behavioral chain related to your behavior?
My behavioral chain is, seeing the advertising on the TV or magazine, going to the stores, using money to buy products/clothing.
10. How can you reorganize or change the behavioral chain associated with your behavior?
To change the behavioral chain I would have to not pay attention to advertisements, and for them not to elicit my shopping behavior.
1. What is the behavior you are modifying?
The behavior I am trying really hard to modify is saving money.
2.What are some of the antecedents to that behavior?
The antecedents are when I am with friends, and they are shopping or seeing them shop online. When I am at home and watching all the advertising commercials.
3. How might you change some of the antecedents to help change the behavior?
Tell them not to shop in front of me, hide my debit card so I cant buy online, So main thing is keeping my money away from me.
4. What are some antecedents of the behavior that might be difficult to change or have control of?
Since I always know where my debit card is, I can give it to my sister and she can put it somewhere I cant find it.
5. How might you avoid situations where the antecedent might be present?
Preoccupy my time with something else, some other desirable behaviors, like baking, going to the gym, reading, doing homework.
6. What reinforcer are you going to use to modify your behavior?
Spend more time with friends and family. Doing things like ice skating, watching movies and hanging out more often.
7. What is the Premack Principle?
People will engage in a low frequency behavior for the opportunity to engage in a high frequency behavior.
8. What are some of your high frequency behaviors that might be used as reinforcers?
Visiting friends, going to sporting events, going to concerts
9. What is the behavioral chain related to your behavior?
My behavioral chain is, seeing the advertising on the TV or magazine, going to the stores, using money to buy products/clothing.
10. How can you reorganize or change the behavioral chain associated with your behavior?
To change the behavioral chain I would have to not pay attention to advertisements, and for them not to elicit my shopping behavior.
1. The behavior I am modifying is my general laziness when it comes to physical activity. The behavior I hope to elicit is lifting weights more often, hence getting into better shape.
2. Some antecedents to the undesirable behavior are putting off homework so I don't have time to lift, hanging out with friends at night, weekends unmotivating me to lift, etc.
3. Some of the best ways I could change antecedents to elicit a desirable behavior would be to do my homework at better times so I would have time to lift on a routine basis, and also to find time within my weekend schedule that allows for a workout rather than always just hanging around with friends.
4. The most difficult antecedent to change is the weekends I think. When the weekend comes around I never want to work out, I just want to sleep in and spend time with friends and get out of my weekly routine.
5. There's no way to really avoid this antecedent, I just need to find a way to bring motivation to the weekends as well as my week days.
6. Food, a drink after a workout, facebook, plus the natural reinforcement that I get from my body after I emit the desired behavior of lifting.
7. This principle says that we will engage in behaviors that we don't necessarily like to do in order to engage in a behavior we do enjoy.
8. These high frequency behaviors I could use as reinforcers are ones I listed above, such as snacks or facebook usage.
9. behavior chain- go to class, get out of class, listen to music, go to dinner, hang out with friends, lift, do homework
10. One way I could change the chain would be to switch the place of listening to music and doing homework, so that listening to music is a reinforcer for working out.
What is the behavior you are modifying?I am trying to reduce the severity and frequency of procrastination by utaling better timmanagement and setting the goal to have all assignments completed a full 24hours ahead of due date.
What are some of the antecedents to that behavior? Using the computer, doing assignments in the bedroom with cell phone on
How might you change some of the antecedents to help change the behavior? Turn of cell phone and do my homework at my desk, only use the interne twhen it is necessary, and maybe arrange a time management chart
What are some antecedents of the behavior that might be difficult to change or have control of? When I have to use the internet for a large paper or I have to answer an important call in the middle of a project.
How might you avoid situations where the antecedent might be present? Keep certain activities limted to certain rooms like only do homework in the study and only use the internet in the bedroom and keep the cell phone out of sight or reach and maybe disconnect internet temporairly if it is not needed for homework
What reinforcer are you going to use to modify your behavior? Im going to give myself a choice of doing a higher frequency behavior such as watching one episode of supernatural after completing set amount of assignment
What is the Premack Principle? It is a principle where you do something less desirable lowere frequency for something you greatly enjoy a higher frequency activity almost like a trade off. Like if you clean your room you can go to the arcade or something along thos lines.
What are some of your high frequency behaviors that might be used as reinforcers? Getting to go to my home town to see my mom and visit friends, getting to go shopping etc..
What is the behavioral chain related to your behavior? I go in my bedroom text on my phone, call my sister, then call my mom, then I end up putting in a Dvd then I did through the night stand drawers to see if I fingd any thing intersting then I go visit a friend then come home talk to boyfriend go to bed and then complete entire assignment in 20 minutes right before it is due.
How can you reorganize or change the behavioral chain associated with your behavior? I can sit down in the study at my desk tuen off cell and work on paper for an hour than do whatever like going to mall or visiting friend.
What is the behavior you are modifying?
Less time on Facebook
What are some of the antecedents to that behavior?
Available computer, or access to phone. Boredom, free time.
How might you change some of the antecedents to help change the behavior?
I could get rid of the internet on my phone so I was no longer capable of getting on Facebook that way. I could also read more often to relieve boredom, or exercise in my free time. I could also just delete Facebook entirely to not be able to access it on the computer or phone.
What are some antecedents of the behavior that might be difficult to change or have control of?
It would be difficult to get rid of the internet entirely on my phone because I get my emails that way.
How might you avoid situations where the antecedent might be present?
I can always have a book with me in order to do something else with my free time, or I could be around my computer less often and only when I needed it for school.
What reinforcer are you going to use to modify your behavior?
For a reinforcer I will use shopping. For every month that I am not on Facebook more than once a day I will be able to buy something that I have been wanting.
What is the Premack Principle?
The Premack principle is that individuals will engage in less frequency behaviors in order to be able to engage in a high frequency behavior. For example, a person who does not like to read text books will read the text book more often in order to do something they enjoy more, like play a video game.
What are some of your high frequency behaviors that might be used as reinforcers?
A high frequency behavior that would be a good reinforcer for myself would be shopping or watching movies.
What is the behavioral chain related to your behavior?
How can you reorganize or change the behavioral chain associated with your behavior?
testing