Reading Activity Week #13 (Due Tuesday)

I found the review of the steps involved in the behavior modification processes very beneficial. It was a reminder of things that should be taken into consideration when changing a behavior. We were reminded that during step one, it is essential to have a well-defined target behavior, which allows us to focus on a specific problem. This is will help us to describe the consequences and antecedents of the behavior. Which then leads us to step four, which is discussed in this chapter, functional assessment. The functional assessment is important to note so you can develop a hypothesis regarding the relationship between the ABCs of the behavior. To define this we ask what is reinforcing the behavior we hypothesize and in what context is the behavior being displayed? This brings me to what I find interesting about this chapter.
Functional assessments are more a guess than a right answer. Experimenting what works and doesn’t is what this step is about. During this step we need to also remember topography and function differences. There are many behaviors that are topographically the same but there functions are different, it’s important during this step to determine what the function is. A person could have many functions for a specific behavior and observing a specific one will help to understand the circumstances that are leading to it. In this stage as you are monitoring the behavior, if it doesn’t change based on your hypothesis, it must be tweaked, so it’s back to the drawing board.
One thing I disliked in this section was discussing yet again different reinforcement schedules, just using different names. We spent at least a couple of chapters already, a quick review is always nice to refresh our memories, but it seemed like it was there to add more text to the chapter. As another student has stated, I would have like to have exercises that would benefit my understanding of the behavior modification I’m doing on myself.
A. Purchase more fruits and vegetables
B. Eat healthier
C. Feel better and exercise more
I’m currently performing a direct assessment of my behavior. I’m recording the number of servings of fruits and vegetables in one day. I increase the accuracy of my assessment by noting the number of servings I had in a specific day in my phone. I’ve noticed that the majority of foods in my refrigerator are fruits and vegetables. All the more unhealthy choices I have, I’m sick of, therefore I gravitate towards the healthier options I have. I believe the antecedent of my behavior had been having less fruits and vegetables. It has been easier to find better choices with fruits and vegetables coming into season. Having a more balanced diet has made me feel more energetic and not a bogged down by the food I eat. I’ve also noticed that since it is getting nicer and I’m eating healthier, I want to be outside and exercise more.

Terms: behavior modification, beneficial, defined target behavior, consequences, antecedents, functional assessment, hypothesis , ABCs, reinforcing, Experimenting, topography, function, observing, different reinforcement schedules

Section 5.3

Three things I will remember:
1. Direct functional assessment – observing the behaviors yourself as they actually occur. This is what is done in many experiments, and it must be done under naturally occurring conditions as to not cause suspicion or a change of mood/atmosphere than normal.
2. Indirect functional assessment – gathering information through 2nd party sources. This can be done in a number of different ways, including questionnaire. Other ways include interview processes with teachers and parents, especially when children have trouble communicating or are too young to communicate effectively. It is important to address the ABC’s of behavior modification during this interview process.
3. Baseline – used in graphs when recording data from the behavior collected. The baseline should be used based on the amount the behavior was emitted prior to the experiments.

I liked that this section basically went back to the beginning, or basics of behavior modification and gave a review. It covered the big, basic concepts that are very important to know and explained them well. It re-described what we want to increase (reinforce) or decrease (punish) and what specifically keeps the behavior going (consequence). It also gave a rundown of all the steps that make up the entire behavior modification process and where we are at now (step 4 – Functional Assessment). A functional assessment allows us to look deeper and more in-depth as to what the behavior is and what is reinforcing it so we can increase it or decrease it more. Explaining this process also went over other terms such as topography and stressed the importance of forming a hypothesis, especially before we can go forward with experimenting. There wasn’t much that I didn’t like about this section, except that I don’t like this topic very much. I liked how it did a recap of everything, but it was somewhat repetitive, and I feel like all the concepts are somewhat blending together due to the fact that it’s the end of the year.
My direct assessment of my behavior is recording the amount of TV watched in a week, with a baseline of 3 hours. I want to be under a total of 10 hours per school week, not including the weekend. I really feel like the antecedent for this can vary at times, but staying productive is the main antecedent. If I am able to stay productive, then the behavior would be not watching TV and staying on task, with a consequence of receiving good grades. From there, I am able to reward myself if I stay under 10 hours of TV or at 10 hours a week. Good grades are an added incentive, but the real reward only counts if I stay under 10 hours a week.

Terms Used: Direct functional assessment, Indirect functional assessment, Baseline, Emmitted, Punish, Reinforce, Consequence, Experiment, Hypothesis, Functional Assessment, Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence

The first thing that I will remember from this chapter is that behavior modification is a dynamic process. It requires change and different schedules of reinforcement. It is important to change the schedule because eventually the goals will be too easy for you and the reinforcer is no longer that reinforcing. It is also important to make sure you record your data and try not to just remember it later. It would be very easy to overlook a detail. This is especially important in the formation of your ABC's. It would be very difficult to remember exactly what caused the behavior at that time. The process may take awhile and you will almost surely have to go back and retest and recreate different hypothesis s and interventions until you find something that works for you.
The next thing that I will take from the section is that behaviors may appear to be the same but the behavior can serve different functions. It is important to understand why you are emitting this behavior. With the example of eating, you could be doing it because your hungry, your stressed, or your depressed. The better you can understand why you keep eating, the better job that you can do to intervene on the behavior. If your stressed, you would look for other healthy way to relieve stress. If you thought you were just eating a lot because you were hungry, it would be harder to intervene with a solution because you are aiming at the wrong function of the behavior.
The third thing that I will remember is the importance of getting a good assessment. Whether it is direct or indirect recording, the more accurate the assessment, the less wasted time is spent on the behavior modification. The better you can understand why and what the behavior is, the more insight you have to the cause. It is important to look at the individual case and decide whether the individual can self record or if you must bring family members into the picture to help you out. Either way, you must gather as much reliable information on the assessment as possible.
I really like how this section talks about the different functions of behavior. It makes so much sense to me how much this can help. You can take a more accurate aim at a modification if you know exactly why someone is doing it. The more misinformed you are about the function of the behavior, the longer it will take to figure out why it is happening. The only thing I did not like about this section is that the first couple pages seemed like a review of the last couple sections about the steps.
The main idea I had during this chapter is the importance of detail in recording and assessment. You cannot read the individuals mind, so it is important to gather a good assessment so that you can begin to understand the causes of the behavior. The more reliable information on the assessment, the better the understanding of the function.

Functional analysis

A= bringing a gatorade to work
B= wont drink the fountain pop
C= better health

I am hoping that by bringing my favorite gatorade to work that I will not be tempted to drink from the pop machine. I would like to decrease my soda intake and I think this will help because I am not forced to walk to the fountain machine when I am thirsty. Even if I get water I am tempted to just get soda everytime. By bringing a drink I will have to go to a different area where it is stored.

terms: ABC's of behavior, dynamic process, functional assessment, experiment, intervention, direct and indirect assessment, emit, behavior modification, reinforcer

Section 5.3
Three things I will remember from this section:
1. The steps involved in the behavior modification process. Having the steps laid out is easier to understand what needs to be done in order to change a specific behavior. It also helps me understand what needs to be done in order for the behavior change to be successful.
2. What functional assessment of behavior is. This went more in depth on how to incorporate the ABC's into the behavior changing process. It suggests that we come up with multiple hypothesis to determine the antecedents, behaviors, and consequences. It also allows us to realize what antecedents help us accomplish the desired behavior by identifying what reinforcers are working and will allow us to design an intervention to decrease or increase the behavior.
3. Direct and indirect assessment. Knowing about these two types of assessments will allow me to determine what type will best fit the situation/scenario. Direct assessment involves the recording of a behavior, which can be done by the individual, others, or electronically. Indirect involves an interview or questionnaire. You can interview parents, teachers, or the individual undergoing the assessment.

I really liked that this section focused on one topic. (Functional assessment of behavior) It is much easier to understand and grasp this concept when the chapter is focusing on one subject. It was broken down really well. Overall, I enjoyed reading this section because it helped me understand what I needed to do to continue with my behavioral experiment.

I didn't like how this section didn't have a summary. I like to be able to read over the main points from the chapter so I know I really am understanding the material and didn't miss anything.

A thought that came to mind was how using these concepts really can be helpful in everyday life and getting along with others. (Such as people you work with or other students in class). If we can apply these things to certain situations, we could make many situations pleasurable instead of aversive.

Functional Assessment of my behavior:
A- Have homework to do
B- Focus on getting homework done
C- Watch less TV

There will be possible problems with some other antecedents. Such as, I may have to watch a video for class which could cause me to go over my limit of 3 hours for the day, or I could have all of my homework done so I may get bored and watch a movie or TV to stay entertained. I will have to keep a close eye on my antecedents so I can determine which ones are helpful in completing my goal and which ones are not helpful.

Terms: antecedent, aversive, pleasurable, functional assessment of behavior, direct, indirect, consequence, behavior, reinforcers

After reading section 5.3 on Functional Analysis of Behavior the three things I will remember include:

1. Functional Assessment of Behavior- When modifying a behavior, it is important to fist analyze the original target behavior in which you are looking to change and develop a baseline for that behavior. Along with assessing the behavior, it is important to distinguish the ABC’s of the behavior before implementing the intervention. Functional assessment help aid in the development of different hypotheses regarding the relationship between the behavior and the antecedents, behaviors, and consequences. With the help of functional assessments, we can being to look at different reinforcements, generate multiple working hypotheses as why the behavior occurs to begin with, and create a successful intervention to decrease the likelihood of a behavior in which we are looking to change.
2. Experimenting with behavioral interventions- When looking at changing a behavior, we develop many different hypotheses through functional assessment as to why the behavior is happening in the first place. After developing these hypotheses, the next step in the behavior modification process is to experiment with different interventions in which are affective in changing the target behavior. Experimenting is used for the fact that you will likely develop a range of hypotheses of why a behavior is occurring and the best day to test each hypotheses is by experimenting with different interventions.
3. Direct and Indirect functional analysis- There are two ways in which we can analyze a target behavior. The first is through direct assessment which is when observations of a target behavior are mad under naturally occurring conditions taking into account when the target behavior occurs and the events leading up to and following the behavior. Indirect assessments tend to use interview or survey formats to observe the target behavior and the antecedents and consequences that go along with such behavior. This type of assessment it typically used when the individual whose behavior is in question can not communicate for themselves and is beneficial for the fact the observer may be less subjective to the situation.

The reason these three thing will stick with me the most if for the fact they are explaining more in depth about how to monitor the target behavior in which I am trying to change myself. They also help give me a better understanding of the behavior modification process as a whole.

One thing that I really liked about this section was how it went in more depth about how to go about changing a behavior and how to assess the target behavior before and after the intervention takes place. I also really liked how it talked about trying different interventions to fit the behavior in which you want to change and how developing multiple hypotheses as to why the behavior occurs can help you find a successful intervention for your target behavior. While reading this section I couldn’t help but finding myself thinking of how I could apply these new tools and ideas to my plan that I have set up to changing my target behavior and how I can make my plan even better than what it already is.

The functional analysis of my behavior of eating healthy in the dinning centers in which I am trying to change is as follows:
A= Having a Meal plan designated to UNI Dinning Centers
B= Eating food that meets 90% of my designated criteria for healthy food in Dinning Centers
C= Reward myself with a ‘cheat’ day on Friday

I am currently assessing my food intake in the dinning center based on 4 specific criteria I set for myself in my plan to change my behavior (drinking water at every meal, not eating fried food, not drinking chocolate milk, and adding a fruit or vegetable to every meal). I record my progress based on how many of the criteria I met for each meal in the dinning center each day of the week. This allows me to see if I am in fact eating healthier based on my standards and determines if I will be reinforced at the end of the week.

Terms: Functional assessment, behavior, target behavior, antecedent, consequence, baseline behavior, intervention, reinforcements, working hypothesis, experimenting with behavioral interventions, direct assessment, indirect assessment.

Section 5.3
1. The first thing that I know I will remember is that a baseline needs to be carefully recorded. You must record the target behavior as soon as possible after it is emitted by the subject (in this case, ourselves). It is also important to record the antecedents and consequences that occur during the time that you gather baseline data.
2. The second thing that I will remember was mentioned in this section, but also goes way back to some of the first readings we did for this class. I will remember that the antecedent elicits the behavior. This is useful to know for our behavioral change projects because we can manipulate antecedents to our advantage. For example, if I notice that I always remember to brush my teeth when my toothbrush is in sight, I can make sure that I place my toothbrush somewhere that I can see it at all times.
3. The third thing that I will remember is the donut example. I know that I have read this one before in other sections! This will be useful to remember because it shows how reinforcers can lose their reinforcing “powers.” If I get an A on 4 exams in one week, I probably won’t find eating that many donuts as reinforcing as if I had just earned 1 A per week. This also relates back to satiation. I don’t want to reinforce myself so often that I become satiated (full).
4. I really liked that there was a little bit of new information in this section. I learned that functional assessment is essentially examining the ABC’s of behavior modification. We are implementing self-directed behavior with our behavioral change projects, but we may want to help someone else change a behavior in the future. In order to perform a functional assessment of that person’s behavior, we could use direct or indirect assessment. Direct assessment is pretty simple. It is just what it sounds like: directly observing the person’s behavior. Indirect assessment is information that you learn about your subject through another person. You might obtain information about the behavior of a child through their parents, for example. You may use either or both of these methods depending on your subject and their behavior.
5. The only thing I didn’t really like in this section is that there wasn’t a lot of new material. I feel like we haven’t been getting as much new material as the beginning of the readings. It could also be that we’ve only been reading one section per week instead of two. However, I did like that this section sort of synthesized the information about our behavioral change projects. I also appreciated the emphasis on the project as a trial and error type of thing. It is OK to make changes throughout the process, and it is OK if we don’t get it right the first time… that was nice to know!
6. I briefly mentioned this earlier, but the donut example made me think of satiation. I remember the section that talked about this term along with deprivation. I think it was about some kind of bird or rat that was reinforced with food pellets for pushing on a lever. It only released one pellet at a time to prevent the animal from becoming satiated, or full. It is important for our projects to make sure that we don’t satiate ourselves with our reinforcer! I also thought about self-directed behavior, since that is essentially what we are doing. We administer our own reinforcers/punishers.
7. In order to conduct a functional analysis of my target behavior, I will examine the ABC’s of the behavior. When I emit my teeth brushing behavior, it is usually in the morning and at night, but never in the middle of the day. I believe this is because I am not home usually and don’t carry a toothbrush with me. I also sometimes fail to emit my target behavior on weekends. I believe this is because I often go home on weekends and work. I’m tired after work and have an ankle problem that can make it painful to walk downstairs to the bathroom at night to brush my teeth after working all day. This is entirely a bigger problem, so I will focus on the antecedents that I can better control. I also noticed that if I keep my toothbrush out of sight, it’s out of my mind. If I have it setting somewhere that I see it, I never forget to brush my teeth. To use this to my advantage, I will place my toothbrush on the shelf next to the door of my bedroom when I go home, so I see it as soon as I walk in. This way, I can brush my teeth directly after work, before I sit down and my ankle gets stiff. When I’m at UNI, I will place my toothbrush on my desk, so I notice it when I’m doing homework or on my computer. (I’m always on my computer!) I will also need to buy a second toothbrush to carry with me so that I see it in my backpack and remember to brush in the middle of the day!
TERMS:
Baseline, emitted, target behavior, antecedents, consequences, elicits, satiated, reinforcers, reinforcing, functional assessment, self-directed behavior, direct assessment, indirect assessment, deprivation, punishers

Section 5.3

Three things I will remember from this section are:
1. It's important to document and record the occasions when the target behavior occurs and the consequences of the behavior. This is crucial to the process so that we may find the contingencies that reinforce the behavior. Once we know exactly what the antecedent is and what the consequence is that reinforces the behavior we can implement steps to increase or decrease said behavior.
2. Upon observation of both the antecedents and consequences of the behavior, we can conduct a functional assessment of behavior. This can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the antecedents and consequences to possibly better the reinforcing power.
3. It is important to note the function of the behavior rather than the topography of it to better understand why it is being emitted. Better understanding of this further helps the ability to refine the reinforcer in the modification process.
One thing I liked from this section was the focus on the function of one driver giving another driver the finger. I enjoyed this because I've often thought that it was kind of a pointless act and it is odd to think of what goes through the motorist's mind upon aggressively raising a finger.
One thing that I kind of disliked about this section was the feel of redundancy that comes with the sort of comprehensive learning that we are doing. I understand that it essential for our complete grasp of behavioral psychology, but it still feels like we are just treading water sometimes.

Functional Analysis
A- Go to bed early, set alarm clock
B- Wake up in time for breakfast
C- Awake and alert for the day + I get to eat breakfast

I believe that by going to sleep early I will be able to get the proper amount of sleep so that I can wake up comfortably at an earlier hour of the day. Realistically, this will certainly not occur on the weekends, and it will take a day to adapt to the week. This is why I will not focus on waking up on time for the days of Saturday, Sunday or Monday. After waking up early and eating breakfast I should feel rested and alert enough to tackle a day of homework and whatnot.

Terms: target behavior, consequence, antecedent, behavior, contingencies, reinforce, reinforcing power, function, topography, functional assessment of behavior, emit

Section 5.3

One thing that I liked about this section was that it brought in what we have read about before in regards to the steps involved in a behavior modification process and simply added to it. I liked the small summary of what had been learned in previous sections because it created a nice flow and connection to the new additions to what is involved in the process of behavior modification. It also brought in the use of the ABC's of behavior which we learned earlier in the semester and showed how they are used now specifically in the process. I enjoyed that the steps were clearly laid out in one area so that it can be understood that it is a process that includes a lot of factors and how everything we have learned is coming together to help us in our self-directed behavior modification processes that we are doing for class.

One thing that I did not like from this section was that it did not give examples of good interventions that could be paired with functions given for the examples that we were asked to fill out. Nor did it give examples of interventions for the examples of functions given within the text. Though I believe that I understood what it meant and wanted through these examples, having an example of what is wanted is always a nice thing to have to know that you are on the right track in understanding the material.

Things to Remember
1. One thing to remember from this chapter is that it is a common thing to make changes to interventions that have been developed. Due to the fact that interventions are based upone mere hypothesis, there is no certainty that the intervention will bring about the desired behaviors. The change can either come in the intervention method or a change in the hypothesis itself. A change in the hypothesis means that a new function is determined for that behavior. A change in intervention means that the reinforcer or punisher is changed in order to bring about the desired behavior change due to the fact that the original reinforcer or punisher did not bring about these results but the original function still is believed to be correct. Change in intervention can also be due to the fact that the behavior modification process has been successful and there is a need for a new schedule such as a leaning out schedule to reduce the number of reinforcers. Changes can be made to the target behavior as well, because the previous target behavior has come under natural contingencies and there is not need for the reinforcers or punishers.
2. There are two different ways to go about assesments; either directly or indirectly. Direct assessments are done by observing the person and their actions under natural conditions. During this the observer takes note of when the target behaviors occur, what happened after the target behavior was emitted, what may have elicitted the target behavior, and recording this information for further analysis. This recording should be done as close to the event as possible in order to get the most accurate information. Indirect assesments involves asking questions of those that witness the subjects behavior and are involved in their life. It also includes questioning the subject. One advantage to this form is that the input of those other than the subject themself will many times be more objective than that of the subject. During indirect assesments ABC's are identified as well as the function of the behavior that is going to be modified.
3. Interventions are referred to as experiments because we can only hypothesize what the function of a behavior may be and test to see if that function is correct as well as test different reinforcers or punishers to determine which one will bring about the best change in behavior. This is important beacuse it is common for interventions to be changed as discussed above. It is good to remember that the point of an analysis is to identify the ABC's of the behavior that is wished to be modified. This allows for a thorough understanding of the behavior, why it occurs, what brings about the behavior, and what consequenes brings about the desired behavior

An analysis of our projects requires a direct assesment. The data that was collected during the week in which we established a base line allows for me to identify some antecedents that both elicit me to emit my desired behaviors as well as some that elicit me to go against my desired target behaviors. With my target behaviors of eating two servings of fruit each day and consuming no more than 1400 calories a day I found that an antecedent that elicits these target behaviors is eating on campus because I have the fruit more readily available to me and I also have a good vaiety of options in which I can use to get those two servings. I also have seen that I consume a smaller amount of calories when at school because there are more options that allow me to select more healthy choices than if I am eating in other places. I have found that an antecedent to my working out is the amount of homework that I have each day. I have determined that I need to set a shedule for my weeks and determine when I am going to work out so that I know that there will be time and I can do not get too busy with otherthings that I just don't think about working out until it is too late at night. Now that I am beginning to put my reinforcer into action I will continue to record data and then be able to analyze that data to determine if the reinforcer is one that will bring about the desired beahvior.

A-UNI Dinning Services
B-Eating 2 servings of fruit and consuming up to 1400 calories
C-Meeting my overall target behavior of meeting each subgoal and recieving a food or beverage that does not count towards my daily count.

A-scheduling time for workouts
B-Working out
C- Meeting my overall target behavior of meeting each subgoal and recieving a food or beverage that does not count towards my daily count.

Terms Used- Self directed, intervention, function of behavior, punisher, reinforcer, natural contingencies, direct assesment, indirect assesment, emit, elicit, target behavior, antecedent

Section 5.3:
Three things I liked from this section:
1.) The steps involved in the behavior modification process: Step 1: Describe the target behavior, Step 2: Describe the consequences, Step 3: Describe the antecedents, Step 4: Examine the ABC’s, Step 5: Devise new antecedents and consequences, Step 6: Evaluate the outcome.
2.) The functional analysis of behavior can be direct or indirect. Direct assessment involves the observation and recording of behaviors. But, these observations are done under naturally occurring conditions. Indirect assessment involves the use of an interview process of questionnaire. These are necessary when the person is unable to communicate, unwilling to communicate, or unable to “access” the large picture.
3.) From this section I learned that the functional analysis of behavior is necessary to develop a list of reasons for the behavior that we can then frame in terms some hypotheses. Then from the hypotheses we can implement interventions to see if the behavior changes in relation to the baseline occurrence. If the intervention is not successful then you can go back and make changes to some of the contingencies.
I really liked from this section the very last paragraph where everything from this section was pretty much summarized and explained thoroughly why a functional analysis of behavior is necessary and how it goes hand and hand with everything we have learned already. From this section I cannot really think of anything that I did not like. What came to mind when reading this section was how the examples make sense and help me to understand better how a functional analysis works.

Terms: functional analysis, behavior, implement, interventions, contingencies, hypotheses, indirect assessment, direct assessment, naturally occurring conditions, consequences, antecedents, behavior modification, target behavior.

Section 5.3-

What are three things you will remember from what you read in the chapter?

1. By examining the antecedent surrounding a behavior, one can provided their own intervention and in that case change the antecedent and contingencies in order to modify the actual behavior or its occurrence.

2. Experimenting is important in conducting a behavior intervention because what we deduce from a hypothesis is just a guess of why something is occurring not a set in stone reason. With that in mind it may take a couple may more experiments to affectively reach a goal and change the behavior.

3. Direct assessment involves the use of information gathered by the individual pertaining to the target behavior. In direct assessment contains the information on a behavior given to the individual by an outside or secondary source.

What was one thing that you really liked that was in the chapter? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the chapter? What were some ideas that came to mind when you were reading the section? Conduct a functional analysis?

One thing that I really liked about this section was the functionality of the information provided. It really went step by step, helping me to understand all of the encompassing information of the section. It also provided real life examples that we could relate to as well as eliciting a problem solving brain function with the interactive examples provided to also help understand the information. I especially like how the section discussed that once a behavior is ‘mastered,’ the reinforcement or punishment may not be quite necessary. I disliked how irrelevant to our projects the information was—not in the content but in how it was presented. The information was good overall but we have already talked about a lot of it and it would have been nice if our projects were maybe tied a bit more into this section since we are spending so much time on doing them and making changes in ourselves. I also did not like how there was not a summary at the end; I enjoy reading those and use those to help gather insights on some of the information and emit the terms in my life. One thing that I started to think about was why I had such a hard time going to the gym. Was it my schedule? Was it lack of motivation? Was it tiredness or contentness? I think that I came to the answer. I have a huge procrastination problem. This in mind, it is much easier for me to go workout during the summer time then during school. However, situations have made me have to adjust that—having to work more with my boyfriend going back to school and financial issues. So time management has become key to my academic survival.

Antecedents= Following schedule

Behaviors= Increasing the workouts

Consequences= Losing weight and gaining self-esteem.

I do know at times there are things that pop up—getting called into work, getting sick—so to watch out for that I would set a goal of three to four times a week in case anything pops up. Since I know that I also will have more time during the summer, I would increase that to five or more times a week.

Terms: Goal, Antecedents, Behaviors, Consequences, Eliciting, Reinforcement, Punishment, Emit, Schedule, Functional Analysis, Direct Assessment, Indirect Assessment, Target Behavior, Experimenting, Behavior Intervention, Hypothesis, Contingencies.

After reading this section on the functional assessment of behavior, I will remember that it is important to not just define the target behavior, but identify what function it is serving. This is kind of like identifying why something is reinforcing. This assessment will allow the target behavior to be narrowed down to minimize the chance of anything being aversive.
I liked the example of using the f-bomb, and how using the middle finger serves as the same function. The ability to identify the function of a behavior is a way to deal with contingencies and loopholes that may arise during the course of the behavioral intervention.

My behavior that I am trying to change is I am trying to get more exercise. I am doing four basic exercise activities...elliptical, exercise bike, curls, and bench presses. One way that I was able to use this functional analysis to my benefit was to identify that my four activities break down into two groups...cardio and weightlifting. I have developed a point system so I can more easily graph my workouts based on how many cardio points and weight lifting points I got during the workout. This is much better than making four different graphs for tracking my target behaviors.

Terms:
Functional Assessment, Behavior, Define, Target, Function, Identify, Reinforcing, Aversive, Contingencies, Loopholes, Intervention, Graph.

Three things I will remember from this chapter include direct assessment, indirect assessment, and forming a hypothesis list. Direct assessment as defined in our text involves the observation and recording of behaviors. I will remember and implement this currently and in the future by recording aspects of my behaviors (such as possible antecedents) in a notebook as they occur. Indirect assessment refers to the determining of the ABCs of a behavior though other “indirect means”. Some examples include interviews, questionnaires, etc. I will remember indirect assessment by thinking in terms of seeking outside help in determining the ABC’s of a behavior. Direct and indirect assessments are both important to remember in order to determine the ABC’s of a target behavior. It is additionally important to form a hypothesis list in order to experiment with behavioral interventions, and discover which intervention works best. I will also remember that each hypothesis should address why/how the problem behavior is occurring and what is maintaining the behavior.

One thing I really liked about this chapter was its step-by-step format. It is very helpful in forming a functional assessment of behavior based on steps. The steps were very clear and informative and I understood them well. What I disliked about the chapter was that a good amount of the information was review. It’s good to refresh your memory every now and then but sometimes it can get a bit irritating. Some ideas that came to mind while reading this section were past behavior modification attempts and how this knowledge would have helped those particular behaviors. I infer that by better defining, recording, forming hypothesis, etc. I would have been far more successful in my attempts at behavior change. In addition, I also thought about how I could implement this information into current and future behavior modification. As of right now my classmates and I are attempting to modify our own behaviors. One thing I will keep in mind is to keep a list of hypothesis incase my current one fails.

My current target behavior is making the dean’s list by achieving a gpa of 3.5 or above for this semester. To begin my process I have implemented a direct assessment of my behavior by recording my grades, how often I study, and possible distractions to my grades. I discovered that I study for tests on average 6 hours prior and I work on homework, project, and papers a total of 20 hours a week. Distractions to my grades include Facebook, T.V., and being in social areas such as my dorm or the union. In order to alter my behavior into achieving higher grades I will test this hypothesis:

A= Going to the computer lab at scheduled times (30 hours a week)
B= Studying and doing homework
C= Achieving grades on tests, assignments, etc. of B or higher

As discussed in previous posts I am implementing reinforcement to increase my behaviors however I have made one alteration. Facebook as I have discovered, is a distraction. I therefore am using Facebook as a reward to doing school work. For every paper, assignment, and project I finish I will reward myself with 15 minutes of Facebook. After every hour of studying I will also go on Facebook for 15 minutes. I additionally discovered that the environment can also be a distraction such as my dorm and the union therefore I will go to the computer lab instead.

Terms: target behavior, direct assessment, indirect assessment, hypothesis, antecedent, consequence, behavior, reinforcement

5.3

1. The functional assessment of behavior is for developing a hypothesis to identify the antecedents that lead to behavior and how that influences the consequences.
2. This hypothesis helps determine when to use intervention and the functional assessment also helps determine what is reinforcing.
3. You test the hypothesis after you establish a baseline performance. Baseline = control. Intervention after the baseline = experiment. You adjust hypothesis and intervention according to the decline or increase in the behavior.

I picked these things to remember because they are sequential and tie in really nicely the ABCs of behavior that we learned at the very beginning. It’s like this chapter ties in understanding antecedents, behavior, and consequences with why we have been collecting a baseline for the last week, then it explains what to do with that information.
Functional Assessment-
I don’t believe there was anything that I didn’t like in this chapter. My direct assessment is the observation method because of my behavioral log of when I play video games and when I do not. This way I can see what elicits my video game addicting behaviors. I’m a little behind on collecting my baseline and turning in my graph because the first week I was recording my log I realized it was an extremely busy academic week for me, which still gives me good information, but I needed to extend my log by a week to compare it with a more normal schedule for a more accurate analysis.

Terms: Functional assessment, antecedent, behavior, consequence, hypothesis, reinforcer, baseline, observation method, elicit

Section 5.3
One thing I liked about this chapter was that it had some review, particularly the steps involved in behavior modification. It also told us which step we were on so we could know what we have already accomplished and what steps we still need to do in our self-directed behavior change. We are now on step four which means we need to conduct a functional assessment. One thing I disliked about this chapter was that there wasn't a summary at the end. I like to have summaries to look at in order to review the main points of the chapter, although the last paragraph did help in summarizing the steps of making a behavioral change. The three things I will remember about this chapter are: 1. Direct assessment: this is when a person keeps track of or assesses their own behavior. The behavior can be done many ways; the individual can decide what works best for them. 2. Indirect assessment: this we do not conduct ourselves. It could be a questionnaire or an interview. People who know the person might also be interviewed to see what they think of the person’s behavior and how the person might go about changing that behavior in a way that might work for them. 3. Functional assessment: this is something we do in order to see how our behavior change is going, and what we might need to change in order for it to be a success. I think that the point made about the f bombs and how it has different functions even though it is the same word or has the same topography is important to remember. I thought it was a good point to bring up and remind us about because it could be very relevant to someone’s assessment. Perhaps they are using punishment when they don’t need to be or they could find an antecedent to look out for because it might trigger you to emit our unwanted behavior.
A-Eating
B- Eating at least one serving of fruits and veggies a day
C- Being healthier
Some of the problem with getting my servings is that the dining hall doesn't always serve fruits and veggies I like to eat. So by having some fruits and veggies in my dorm room, I can always make sure even though I didn't eat them at the dining hall I can still get my servings by eating them for snacks in my room.
Terms: functional assessment, indirect assessment, direct assessment, topography, functions, emit, antecedent, punishment.

5.3 Functional Assessment of Behavior
The steps involved in behavior modification are to describe the target behavior, describe the consequences, describe the antecedents, conduct a functional analysis, devise new antecedents and consequences and evaluate the outcome. For section 5.3 however we are only examining the functional assessment from the process of behavior modification.
In a functional analysis it is necessary to determine the antecedents in relation to the target behavior. The antecedents can be classified as circumstances in which elicit a behavior or the target behavior. Once we determine what causes a behavior it then sets the stage for a functional analysis of that particular behavior. The functional assessment helps us to create some sort of a hypothesis designed to predict the relationship between the antecedent, behavior and consequences. Basically a functional assessment is done so we can look at our behaviors and understand what is reinforcing them so we can increase or decrease a particular behavior whether it is an aversive or desirable one. Once we find out what is reinforcing our behaviors whether desirable or aversive, we can then change the contingencies to increase the likelihood that that behavior will occur again or decrease that behavior to the point of extinction. Because behaviors have many topographical functions it is important for us to understand those functions to find out what motivates people on different levels and start experimenting with those levels for intervention. There are a couple of different kinds of assessment; Direct and Indirect. Direct assessment involves observing and recording behaviors much like what we are doing right now with our behavior logs that we are all keeping individually for class. A direct assessment happens in a naturally occurring setting to identify when target behaviors, the consequences that happen afterward as well as what may have caused the behavior to happen. An indirect assessment usually involves a questionnaire or an interview of some sort to identify the antecedents, behaviors and consequences for a particular person. This method of gathering information is good for outside observers because it allows for a less subjective situation and allows them to identify antecedents and behaviors from people who are unable or unwilling to communicate.
Functional Analysis of Eating Healthier
First, the antecedents to increase my healthy eating habits, which I defined as eating six small meals a day consisting of 266 calories per meal, was to rid my cupboards and refrigerator of all unhealthy snacks replace them with either pre-made appropriate little meals or energy bars that I went and bought at the grocery store for times that I need something on the go. The consequence to eating healthier is reinforcing in the moment as well I get to have one free day on Sunday to indulge in everything that I wanted to eat during the week. So far the reinforcer in the moment, that feel good feeling I get when I eat a meal that is 266 calories or under, has been working. I am noticing that the antecedents have been eliciting the behavior as well because it eliminates any desire to eat a bunch of junk food (if it isn’t in front of me I don’t crave it). I am using a direct assessment method which enables me to record my behaviors in the moment and identify moments when I do not achieve my target behavior so that I can see what times are the worse for me. For example the antecedent of it being Friday really screws up my target behavior because I usually have to work really late those days so I grab a piece of pizza at work. Ways that I change this behavior is to control the antecedent by really working at eating before I go to work or remember to bring something with me those days.
Terms: Elicit, Direct assessment, Indirect assessment, target behavior, desirable, aversive, antecedent, consequence, functional analysis, behavior modification, hypothesis,

After reading section 5.3, please respond to the following questions.

What are three things you will remember from what you read in the chapter? I will remember that once you have collected your information for your baseline you can recognize what the antecedents and consequences are you can make a functional assessment. I will remember this because it will be helpful when I am making conclusions about my baseline. The second thing I will remember is that there are six steps to the behavior modification process. I will remember this because it will be helpful when trying to reevaluate my behavior that I am trying to change. The third thing I will remember is that you can use experimenting to further your experiment on what is the appropriate reinforcer or punisher or appropriate measures to take to continue to change your behavior. Why? What was one thing that you really liked that was in the chapter? I liked that it explained the six steps to the behavior modification process and it have you example as well. This was helpful to apply the steps to my personal behavior change. Why? What was one thing that you disliked that was in the chapter? I disliked the entire fill in the boxes because it was a lot of examples and I got annoyed filling out the boxes. Why? What were some ideas that came to mind when you were reading the section? I thought of my behavior diary and how my behavior is very sporadic and how I am thinking about my behavior pattern and what needs to be changed in order to be successful in my behavior change.

Conduct a functional analysis of the behavior you are trying to change.
I am working on reading my bible more every night. I have found that listening to music is reinforcement for me. So I am rewarding myself with 1-2 songs of music after I read my bible at night before I go to sleep. Because if I listen to the music first I am less likely to open my bible because listening to music makes me tired and most likely I would end up falling asleep. Also I have found out that the time I go to sleep depends on if I am able to get through my readings and also rewarding myself with music

Once you are done with your post make list of the terms and terminology you used in your post.
Terms: behavior pattern, reinforcer, punisher, experiment, behavior modification.