Choice & Self control

Question 1

Choice

Answer 1

• Up until now, we’ve only really dealt with
  situations where there are no options for
  choosing different behaviors (or
  reinforcers).
• Can you think of a situation or behavior
  that does not involve choice?
   Most do on some level

Question 2

• Concurrent schedule of reinforcement

Answer 2

• Concurrent schedule of reinforcement
   Two or more basic schedules are operating independently
  at the same time for two or more different behaviors
• The organism has a choice of behaviors and schedules
• This is more realistic - reinforcement is often available
  for multiple behaviors or from multiple sources

Question 3

• Similar reinforcement schedules we tend to choose the
  schedule with:

Answer 3

• Similar reinforcement schedules we tend to choose the
  schedule with:
   Higher frequency of reinforcement
   Least effort
   Example: pressing a light lever vs pressing a heavy lever
   Most immediate reinforcement

Question 4

Choice 2

Answer 4

Choice is strongly influenced by immediate rather
than delayed consequences.
 Example: Go on an outing with friends this weekend
(immediate reinforcer) instead of studying to get a good
grade at the end of the semester (delayed reinforcer).
* Relates to self -control…

Question 5

Self-control

Answer 5

• Small immediate reinforcer versus delayed
  larger reinforcer.
   Impulsivity versus self-control
   “Willpower”
• Skinner - not a matter of “willpower” but of
  conflicting outcomes (positive and negative both
  occurring.)
   Eating ice-cream: tastes yummy (positive) but you
  gain weight (negative)
• Controlling Responses (Skinner) - occur to alter
  the likelihood of the controlled response.
   Example: Only purchase a small tub of ice-cream at
  the supermarket (controlling response), so you won’t
  eat a huge amount later at home when you’re hungry
  (controlled response).

Question 6

Types of Controlling
Responses

Answer 6

• Physical restraint - alter physical environment
  to prevent the problem behavior from occurring.
   Example: ice-cream purchase example
• Deprivation & satiation - limit or gorge yourself
  to change the reinforcing properties of an event.
   Examples: Don’t buy anything new for yourself in the
  couple weeks leading up to your birthday.

Question 7

• Doing something else - distracting yourself with
  another task can reduce the likelihood of engaging in
  an unwanted behavior.
   Example: Working on a project to keep from snacking at
  work.
• Self-reinforcement and self-punishment – reinforce or
  punish your own behavior.
   Examples: snap wrist with rubberband whenever you
  think of a cigarette (punisher). Allow yourself to go
  shopping when finish doing chores (reinforcer).
   Problem: can “cheat” with reinforcers or punishers.

Answer 7

• Doing something else - distracting yourself with
  another task can reduce the likelihood of engaging in
  an unwanted behavior.
   Example: Working on a project to keep from snacking at
  work.
• Self-reinforcement and self-punishment – reinforce or
  punish your own behavior.
   Examples: snap wrist with rubberband whenever you
  think of a cigarette (punisher). Allow yourself to go
  shopping when finish doing chores (reinforcer).
   Problem: can “cheat” with reinforcers or punishers.

Question 8

• Temporal Issue
   Lack of self-control arises from the fact that our
  behavior is more heavily influenced by
  immediate consequences as opposed to delayed
  consequences
  Immediate
  consequences
  Delayed
  consequences
  Quitting Withdrawal Improved health
  Smoking Nicotine high Deterioration of
  health

Answer 8

• Temporal Issue
   Lack of self-control arises from the fact that our
  behavior is more heavily influenced by
  immediate consequences as opposed to delayed
  consequences
  Immediate
  consequences
  Delayed
  consequences
  Quitting Withdrawal Improved health
  Smoking Nicotine high Deterioration of
  health

Question 9

• Self -control – preference for larger later
  reward (LLR)
• Impulsiveness – preference for smaller
  sooner reward (SSR)
• Can differ with punishment

Answer 9

• Self -control – preference for larger later
  reward (LLR)
• Impulsiveness – preference for smaller
  sooner reward (SSR)
• Can differ with punishment

Question 10

• Preference for self-control versus impulsive
  choice shifts over time

Answer 10

Value of reward is hyperbolic function of delay
 Value of reward increases more sharply as delay
decreases and reward becomes more imminent.
* Which do you prefer? SSR or LLR?
 $500 now or $1,000 in two years
 $500 in four years or $1,000 in six years

Question 11

Changing the shape of the delay
for the larger later reward

Answer 11

• Biological factors
   Pigeons & rats more affected by a few seconds of delay (not
  humans)
   Temperament differences between humans
• Age –impulsivity decreases with age
• History of delayed rewards - practice waiting for a
  reward will make a person less impulsive.
• Availability of other reinforcers - more impulsive if no
  other reinforcers are available
• Chaining or setting up subgoals - secondary
  reinforcement when each subgoal is completed

Question 12

Commitment response

Answer 12

• Good behavioral technique to try and
  control future behavior.
   Example: Give a deposit to reserve a room in a
  hotel. Done to assure that the reservation will be
  kept.
   Tell parent in the morning to not pick you up
  until 4 pm so you have to stay at school and
  study.

Question 13

Small but cumulative effects

Answer 13

• Self-control isn’t one choice, but series of
  choices
• Each choice has a small effect on our
  likelihood of obtaining a desired outcome
• Example
• If you’re dieting is a small cheat okay?

Question 14

Cognitive mechanisms

Answer 14

• Coping strategies in delayed
  reinforcement:
   Delay of gratification studies - typically done
  with children.
• Mischel - marshmallow studies
   Method: children told they can have one
  marshmallow now, or wait until the
  experimenter returns and can then have 2
  marshmallows.
   Results:
   1/3 grabbed single marshmallow right away while
  some waited a little longer.
   1/3 were able to wait 15-20 minutes for the
  researcher to return
• Strategies children came up with showed
  that cognitive factors are involved.
   Children covered their eyes or looked away
   Walked around the room
   Played or started singing
   Follow-up: the children who came up with tactics
  to help delay gratification were generally doing
  much better when 17 years old. (more positive,
  self motivating, persistent, etc.)
   Kids who couldn’t wait were more troubled,
  stubborn, indecisive, mistrustful, and less selfconfident.

Question 15

Creating a Self-control
Program

Answer 15

1. Specify problem and set goals
    What do you want to change and how will you
   know success?
2. Make a commitment to change
    Statements and actions that indicate that you
   want to change
    Write out advantages to change and post in
   visible space
    Make it public
    Incorporate frequent reminders of your
   commitment in your environment
3. Conduct assessment
    When, where, and how does a problem behavior
   occur?
4. Design and implement a
   program
5. Design and implement a program
    Manage antecedents — what are the causes?
    Instructions – use self-instructions
    Modeling – observe someone who is good at behavior
    Physical guidance – use physical barriers to avoid
   some behaviors
    Immediate surroundings – may need to change
    Other people – may need to change
    Time of day – may need to change when
    Manage the behavior – for complex behaviors, need to
   focus on the behavior itself; may need to conduct task
   analysis and have mastery criteria.
    Manage consequences – eliminate reinforcers of
   negative behaviors
6. Prevent relapse and make
   gains last
   * Be sure to define behavior clearly
   * For long-term goals, have intermittent short-term goals
   to check progress
   * Do not overdo it
   * Try to avoid setback situations
   * If can’t recognize setback situations in advance, have
   coping strategies
   * Do not overreact to setbacks
   * Avoid counterproductive self-talk
   * Incorporate everyday rewards into the program
   * In programs where consequences are only cumulatively
   significant, plan post-checks and have specific strategies
   to follow if the post-checks are unfavorable
   * Practice self-control strategies to improve additional
   behaviors
   * Involve supportive others
   * Sign a behavioral contract with supportive others

Question 16

Behavioral contract

Answer 16

• Serves at least four important
  stimulus control functions:
   Ensures all parties agree to goals and
  procedures
   Ensures that all parties agree on how
  close they are to reaching the goals
   Provides the client with a realistic
  estimate of the cost of the program to
  him or her in time, effort, and money
   Signatures help ensure that all parties
  with follow procedures