Self-Management

Question 1

What is self-management?

Answer 1

engaging in one behaviour to prevent/control the occurrence of a target behaviour
- alters the A and C of target behavior
- goal is to decrease or eliminate behavioral excess so that neg outcome does not occur

Question 2

Self-management involves conflict:

a) of long term contingencies
b) of short term contingencies
c) between long term and short term contingencies

Answer 2

c) self-management involves conflict between short term and long term contingencies

Question 3

what is one word that summarizes “conflict between short term and long term contingencies”?

Answer 3

willpower (or self-discipline)

Question 4

What are Skinner’s 2 self-control responses?

Answer 4

controlling behaviour and controlled behaviour

Question 5

what is the controlling behaviour in self-management procedures?

Answer 5

the self management behaviour; behaviour that influences the future occurrence of the controlled behaviour/response

Question 6

what is the controlled behaviour in a self-management program?

Answer 6

the target behaviour; behaviour that you want to change

Question 7

what are 7 types of self-management strategies?

Answer 7

1. goal setting
2. self-monitoring
3. manipulating antecedents
4. behavioural contract
5. self-administered consequences
6. social support
7. self-instructions and self-praise

Question 8

in goal-setting, goals should be S.M.A.R.T. ; what do these letters stand for?

Answer 8

S = specific
M = measurable
A = achievable
R = relevant
T = time-bound

Question 9

True or False: in goal-setting, “achieving the goal” can act as the reinforcer

Answer 9

TRUE

Question 10

what is antecedent interventions?

Answer 10

modify the enviro in some way before the target behavior occurs to influence the future occurrence of target behavior
- present the S^D or cues for desirable
- remove S^D or cues
- arranging EO or AO
- increase or decrease response effort

Question 11

In self-monitoring, what is “reactivity”?

Answer 11

reactivity - target behavior changes in response to the self-monitoring

Question 12

What is a behavioural contract and how is it relevant to self-management?

Answer 12

behavioral contract = written document of ABCs with specific goals and details
relevance: formal way of committing to a behavioural goal

Question 13

True or False: to apply a behavioural contract, you only need yourself

Answer 13

FALSE - a behavioural contract requires a self-management partner or contract manager

Question 14

short-circuiting the contingency?

Answer 14

person arranges a reinforcer for a target behavior but takes reinforcer without first engaging in the target behavior or when person arranges a punisher for target behavior but does not implement punisher after engaging in target

Question 15

social support

Answer 15

significant others in their life provide natural context or cues for occurrence of target behavior or when naturally provide reinforcing consequences for occurrence of target

Question 16

What is bootleg reinforcement (in terms of self-administered consequences)?

Answer 16

reinforcer provided even when the target behaviour is NOT performed

Question 17

True or False: positive self-talk is linked to depression

Answer 17

FALSE - negative self-talk (self-criticism) is linked to depression

Question 18

What are the 9 steps of using self-management?

Answer 18

1. DECIDE/choose to engage in self-management
2. DEFINE target behaviour and competing behaviours
3. set GOALS
4. SELF-MONITOR
5. FBA (functional assessment)
6. choose SELF-MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
7. EVALUATE change
8. if necessary, RE-EVALUATE self-management strategies
9. implement MAINTENANCE/GENERALIZATION strategies

Question 19

What 2 characteristics are consistently associated with positive life outcomes?

Answer 19

intelligence and self-control

Question 20

Explain what happened during the radish experiment?

Answer 20

• 2 groups: radish-eating group and cookie-eating group
• both groups exposed to cookie smell while eating their respective foods
• both groups perform an IMPOSSIBLE geometric tracing task after eating
• radish group gives up faster than cookie group

Question 21

what principle does the radish experiment contribute to?

a) ego depletion
b) decision fatigue

Answer 21

a) ego depletion

Question 22

what is ego depletion?

Answer 22

after using self-control on one task, you will have less self-control on the next task (i.e. deplete self-control)

Question 23

Explain what happened during the memory experiment? what does it tell us about willpower?

Answer 23

• 2 groups: 7-digit group and 2-digit group (groups had to remember that many digits)
• each group asked to choose a reward if they passed the memory test: cake vs. fruit salad
• 7-digit group mostly chose cake; 2-digit group mostly chose fruit salad
• conclusion: cognitive resources required for remembering more digits REDUCES willpower for RESISTING temptation of cake

Question 24

Explain what happened during the choice/rating experiment?

Answer 24

• 2 groups: rating group and forced-choice group
• both groups given a self-control test after choice test
• forced choice group lasted longer

Question 25

what principle does the choice/rating experiment contribute to? a) ego depletion b) decision fatigue

Answer 25

b) decision fatigue

Question 26

True or false: blood glucose depletes willpower/self-control

Answer 26

FALSE - blood glucose INCREASES willpower/self-control

Question 27

Categorize the following into "temporarily boost willpower" and "strengthen willpower in the long term": - consume glucose - rest/relax/meditate - keeping track of your eating - regular exercise - smoking and drinking less - consume protein - studying more - washing more dishes - speaking in complete sentences and without swearing

Answer 27

short term: consume glucose, consume protein, rest/relax/meditate long term: keep track of eating, regular exercise, smoking and drinking less, studying more, washing more dishes, speaking without swearing

Question 28

explain the strength model of self-control

Answer 28

just like a muscle, willpower becomes stronger the more you use it

Question 29

True or False: people who have strong willpower use it a lot every day

Answer 29

FALSE - people who have strong willpower have created strong automatic HABITS, so they don't need to expend willpower throughout the day

Question 30

what are the pros and cons of the strength model of self-control?

Answer 30

pro: reliable experimental support and evidence cons: 1) does not explain WHY people may resist/give in to temptation 2) alternative explanations may account for willpower effects (e.g. MOTIVATION...can money as an incentive push you to overcome ego depletion?)

Question 31

True or False: top-down effect is associated with cognition (money) and bottom-up effect is associated with physiology (blood sugar)

Answer 31

TRUE

Question 32

what is the "what the hell effect"? provide an example

Answer 32

not overreacting to a lapse in self-control | e.g. you go over your daily calorie limit, but you continue to eat anyways (don't overreact to it)

Question 33

True or False: aggression decreases as ego depletion increases

Answer 33

FALSE - aggression increases with ego depletion

Question 34

True or False: blood glucose drops after exerting self-control

Answer 34

TRUE

Question 35

temporal discounting or delay discounting

Answer 35

the longer the delay between B and C, the less likely the C will fxn as a reinforcer - immediate is the best