Self-Management Flashcards
What is self-management?
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
Self-management involves conflict:
a) of long term contingencies
b) of short term contingencies
c) between long term and short term contingencies
c) self-management involves conflict between short term and long term contingencies
what is one word that summarizes “conflict between short term and long term contingencies”?
willpower (or self-discipline)
What are Skinner’s 2 self-control responses?
controlling behaviour and controlled behaviour
what is the controlling behaviour in self-management procedures?
the self management behaviour; behaviour that influences the future occurrence of the controlled behaviour/response
what is the controlled behaviour in a self-management program?
the target behaviour; behaviour that you want to change
what are 7 types of self-management strategies?
- goal setting
- self-monitoring
- manipulating antecedents
- behavioural contract
- self-administered consequences
- social support
- self-instructions and self-praise
in goal-setting, goals should be S.M.A.R.T. ; what do these letters stand for?
S = specific M = measurable A = achievable R = relevant T = time-bound
True or False: in goal-setting, “achieving the goal” can act as the reinforcer
TRUE
what is antecedent interventions?
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
In self-monitoring, what is “reactivity”?
reactivity - target behavior changes in response to the self-monitoring
What is a behavioural contract and how is it relevant to self-management?
behavioral contract = written document of ABCs with specific goals and details
relevance: formal way of committing to a behavioural goal
True or False: to apply a behavioural contract, you only need yourself
FALSE - a behavioural contract requires a self-management partner or contract manager
short-circuiting the contingency?
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
social support
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
What is bootleg reinforcement (in terms of self-administered consequences)?
reinforcer provided even when the target behaviour is NOT performed
True or False: positive self-talk is linked to depression
FALSE - negative self-talk (self-criticism) is linked to depression
What are the 9 steps of using self-management?
- DECIDE/choose to engage in self-management
- DEFINE target behaviour and competing behaviours
- set GOALS
- SELF-MONITOR
- FBA (functional assessment)
- choose SELF-MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
- EVALUATE change
- if necessary, RE-EVALUATE self-management strategies
- implement MAINTENANCE/GENERALIZATION strategies
What 2 characteristics are consistently associated with positive life outcomes?
intelligence and self-control
Explain what happened during the radish experiment?
- 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
what principle does the radish experiment contribute to?
a) ego depletion
b) decision fatigue
a) ego depletion
what is ego depletion?
after using self-control on one task, you will have less self-control on the next task (i.e. deplete self-control)
Explain what happened during the memory experiment? what does it tell us about willpower?
- 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
Explain what happened during the choice/rating experiment?
- 2 groups: rating group and forced-choice group
- both groups given a self-control test after choice test
- forced choice group lasted longer
what principle does the choice/rating experiment contribute to?
a) ego depletion
b) decision fatigue
b) decision fatigue
True or false: blood glucose depletes willpower/self-control
FALSE - blood glucose INCREASES willpower/self-control
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
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
explain the strength model of self-control
just like a muscle, willpower becomes stronger the more you use it
True or False: people who have strong willpower use it a lot every day
FALSE - people who have strong willpower have created strong automatic HABITS, so they don’t need to expend willpower throughout the day
what are the pros and cons of the strength model of self-control?
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?)
True or False: top-down effect is associated with cognition (money) and bottom-up effect is associated with physiology (blood sugar)
TRUE
what is the “what the hell effect”? provide an example
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)
True or False: aggression decreases as ego depletion increases
FALSE - aggression increases with ego depletion
True or False: blood glucose drops after exerting self-control
TRUE
temporal discounting or delay discounting
the longer the delay between B and C, the less likely the C will fxn as a reinforcer
- immediate is the best
