Self-Management

By: Samar Preet Sarna Roll No. : 60

Self-Management
The personal application of behavior change tactics that produces a desired change in behavior Examples??? Why not self-control?

Applications of Self-Management
Living a more effective and efficient daily life
e.g., shopping list

Breaking bad habits and acquiring good ones

Baum (2005) impulsivity, bad habits, and procrastination result from reinforcement traps
Immediate but smaller consequences control our behavior rather than delayed but more significant consequences

Malott (1984) being able to state a rule about the long-term consequences does not always control our behavior why?
Weak rules describe outcomes that are delayed, incremental, and/or unpredictable

Self-management is a way to provide short term outcomes that will control behavior when weak rules and delayed outcomes do not!

Applications of Self-Management
Accomplishing Difficult Tasks
e.g., thesis, lit review

Achieving Personal Goals

e.g., exercise, relaxation

Benefits of Self-Management
Can be used to change
thoughts and feelings behaviors that cannot be easily observed by others behaviors that might go unnoticed by others

Can be used to promote generalization and maintenance of behavior change People with diverse abilities can learn selfmanagement skills Self-selected tasks performance criteria may lead to better performance

Benefits of Self-Management
Its an ultimate goal of education
The development of independent, self-directed people who are capable of behaving appropriately and constructively without the supervision of others (p. 583) Dewey (1939) the ideal aim of education is the creation of self-control Expected, but not often specifically taught!

Benefits society by foregoing immediate reinforcers in favor of very delayed outcomes (e.g., global warming) Helps a person feel free (not bound by immediate consequences)

Self-Management Software for Children

KidTools and KidSkills Developed with partial funding by the DOE OSEP Download for free at
http://kidtools.missouri.edu

Kidspiration

Antecedent-Based Self-Management Tactics

Manipulating MOs
Person behaves in a way that creates an MO The MO then evokes or abates behavior e.g., eating before grocery shopping e.g., drinking tea to quit smoking

Providing Response Prompts

Antecedent-Based Self-Management Tactics

Performing the Initial Steps of a Chain
e.g., leaving the open bag on the counter

Removing Items Necessary for an Undesired Behavior Limiting Undesired Behavior to Restricted Stimulus Conditions
e.g., reducing stereotypy or sexual behavior in public

Dedicating a Specific Environment for a Desired Behavior

e.g., studying with the peach candle

Self-Monitoring
AKA Self-recording, self-observation Person observes his behavior systematically and records the occurrence or nonoccurrence of a target behavior Monitoring alone can change behavior! Can be combined with Self-Evaluation
Compares performance with a goal or standard

Can be combined with contrived consequences for meeting or not meeting goals Why does self-monitoring work?
Covert statement I did well! self-reinforces performance Performing below standard produces guilt that can be avoided by improving your performance

Guidelines for Self-Monitoring

Provide materials that make it easy
Wrist counters, timers, stop watches Simple datasheets

Provide supplementary cues or prompts

Tones, MotivAider Use more prompts in the beginning and gradually decrease

Self-monitor the most important dimension of the target behavior

Frequency, rate, latency, interresponse time, duration Productivity more effective and preferred than on-task

Self-monitor early and often

Record as soon as possible but dont interrupt the behavior to do it Use permanent products if possible Record the first step in the chain if possible Monitor more in the beginning

Reinforce accurate self-monitoring

Spot check and reinforce accuracy But perfect accuracy may not be necessary!

Self-Administered Consequences
To Increase Desired Behavior
Positive Reinforcement
Examples: tokens, points, mins of free time, self-recruited SR+,

Negative Reinforcement
Avoid token loss, paying money, exercise, chores

To Decrease Undesired Behavior

Positive Punishment
Examples: snap rubber bands, sit-ups, bad taste on nails, overcorrection

Negative Punishment
Response cost: pay a fine, lose tokens Time-out: dont allow yourself to engage in a behavior for a period of time (e.g., dont talk for 2 min)

Guidelines for Self-Administered Consequences

Select small, easy-to-deliver consequences Set a meaningful but easy-to-meet criterion for reinforcement Eliminate bootleg reinforcement If necessary, put someone else in control of delivering consequences Keep it simple

Other Self-Management Tactics

Self-Instruction
Self-generated verbal responses, covert or overt, that function as response prompts for a desired behavior e.g., student is taught to say to himself, If I wait, Ill get to have _________.

Habit Reversal Self-directed Systematic Desensitization

Substituting one behavior, usually relaxation, for the unwanted behavior, fear/anxiety

Guidelines for Conducting an Effective Self-Management Program

Specify a goal and define the target behavior Begin self-monitoring the behavior to obtain baseline
And to observe effects of self-monitoring alone

Create contrived contingencies that will compete with ineffective natural contingencies Go public Get a self-management partner Continually evaluate and redesign program as needed
A-B and changing criterion designs

Thank you