Deck 26: Helping an Individual to Develop Self-Control

Question 1

Describe a problem of a behavioral excess in which an immediate reinforcer (for the problem behavior)wins out over a delayed reinforcer (for an alternative desirable behavior).

Answer 1

For example, for many students, the immediate reinforcers of enjoyable scenes from spending time on Facebook win out over the delayed reinforcer of a good grade for the alternative behavior of studying.Any appropriate example is acceptable.

Question 2

Describe a problem of a behavioral deficiency that occurs because an immediate small punisher for the behavior wins out over a delayed major punisher if the behavior does not occur.

Answer 2

For example, the immediate small punisher (such as the dentist's drill hurting your teeth)for having a dentist repair you teeth often wins out over the delayed major punisher (your teeth fall out)if dental check-ups do not occur.Any appropriate example is acceptable.

Question 3

Give an example that illustrates how recording and graphing of a problem behavior was all that was needed to bring about improvement.

Answer 3

For example, recording and graphing instances of repetitive scratching by a 52-year-old woman was sufficient to eliminate the scratching (and the unsightly lesions that occurred because of it).Any of the other cases described in the chapter are acceptable.

Question 4

Define mastery criterion, and give an example that is not in the text.

Question 5

Give an example that illustrates how the manipulation of energy expenditure or effort needed to perform a behavior is an effective self-management strategy.
Would you say that the example involved the manipulation of a motivating operation?
Why or why not?

Question 6

Describe the behavioral model of self-control.

Question 7

List seven major classes of antecedents that you might consider when planning how to manage the situation in a self-control program.

Question 8

Describe two strategies for increasing the likelihood of keeping records of a problem behavior to be changed.

Question 9

How does this book define commitment?

Question 10

List the steps that Mager recommends to unfuzzify a vaguely stated problem or self-control goal.

Question 11

Describe how Al was inadvertently reinforced for eating numerous times throughout the day.

Question 12

List the five steps that characterize many programs of self-control (they start on p.265).

Question 13

Describe three different strategies for manipulating consequences in self-control programs in a sentence or two for each.

Question 14

Describe a problem of a behavioral deficiency that occurs because immediate small punishers for the behavior win out over immediate but highly improbable major punishers if the behavior does not occur.

Question 15

Give an example that indicates how the manipulation of a motivating operation was an effective self-control strategy.

Question 16

Describe a problem of a behavioral excess in which an immediate reinforcer wins out over a delayed punisher for the behavior.

Question 17

Describe a problem of a behavioral excess in which an immediate reinforcer wins out over a cumulatively significant punisher for the behavior.

Question 18

What do people mean when they talk about willpower? Is willpower a useful concept? Why or why not?

Question 19

Describe five steps that you could take to strengthen and maintain your commitment to a program of self-control.

Question 20

Describe a problem of a behavioral deficiency that occurs because the behavior leads to immediate small punishers that win out over cumulatively significant reinforcers for the behavior.

Question 21

Briefly describe two possible causes of relapse in consequences, and indicate how each might be handled.

Question 22

Is self-reinforcement an effective self-control strategy? Discuss.

Question 23

What important stimulus-control functions does a behavioral contract serve?

Question 24

What is correspondence training? Briefly describe how generalized correspondence was demonstrated in kindergarten children.

Question 25

What is the meaning of relapse in a self-control program?

Question 26

With which behavior problems are self-help manuals most effective and least effective?

Question 27

Is it plausible to suggest that many individuals can become their own behavior therapists? Justify your answer.

Question 28

Briefly describe three possible causes of relapse in the specification of the response, and indicate how each might be handled.

Question 29

Describe three different ways of arranging for reinforcers to be received in a self-control program, in a sentence or two for each.

Question 30

Briefly describe four possible causes of relapse in situations, and indicate how each might be handled.

Question 31

What is a behavioral contract (see pp.243, 267-268)?