1. Self-Management
Chapter 27

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

3. 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!

4. Applications of Self-Management
Accomplishing Difficult Tasks
e.g., thesis, lit review
Achieving Personal Goals
e.g., exercise, relaxation

5. 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 self-management skills
Self-selected tasks performance criteria may lead to better performance

6. Benefits of Self-Management
It’s 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)

7. Self-Management Software for Children
KidTools and KidSkills
Developed with partial funding by the DOE OSEP
Download for free at
Kidspiration

8. 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

9. 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…

10. 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

11. 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 don’t 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!

12. 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: don’t allow yourself to engage in a behavior for a period of time (e.g., don’t talk for 2 min)

13. 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

14. 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, I’ll get to have _________.”
Habit Reversal
Self-directed Systematic Desensitization
Substituting one behavior, usually relaxation, for the unwanted behavior, fear/anxiety

15. 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