AA PROJECT 1400 WORDS DUE BY 20 HOURS

Running head: TARGET BEHAVIOR

Self-Management Project Topic: Behaviorism, Target Behavior, and Alcoholism

Andria Atkinson

University of Phoenix

Theories of Behavior(PSY 420)

Professor Bill Hasler

August 23, 2021

Target Behavior in Observable and Measurable Terms

The target behavior is the behavior that will be observed or measured. In this instance, the target behavior that will be measured and observed is excessively drinking alcohol or weakening and suppressing the behavior. Excessive alcohol drinking includes binge drinking, heavy drinking, or any amount of alcohol that has surpassed four or more drinks on one occasion. For men, the limit for excessive alcohol on one occasion is five. In the study, multiple results will be tested which include suppression, weakening, or eliminating the target behavior. Further, actions that involve drinking socially or to pass leisure time are examples of the target behavior in observable and measurable terms.

Methodology

The methods that will be used to observe and acquire baseline data on this behavior include the behavioral assessment approach. This approach can be applied to a plethora of different situations. The first step of the behavioral assessment approach is to define the target behavior using specific terms. The next step is to collect the baseline data, or the specific measures of response before the intervention (Fisher, Saini, & Greer et al., 2019). The incorporation of the most common baseline data, frequency of the response, will be used to obtain the baseline data. For instance, Andria went out for margaritas with her friends five times per week over the past six weeks" is an example of data that will be obtained during the assessment. The rate of occurrence regarding the behavior is important for evaluating behavior change. The rate of drinking is either measured on a weekly or daily basis.

Reason for Chosen Behavior

The reason drinking alcohol is the chosen behavior of choice is attributed to my family’s generational curse. As a Jamaican woman, for decades I observed and measured my family’s addiction to Jamaican rum and alcohol. Studying psychology and social work, performing this study on excessive alcohol consumption to determine its addictive properties and the nature of my family's generational love for the drug-inspired this research. Binge drinking and alcohol use for me started in my teenage years and early, and these symptoms of subconscious alcoholism have led me to experiment on myself to test my discipline and detox my body.

References

Fisher, W. W., Saini, V., Greer, B. D., Sullivan, W. E., Roane, H. S., Fuhrman, A. M., ... & Kimball, R. T. (2019). Baseline reinforcement rate and resurgence of destructive behavior. Journal of the experimental analysis of behavior, 111(1), 75-93. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.488