Order 2044135: Procrastination

Important Note: I am providing this sample to give you an idea about the level of detail I want in the sections that deal with behavioral concepts. Don’t even think about taking ideas or wording from this sample. I want your work to be entirely original, as far as the problem behavior you choose, how you analyze it, and your behavior change strategies. Jim Biederman PSYC 1110-01 Assignment #2

Problem behavior

My problem behavior is that I speed too much when I drive. This is an important problem for

me to work on because it probably increases my stress levels when I drive and could result in expensive

speeding tickets.

Classical or Operant

My behavior is an example of operant conditioning because it is a learned, voluntary behavior.

My problem behavior was shaped by specific consequences and can be changed using the same

principles.

History of behavior

I don’t remember a specific time and place where I started speeding, but it’s probably safe to

say that I have been speeding to some degree since I started driving at the age of 16. Across my driving

history, I have gotten into very few accidents and have gotten very few speeding tickets (the most

recent one about 15 years ago). Initially, my speeding would occur only once in a while, under specific

situations, like when I am running late or in a hurry to get to a destination. In these cases, my speeding

behavior is being positively and negatively reinforced. An example of positive reinforcement is getting

to a destination early, which gives me more time after I arrive. This is an example of positive

reinforcement because the voluntary behavior is followed by something presented (more time) which

has the effect of increasing my behavior. In certain situations when I was running late, the behavior of

speeding would also be reinforced negatively, by taking away being late. This is an example of negative

reinforcement because the voluntary behavior is followed by something taken away (being late) which

has the effect of increasing my behavior.

My behavior of speeding has increased over the past few years to become more of a problem in

the recent past. I think there are two main reasons for the increase. One issue is that I started using a

GPS app called Waze about two years ago to help me to navigate when I drive. In addition to providing

turn-by-turn directions, Waze also incorporates real-time traffic information and can route me around

traffic jams. When I start out on a drive, Waze will also give me an estimated arrival. I have tended to

see that as a challenge to beat that time, which increases the likelihood of my speeding. In this case, my

behavior of speeding is increasing through positive reinforcement. If I arrive at my destination ahead of

the time that Waze predicted, I get the satisfaction of “beating” the prediction. This is an example of

positive reinforcement because the feeling of satisfaction is added and it leads to an increase in my

behavior.

The second main reason that my speeding problem has increased might also be due to the

increasing amounts of construction and traffic that I have to drive through on a daily basis. This kind of

driving is stressful and it encourages me to drive faster to get it over with more quickly. This is an

example of negative reinforcement because driving faster is followed by the removal of stress, which

then leads to an increase in the behavior of speeding.

Current status of behavior

Currently I speed on a daily basis pretty much every time I drive. The behavior is being

maintained primarily from the forms of positive and negative reinforcement I listed in the history

section: I sometimes arrive at my destination sooner (positive reinforcement), I occasionally limit the

amount of time I am late (negative reinforcement), I occasionally get the satisfaction of beating my GPS

estimate (positive reinforcement), and I also occasionally get relief from stress by getting the drive

finished more quickly (negative reinforcement). As I mentioned previously, I have not gotten a speeding

ticket in about 15 years and I have never had what I would consider a speed-related accident. This

suggests that punishment is not really involved in maintaining my behavior.

Behavior change goal

My goal is to reduce my speeding behavior in terms of frequency and severity. I would like to

limit my speed to no more than 5 miles per hour over the posted limit on at least 80% of my drives.

Behavior change plan

Because my behavior is voluntary and was shaped through operant conditioning, I am going to

use operant conditioning methods to change the behavior.

Based upon my analysis, one of the reasons my speeding has increased in the past few years is

due to the reinforcement I get from “beating” my GPS app. Waze displays the estimated time of arrival

in the same location on my car’s display, so my first idea is to place a piece of tape, about one square

inch, over this location on my screen. If I can’t see Waze’s estimated time of arrival, then I won’t be able

to get any of this reinforcement for speeding. In this example, I would be using the behavioral concept

of extinction because a previously reinforced behavior is no longer receiving reinforcement, which

should lead to a gradual decrease in my behavior.

I would also like to incorporate reinforcement into my plan because operant conditioning is

most effective in changing behavior through reinforcement. I am going to make use of a app on my

phone to alert me at random intervals while I am driving. The app is called iPromptU and it can be set to

give alerts at specific or random intervals. The random intervals can be programmed with a minimum

and a maximum so that I can set realistic intervals for driving (averaging once every 5-10 minutes).

When the alert sounds, I will immediately check to see if my speed is no more than 5 mph faster than

the posted speed limit. Waze always displays my current speed and the speed limit, so a one-second

glance is all that it will take. If my speed check is good, I will receive one point. This is an example of

positive reinforcement because I am getting something as a consequence (a point) that should have the

effect of increasing my behavior. This is also an example of variable interval reinforcement because the

reinforcement is delivered after a varying amount of time. This would also be an example of secondary

reinforcement because these points do not satisfy a biological need.

At the end of each drive, I will record the number of points I earned and the number of miles I

drove. At the end of each day, I will tabulate the total number of points and the total number of miles

and then calculate a ratio of miles per points. I will record this on a wall calendar in a conspicuous place.

If I am successful in changing my behavior, the number of miles per point will go down over time.

Seeing this number decrease on my calendar would be a form of reinforcement because it will

encourage my behavior of not speeding to increase. Because the number is getting smaller, I would

classify this as a form of negative reinforcement. The satisfaction I get from seeing these numbers

decrease would be an example of secondary reinforcement because it does not meet a biological need.

This reinforcement will be delivered once per day, so that is also an example of fixed interval

reinforcement.

As I mentioned earlier, I am placing my tracking calendar in a conspicuous place where other

people can see it. I will let friends and family members know about my plan and my goal and I will ask

them to acknowledge when I am making good progress. If a friend compliments me for less speeding,

this would be an example of positive reinforcement because I am getting the compliment and it would

have the effect of increasing my behavior. Social reinforcement is also an example of secondary

reinforcement because it does not meet a biological need.

I won’t instruct my friends to give me a hard time if my numbers don’t improve, but knowing my

friends, this is exactly what they will do. So this is not a formal part of my plan, but if my speeding

behavior gets worse and my friends give me a hard time, this would be an example of positive

punishment because I will be getting something that might have the effect of decreasing my speeding

behavior. Punishment is not the most effective way to change behavior, which is why I am not formally

incorporating this idea into my plan. But it does happen naturally and might be part of what influences

my behavior to change.