Exam 26: Helping an Individual to Develop Self-Control

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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).