Skinner on Self-Control

       Skimmer viewed self-control, not as an issue of willpower but an issue involving conflicting outcomes. I never put much thought that there was so so many different types of controlling responses that can go into self-control. To name a few of Skinner's controlling responses; physical restrain, where you physically manipulate the environment to prevent the occurance of some problem behavior. Depriving and satiating is another method to control your behavior. This is done by altering the extent to which a certain event can act as a reinforcer. Another method is to just do something else. This method can prevent yourself from engaging in certain behaviors. One more example from the textbook, Introduction to Learning and Behavior, is self-reinforcement and self-punishment. This is when a self-control method that might seem obvious from a behavioral standpoint is to simply reinforce your own behavior Powell, 2013, pp. 406, 407).

          Learning about these methods for controlling responses made me start to think what I need self-control in and what I do to try and control that behavior. Many people, have problems with smoking, spending too much money, gambling, or something as simple as trying not to eat something. Then it made me laugh, I have such poor self-control when it comes to ice cream. Probably my favorite junk food. Especially with summer here, I find it hard to turn down a trip to the ice cream shop. When I put some thought into it, I will probably use the method of doing something else this summer. When I get asked to go, I will counter-offer with perahps, a walk by the water. That way I can try and stay healthy. Does anyone else have something they need self-control with?

Here are some funny self-control memes that I found...