My favorite graduate school professor used to say “Life is a concurrent operant.” In my early days of graduate school, I was fascinated by the use of technical language, and found poetry is this definition of life. In life, we are presented with many options, and like a pigeon in a chamber, must choose which… Continue reading Concurrent Operants and Self-Control
Category: 2016
Gotta Catch Them All
Why is it that a smart phone game had the power to transform the behavior of so many people, seemingly overnight? The Washington Post reports that Pokemon Go led to a “population-level” surge in fitness tracker step counts“! All of a sudden, people are leaving their houses, paying attention to the places around them, and… Continue reading Gotta Catch Them All
Wouldn’t It Be Nice to Have a Boss Who Says “Good Job!” All The Time?
Well… Actually, it wouldn’t. Don’t get me wrong, having your job recognized is what everyone wants, and so do I; but there is a difference between having your efforts recognized and having a boss who says “Good job!” all the time. When your boss recognizes your effort, and acknowledges it, it has a much greater… Continue reading Wouldn’t It Be Nice to Have a Boss Who Says “Good Job!” All The Time?
Independence Day
As fourth of July approaches, I think about Independence and its meaning. Growing up with what I thought were overly protective parents, independence seemed to be equal to freedom. I pictured myself traveling around the world with nothing but a backpack and a smile. I could even feel the wind blowing on my cheeks, as… Continue reading Independence Day
What I Learned During a Parent Training Session
I am very fortunate to work with very dedicated parents. This week, as I trained a parent, I had one of those “Oprah’s a-ha moments”: parents are not therapists. That is obvious, right? Yes, only we sometimes forget it when we are working with the parent. As I explained the ABC’s of behavior, the functions… Continue reading What I Learned During a Parent Training Session