Premium Essay

Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits

In: Philosophy and Psychology

Submitted By jaazworld
Words 1108
Pages 5
Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits
PSY/250 Psychology of Personality
Faye Flanagan
December 9, 2013

Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits
Can habits be changed or broken? Change is a process that does not happen overnight and generally it can create doubt or take a person down a winding road to their past. The result of change can be twofold and the impact depending on the person can be detrimental. For some that trip can be the very thing that improves their life or the quality of their life; for others change has the potential to cause more harm than good depending on their internal drive or emotional state of mind. From time to time it is necessary for a person to conduct a self-evaluation. Generally this activity occurs when the person wants to make a change thus the change process tends to be a smoother process than when an acquaintance, employer or friend has pointed out a flaw or offered some type of a critique. Those situations are considered as forced change and pose some type of resistance. Forced change is normally uncomfortable and causes people to leave their emotion or physical comfort zone. To answer the initial question, yes habits can be broken or changed. However, when attempting to break a habit it will be imperative to be realistic, honest, and willing to confront the past.
A few years ago I noticed that something was not right. I was feeling depressed, tired, and everything irritated me. During a self-evaluation I had to be honest with myself and I found that I was the problem. I had become complacent and complaining was my main activity. William Covey once stated, “To change ourselves effectively, we first had to change our perceptions” (Covey, 1989). When I finally admitted that I was the problem I attempted to change my perspective and the way I looked at things, people, situations,

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Behavioral and Social Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits

...Behavioral and Social Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits A habit is a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up (Duhigg, 2012). Many people will have one habit or another. Attempting to turn around a negative behavior can be difficult. If you have not experienced the quit I will use the Behavioral Personality Theory to show how a person can be convinced to start smoking, the social cognitive to show how a person’s society and environment can play a huge role in a person getting started on smoking. Then I will use Operant and Classical conditioning to set up a plan to help someone to quit smoking. Analyze Habit The worst habit for me is smoking cigarettes. The role models for the habit were commercials on television all the time like the Marlboro man and how smooth the cigarettes tasted. Why do you continue this habit? I continue because it is a habit and the dopamine in the brain is lessened when quitting causing withdraws and that for some reason causes me to return to the habit. There have been many attempts to quit. The latest attempt I quit for four months. Behavioral Personality Theory The behavioral theory says that a personality is a result of interaction between a person and their environment (Ajzen, 2005). The behavioral theory is interested in how someone can change habits. By using positive and negative reinforcements changes many behaviors (Ajzen, 2005). When they examine their behavior they can understand through...

Words: 855 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Behavioral and Social Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits

...Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Lisa Key PSY/250 October 18, 2012 Bert Hanlon Behavioral and social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits The habit the individual in question will be discussing is always appearing to be in a postulant or defensive mode (Freud defense mechanism). To address this habit, one will discuss many childhood observations and experiences during a crucial formative time in young life. Reasons for behaviors that resemble actions of one’s father and family are relevant to the forming of behaviors that may require some adjustments because one believes that such adjustments may provide many positive effects in the individual’s life. The individual was brought up in a family life were one was observant of domestic abuse at a very young age and was a victim on many occasions a victim of physical abuse as a pre-teen. One believes many environmental experiences and exposures are relevant to some habits that require adjustment to be more productive and happier in one’s personal life. Habit The habit in question is how easily the individual can become physically aggressive. The individual from an early age saw many exposures to alcoholism, drug, and physical abuse in the forms of uncle’s abusing grandmother and father abusing one’s mother. The individual on many...

Words: 1455 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits

...Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits 1. Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Chris Stahl University of Phoenix Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits 2. Habits form in all of us in every aspect of our lives in everything we do. The cognitive portion in the way we view our habits as good or bad will influence us to either change our habits or hold onto them for a lifetime. Habits are not concrete and are dropped and adopted overtime, a continuous learning process. A habit is something that we no longer think about because it is such a regularity almost becoming involuntary behavior. A person may not even realize that they are doing something the same over and over because it is second nature. Sometimes habits can carry over into other things we may not intent, like a person that wakes up early Monday through Friday for work. On Saturday and Sunday the habit will carry over forcing them to wake up and start their day. It may be difficult to remember where and why a certain habit has been adopted unless you really focused on finding its origin. The common belief is that we simply adopt our parent’s habits (development, 2010). Sometimes when confronted with one of our strange habits we may deny them right away because we are not conscious to the fact that we are actually doing them. One of my big habits is being a neat freak; I have maintained this habit since I was...

Words: 940 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Behavioral and Social - Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits

...Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Habits PSY/250 March 21, 2011 Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Habits One of the earliest memories I can recall is my mother playing records on the turntable in the living room while she cleaned the house. The sounds of Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Bread, or Abba filled the house with music. These are some of my most joyful memories. I can still see her vacuuming, dusting, and scrubbing different rooms of the house while pausing for the big fanfares within the songs to dramatically sing along or throw down an awesome air guitar solo on the broom in her hands. These moments are the reasons I always have loved music. The problem is that I have never learned how to settle for a few artists and albums like my mother. I have a habit of liking too many types of music, and too many artists within each type. This has led to the development of my bad habit of collecting too many albums. My mother is my musical role model, encouraging the exploration of music. She promotes trying out different styles and genres of music. She always exposed my sister and me to various types of music, from church hymns to off-Broadway musical productions. My mother bought me my first music album when I was four. It was a Christmas album by The Chipmunks. I love that album and still enjoy it every Christmas. Later in my childhood, I loved Michael Jackson, and had to have all of his albums. I have replaced those records...

Words: 1087 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits

...same thing. When she was mad at something she would rub her face three times. If she was glad about something she would rub her face. I then called the face rubbing to my mother’s attention and to my surprise she too did not realize she did it. It was just something she done. Today I still tend to rub my face but not as much because I am conscience of it and aware that it is an oddity, so sometimes when I feel it coming on I can stop myself from doing it. I have notice also that this habit has now been incorporated by my son. When his emotions get the best of him he goes to rubbing his face three times. I continue this habit because it is a form of comfort for me. I do not know why but it helps me feel better in certain situations. I do not think I ever have or want to stop this habit. I am, however, more conscience of my surroundings when I do feel the need to do it so that I would not make anyone feel uncomfortable. According to (Cherry 2012) Behaviorism, also known as behavioral psychology, is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment. Behaviorists believe that our responses to environmental stimuli shape our behaviors. This theory would...

Words: 735 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Behavioral and Social Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits - Individual Assignment - Week 4

...Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Individual Assignment – Week 4 Deborah Watson PSY 250 05/26/14 Habits as defined by Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, is a settled tendency or usual manner of behavior or a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or physiologic exposure that shows itself in regularity or increased facility of performance. In this paper we will analyze one of my habits, how, who, and where it was developed. Also we will discuss if I continue the habit, and have I attempted to break the habit. Using behavioral personality theory and components of social/cognitive theory, I will explain why I have this habit and why the habit was formed. We will also develop a plan applying operant conditioning to change my habit and discuss which theory best explains my personality, behavioral or social/cognitive theory. First we will start by explaining both theories. The social cognitive theory explains that behavior is learned by watching others do things, using the school of thought that since others are doing this behavior, one should also do this behavior to be like their peers, learning that behavior by witnessing the actual act. One example of this would be a sister and brother are playing with a new toy that requires a certain pattern of movement like a Slip N’ Slide. The first sibling runs and slides down the Slip N’ Slide on their stomach. The 2nd sibling observes the act, not wanting to be out done by sibling #1, then...

Words: 1418 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Social Cognition

...Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches In: Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits University of Phoenix Psychology of Personality PSY/250 Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits A changeling habit for keta is impulsive, compulsive, shopping. rketa developed this habit during her teenage years when clothes were important to young people. High school was more of a fashion statement, name brands were important. There may be other family members whose much older and enjoyed dressing and shopping, but no one in the household directly will be the role model for this habit forming. The stamp of approval for Charketa in with this habit is the compliment she receives on the nice clothes and accessories she buys. This motivated the increase and desire for additional spending and filled in the time slot in which boredom began to form. This addiction allowed her the ability to escape from problems at home between family members. The addiction of shopping place Charketa in a world of temporary satisfaction, which removes all of the problems, life bring causing sadness. Habits are developed in stages; the habit starts out as a thought to an action, stimulating the person’s body and mind, which gives the individual the thought process to do this again for stimulating believing (Bandura , 2005). Because most habits occur in stages is why people may not realize...

Words: 338 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches

...Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits University of Phoenix Psychology of Personality PSY/250 Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits A changeling habit for keta is impulsive, compulsive, shopping. rketa developed this habit during her teenage years when clothes were important to young people. High school was more of a fashion statement, name brands were important. There may be other family members whose much older and enjoyed dressing and shopping, but no one in the household directly will be the role model for this habit forming. The stamp of approval for Charketa in with this habit is the compliment she receives on the nice clothes and accessories she buys. This motivated the increase and desire for additional spending and filled in the time slot in which boredom began to form. This addiction allowed her the ability to escape from problems at home between family members. The addiction of shopping place Charketa in a world of temporary satisfaction, which removes all of the problems, life bring causing sadness. Habits are developed in stages; the habit starts out as a thought to an action, stimulating the person’s body and mind, which gives the individual the thought process to do this again for stimulating believing (Bandura , 2005). Because most habits occur in stages is why people may not realize, they have a habit. The mind is the biggest contributor in any habit-forming desire because of the...

Words: 851 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Behavior Science

...Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits This paper will consist of the analyzation of behavioral and social/cognitive approaches to forming habits in a personal perspective. The writer is tasked to examine their own habit, elaborate on the introduction of it, and discuss the role models or people who influenced this habit. The writer will also make note on wether or not he continues to act on said habit and if there was any time that he attempted to break the habit. The paper will continue with describing how the habit was formed through the use of components of the social/cognitive theory and will develop a strategy that can apply operant conditioning to change said habit. Habit defined by Merriam-Webster is a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or physiologic exposure that shows itself in regularity or increased facility of performance that has become nearly or completely involuntary. (Merriam-Webster, 2012). The behavioral approach can be defined as the psychological theory that claims individuals behavior depends largely on the environment the individual is in and social/cognitive approach states that not only can individuals learn from one another, but the individuals process of thinking is the determining factor in which behavior is influenced (Maultsby, Maxie and Mariusz Wirga, 1998). The Writers Habit The habit that I consist of is showering every morning to start my day. Not only does it give me the feeling of a new day but...

Words: 1136 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Psy 250 Week 4

...Behavioral and Social Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Duke Stevens PSY 250 November 2, 2015 Tyler Maxey Behavioral and Social Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Habits as defined by Merriam-Webster's Dictionary as a settled tendency or usual manner of behavior or a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or physiologic exposure that shows itself in regularity or increased facility of performance. In this paper, I will analyze one of my habits, how, why, and where it was developed. Also, I will discuss the chances of continuing the habit, and attempts to break the habit. Using behavioral personality theory and components of social/cognitive theory, this paper will explain why I have this habit and why the habit was formed. I will also develop a plan applying operant conditioning to change my habit and discuss which theory best explains my personality, behavioral or social/cognitive theory. Social Cognitive Theory The social cognitive theory explains that behavior is learned by watching others do things, using the school of thought that since others are doing this behavior, one should also do this behavior to be like their peers, learning that behavior by witnessing the actual act. One example of this would be a sister and brother are playing with a new toy that requires a certain pattern of movement like a Slip N' Slide. The first sibling runs and slides down the Slip N' Slide on their stomach. The 2nd sibling observes the act, not wanting to be out done by...

Words: 1307 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Approaches to Forming Habits

...Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Simona Lewis PSY/250 October 22, 2013 Leska Meeler Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits It is through observational learning that I truly learned a bad habit or behavior, but it was through observation that I learned how to smoke cigarettes. However, observation learning is a “convincing” force; rather it is good or bad behavior or habit which was learned by an individual. In-spite-of, the individual has the right to act-upon certain behavior. There are several theories that can explain the behavior and the habits that I have learned. Analyze on of your habits. The habit that I will be analyzing is “smoking cigarettes.” How did you develop this habit? I developed this smoking habit by watching other people smoking cigarettes, and I thought that it is an expressive and popular habit to be learned. Were there role models for this habit? Yes, there were role models for the habit or behavior that I learned. Which people influenced the adoption of this habit? The people who influenced me for the smoking cigarettes, is my parents, friends, and coworkers. Why do I continue it? I continue this habit (smoking cigarettes) because smoking cigarettes calms my nerves, whenever I am in deep thoughts about something, hanging out with families or friends, and going to nightclubs. Has there been a time when you have attempted...

Words: 945 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Etchis

...Gwendolyn Frields Week Four Individual Paper Psychology of Personality PSY/ 250 April 06, 2011 Behavioral and Social/ Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Current is only one behavior that comes to mind that every person experiences at some point or another in his or her lives. Financial stress is a behavior that negatively affects a person’s mindset and only pushes the victim further down the spiral.   Some people have found ways to cope with stress while others struggle with it on a daily basis. There are several therapy theories that one can approach in order to deal with stress, but the tactic one will like to focus on is the cognitive behavioral therapy. In order to understand how one can accomplish this, one needs to understand what exactly the cognitive behavioral theory is. The thought behind the behavioral approach is that the environment we are in causes us to react differently, explaining behavior through observation. The behavioral approach is conflict by the social approach, which believes in learning through the observation of others. In this paper, one will analyze one of my habits. How did one develop this habit? One will also develop a plan on how to change this habit, one will discuss the behavior of social/cognitive theories, and which one does one find best to explain ones personality. Financial stress is sadly a widespread experience. One realizes money allows one to live comfortable and is the only way one can survive in this world. The financial...

Words: 961 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Behavioral and Social Congnitive Approaches

...Behavioral and Social/Cognitive approaches to Forming habits William Coulter PSY/250 Psychology Personality Dr. DeBorah Gilbert White, Ph.D University of Phoenix Behavioral and Social/Cognitive approaches to Forming habits * One of my habits and the history of it. One of my Behavioral habits that I just can’t seem to break is watching porn, I know its sick, crazy, and nasty but I’m really, really in to it. I have had this habit for as long as I can remember. I think this habit started when I was around 9 or 10, my brother who is 5 years older than me would have porn magazines in his book bag that he and him friend would collect and trade at school. He and I always shard a room and after my parents went to sleep he would let me look at one or two of them. It amazed me how every women’s body was so different, the shapes, sizes and shades where all so different but at the same time all so beautifully. As I started to get older in the mid 1980’s cable TV hit the seen. Once I found out there was porn channel on the TV that was the beginning of the end me. My mom was not a big TV. Watcher and my dad only watched the old movies so no one really even knew we had the channel but me. While other kids were running home to watch cartoons I was running home to check the latest porn. As I became a teenager 3years and 300 porno’s later I started to date and have girl friends of my own and to no surprise they were amazed about all the things I knew about sex, This made me watch...

Words: 682 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Symbolic Interactionist Perspective Media Analysis

...Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Paper Jeston Walker PSY/250 December 8, 2014 Ronald Goodnight Introduction In this paper I will analyze one of your habits, how did I develop this habit, were there role models for this habit, and which people influenced the adoption of this habit. I will explain why do I continue the habit and has there been a time when I have attempted to break this habit. I will use the behavioral personality theory to explain why I have this habit. I will describe components of social/cognitive theory that explain why the habit formed. I will develop a plan that applies operant conditioning to change this habit. Between the behavioral and social/cognitive theories, I will also describe which one do I find best explains my personality. Analyze one of your habits. How did you develop this habit? Were there role models for this habit? Which people influenced the adoption of this habit? My smoking habit began before I even turned 18. I tried my first cigarette around the age of 16, and I was addicted by the time I turned 18.  It was several reasons why I developed the habit of smoking. A lot of my family members that was closed too were smokers. Their friends encourage them to try cigarettes, and to keep smoking. They saw smoking as a way of rebelling and showing independence. They think that everyone else is smoking, and that they should, too. Also I used to see tobacco advertising all the time, which targeted a lot of teenagers around...

Words: 1408 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Behavior Paper

...Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Paper By: LaTreena Alexander PSY/250 December 13, 2014 John Muench The information being presented analyzing a habit, how it was developed, if there were role models for this habit, and which people influence the adoption of this habit. The author explains why the habit has continued, and if there has ever been a time when the habit was attempted to be broken. This paper explains why this habit is here, and why the habit was formed. A plan is developed to change this habit and is clearly explained in detail, and between behavioral and social/cognitive theories the author describes which one explains his or her personality. A habit that was developed deals with smoking, and it has been going on throughout my entire family for several years. The habit was developed because of older siblings smoking and inviting the younger sibling to join in the smoking festivities. The role models for this bad habit that formed over these years were two male teenagers who had the responsibility of babysitting there younger sister while the mom was at work for several hours a day and night. The habit was adopted because the older male siblings use to blow smoke in the younger female sibling’s face starting at the age of 3 years old. They were young teenagers who liked to hang out with their friends, smoke, and blow it in her face in order to get their sister to fall asleep. The two brothers were young teenagers who learned...

Words: 1219 - Pages: 5