Synopses & Reviews
This effective self-help book presents a workable set of skills that readers can use for tackling their own self-modification programs, whether it be to improve self-confidence in dating, control overeating, implement and exercise program, or give up smoking. The authors' goal is to teach the basic skills necessary for readers to modify the behavior of their own choice, (66%-84% of the students employing these methods have achieved their self-change goals according to published studies in the literature). Once students have applied the principles to a behavior, they'll find it easier to use the skills in different settings.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 313-334) and indexes.
About the Author
David L. Watson is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and a Charter Fellow of the American Psychological Society. Watson is well known for his work in social anxiety, having developed the original scale to measure it. He has written textbooks in introductory psychology, social psychology and learning skills. Watson is an enthusiastic world traveler, having visited over 100 countries; he speaks French and Greek, and is a certified master gardener, specializing in xerophytic plants. He divides his life now between Honolulu and Albuquerque.Roland George Tharp is a distinguished researcher, psychologist, educator, writer, and filmmaker. Over the course of his career he has received repeated recognition for excellence and leadership in every arena of his work. Tharp is professor emeritus of education and psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Hawaii. He is the founding director of the national Center for Research on Education, DiversityandExcellence (CREDE) and the Kamehameha Elementary Education Program (KEEP). His research focuses on human development, psychotherapy, community psychology, education, culture, anthropology, and applied linguistics. Tharp is considered a distinguished researcher, practitioner and author in the areas of education, educational reform, and the development of sociocultural theory. His work spans 42 years.
Table of Contents
1. Adjustment and the Skills of Self-Direction. Outline and Learning Objectives. Adjustment and Self-Direction. The Skills of Self-Direction and the Purpose of this Book. Actions are Embedded in a Context. The Process of Self-Modification. Does Self-Modification Work? Chapter Summary. Your Own Self-Direction Project: Step 1. For Further Research. 2. Forethought: Specifying Targets, Anticipating Obstacles, and Creating Goals. Outline and Learning Objectives. Specifying Targets for Change. Anticipating Obstacles. Putting Goals in Focus. Tips for Typical Topics. Chapter Summary. Your Own Self-Direction Project: Step 2. For Further Research. 3. Self-Knowledge: Observation and Recording. Outline and Learning Objectives. Why Observe Ourselves? Structured Diaries. Recording Frequency and Duration. Rating the Intensity of Emotions. Practicalities of Record Keeping. Planning for Change. Tips for Typical Topics. Chapter Summary. Your Own Self-Direction Project: Step 3. 4. The Principles of Self-Regulation. Outline and Learning Objectives. Regulation Theory. Developmental Theory: Regulation by Others and Regulation by Self. The Development of Language Regulation. Consequences. Antecedents. Respondent Behavior and Conditioning. Modeling. Chapter Summary. Your Own Self-Direction Project: Step 4. 5. Antecedents. Outline and Learning Objectives. Identifying Antecedents. Modifying Old Antecedents. Arranging New Antecedents. Chapter Summary. Your Own Self-Direction Project: Step 5. 6. Behaviors: Actions, Thoughts, and Feelings. Outline and Learning Objectives. Substituting New Thoughts and Behaviors. Substitutions for Anxiety and Stress Reactions. Relaxation. Developing New Behaviors. Shaping: The Method of Successive Approximations. Tips for Typical Topics. Chapter Summary. Your Own Self-Direction Project: Step 6. 7. Consequences. Outline and Learning Objectives. Discovering and Selecting Reinforcers. Using Others to Dispense Reinforcers. Self-Administered Consequences. Techniques of Self-Reinforcement. Self-Punishment and Extinction. Reinforcement in Plans for Self-Modification. Tips for Typical Topics. Chapter Summary. Your Own Self-Direction Project: Step 7. 8. Developing a Successful Plan. Outline and Learning Objectives. Combining A, B, and C Elements. The Elements of a Good Plan. Evaluating Your Plan for Change. Tips for Typical Topics. Chapter Summary. Your Own Self-Direction Project: Step 8. 9. Problem Solving and Relapse Prevention. Outline and Learning Objectives. Problem Solving. Relapse Prevention. Chapter Summary. Your Own Self-Direction Project: Step 9. 10. Termination and Beyond. Outline and Learning Objectives. Formal Termination: Planning to Maintain Gains. Beyond the Ending. Chapter Summary. Your Own Self-Direction Project: Step 10.