Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Premack Principle

The Premack Principle is a technique that attempts to utilize preferred behaviors to reinforce or manipulate yourself to perform unpreferred behaviors. An example of the Premack Principle can be illustrated as such, child likes to go outside and the parent wants the child to do their homework. Therefore, to go outside (preferred behavior), the parent commands that the child must complete their homework first (unpreferred behavior). Essentially, the construct of this principle is based on the individual's will to perform the unpreferred behavior in order to access their reinforcer/preferred behavior. However, this technique can get muddled when the child matures into adulthood, being that they develop autonomy/authority of their own life and are subject to their own code of conduct. With that in mind, my suggestion for utilization of this principle in your own life is to know yourself, as you know best what techniques motivate you to get the ball rolling on the necessary unpreferred behaviors of life. 


1 comment:

  1. I have a Premack principle example for you. In order to pay your bills and keep a roof over your head (preferred behavior) you go to work when it is a beautiful summer day, your friends are all at the beach, and they plan on celebrating a birthday (not preferred behavior). I always thought it was just called "weighing your options" but I guess I have been living by this principle for years. It goes back as far as doing chores around the house as a kid so that I could go outside and ride my bike, to know rationalizing with my son the same concept. I have really turned into my mother.

    ReplyDelete