Personal behavior

At the beginning of the year, one of my resolutions was to read at least a book in two
months. I had a target of reading at least six books by the end of the year. However, I have
managed only two books so far, and I even stopped reading a few months ago. The change in my
reading patterns can be explained using the temporal discriminative stimulus of timing and
responding. The behavioral theory of timing focuses more on behavior and the environment.
Time has certain discriminative properties. Thus, when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, behavior
and patterns were disrupted. I changed how I did things, and my chores also changed. The
concept of working from home and social distancing stopped me from visiting the library. Thus,
my reading habits were disrupted, and for some time, I stopped reading completely.
Stimulus equivalence suggests that it is possible for new stimulus relations to develop if
direct reinforcement is absent (Lattal, 2013). I stopped reading because I stopped visiting the
library, which provided me with a conducive environment to read. I plan for stimulus control by
establishing a home library. I will invest in a small library and create an atmosphere that will be
conducive for reading. It is possible to train a connecting relation. In my case, I read when in a
library setting. Research suggests that time passage is key in behavior change. Thus, I will also
set a specific time during which I will be reading. This will ensure that I am ready and
consciously continue with my reading patterns.
Situations, time, and settings are all key in helping me successfully maintain my
behavior. The level of influence depends on situations. According to Thorndike, various
responses that are made to the same situation or those that are firmly connected to the situation
itself have a high likelihood to recur (Lattal, 2013). Thus, I will ensure that I create situations
that are satisfying and connected. For instance, I will join a book club where I will be sharing

what I will be reading. The act of reading and also the responsibility that I will have to share
what I will be reading will encourage me to be timelier and more consistent with my reading
patterns. Also, having a schedule to guide my reading behavior will help a long way in ensuring
that I maintain the habit. Lastly, having a conducive reading environment will create a setting
and encourage me to read more and in a consistent manner. I am optimistic that I will
successfully maintain my reading behavior.

References

Lattal, K.A. (2013). The five pillars of the experimental analysis of behavior. In Madden, G.,
Dube, W.V., Hackenberg, T.D., Hanley, G.P., & Lattal, K.A. (Eds.). APA handbook of
behavior analysis, Volume 1: Methods and principles (pp. 33 – 63). Washington D.C.:
American Psychological Association.