Behavioral and Social-Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits

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Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Darli Ozbun PSY/250 April 18, 2011 University of Phoenix/Jorey Krawczyn Behavioral and Social/Cognitive Approaches to Forming Habits Behavioral and social/cognitive approaches to forming habits give insight and reasoning to habit formation. Behavioral approach looks solely on environmental influences. Social/cognitive approach looks at how people view their environments and how they are in relation to others. These approaches can be used with the analysis of an individual who continually asks if people are mad or upset with them. Development of a plan to change the habit through use of operant conditioning gives the individual the option for successful habit reformation. Evaluation of which approach best suits the individuals’ personality helps to determine the most beneficial suggestions. (Friedman, H.S., & Schustack, M.W.,2009) Formation of the Habit Formation of the habit began at a very young age. Parents divorced and each remarried and divorced a total of four times throughout the development years of the individual. A child who lived with one parent or another at different times in their life, they became insecure and in need of wanting to please people. The individual began simply asking people if they were upset with them based on how they perceived behaviors exhibited towards them or through behaviors observed in a social setting. A contributing factor to the habit was a stepmother who was emotionally and physically abusive. Lack of attentiveness by the father further enhanced the behavior. Social activity in school from the ages of 10 – 13 was most difficult as the individual was the subject of teasing and taunting. Much of the habit formation was out of a desire to be noticed and accepted. The habits life has seen progression through unstable times in the

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