NCJ Number
51406
Journal
REVIEW OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH Volume: 46 Issue: 4 Dated: (FALL 1976) Pages: 631-663
Date Published
1976
Length
33 pages
Annotation
STUDIES CONCERNED WITH THE USE OF SELF-CONTROL PROCEDURES, IN WHICH STUDENTS MANAGE AND CONTROL THEIR OWN BEHAVIOR IN CLASSROOM SETTINGS, ARE REVIEWED.
Abstract
THE STUDIES USE AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS OF SELF-CONTROL: SELF-ASSESSMENT (STUDENTS' EXAMINATION OF THEIR OWN CONDUCT TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY HAVE ENGAGED IN A SPECIFIC BEHAVIOR); SELF-RECORDING (STUDENTS' OBJECTIVE RECORDING OF THE FREQUENCY OF THEIR OWN PERFORMANCE OF A GIVEN BEHAVIOR); SELF-DETERMINATION OF REINFORCEMENT (STUDENTS' DETERMINATION OF THE NATURE AND AMOUNT OF REINFORCEMENT THEY SHOULD RECEIVE CONTINGENT UPON PERFORMANCE OF A GIVEN BEHAVIOR); AND SELF-ADMINISTRATION OF REINFORCEMENT (STUDENTS' ADMINISTRATION OF THEIR OWN REINFORCERS -SELF-DETERMINED OR OTHERWISE -- CONTINGENT UPON PERFORMANCE OF A GIVEN BEHAVIOR, THE APPLICATION OF THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF SELF-CONTROL AS AN INTERVENTION PROCEDURE IS EXAMINED, AND THE USE OF SELF-CONTROL PROCEDURES TO MAINTAIN BEHAVIOR THAT HAS ALREADY COME UNDER THE CONTROL OF SYSTEMATIC REINFORCEMENT PROCEDURES (E.G., TOKEN REINFORCEMENT) IS DISCUSSED. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SELF-CONTROL IS COMPARED WITH THAT OF OTHER CLASSROOM INTERVENTION PROCEDURES, SUCH AS TEACHER ATTENTION AND TOKEN REINFORCEMENT SYSTEMS. THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES THAT APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SELF-CONTROL ARE EXAMINED: ACCURACY OF SELF-RECORDING, MAGNITUDE AND DENSITY OF REINFORCEMENT, DELAY OF FEEDBACK, LENGTH OF EXPERIENCE WITH PROGRAMMED REINFORCEMENT, AND REACTIVITY. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH ON SELF-CONTROL PROCEDURES IN REGULAR AND REMEDIAL CLASSROOMS ARE PRESENTED. RESEARCHERS ARE ADVISED TO EXAMINE THE ELEMENTS WITHIN THE SELF-CONTROL PARADIGM TO HELP ESTABLISH SELF-CONTROL AS AN EFFECTIVE BEHAVIORAL TECHNIQUE. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)