![and to be manager of the worlds largest polite, so respectful that I’m so
retail store (mucho, mucho mas $), in impressed with her I want to share this
Hawaii, of all paradisiacal places. incident with you, that I’m so impressed
with her that I hope she gets the faith by
Of course, that Sheldon started out as a the end of the semester and joins us in
60-hour-per-week undergrad didn’t hurt. our struggle to save the world with
(Yeah, I know, slackers say, 60 hours a behavior analysis, because it’s only with
week! Ugh, a book head! Who wants to the help of cool people like her that we’ll
be a book head!? What the slackers have a chance of even getting the world
don’t know is that it’s the 60-hour-per- to know we exist.
week book heads who win the game. On the Other Hand
And there are a lot more of those A few years ago, we had a guy in Psy.
students leading highly successful 360 who was into so much eye-rolling,
undergrad careers than the slackers can heavy-sighing, snotty-out-of-the-corner-
even imagine.) of-his-mouth-remarks by way of
displaying his displeasure with our
The Legend of the Cool Coed course that the TA pulled him aside for a
Third week of the semester. I’m briskly private self-development interview,
walking down a Dunbar hallway. A where she explained that his behavior
young woman comes up to me and was very disruptive for the class and
asks, “Alright, if I walk with you to made it hard for her to do a good job
discuss something?” “Sure.” (Note how teaching. He said he understood and
respectful: She asks permission to walk/ would try to do better, but he felt like the
talk, and she’s not so presumptuous as TAs were a bunch of rats with Malott
to try to stop me from going to what ever leading them along by a string.
very important-person meeting I’m
headed for [actually I was headed to the Now the poor TA’s feelings were really
John].) hurt. She she’d never been so insulted.
She says, “I find your Psy. 360 course But here’s the point: She was sure the
really hard, and I don’t think behaviorism guy had no idea how aversive and
is for me. Are all the courses in this inappropriate his comment was. He had
department behavioral? And are there no idea that his social insensitivity and
other colleges where the psych. his inability to stay away from those
departments aren’t behavioral?” petty aggression reinforcers would so
trash his life and career as to cost him at
Well, she’s broken my heart. Not only is least $20K a year in salary, ‘cause no
she rejecting my course but also she’s one wants to be around someone who’s
rejecting behaviorism, my treasure, my that aversive (inter-observer reliability: in
most cherished world view, my faith. earlier courses his fellow students found
Like I really believe in my slogan, “Save his remarks so aversive that they were
the world with behavior analysis,” even constantly asking him to shut up).
though I know it’s a bullshit fantasy.
But here’s the point: In rejecting me and Isn’t that sad, regardless of the guy’s
all I stand for, she’s so cool, so non- technical skills, his social skills are so
emotional, so non-hysterical, so non- poor that he really is doomed; no one
threatening, so non-challenging, so
16](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/1-p4600fall2011courseprocedures-110919113832-phpapp01/85/Fall-2011-Course-Procedures-16-320.jpg)
![Procrastinating When I Get Around To behavior. This work also attempts to
It. explain why some types of important
contingencies fail to reliably control
He specializes in the theoretical analysis behavior.
of behavior, applied behavior analysis,
and behavioral systems analysis. He Let the good times roll!
does research on instructional We look forward to working with you this
technology and performance term, 'cause we’re all going to have a
management in university-level great time.
education, staff management, and self- You are responsible for making yourself
management. He teaches courses at aware of and understanding the policies and
the undergraduate and graduate level procedures in the Undergraduate and
on the principles of behavior and applied Graduate Catalogs that pertain to Academic
behavior analysis, as well as a Honesty. These policies include cheating,
practicum on the use of behavior fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple
analysis to help autistic children. submission, plagiarism, complicity and
Philosophically, Dr. Malott is a radical computer misuse. [The policies can be
found at http://catalog.wmich.edu
behaviorist – he consistently tries to
<http://www.wmich.edu/catalog> under
understand all psychological Academic Policies, Student Rights and
phenomena in terms of the principles Responsibilities.] If there is reason to
and concepts of behavior analysis. believe you have been involved in academic
Practically, he is a thoroughgoing dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office
behaviorist – he consistently tries to of Student Conduct. You will be given the
apply the principles and concepts of opportunity to review the charge(s). If you
behavior analysis to all aspects of his believe you are not responsible, you will
life, personal as well as professional. have the opportunity for a hearing. You
His interests in performance should consult with your instructor if you are
management and self-management in uncertain about an issue of academic
honesty prior to the submission of an
particular have grown from his
assignment or test.
orientation as a thoroughgoing
behaviorist. An example of this work is
the development of performance-
management technology to help
graduate students accomplish the
difficult task of completing their master’s
theses and doctoral dissertations – a
serious problem around the world.
Malott’s theoretical work attempts to
explain the role of language and rule-
governed behavior in performance-
management contingencies where the
outcomes are too delayed to directly
reinforce or punish the behavior of
interest and yet the rules describing
those contingencies reliably control that
18](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/1-p4600fall2011courseprocedures-110919113832-phpapp01/85/Fall-2011-Course-Procedures-18-320.jpg)
Fall 2011 Course Procedures
- 1. Class Schedule & Course Procedures Psychology 4600 Survey of Applied Behavior Analysis Research Fall 2011 All sections are designed and managed by Dr. Richard W. Malott 1
- 2. Table of Contents PSY 4600 COURSE PROCEDURES................................................................................5 Course Supervisor..........................................................................................................................5 Course Systems Manager..............................................................................................................5 Your Buddy....................................................................................................................................5 Information for Your Buddy........................................................................................................5 Seminar...........................................................................................................................................5 General Point System....................................................................................................................5 Point Totals.....................................................................................................................................6 Grades.............................................................................................................................................7 Optional Activity Points (OAPs)...................................................................................................8 Important – OAPS and your grade...............................................................................................9 Missed Classes .............................................................................................................................9 Tough Contingencies.....................................................................................................................9 Return Your Homework...............................................................................................................9 Cheating........................................................................................................................................9 Plagiarizing.................................................................................................................................10 Missed Classes..............................................................................................................................10 Special Get-Tough Policy on Absences......................................................................................10 Lateness.........................................................................................................................................11 Students......................................................................................................................................11 Professor & Teaching Apprentices.............................................................................................11 Late Homework............................................................................................................................11 Self Management and Final Fiesta Projects..............................................................................11 How to keep your participation points......................................................................................11 Studying and correcting your homework with a non-red pen during class................................12 Mickey Mouse Rules....................................................................................................................12 Adding Insult to Injury...............................................................................................................12 2
- 3. How To Avoid Being A Social Disaster......................................................................................12 How to be way cool......................................................................................................................13 Interpersonal Style and Skills.....................................................................................................13 Technical Skills..........................................................................................................................14 The Legend of Sheldon Stone....................................................................................................15 The Legend of the Cool Coed.....................................................................................................16 On the Other Hand......................................................................................................................16 The One Pointer..........................................................................................................................17 Bottom Line................................................................................................................................17 Professor’s Vita............................................................................................................................17 Let the good times roll!................................................................................................................18 NOTE: You will have a quiz over the course procedures during class two. Read this entire packet so that you will be prepared to answer multiple-choice questions over this material. 3
- 4. Materials Checklist Some of these materials will be handed out in class. Material In course pack Handed out later Applied Behavior Cognitive Analysis Work Text Ch.1-21 In course pack (no Ch. 14 or 18) by Richard W. Malott and Students Reading Assignments with Study Objectives In course pack I’ll Stop Procrastinating when I Get Around to It In course pack (Textbook) by Richard W. Malott I’ll Stop Procrastinating when I Get Around to It In course pack (Homework) CD Containing Workshows and Job Aids In course pack The Contingency-Diagram Checklist – Pink Sheet In course pack Pink Sheet Flashcards In course pack The Three-contingency model Checklist – Purple Sheet In course pack Purple Sheet Flashcards In course pack Principles of Behavior (POB) Review Quiz List of Terms In course pack POB Review Quiz Flashcards In course pack P460 Blue Flashcards (Ch. 1-21) In course pack Goal-Directed System Design Job Aid In course pack 2 Factor Theory Job Aid In course pack Transparency Masters In course pack Letter of Recommendation Checklist In course pack Letter of Recommendation Request Form In course pack P460 BACC Pack In course pack Special Lecture Evaluation In course pack PSY 460 Course Evaluation In course pack Red ballpoint pen In course pack Transparency pen (dark color) In course pack 2 Blank Transparencies In course pack Year-at-a-glance Transparency In course pack 4
- 5. PSY 4600 Course Your Buddy Procedures What happens if you miss class and don’t get some vital oral or written Course Supervisor material handed out in class? No Dr. Richard W. Malott problem, you just call up your reliable Telephone - 372-1268 buddy whose name and phone number Best time to call is in the morning; and you’ve listed here and get the info. Your the best strategy is to call until you get a buddy was of course reliable enough to live Dr. Malott on the other end, though have picked up an extra copy of the you should also leave a voice mail. handouts for you, especially since you Email Address – had notified your buddy of your pending DickMalott@dickmalott.com absence. So get a student name and For questions about P460 in general number, and don’t even think of bugging please contact P460@dickmalott.com me (or the TA’s) for something you failed to get. If you need to make an appointment with Dr, Malott, please contact Kelli Perry at: kelli.l.perry@wmich.edu Information for Your Buddy Get more information at dickmalott.com Course Systems Manager Name: _______________________ Telephone: 387-4491 (BATS Lab) Phone: ______________________ Lisa Brown: lisa.m.brown@wmich.com Email: _______________________ Seminar All TAs are available at 387-4491. Please try this number first. The TA’s Seminar: M W 3:30-4:45 PM are given the option of giving out their home phone numbers during class. Location: Sangren 3217, Sangren 2219, Sangren 3103, and Office Hours Wood 1710 Monday: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Wednesday: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Location: BATS Lab (2506/2536) General Point System TA NAME: ______________________ PHONE #: ______________________ To get an A in psychology courses, you should allocate about 4 hours per week EMAIL: ______________________ in class combined with out of class time per credit hour. That’s about 12 hours 5
- 6. per week for this course or 180 for the Quiz answers must be legible to be 15-week semester. I assign about 10 counted as correct! There is absolutely points for each hour of activity in figuring no make-ups allowed! the course grade, so the total points will be around 1800. Here’s a break down (it But now back to happier issues: 40 may change somewhat throughout the points for a combination of written term.) 20 points for each seminar answers to conceptual objectives, class, for conscientious participation in essays, and the occasional quiz. In seminar discussion. I will expect you to other words, you should invest about 4 recite in each class, especially in hours on each homework assignment, answering conceptual questions, including reading the chapters, doing thoughtfully. This means you will need the contingency diagrams and writing to show considerable evidence of any brief essays, as well as preparing having thought about the homework for the occasional quiz. However, assignment. because we’re still developing the What does conscientious mean? In the course materials, you may not need to seminar: You must listen carefully to the put in quite that much time. presentations of the other students and be prepared to comment, so as to earn Point Totals all participation points. So studying for a All these points count toward your quiz, finishing your homework, reading course grade. The total points for the and writing letters, sleeping etc. means, course will be about: when you see your scores for that week, you’ll find less than the total possible 26x40 points = 1040 points for points for the seminar class. On the homework analyzing contingencies, other hand, feel free to improve your quizzes, etc., plus 100 for the final fiesta homework, as we clarify tough concepts write-up, 40 for self-management write throughout the seminar session. ups (2x20) equaling a total of 1180 Also, to make sure that you will get full points in this category participation points for each class, you need to have the following ready for each class. 1) Required transparencies filled up 2) Self-Management graphs on presentation day 3) Have Response Cards with you 4) Special Lecture Evaluation forms 5) Be on time to class Please be aware that you will lose 5 participation points for missing any of the above items. Special note for your Quiz grade: 6
- 7. Lowest % of Points in ANY of the Remaining Areas 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 <5 want you to learn as much as you can, 92 7 and to have as much fun as you can. 7 2 7 2 7 2 7 92 A B B C C D D E E But to hit all three goals we need a A B C D complex set of contingencies. Look at 87 BA B C C D D E E the following grade scale and you’ll see B C D just how complex. 82 B C C D D E E B C D % of 77 CB C D D E E Quiz C D Point 72 C D D E E If you get at least 92% of the total s C D points in the quiz area, and 87%of the 67 DC D E E total points in all other areas, you get at D least a BA. Almost all of you will do 62 D E E that. For example, in the winter term of D 1991, 95% of the students in PSY 460 57 ED E worked really hard, learned a lot, and cracked the 92% / 87% mark to earn at <57 E least a BA. Wonderful, but how do you get that 10x20 points = 200 points for review magic A? To do that you have to crack quizzes the 92% mark in each area of the course: (1) seminar, colloquia, and final 27x20 points = 400 points for fiesta participation; (2) conceptual conscientious participation in seminar homework combined with the final project & paper; and the quizzes, and 1x100 points = 100 points for your final (3) the regular and review quizzes. paper (counts as part of your homework) You’re almost guarantied to earn a BA, which is well above the campus 1x20 = 20 points for conscientious average; and you’ll have learned participation in Final Fiesta (attendance enough about behavior analysis that you required, counts as seminar can hold your head high. But if you do participation) earn the A, you’ll leave this course so sharp; we’ll have to register you as a 2040 points = 100% of the total points lethal weapon. for the course (approximate) Grades I know this seems like a strange way to Now you know how you can earn 100’s evaluate a student’s mastery and assign of points (learned reinforcers?) in this a letter grade. Why not just add up all course. So the next question is, how do the points and assign a letter grade those points convert into a final grade based on the total number of points, no (backup reinforcer)? The answer is, matter which component of the class complexly. Here’s why it’s so complex: they come from? That’s the way we We have three goals for this course: we 7
- 8. used to do it. But then some students lowest quiz scores; there is no way to would get an A based on their work eliminate your lowest quiz scores); in everything but the quizzes and they instead you can use these points to wouldn’t have really learned an exempt yourself from any already important part of the course, the previously agreed upon assignments. concepts tested on the quizzes. In other words, you cannot use them to compensate for a mediocre My friend Dr. Stephen Graf puts it this performance, but you can use them to way: Suppose you’re training surgeons. cut yourself some slack. Along the same And to perform a successful surgery, the line, you can’t come to class, scope out student/surgeon must scrub down, put the quiz, and then decide to use your on the gloves, make a proper incision, optional activity points (OAPs) for that properly remove the right organ, avoid quiz; the OAPs are to help you with flipping cigarette ashes in the open necessary future absences etc., not to wound, remove all surgical tools from help you avoid the hard ones. inside the patient, sew up the incision, etc. Now suppose the student/surgeon All these activities are optional, did everything correctly except taking however; so if you don’t participate, out the right organ. The student might either because of schedule conflicts or say. I did 19 out of the 20 steps lack of interest, that’s OK. You can still correctly; that’s 95%. I want my A. The earn 100% of the required points and fact that I took out the heart instead of earn your A. The optional activities are the hemorrhoids and the patient died just to give you flexibility, if you can work shouldn’t overshadow my 95 average. them into your schedule and if you want to. We take behavior analysis really seriously and don’t want to graduate any Alternate activities that will warrant you students who don’t know it well. So for more OAPS will include completing an us to certify you as an A student, you’ve additional self-management project on got to hit at least 92% in each category studying for the GRE (which we highly in this course. recommend) or a class, participating in official departmental social functions Optional Activity Points (OAPs) such as colloquia or conferences, You can earn and use a total of 80 participating in research projects, and points for optional alternate activities of finding errors in any of the course academic value scheduled outside the materials. And for those who can’t regular classes. To encourage you to participate in these activities, because of participate, you will receive points for schedule conflicts, we can arrange for participating in those activities and special reading and conceptual providing appropriate proof of homework (this way everyone has a accomplishment. Those points can chance to earn optional points, whatever count toward your course grade, but their work schedule). you cannot use them for any review quizzes or to make up for missed Often the quizzes are the toughest part points (for example, you cannot use of this course. You can use your OAPs optional activity points to eliminate your in place of one quiz that you haven’t 8
- 9. taken, even if you do come to class. no excuses, no whining, no mercy. We But you can only do it once. You take no prisoners. But if you haven’t can’t blow off four quizzes and pay spent too many of your optional-activity for them with OAPs. points (OAPs), you could substitute them for the day you were in the You can exchange OAPs for only one hospital. The wise student saves those day’s worth of quizzes except for OAPs until the very end of the semester, Review Quizzes which include POB just in case the heart surgery requires review quiz, pink sheet quiz, purple two days instead of one. No heart sheet quiz, Ch. 12 quiz and Ch. 12 surgery? Great, you can blow off the last review quiz. couple of classes, quizzes, and homework and concentrate on starting Important – OAPS and your grade to sweat finals in our other courses; but Just to reiterate, you may use up to 80 you can’t blow off your final paper or OAPs this semester for one missed the Final Fiesta. class period, one day worth of quizzes, and one day worth of homework Tough Contingencies assignments. You MAY NOT use Return Your Homework OAPS for writing assignments, review To retain full credit for your quizzes, or the class projects (final fiesta homework, please turn it all in at the or self management). To use your Final Fiesta. OAPs submit an OAP petition to your This way we can look at it in more detail, TA. Your TA will save this form. In as we evaluate the effectiveness of the addition, your TA WILL NOT add the books and the course. It will also give us points straight to your grade sheet. ideas about materials to add. In When you use OAPs, on your grade addition, this way your answers won’t sheet you will see ** instead of a point fall into the hands of future students, in value. At the end of the semester (and spite of your best security efforts. OK? if you have earned enough OAPs) your TA will fix your grade by adding Cheating those OAPs where the ** previously Cheating Means Sudden Death!!! appeared on your grade sheet. The If we catch you cheating or reason for this is that many students use plagiarizing in this course, we will OAPs that they haven’t earned. That’s recommend to the Student Judicial fine but we need to keep track of how Committee that YOU RECEIVE AN E many OAPs each student has vs. how FOR THE COURSE, no matter how many each student uses. small or trivial was the cheating or plagiarizing. Missed Classes This includes, but is not limited to, You can substitute a maximum of 80 copying from your neighbor, your notes, optional-activity points for missed or whatever, during a test or quiz. This classes, quizzes not taken, and also involves talking during a test or homework not turned in. Suppose you quiz. Cheating also means copying had heart surgery on a Tuesday. You’d someone else’s homework and turning it lose 20 participation points and 20 quiz in as your own. On the other hand, if points---down the tubes, gone for ever, you are knowingly involved in providing 9
- 10. the occasion for someone else to do any handful of students who need even of these forms of cheating, then you too tighter contingencies than that, to get are cheating and will also get the ax! their act together. These are students whose behavior is not under the Plagiarizing adequate control of rules describing This means turning in written work that small but cumulatively significant includes material taken from someone outcomes (we’ll discuss this in class). In else, without using quote marks or essence, they say to themselves, “Just otherwise giving proper credit to the true one more absence won’t matter.” And author, in other words, your presentation they’re right, until they finally of someone else’s material in a way that accumulate so many that they drift from the material might be mistaken as your an “A” to a BA” to a “B” and on and on. own. They need rules that specify Missed Classes contingencies where one more absence If you miss a class, you don’t get points will matter. They will have less trouble for participation and you lose the following such rules and thus will get a opportunity to take that quiz. No make- much better grade in the course. So ups are given! It doesn’t work out for us here’s our special get-tough policy: to try to distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. So once the PSY 100 comments: “Enforces opportunity has passed, it’s gone. This learning.” “People should have a right to means you should keep your point decide about attendance. It’s our average comfortably above the 92% money.” “It doesn’t bother me, but it level in all categories; so you can blow helps to make others go to class.” “All off a class or two, if need be without profs. should do it. Some people need losing you A (assuming that’s what it.” “I’m a devoted class attendee, and I you’re shooting for). If you miss more think you can’t learn unless you go to than two classes, you’re probably down class.” “Depends on the excuse ‘cause one half letter grade. there is already large loss of points by not attending.” If you do miss a class, you can usually pick up any handouts from the envelope Every time you exceed three outside my office. And you can also turn absences, your next absences will your homework in the next day. You’re results into half a letter grade down responsible for having a reliable buddy on your final grade!! who will take notes and pass them on to you, so you can find out the details of Here is the way it works. (In this the next assignments. example, we assume you would get an A, if you had no absences. But, of course, if you had several absences, Special Get-Tough Policy on you probably would already have lost Absences too many points to get an A; so our Most students have no problem with the penalty of a half a letter grade or so preceding absence policies. Instead, it would be beyond the lowering due to the helps them get their act together, so point loss.) they’ll do well in the class and earn and “A”. But there are always a half a 10
- 11. Absences Grade are open). Ouch! You can slide your 0 to 3 A homework under the assistant’s office 4 to 6 BA door (Wood Hall 2536, inside 2506); be 7 to 9 B sure to put on the name of the course, Etc. Etc. the name of your grad. assistant, and your name. Late means anytime after This policy helps most students avoid the beginning of the class when your the hopeless hassle of coming around homework is due. Don’t try to finish your at the end of the semester, desperately, homework during class; we’ll count that but vainly, pleading for some way to as late. If you know you’re going to have raise their final grade. Now they’ll have to miss class, you can turn in your that A in the bag, when the end of the homework in advance. semester rolls around. But even with this policy, a small number of students Self Management and Final managed to get less than a BA. Always, Fiesta Projects this was because of absences or failing This semester you will complete 2 to turn in homework. projects: self management and final Sometimes students have a time fiesta. THESE ARE NOT THE SAME conflict, so that they want to come to PROJECT!!! If it is not already in your class, take the quiz (depending on when course pack, you will receive a sheet it’s given), turn in their homework, and that explains the difference between leave. That’s O.K. They don’t receive these two projects and provides you many or possibly any participation with some guidelines for completing the points, but this does not count as an projects. But for now we will give you absence that would contribute to the the very basics. For each project you penalty contingency. will complete a paper using Microsoft Lateness Word and a presentation with Microsoft Students PowerPoint. Using these programs IS A If you are late for class or leave class MANDATORY REQUIREMENT for each early, you will lose 5 participation project. However, we realize that not all points, and possibly more. (BY the way, of our students are proficient in using if you’re doing other homework, writing these programs. But don’t worry! We letters, etc. in class, you won’t get full will help you through it as much as participation points either.) possible. We even give you a template disk! On this disk you will find – Professor & Teaching Apprentices Sample student papers and On the other hand, each time a presentations graduate assistant or Dr. Malott is late, Skeleton outlines/templates for they will reluctantly contribute $5 to the your project class party fund. Ouch! Instructions for using the programs. Late Homework How to keep your participation You lose 5 points per business day points (business days are normally those days, Attending the entire class is the only Monday through Friday, when classes way to earn your participation points, are scheduled and the university offices unless you use OAPs. (If you just show 11
- 12. up for the quiz, you will not be earning managers in business and industry, one any participation points, but we will let of my most popular modules dealt with you take the quiz.) Once you are in social skills. When introducing this class there are a couple of things that module, I’d say, “Fifty percent of a we expect of our students. These things person’s success in an organization has affect whether or not students keep the to do with social skills and other skills participation points earned for showing that have little to do with the person’s up. For each problem, the student job description.” If those managers ever will lose 5 participation points. disagreed, it was to say, “No, 50% is an underestimate.” Studying and correcting your homework Now here’s something that’s even with a non-red pen during class weirder than this extreme importance of If a student uses a non-red pencil or pen social skills: no one ever tells you how to correct their homework as we give the important those social skills are or what answers in class. THIS IS NOT they are, let alone, how well you are ACCEPTABLE! Students are required doing in that crucial area. to use the red pen to make corrections. Each time your TA sees you using So you’re playing a game; no one tells another type of pen/pencil you will lose you the rules; no one tells you the score; 5 participation points. and you don’t even know you’re playing. All you know is eventually you get a Studying flashcards during class is not raise, get promoted, or don’t get fired. If acceptable. If you study during class you lose, if you don’t get the raise or the time, you will lose 5 participation points. promotion or if you do get fired, no one will tell you the real reasons about Mickey Mouse Rules where you screwed up—too much Sorry for all the preceding nonsense, hassle. So many people go through life but we’ve found that if we get all these clueless about what determines their ugly little details straight, up front, then professional success. you’ll have an almost hassle-free term. This course is much the same sort of Adding Insult to Injury organization as a business is. But in this So that you’ll learn the most, get the course, we’ll make a small attempt to best grade, and have the most fun, and correct the clueless problem. We’re the least hassles in this course, it’s going to tell you some of the subtle important that you understand and things that will help you be a good remember these Mickey Mouse rules. member of this organization, how to This means you should study them succeed in this organization, how to get between now and the next class and be this organization to give you strong prepared for a brief written quiz over letters of recommendation for practica, them. assistantships, grad school, and jobs; and also how to contribute to this organization, in a positive manner. How To Avoid Being A Social Now, if you’re cool, you’ll use being in Disaster this organization as an opportunity to When I used to do organizational- learn how to be successful in other behavior-management workshops for 12
- 13. organizations, like where you will be Provide corrective feedback in a non- working when you graduate. Here’s a punitive style (i.e. specify appropriate general list of skills for succeeding in desired behavior, don’t be critical of almost any organization, with comments people). Never say how stupid the about how they apply in this course. teacher was to assign a quiz on Thanksgiving Day. Just ask if they How to be way cool realized that the fourth Thursday of Concerning "compulsive neuroses," I do November was T-Day. Then tactfully observe that highly productive and point out the implications of that, if need successful people are irrationally fearful be, but, in private, of course. that they are going to fail in every Respond in a socially appropriate endeavor they undertake, such as a manner to positive or negative feedback course they might be taking or an exam (i.e. say “thank you”, without they might be taking. And to somewhat disagreement). If the TA or instructor reduce their fear or anxiety; they work marks something off on a quiz or their tails off, for example, starting to homework, say “thank you” and then prepare for the exam as soon as the think about how you can use that instructor announces it. As a result they feedback to do better next time. Better get the top score in the class, though, to lose a point on a quiz, even if you ironically that does little to reduce their know you’re right and the rest of the fear the next time a text is announced. world is wrong, than to lose a friend, Whereas, the cool, "mentally healthy" especially if that friend is your TA or people, don't start studying until right teacher. Win the war, not the battle. before the exam, because they have a wonderfully positive self-image; but as a React in a rational, as opposed to an result they wait a little too late to really emotional manner, when faced with get enough studying done and do well to problems. Control emotions effectively pass the exam, let alone ace it. (e.g. do not cry or yell) in frustrating situations (i.e. under extinction or Interpersonal Style and Skills aversive conditions), in professional, Give corrective feedback in appropriate school, and peer settings. Never, ever situations (not in the presence of lose your cool. others). If you’re unhappy about some feature of the course, discuss it with Smile: during good times and bad times. your TA or instructor privately before or The grinners shall inherit the earth, not after class. Never embarrass your TA or the meek. instructor by pointing out in front of the class some really stupid thing they did Be pleasant in interactions (i.e. zero or some really dumb or unjust feature of negative comments, well mannered). Be the course. Your TA or instructor will just the kind of person your TA and your get up tight and defensive, dig in the classmates want to be around. heels, be even dumber or more unjust – like anyone else would. We’re dealing Speak in respectful ways—with peers. with people here, and people are easily embarrassed and upset. 13
- 14. Speak in respectful ways—with TAs and have plenty of time to reject them later, professors. Speaking respectfully and if you still find them to strange by the brown nosing are not the same thing. end of the course. Be properly assertive in disagreeing with Quality: produce a good product with others, including other students, your TA good results. and your professor. That means: Smile, be tactful, be private, be cool, be Timely (reliable): complete tasks by the rational, be polite, be pleasant. But that deadline. does not mean you should be a “yes” person. That does not mean you have to Don’t be absent. agree with everything. But if you lost a point on a quiz, assume you were Don’t be late. wrong, smile and respectfully ask for help in getting your error clarified, even Technical Skills if you know damned well the TA Use good speaking skills: grammar, screwed up. If, after discussion it looks clear descriptions, loudness, to you like the TA really is wrong, then enunciation, confidence, articulateness, see if you can gently guide him or her to and fluency. your way of seeing it. If you can’t, then decide how important it is. If it’s only one Use good writing skills: grammar, point and you’re already way above spelling, and organization. you’re A, consider bagging it. Just chill out. But if it’s a bigger deal, politely and Use good systems-analysis skills: gently ask permission to discuss the Effectively detect, analyze and clearly issue with the professor, and so on. But specify problems within the system and always be cool, smile and end each then suggest and implement good discussion with a sincere thank you. solutions. Actively listen when spoken to (i.e. good Use high-quality behavior-analytic skills. eye contact) where appropriate. Now, you get your act together along all Do not dominate discussions at these dimensions; and you’ll not only meetings and seminars (i.e. speak succeed in the organization, you’ll during no more than your appropriate become president of the organization! share of the class time). So, we’re taking the time to go through Carry your share of the discussion in all this for two reasons. One is to help meetings and seminars (don’t just sit you succeed in this organization (this there listening). class) and to succeed in future organizations (your job, your family, Appear appropriately receptive to others your church). values and viewpoints. In this course, you’re going to run up on some strange The other is to help this class and future ideas, like maybe what you’re reading organizations succeed. One negative, now. Relax and check ‘em out. You’ll whiney, eye-rolling, sighing, “do we 14
- 15. really have to do this?,” under-breath The Legend of Sheldon Stone “this really sucks,” constantly One of the coolest cats (woops, excuse challenging student can bring a whole me), the coolest dudes I ever knew was class down and make the whole Sheldon Stone. semester a drag for the other students and the TA or teacher. And running Years ago, I used to be real important; I about 8 seminars a semester, with used to teach our 1000-student about 20 students in a seminar, there’s introductory psychology course. And a good chance that 1 out of those 160 Sheldon was an undergrad teaching students will be clueless about the bad apprentice; the only thing lower in our karma, vibes, or feelings they’re course hierarchy was to be a tuition- accidentally polluting the classroom paying student (the ones who pay our environment with. But mama never told salary). Well, Sheldon was unhappy me. And we’ll come down pretty heavy about some teaching-apprentice policy I on preventing a whole course from had; so he took a group of the getting messed over in that way – now undergrads with him to the WMU and in the future. I don’t want anyone in ombudsman (an even more important my future classes, practica, or graduate person than I was, the person who school programs who’s going to be a settles squabbles between students and constant pain in the rear or screw up teachers). future courses, practica, or grad programs. Wow! Heavy. Yes. But I just Now the ombudsman’s an option the rolled my eyes a little. I didn’t really wise student saves for only the most mean anything by it. Right. But that’s the extreme emergency, because no stuff that makes and breaks you. professor likes being called before the ombudsman; and the wise student Now don’t panic. If you screw up, we’ll knows better than to risk angering the let you know, but we try to practice our professor; and there’s no way the preaching; we start with just a little professor isn’t going to be very angry gentle feedback, a little gentle guidance. with such a public challenge to authority. We want you to go away from the discussion feeling really happy that you But here’s how cool Sheldon was. He got that info and eager to give the new, stated his case to me and the cool way a shot. There ain’t enough ombudsman in such a non-emotional, good students that we can afford to non-hysterical, non-threatening, non- waste any of them. We just want to help challenging, respectful, sympathetic way you so you don’t eye-roll yourself out of that I caved in immediately, rather than the opportunity to save the world with getting my hackles up and drawing a behavior analysis. And that world does line in the sand. Not only that, over the need a savin’. And you can do it. Oops, next few years, he rose through our did I hear a little, under-breath, “who-do- hierarchy to be one of my undergrad they-think-they-are” sigh of teaching assistant ($), to be one of my exasperation? MA student, to be one of my grad teaching assistant (more $), to be a professional organizational behavior- management consultant (much more $), 15
- 16. and to be manager of the worlds largest polite, so respectful that I’m so retail store (mucho, mucho mas $), in impressed with her I want to share this Hawaii, of all paradisiacal places. incident with you, that I’m so impressed with her that I hope she gets the faith by Of course, that Sheldon started out as a the end of the semester and joins us in 60-hour-per-week undergrad didn’t hurt. our struggle to save the world with (Yeah, I know, slackers say, 60 hours a behavior analysis, because it’s only with week! Ugh, a book head! Who wants to the help of cool people like her that we’ll be a book head!? What the slackers have a chance of even getting the world don’t know is that it’s the 60-hour-per- to know we exist. week book heads who win the game. On the Other Hand And there are a lot more of those A few years ago, we had a guy in Psy. students leading highly successful 360 who was into so much eye-rolling, undergrad careers than the slackers can heavy-sighing, snotty-out-of-the-corner- even imagine.) of-his-mouth-remarks by way of displaying his displeasure with our The Legend of the Cool Coed course that the TA pulled him aside for a Third week of the semester. I’m briskly private self-development interview, walking down a Dunbar hallway. A where she explained that his behavior young woman comes up to me and was very disruptive for the class and asks, “Alright, if I walk with you to made it hard for her to do a good job discuss something?” “Sure.” (Note how teaching. He said he understood and respectful: She asks permission to walk/ would try to do better, but he felt like the talk, and she’s not so presumptuous as TAs were a bunch of rats with Malott to try to stop me from going to what ever leading them along by a string. very important-person meeting I’m headed for [actually I was headed to the Now the poor TA’s feelings were really John].) hurt. She she’d never been so insulted. She says, “I find your Psy. 360 course But here’s the point: She was sure the really hard, and I don’t think behaviorism guy had no idea how aversive and is for me. Are all the courses in this inappropriate his comment was. He had department behavioral? And are there no idea that his social insensitivity and other colleges where the psych. his inability to stay away from those departments aren’t behavioral?” petty aggression reinforcers would so trash his life and career as to cost him at Well, she’s broken my heart. Not only is least $20K a year in salary, ‘cause no she rejecting my course but also she’s one wants to be around someone who’s rejecting behaviorism, my treasure, my that aversive (inter-observer reliability: in most cherished world view, my faith. earlier courses his fellow students found Like I really believe in my slogan, “Save his remarks so aversive that they were the world with behavior analysis,” even constantly asking him to shut up). though I know it’s a bullshit fantasy. But here’s the point: In rejecting me and Isn’t that sad, regardless of the guy’s all I stand for, she’s so cool, so non- technical skills, his social skills are so emotional, so non-hysterical, so non- poor that he really is doomed; no one threatening, so non-challenging, so 16
- 17. will want him spreading karmic pollution to the aggressor a day or so after that in their environment. person has had a chance to cool down, conducting a self-development The One Pointer interview, perhaps with further follow More common is the high-achieving through, in an effort to salvage a soul student who is such a high achiever who might otherwise lose many of life’s because she gets completely bent out of opportunities because of being socially shape every time she loses a point on a clueless. quiz. The good side of this compulsive neurosis is that the fear of losing a Professor’s Vita single point in the game of life is what Dr. Richard Malott received his Ph.D. at motivates high achievers to achieve so Columbia University in New York City highly. One of the bad sides of this where he did research in the compulsive neurosis is that they’re experimental analysis of behavior and constantly so up tight about point studied with William Cumming, Nat losses, that they have a hard time Schoenfeld, and Fred Keller. For the last asking for a re-grade in the manner of 30 years, he has taught at Western Sheldon Stone and the Cool Coed, in a Michigan University, a major center for non-emotional, non-hysterical, non- the teaching of behavior analysis. He threatening, non-challenging, respectful, has had two Fulbright Senior Scholar sympathetic way, in a way that will make Awards, one to Peru and one to us want to interact with them more Uruguay. He is one of the founders of often, rather than less often. In the Association for Behavior Analysis emotionally going for that single, lost (ABA), the founder and co-chair of the quiz point, they lose 10 life points, even Teaching Behavior Analysis Special if they do get the quiz point. Interest Group of ABA, chair of the Education Board of ABA, and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Bottom Line Organizational Behavior Management. The point is not to be a yes-person, lie- He has presented talks, workshops, and down-and-let-them-roll-over-me kiss seminars in 12 countries – Canada, ass. The point is to choose your battles Newfoundland, Germany, Sweden, carefully and then treat them not as Mexico, Panama, Columbia, Peru, battles but rather as opportunities for Brazil, Japan, Thailand, and Hong Kong. pleasant social discourse. The point is He has published 11 books and 97 to carefully prepare what you’re going to articles and has made 141 say and how you’re going to say it, and presentations at professional meetings mull it over for a day before engaging in and 127 invited presentations in other the battle. settings. And the point for those of us in authority He just completed the fourth edition of (TA’s, teachers, etc.) is to be so socially the book Principles of Behavior (earlier cool, on our side, that we don’t get up versions have been translated into tight and escalate confrontations, but Portuguese, Spanish, and Japanese) rather we de-escalate them, helping and is now working on the book I’ll Stop everyone to chill, and then getting back 17
- 18. Procrastinating When I Get Around To behavior. This work also attempts to It. explain why some types of important contingencies fail to reliably control He specializes in the theoretical analysis behavior. of behavior, applied behavior analysis, and behavioral systems analysis. He Let the good times roll! does research on instructional We look forward to working with you this technology and performance term, 'cause we’re all going to have a management in university-level great time. education, staff management, and self- You are responsible for making yourself management. He teaches courses at aware of and understanding the policies and the undergraduate and graduate level procedures in the Undergraduate and on the principles of behavior and applied Graduate Catalogs that pertain to Academic behavior analysis, as well as a Honesty. These policies include cheating, practicum on the use of behavior fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple analysis to help autistic children. submission, plagiarism, complicity and Philosophically, Dr. Malott is a radical computer misuse. [The policies can be found at http://catalog.wmich.edu behaviorist – he consistently tries to <http://www.wmich.edu/catalog> under understand all psychological Academic Policies, Student Rights and phenomena in terms of the principles Responsibilities.] If there is reason to and concepts of behavior analysis. believe you have been involved in academic Practically, he is a thoroughgoing dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office behaviorist – he consistently tries to of Student Conduct. You will be given the apply the principles and concepts of opportunity to review the charge(s). If you behavior analysis to all aspects of his believe you are not responsible, you will life, personal as well as professional. have the opportunity for a hearing. You His interests in performance should consult with your instructor if you are management and self-management in uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of an particular have grown from his assignment or test. orientation as a thoroughgoing behaviorist. An example of this work is the development of performance- management technology to help graduate students accomplish the difficult task of completing their master’s theses and doctoral dissertations – a serious problem around the world. Malott’s theoretical work attempts to explain the role of language and rule- governed behavior in performance- management contingencies where the outcomes are too delayed to directly reinforce or punish the behavior of interest and yet the rules describing those contingencies reliably control that 18