Instructor as Subject: An Alternative to the Self-Management Project

Abstract

Many psychology programs include a course on learning and behavior theories, and a frequent assignment used in these courses is a self-management project, where students select a behavior for change, develop strategies to change the behavior, and self-monitor the behavior across baseline and treatment conditions. This assignment has several benefits, such as effective behavior change; however, data indicate students are often dishonest about their implementation of strategies and behavioral outcomes, and the generalization of these experiences to further applications of behavior change, such as changing others’ behavior, has not been evaluated. The purpose of the current project was to develop and evaluate an alternative to the self-management project. This article describes the planning, implementation, and outcomes over two iterations of an assignment where students engaged with behavior change strategies, but with the instructor as the subject rather than the self. A comparison is made to traditional self-management projects. Data indicate students enjoyed both projects and that both projects resulted in desired behavior change. Preliminary evidence suggests the alternative project is as effective as the self-management project at producing desired behavior change. Students reported similar preferences but no differences in data falsification across projects.

Appendices

Appendix A

Template for Behavior Change Project Report

The report should be 3–5 pages in length.

Group Members and Roles:

Role	Student Name
Observer 1
Observer 2
Data Analyst
Writer 1
Writer 2

Introduction

[Insert Introduction here, following instructions in Appendix B]

Behavior Definition

[Insert operational definition here]

Baseline Data Summary

[Insert summary of baseline data here. Include the amount and trend of the data, as well as the percentage of agreement between Observers 1 and 2]

[Following the summary, insert the graph]

Behavior Change Plan

[Insert the behavior change plan protocol here]

Behavior Change Data Summary

[Insert the summary of the behavior change data here, including the amount and trend of the data. Include whether the data are different than in baseline, as well as the percentage of agreement between Observers 1 and 2]

[Following the summary, insert the graph]

Summary/Reflection

[Insert the Summary/Reflection here, following the instructions in Appendix B]

References

[Insert APA-style references from the Introduction here]

Appendix B

Behavior Change Project Instructions and Rubric

Students will complete the Behavior Change Project (BCP) in groups of 2–5. No group shall exceed five students. Each student in the group will select/be assigned a specific role, or roles. The grade for each student will be comprised of a percentage of their work for their role, as well as a percentage for the group. The group percentage earned will be the same for all students in the group, whereas the role percentage will be specific to the student in that role. These will be combined into one score for each student.

The BCP will require groups to select a behavior to change, collect baseline observation data for that behavior, create a behavior change plan, implement the behavior change plan, collect data on the behavior change, and write a report of the project. All direct components of this project (observations and behavior change plan implementation) will take place during class meeting times, as the groups will be working toward changing a behavior of the instructor. Each section below will outline group roles, acceptable behaviors for change, BCP requirements, and a rubric for scoring each role/component.

Acceptable Behaviors for Change

This is a non-exhaustive list of behaviors which the instructor has consented groups to change. Any behaviors not listed here require instructor approval and consent. If you are unsure whether your behavior is listed below, confirm with the instructor. No group can select the same behavior, so groups need to confirm behavior selections with the instructor before beginning.

• Hand/arm movements (i.e. thumbs up, touching hair/face): dimension – frequency

• Course-related words/phrases (i.e. operant conditioning, theory of behavior): dimension – frequency

• Non-meaning sounds (i.e. um): dimension—frequency

• Telling a real-world example: dimension—frequency

• Draws on whiteboard: dimension—frequency

• Location where instructor stands in classroom: dimension – duration

Group Roles

There are five total roles. If a group has fewer than five students, one or more students in the group will take on an additional role.

• Observer 1: This student is responsible for creating and finalizing the operational definition for the behavior, as well as observing and recording all baseline and behavior change data. They are also responsible for developing a data collection form.

• Observer 2: This student is responsible for working with Observer 1 to create and finalize the operational definition for the behavior, as well as independently observing and recording all baseline and behavior change data. They are also responsible for developing a data collection form with Observer 1.

• Data Analyst: This student is responsible for writing the summaries of baseline and behavior change data, as well as creating graphs of the data. They will also calculate and report percentage of agreement of observations between Observers 1 and 2.

• Writer 1: This student is responsible for writing the introduction of the BCP, with input from group members.

• Writer 2: This student is responsible for writing the summary/reflection of the BCP, with input from group members.

• Group effort: All students are responsible for developing and implementing the behavior change plan and finalizing the project report.

BCP Instructions

Introduction (Writer 1): This section should be .5–1 page in length and should include an introduction to the specific theory used in the development of the behavior change plan. Describe the components of the theory utilized in the behavior change plan. Include 3–5 references.

Behavior Definition (Observers 1 and 2): This section should include an operational definition of the behavior. An operational definition is clear, descriptive, and leaves little room for subjectivity.

Baseline Observation Summary and Graph (Data Analyst): Observers 1 and 2 will collect baseline data (minimum of 3 days/data points) Using the data collected by Observer 1, the Data Analyst will write a summary of the data, including the amount of the behavior observed, and the trend of the behavior over time. Additionally, the Data Analyst will create a time-series graph of the collected data. In addition to summarizing data collected by Observer 1, the Data Analyst will calculate and report percentage of agreement between Observers 1 and 2.

Behavior Change Plan (all group members): The group will work collaboratively to develop and implement a behavior change plan to either increase or decrease the behavior. The plan can include antecedent components, consequence components, or both. The plan cannot include punishment procedures. The plan should be clear, include step-by-step instructions for implementation, and be implemented with integrity. This section of the final report will include the protocol for the behavior change plan.

Behavior Change Data Summary and Graph (Data Analyst): Observers 1 and 2 will collect data during behavior change plan implementation (minimum of 7 days/data points) Using the data collected by Observer 1, the Data Analyst will write a summary of the data, including the amount of the behavior observed, and the trend of the behavior over time. Additionally, the Data Analyst will create a time-series graph of the collected data. In addition to summarizing data collected by Observer 1, the Data Analyst will calculate and report percentage of agreement between Observers 1 and 2.

Summary/Reflection (Writer 2): This section should be .5–1 page in length and include a brief summary of the project, including whether the behavior change plan was successful, as well as a reflection on things the group did well and things the group might have done differently.

BCP Scoring Explanation and Rubric

Total Points Possible: 100

• Individual Role Points Possible: 50

• Group Effort Points Possible: 50

If a group member completes multiple roles, the average percentage of points earned in each of those roles will be calculated and then converted to average points earned. For example, if a student completed the Observer 1 role and earned 39 points (78% of 50) and also completed the Writer 2 role and earned 48 points (96% of 50), their individual role points earned would be 87% of 50, or 43.5 points. To correct for the fact that students completing two or more roles are engaging in more work on the project than their peers, students will receive an additional 2 points to their individual role points earned for each role they complete over one role. For example, if a student completed two roles, 2 points would be automatically added to their total score. If they completed three roles, 4 points would be added.

Observer 1 and 2 Rubric
20 pts	The behavior definition is operational and aligns with the criteria for writing behavior definitions taught in class
15 pts	At least 3 baseline data points are collected
15 pts	At least 7 behavior change data points are collected

Data Analyst Rubric
10 pts	Accurate summary of baseline observation data
10 pts	Accurate summary of behavior change data
10 pts	Graph of baseline data, meeting criteria taught in class
10 pts	Graph of behavior change data, meeting criteria in class
10 pts	Calculates and reports percentage of agreement between Observers 1 and 2 for baseline and behavior change observations

Writer 1 Rubric
10 pts	Introduction is .5–1 page in length and includes at least 3 references
20 pts	Introduction names the theory used in behavior change plan development
20 pts	Introduction describes the components of the theory utilized in the behavior change plan

Writer 2 Rubric
5 pts	Summary/Reflection is .5–1 page in length
15 pts	Summary/Reflection includes brief summary of the plan and its success
15 pts	Summary/Reflection includes description of things the group did well
15 pts	Summary/Reflection includes description of things the group could have done differently

Group Effort Rubric (same score for all group members)
10 pts	The behavior change plan is clear, concise, and includes step-by-step directions
10 pts	The behavior change plan is clearly linked to a theory of behavior/learning learned in class
15 pts	The behavior change plan includes antecedent and/or consequent procedures to change behavior
5 pts	The behavior change plan is effective
10 pts	The BCP report is organized and free of grammar/spelling errors.