Breaking Patterns, Habits - Research Paper Example

Module Breaking Free From Negative Habits Habits refer to the consistent patterns that express a person’s character or effectiveness. Therefore, this implies that habits contribute significantly towards the development of an individual’s character. Thus, habits control and individual’s behavior. As such, breaking loose from habits acquired over a long time is definitely a daunting task. However, the habits develop as a result of thought processes (Lopez and Carol 69). The process of breaking free from negative habits begins with the renewal of the mind.

The concerned party must be committed to altering previous notions concerning the affected aspects of life. However, this involves a structural and stepwise procedure. Thus, these steps are outlined below; Pattern Interrupt. Pattern interrupts contribute significantly to the breaking of pattern behaviors or habits (Lopez and Carol 21). This process represents the first step in breaking loose from behavioral habits. This process involves the interruption of the behavioral habit with the aid of a pattern interrupter.

This represents an interruption of a habitual sequence. This sequence could be as a result of preset notions and emotional engagements concerning certain practices in an individual’s life. This, in turn, results in poor decision making and action based on the preset notions. However, in order to be effective, pattern interruptions have to be employed repetitively over time culminating in a change of the poor behavioral habits. Alternate Behavior. Development of the desired alternate behavior is critical following the interruption of a habitual behavior by a pattern interrupter (Blackman 143).

There has to be a system responsible for the development of the desired alternate behavior. Thus, differential enforcement of Alternate behavior (DRA) is one of the processes that may be employed for the development of the desired alternate behavior. This implies that the DRA process involves the reinforcement of alternative desirable behaviors that would, otherwise, be incompatible with the habitual behaviors (Overskeid 54). A DRA process would contribute significantly towards breaking loose from behavioral patterns and habits.

This is because the process involves the strengthening of the desired alternate behaviors while weakening the other habitual behaviors. Thus, this process represents a crucial stage towards the development of the desired behaviors. Incentive for Preferred Behavior. For instance, one of the desired behaviors may be the development of positive attitude (Richman 32). The DRA process would be responsible for the development of the positive attitude in the following ways: DRA would provide a platform for the optimization of the functionality of the positive attitude with regard to negative attitude.

The optimization of the desired positive attitude would, thus, result in the attenuation of the negative attitude with time. The desired positive attitude would be eventually acquired as a result of the repetitive practice employed by the DRA process. Monitoring of Progress. The DRA process would also result in the creation of a platform for the evaluation of the progress realized in regards to the desired developments (Sailor 29). This would be achieved in the following ways:It creates a learning platform for desirable behaviors that can be easily monitored by the concerned parties.

Since the process is based on a repetitive practice, the progress of the process can be easily monitored. Records of attention to detail while engaging in the desired behavior also help in the monitoring of the development of the desired behaviors. Works CitedBlackman, Duncan. Operant Conditioning: An Experimental Analysis of Behavior. London. Methuen Press, 2004. Print. Lopez, Shane and Carol, Snyder. Positive Psychological Assessment: A Handbook of Models and Measures. Washington, DC. American Psychological Association, 2003. Print.Overskeid, Gordon.

The Role of Emotions in Reinforcement: Response Selection in Humans. New York: Free Press, 2010. Print.Richman, Shira. Encouraging Appropriate Behavior for Children on the Autism Spectrum. London. Jessica Kingsley Pub., 2006. Print.Sailor, Wayne. Handbook of Positive Behavior Support. New York. Springer, 2009. Print.