Changing and Eliminating Habits - Assignment Example

Everything seemed to make sense there and then. Different people have different ways of responding to the same stimulus. Under nervous circumstances, some people tend to sweat, talk, or eat more. I, on the other hand, was attracted to biting my nails.

As per the explained scenario, the following categorization can be logically made. Nervousness and anxiety are the Unconditioned Stimuli (UCS). At the same time, the responding nail biting is the unconditioned response (UCR), the conditioned stimulus is being in a specific audience and expecting humiliation (CS), and the conditioned response follows it again, nail biting (CR). For this assignment, I tried to put myself in different situations involving an audience in school and elsewhere.

Initially, the first two days were met with a lot of nail-biting, but the incidence decreased proportionately with tolerance, and I could control it substantially. The first four days were centred around observations mostly, but the next four tested my patience. I tried different techniques to avoid nail biting. Eventually, it seemed to work approximately 60 to 70 %, but I could not control it during classes that demanded maximum class participation. This change in habit took place probably because of the realization factor; I was cautious of fingers trying to sneak their way up to my teeth and was able to refute them from going anywhere further.

This must be noted here that only significant situations were taken into close consideration; in minor ones, I continued to bite them a minimum of two times. Taking everything under control was the first and foremost stance. I tried using the negative punishment technique when forced behaviour didn't work. I forbade myself from having dinner if I couldn’t control this habit at least five times and gradually increased the number. Not having dinner gives me stomach cramps, so this was supposed to work.
I could limit this habit after the first two days to avoid the probable misery of dinner deprivation. The first day was the most difficult, and I had to sleep hungry that night the second day, I served myself a light dinner, which improved significantly in the coming two days.

I was elated at being able to limit it with such a margin. This also led to an improvement in class performance and participation. My grades improved significantly as I was able to muster up my confidence and pay a little more attention to how I stepped up before people to deliver my cause or project. Moreover, my social circle also improved as I actively participated in group discussions. I could take the initiative, be upfront and spill my mind without having nails in my mouth. This was a significant confidence boost and a personality charmer as well. Perseverance and control added grace to my speech, and I could focus on the words that came out of my mouth and save me and my affiliates from possible embarrassment.