1. Steve Sparks
Psy 671
8/12/10

2. The Six Steps of Behavioral Systems Analysis
Analyze the natural contingencies
About a year ago I lost my dental insurance and since then I have been trying to
floss more often. Unfortunately each instance of flossing only improves my
dental health infinitesimally so the outcome is too small to control my behavior.
The operant level of my flossing behavior was three days per week.
Operant level: the frequency of responding before reinforcement.
Real cause of poor self management: Poor self-management results from poor control by rules
describing outcomes that are either too small (though often of cumulative significance) or too
improbable. The delay isn’t crucial.
Ineffective Natural Contingency
After
Before
Behavior
Infinitesimally
Given level of
I floss once better dental
dental health
health
Natural contingency: A contingency that occurs in nature and was not designed by a
performance manger to control behavior.
There are many possible natural competing contingencies but since I always
floss at night, usually I am really tired and want to jump into bed as soon as
possible.
Effective Natural Competing Contingency
Before After
Behavior
Given time to Slightly less time
sleep I floss once to sleep

3. Specify the performance objectives
To increase my dental health I believe I need to be flossing at least once
a day.
Design an intervention
I signed a performance contract with my friend Tim that I have to pay him
a dollar for every day I don’t floss. To prove to him that I did floss I have to send
him a picture mail of the dirty used floss, a built in reinforcement contingency.
Three Contingency Model of Performance Management
Ineffective Natural Contingency
Before After
Behavior
Given level of Infinitesimally
dental health I floss once better dental
health
Performance-Management Contingency
Before Behavior After
I will owe Tim $1 I won’t owe Tim
on Sunday I floss once $1 on Sunday
Inferred Direct-acting Contingency
Before Behavior After
I fear the loss of I don’t fear the loss
$1 I floss once of $1
This performance management contingency is an indirect-acting analog to avoidance of
the loss of a reinforcer.
Avoidance-of-loss contingency: The response contingent prevention of the loss of a
reinforcer resulting in an increased frequency of that response.

4. Implement the intervention
During baseline I flossed three times that week, my intervention was
implemented on June 21st 2010.
Evaluate the intervention
The first two weeks I did not meet my goal but after that I have been
almost perfect only missing one day.
Goal
Recycle through the previous steps until you reach your objectives
So far I have not needed to recycle but if I start to slip I may have to
switch performance managers to my roommate so he can actually witness my
flossing.