1. Behavior Modification2
Behavior Modification

2. Behavior Modification
“To reach a goal you have never before attained, you must do things you have never before done.” (Richard Scott)
Nearly all Americans accept that exercise is beneficial to health and see a need to incorporate it into their lives
However, 70% of new and returning exercisers are at risk for early dropout
Permanent changes to behavior are necessary for success

3. Exercise/Exercise Dropout Cycle
Figure 2.1. Exercise/exercise dropout cycle.

4. Living in a Toxic Health and Fitness Environment
Most adopted behaviors are a product of our environment
Family, peers, friends, homes, schools, workplaces, television, radio, movies, communities, country, and culture
We are habituated to an environment that is “toxic” to fitness and wellness
Passive transportation
Fast-food
Sedentary entertainment

5. Environmental Influences on Physical Activity
Negative environmental influences
Driving instead of walking
Taking elevators and escalators instead of stairs
Television viewing and snacking
Communities with no safe place to walk
Schools not within walking distance

6. Environmental Influences
Our environment is not conducive to a healthy, physically active lifestyle.

7. Environmental Influences on Diet and Nutrition
The obesity epidemic is worsening – why?
Advertising promotes highly processed foods
Many activities of daily living are associated with eating
Portion sizes are larger
We snack more than ever before
Unhealthy food is inexpensive/readily available
Restaurants encourage patrons to eat more
Individuals tend to disregard hunger cues

8. Values and Behavior Values: people’s core beliefs and ideals
Developed through experience, learning, and role models
Govern behavior as people seek to act in accordance with their values
Change as people change
An active lifestyle can lead to more healthy behaviors as a person’s values change to reflect healthier ideals

9. Your Brain and Your Habits
Most habits are developed based on rewards, and most people value instant rewards more than long-term rewards
Part of the brain (corpus striatum) plays a role in habit formation – activated by pleasurable and rewarding events
Releases the neurotransmitter dopamine, associated with cognition, learning, behavior, motivation, and rewards
Behaviors that become “ingrained” in the brain often sabotage the desire for willful change

10. Barriers to Change Lack of core values Procrastination
Preconditioned cultural beliefs
Gratification
Risk complacency
Complexity
Indifference and helplessness
Rationalization
Illusions of invincibility

11. Critical Thinking

12. Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s ability to perform a given task
Determines how you feel, think, behave, motivate yourself, make choices, set goals, and pursue courses of action
Influences your vulnerability to stress and depression
Determines resiliency in the face of adversity

13. Sources of Self-Efficacy
Mastery experiences
Personal experiences with success and failure
Vicarious experiences
Social models
Verbal persuasion
More likely to try a task and believe you can get it done
Physiological cues
Least significant source of self-efficacy beliefs

14. Motivation and Locus of Control
The desire and will to do something
Comes from within, but triggered by external factors
Locus of control
The extent to which a person believes he or she can influence the external environment
Internal
External
Continuum

15. Motivation and Locus of Control (cont’d.)
Impediments to taking action
Problems of competence
Skills needed to complete task
Problems of confidence
Have skill but do not believe in self
Problems of motivation
Competence and confidence are there, but unwilling to change

16. Changing Behavior
Five general categories of behaviors addressed in the process of willful change:
Stopping a negative behavior
Preventing relapse to a negative behavior
Developing a positive behavior
Strengthening a positive behavior
Maintaining a positive behavior

17. Behavior Change Theories
Learning theories
Behaviors are learned/maintained with reinforcement
Problem solving model
Behaviors are the result of making decisions in an attempt to solve a problem
Social cognitive theory
Behavior change is influenced by the environment, self-efficacy, and the characteristics of the behavior itself

18. Behavior Change Theories (cont’d.)
Relapse prevention model
Anticipate and prevent lapses/relapses through strategic planning
Humanistic theory of change
Motivate through a hierarchy of needs: approval, recognition, achievement, and fulfillment of each person’s potential
Transtheoretical model
Work through a series of stages in keeping with a person’s readiness to change

19. Transtheoretical Model
Precontemplation stage
Unwilling to change behavior
Contemplation stage
Considering change within the next six months
Preparation stage
Preparing to change within the next month
Action stage
Actively changing a negative behavior or adopting a new, healthy behavior

20. Transtheoretical Model (cont’d.)
Maintenance stage
Maintaining behavioral change for up to five years
Termination/adoption stage
Eliminating an undesirable behavior or maintaining a positive behavior for more than five years

21. Stages of Change Model
Figure 2.2. Stages of change model.

22. Applicable Processes of Change
Table 2.1. Applicable Processes of Change During Each Stage of Change

23. Goal Setting and Supportive Behaviors
Figure 2.3. Goal setting and supportive behaviors.

24. Relapse
Lapse
To slip or fall back temporarily into unhealthy behaviors; short-term failure to maintain healthy behaviors
Relapse
To slip or fall back into unhealthy behaviors over a longer time; longer-term failure to maintain healthy behaviors

25. Model of Progression and Relapse
Figure 2.4. Model of progression and relapse.

26. The Process of Change Processes of change Behavior modification
Actions that help you achieve change in behavior
Behavior modification
The process of permanently changing negative behaviors to positive behaviors that will lead to better health and well-being

27. The Process of Change (cont’d.)
Consciousness-raising: obtain information about problem
Social liberation: external alternatives
Self-analysis: decisive desire to change
Emotional arousal: dramatic release
Positive outlook: optimistic approach

28. The Process of Change (cont’d.)
Commitment: accept responsibility to change
Behavior analysis: determine behavior pattern
Goals: having strong goals
Self-reevaluation: analyze feelings about problem behavior
Countering: substitute healthy behaviors for problem behavior

29. The Process of Change (cont’d.)
Monitoring: increases awareness of desired outcome
Environment control: restructure physical surroundings to avoid problem behaviors
Helping relationships: surround yourself with encouraging people
Rewards: reward yourself with positive, non-self- destructive rewards

30. Critical Thinking

31. Techniques of Change Techniques of change
Methods or procedures used during each process of change
Can apply any number of techniques
Identify techniques that may work for you
Specific to each process of change

32. Goal Setting and Evaluation
To motivate change, goals are essential
SMART goals
Specific
Measurable
Acceptable
Realistic
Time-specific

33. SMART Goals
Figure 2.6. SMART goals.

34. Goal Evaluation Conduct periodic evaluations of your goals
Use your setbacks and learn from them
Once you achieve a goal, set another one

35. Assess Yourself
How can the science of behavior modification help you on your journey to health/wellness?
Do you understand the following concepts?
The effects of living in a toxic environment
The influence of environment, values, and brain
The barriers to changing behavior
Self-efficacy, motivation, and locus of control
The process of changing behavior
Goal setting and evaluation