Within the picture above, Clara is ready to seize the toy, which I’ve been shifting round with the flirt pole. She’s going to seize it once I give the discharge cue. Does this show 1) impulse management; or 2) stimulus management?
Reply: each. Hold studying.
I get it. The phrases “impulse management” and “self-control” don’t sound good to optimistic reinforcement-based trainers. They sound blame-y. “My canine shouldn’t have grabbed that cheese off the counter; he ought to have had extra self-control.” “Did you see her soar at that tug and nearly chunk my hand? She must be taught impulse management!”
These phrases appear to go away conduct science behind and label the canine. They appear to narrate to unfavorable character traits or inside states that we are able to’t know (however don’t just like the outcomes of). Folks declare they don’t have a definition in conduct science.
However guess what? They do! They’ve a selected definition in conduct science, nicely operationalized, with a protracted historical past of examine. And there’s no blame, no fictional narrative implied. The Journal of the Experimental Evaluation of Habits and different journals have a wealth of articles on self-control and impulse management.
For the remainder of this piece, I’ll use the time period “self-control” to cowl Impulse management as nicely. They overlap in definition (Cooper et al., 2007, p. 16).
That is simply the sort of factor I wish to sort out, however I all the time hesitate and contemplate the implications. Am I nitpicking? Perhaps, however I consider there may be worth in acknowledging a discipline of examine that appears to be little identified, and acknowledging the nuances in each ideas. So let’s begin with definitions.
Definitions and Examples of Self-Management
Here’s a definition of self-control from the literature of utilized conduct evaluation.
Self-control [is] exemplified by selecting a big delayed reinforcer moderately than a small speedy one . . . — Grosch & Neuringer, 1981
It is a simple scientific definition. Behaviors that match this definition could be noticed and operationalized.
However the time period “self-control” sadly has the identical subject as “punishment.” The conduct analytic definition is totally different from the extra widespread utilization. Worse, it additionally differs from the definition in psychology. However we don’t cease utilizing the phrase punishment; we take the time to elucidate. We are able to try this for “self-control.”
Cooper et al. point out two definitions of self-control. One pertains to the Grosch & Neuringer definition above. The opposite was outlined and utilized by Skinner (1953). I’ll talk about that definition in a brief part close to the tip of this piece.
Here’s a definition from the sector of psychology: “The power to withstand an impulse, need, or temptation and to control its translation into motion” (APA dictionary). This definition has turn out to be the lay understanding of the time period. However with its abstractions about inside states, there may be nothing helpful in it for the utilized examine of conduct.
There’s a good paper in regards to the operationalization of “self-control” that defines it in opposition to the psychology definition. Right here’s a citation from it:
. . . it’s extra acceptable to measure alternative making behaviors. It has been described that the impulsive alternative is chosen when the participant chooses the smaller, extra speedy reinforcer. The selection is deemed to be a self-controlled alternative if the participant chooses the bigger, extra delayed reinforcer over a smaller, speedy reinforcer. Because of this, the abstraction that self-control is a non-public occasion is minimized, if not eradicated. As an alternative, solely the alternatives which can be made and noticed are thought-about inside the definition. — McKeel & Dixon, 2014 (added daring mine)
In coaching, the definition of self-control applies to sure expertise we educate. Lack of self-control shouldn’t be a personality trait or a label. Neither is it a pathology; it covers plenty of unusual canine (and human) conduct.
Self-control behaviors could be operationalized after we know our species and our particular person. Within the picture on the prime, I had moved a toy very near Clara. Being a canine (species) who likes to play with a toy by grabbing, biting, and pulling (species/particular person), her possible conduct can be to seize it. However moderately than the shifting toy being the cue for a seize, my launch cue is the cue for it. (In case you suppose that’s related to stimulus management, you’re proper. However let’s wait earlier than getting additional into it.)
Ready will get her the bigger, delayed reward, moderately than the speedy, smaller one. The delayed reward is extra intense as a result of I’ve created a historical past that I’ll play together with her heartily if she waits. She has discovered self-control behaviors that assist the sport be safer for me and nonetheless enjoyable for her.
Self-control behaviors have been studied in lots of species. Try the references for an fascinating article about cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) performing self-control conduct (Schnell et al., 2021).
Right here’s an article about self-control within the toutouwai (Petroica longipes), a songbird from Aotearoa (McCallum & Shaw, 2024).
Definitions and Examples of Stimulus Management
Whereas self-control is simple and easy to operationalize, stimulus management is a posh subject. Habits science books typically have a big part or entire chapter on the subject.
I’ve made a useful record of definitions of stimulus management from 12 textbooks in case that’s useful to anybody else.
Here’s a definition I like:
A conduct is alleged to be below stimulus management when there may be an elevated chance that the conduct will happen within the presence of a selected antecedent stimulus or a stimulus from a selected stimulus class. — Miltenberger, 2008, p. 145
Though the definitions use particular wording, the idea appears so summary. At the very least one textbook I checked says that stimulus management is used as a label (Mayer et al., 2019, p. 326), a typical criticism of the time period self-control within the canine coaching world.
The inventory phrases within the canine world haven’t helped. Many individuals, together with me, have outlined stimulus management by itemizing some “guidelines” about it which can be coaching tips. These guidelines don’t comprise the definition. You possibly can learn them on this outdated put up of mine.
I’m going to present some examples of using the time period stimulus management, as a result of that’s been the best method for me to have a starting understanding of it.
A good friend who is a superb coach and works in utilized conduct evaluation posted a video I favored. It exhibits how she taught her canine to search out an merchandise by scent. Within the description, she mentions the interval when the “stimulus management of the conduct of approaching the merchandise switches from the sight of it to the odor of it.”
At first, the discriminative stimulus for the conduct of approaching the article is it showing within the canine’s visual view. Then, because the coach begins to place the merchandise farther away and out of sight, in some unspecified time in the future the canine begins utilizing his nostril. The discriminative stimulus is now the odor (though the sight of the merchandise can stay an element for seen gadgets). We are able to observe the change in his conduct: he’s now sniffing, whereas earlier than he appeared primarily to be wanting.
However doesn’t must be only one stimulus. Many behaviors are below the management of a number of stimuli. Paul Probability says:
Typically stimulus management is exerted not by a single stimulus however by a posh array of stimuli that, collectively, affect conduct. We behave in another way at a proper ball than we do at a sq. dance, and conduct that might be acceptable at a seashore occasion is unacceptable at a cocktail party. — Probability, 2003, p. 84
For one more instance involving canine, consider the stimulus of time of day and the way usually that pairs with different stimuli to sign the supply of reinforcement. If I’m going choose up my canine’s meals toy when it’s not time for a meal, he might keep watch over me, however he received’t soar up and carry out “on the point of eat” behaviors. But when I choose it up at his common breakfast time, the time of day plus selecting up the toy collectively comprise a superb prediction of an imminent meal. Both a type of by itself is a a lot weaker predictor.
And for my instance at first with Clara, once I taught Clara a self-control conduct (ready till cued to seize the toy) I modified the stimulus management from the motion of the toy to my cue.
The “Management” A part of Stimulus Management
Since conduct depends on chances, management is probably not the most effective phrase, nevertheless it’s the one we’ve received. I agree with Dr. Susan Friedman’s suggestion of the time period “stimulus affect,” which loses the unfavorable connotations of “management” and the concept that management is absolute. Pierce and Cheney’s definition (2017, p. 171) consists of that “A controlling stimulus (S) is alleged to change the chance of an operant.” (added daring mine)
Skinner and Self-Management
Skinner used the time period “self-control” to explain what we would name “self-management” (1953, Chapter XV Self-Management, p. 227–241). He wrote of arranging stimuli forward of time to encourage a sure conduct in oneself later.
Listed below are some trendy examples. If I made a decision to chop sugary snacks from my food plan, an early step is perhaps for me to take away all such snacks from my home. And if I needed to lower a fast-food behavior, I would begin meals prepping or purchase a bunch of easy-to-prepare frozen meals. These actions would fall into Skinner’s class of “self-control.” We might name them antecedent preparations. It’s fascinating, as a result of they might not fall into the favored definition of self-control in any respect. We’d say such actions have been eradicating the need of self-control. An instance of the favored definition of self-control can be the power to have the snacks in the home and never eat them.
Are Self-Management and Stimulus Management Opposites?
I’ve seen claims that these two ideas that apply to conduct are opposites in impact or implication. I don’t agree. This declare is determined by utilizing the psychology definition of self-control moderately than the conduct evaluation one. The latter is operationalizable, and doesn’t oppose or battle with the idea of stimulus management in any respect.
I perceive the explanations to not use the phrases self-control and impulse management. The usual definitions have baggage we don’t wish to carry into optimistic reinforcement-based coaching. There are conditions the place it could be finest “to not go there.” However remember, self-control behaviors could be described and categorized, there want be no ethical judgment connected, and a coach needn’t depend on aversive methods to show them.
Copyright 2025 Eileen Anderson
References
Probability, P. (2003). Studying and Habits (fifth ed.). Thomson-Wadsworth.
Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2007). Utilized conduct evaluation (2nd ed.). Pearson.
Gao, Z., Wang, H., Lu, C., Lu, T., Froudist-Walsh, S., Chen, M., Wang, X., Hu, J., & Solar, W. (2021). The neural foundation of delayed gratification. Science Advances, 7(49), eabg6611.
Grosch, J., & Neuringer, A. (1981). Self-control in pigeons below the Mischel Paradigm. Journal of the Experimental Evaluation of Habits, 35, 3–21. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1981.35-3
Mayer, G. R., Sulzer-Azaroff, B., & Wallace, M. (2019). Habits evaluation for lasting change (4th ed.). Sloan Pub..
McCallum, E., & Shaw, R. C. (2024). Measuring self-control in a wild songbird utilizing a spatial discounting activity. Animal Cognition, 27(1), 1-16.
McKeel, A. N., & Dixon, M. R. (2014). Furthering a conduct analytic account of self-control utilizing relational body idea. Behavioral Growth Bulletin, 19(2), 111.
Miltenberger, R. G. (2008). Habits modification (4th ed.). Wadsworth.
Pierce, W. D., & Cheney, C. D. (2017). Habits evaluation and studying: A biobehavioral method (4th ed.). Routledge.
Schnell, A. Ok., Boeckle, M., Rivera, M., Clayton, N. S., & Hanlon, R. T. (2021). Cuttlefish exert self-control in a delay of gratification activity. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 288(1946), 20203161.
Skinner, B. F. (1953) Science and human conduct. Pearson.
Photograph Credit
Cuttlefish picture from Wikimedia Commons from person Magnafl, included below this license.
Toutouwai (North Island Robin) picture from Wikimedia Commons from person DrewHeath (edited by Tony Wills), included below this license.
All different pictures copyright Eileen Anderson.
