You Can Never Go Too Far – POOGI for ABA

I do my best to try to eat healthy, but I do like to eat dessert sometimes. Unfortunately, it is easy to let that get out of hand. So, I make Chocolate Banana Ice Cream. I used to add some sugar to this recipe, but I don’t need it any longer. I like it just like this, maybe a bit of almond milk instead of the water or splash of vanilla. I’m very happy with this dessert, and I look forward to having it from time to time. But other people who try it tend to say it is just OK, and aren’t really happy with it as their dessert. That’s because they are used to “real” desserts. So, if you try this dessert expecting it to taste like Ben and Jerry’s, you are going to be disappointed. Now, what I’ve learned is that if I go and have a real dessert once or twice, all of a sudden, I’m no longer happy with my chocolate banana ice cream. What works as a reinforcer partially depends on your alternative choices.

I think this can become a problem in ABA programs. It is, of course, essential to have a highly motivating environment when teaching. I used to argue that Ferris Bueller was right and that you can never go too far when it comes to providing a motivating environment. Frequently, I’ve seen children who are perfectly happy playing with toys, coloring, and a trampoline. But as soon as you introduce an iPad as an option, they lose all interest in everything else. This can be especially problematic when the effectiveness of the motivating environment wears off quickly and teams are struggling to find new effective reinforcers. That can lead to an arms race to find new, different and exciting choices all the time, which is rarely sustainable.

I think there are two lessons here. First, having a Goldilocks level of motivation is important. While it is essential that we work in highly motivating environments, I now believe that Ferris Bueller was wrong. You can go too far. But most of the time, people have the opposite problem – they don’t go far enough. That might be due to budgets, time constraints, or other practical problems. Inadequate motivation is a primary cause of failure. Just remember once you add the super exciting thing, like Ben and Jerry’s or an iPad, other things that used to be effective may no longer work well. Second, everyone gets bored from time to time. It’s both appropriate and effective to mix up the motivation once in a while. But if you constantly have to mix it up with something new and different all the time, there probably is a problem with your procedures. Troubleshooting that type of problem is a story for another day.

Behavior analytic services should only be delivered in the context of a professional relationship. Nothing written in this blog should be considered advice for any specific individual. The purpose of the blog is to share my experience, not to provide treatment. Please get advice from a professional before making changes to behavior analytic services being delivered. Nothing in this blog including comments or correspondence should be considered an agreement for Dr. Barry D. Morgenstern to provide services or establish a professional relationship outside of a formal agreement to do so. I attempt to write this blog in “plain English” and avoid technical jargon whenever possible. But all statements are meant to be consistent with behavior analytic literature, practice, and the professional code of ethics. If, for whatever reason, you think I’ve failed in the endeavor, let me know and I’ll consider your comments and make revisions, if appropriate. Feedback is always appreciated as I’m always trying to Poogi.