Module 10: Decision-Making 2

Description: Self-control represents a special case of decision-making where individuals choose between smaller-sooner & larger-later rewards. This module examines delay discounting, impulsivity, & self-control as operant choice behavior. We explore how reinforcement value changes with delay, why people struggle with immediate gratification, & how commitment responses can overcome impulsivity. Self-control failures explain behaviors from addiction to poor financial planning.

Why This Module Is Important: Self-control is operant choice behavior with critical real-world applications:

• Addiction Treatment: Understand delay discounting in substance abuse; design interventions using commitment strategies & alternative reinforcement; apply to behavioral therapy approaches (Module 13)
• Health Behavior Change: Explain why immediate gratification undermines long-term health goals (diet, exercise); design interventions that increase value of delayed health outcomes
• Financial Counseling: Apply delay discounting to explain impulsive spending & poor saving behavior; design commitment devices to improve financial self-control
• Educational Settings: Understand why students choose immediate rewards (skipping homework) over delayed rewards (good grades); design interventions to strengthen self-control
• Child Development: Explain the development of self-control (marshmallow test); understand how delay tolerance predicts long-term outcomes

Understanding self-control as operant choice provides practical tools for addressing impulsivity across clinical, educational, & organizational contexts.

Module Learning Objectives: By the end of this module students will be able to…

• MLO1: Distinguish between impulsivity & self-control as operant choice behaviors. (CLO1, ULO5)
• MLO2: Explain delay discounting & its relationship to impulsivity. (CLO2, CLO3, ULO5)
• MLO3: Evaluate commitment strategies for improving self-control in applied settings. (CLO4, ULO5)

Test Yourself: If you truly “know” this material then you will be able to…

• Classify real-world scenarios (gambling, saving for retirement, studying vs. partying, eating dessert before dinner) as examples of impulsivity or self-control, explaining how each represents operant choice between smaller-sooner versus larger-later reinforcement. (MLO1)
• Analyze why people with addiction show steeper delay discounting curves & explain how this relates to impulsive decision-making. (MLO2)
• Apply commitment devices (pre-commitment, removal of temptation, bundling) to design an intervention for improving medication adherence in chronic illness patients. (MLO3)