Positive Reinforcement free essay sample

This study is based on the effect of positive reinforcement on exercising more regularly. I wanted to try and exercise at least 30min – 1hr everyday within one week’s period of time. In trying to do so I used positive reinforcement to increase to time I used to exercise more each day. I studied myself for this case and I am a 21 year old female who attends Southwestern Illinois College. Over a seven day baseline period I noted that I never exercised at all, unless you count the time token to walk to my car and or from one class to the next. Over the seven day treatment period I exercised more being that I couldn’t watch TV unless I completed at least 30mins of exercise. So if I wanted to watch an hour of TV I had to exercise at least 30mins and this was very successful for me. We will write a custom essay sample on Positive Reinforcement or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The use of positive reinforcement in this study was easiest for me and worked to help me exercise more. In the future when applying behavior modification to help me exercise more I may try something different to help me increase the timed used to exercise daily. Instead of using a privilege as a reward I can switch it up and use something I really want, such as a new pair of shoes as a positive reinforcement to continue to get me to exercise more regularly each day. Keywords: positive reinforcement, baseline period, treatment period, behavior modification For my behavior modification project, I wanted to increase how much I exercised. My goal was to exercise at least 5 days a week for at least 30mins a day. The reason I chose exercising for this project is because I believe it’s something I needed to do more of to stay healthy and fit. The reasons I think I have trouble exercising regularly is 1) I am so busy with school and school work, I made myself believe I didn’t have time to. 2) I procrastinate a lot and would always put it off for later and end up never doing it at all. I plan on using positive reinforcement to increase how much I exercise daily. My short term goal is to exercise at least 5days a week for at least 30mins long. My long term goal is to increase the time spent exercising each day from 30mins to 1hour long and to start eating healthier as well. Methods My operational definition for my target behavior is exercising more, to exercise at least 30mins a day. Positive Reinforcement will be my treatment. Whenever I want to watch television I have to complete 30mins of exercise. I will use positive reinforcement by rewarding myself 1hr of television if I exercise for 30mins. Procedure1 For 2weeks I collected data for this study. For 7 days I collected data before I used behavior modification to change my non exercising habit. For another 7 days I collected data in the treatment phase where I started using positive reinforcement whenever I exercised. Baseline phase. During the 7 day baseline phase I recorded how much I did or didn’t exercise each day. I did not reward myself for exercising and I didn’t punish myself for not exercising at all. I wrote down and kept track in my notebook how much I did or didn’t exercise each day. Treatment phase. During the 7 day treatment phase, I rewarded myself 1hour of television if I exercised for at least 30mins. Results During the baseline phase I spent zero minutes exercising a day. I did not exercise at all. During the treatment phase I exercised an average of 45min a day. I met my goal of exercising more regularly at a minimum of at least 30mins a day. Summary During the treatment phase of this study I met my goal of exercising more every day for a minimum of 30mins by using positive reinforcement. I plan on continuing this and using positive reinforcement to help me exercise more each day and increase my time spent exercising. I also would like to try to start eating healthier to lose weight and I will use positive reinforcement to do so. I am going to try new rein forcers for exercising more and eating healthy, such as a pair of new shoes when I reach my goal. I will continue to try and increase my exercising habit and try adding on other healthy habits such as eating healthy and try losing weight. .

Reconsider Planting Leyland Cypress in Your Yard

Reconsider Planting Leyland Cypress in Your Yard The rapidly-growing Leyland cypress tree, or  Cupressocyparis leylandii,  quickly outgrows its space in a typical yard, unless properly and regularly trimmed. These trees have the potential to grow to 60 feet tall. They are not a practical tree to plant as a small yard hedge on tight, six- to eight-foot  centers. Tight spacing of the plant means that you must commit major time and effort to constant pruning. Leyland cypress is a  short-lived conifer, with a typical lifespan of 20 to 25 years, and will eventually have to be removed. Even properly-spaced trees left to grow may have limited root support, and are subject to being blown down during high winds if planted on wet soils. Consider the work needed to maintain a Leyland cypress before planting one. Why Not Plant Leyland Cypress? A study of Leyland cypress done at the University of Tennessee indicated that a lot of damage on these trees is simply environmental, and not always directly caused by a disease or insect. The study indicated that stress from a harsh winter can cause sporadic limb die off among Leyland cypress trees. Leyland cypresses grow into large, mature trees at 60-plus feet tall with a potential 20-plus foot spread. When they are planted as hedges on tight centers less of than 10 feet, there will be a major competitive  struggle for nutrients and shading. When needles turn brown or drop, the tree is reacting to environmental stresses. Leyland cypress trees do not tolerate many diseases and insects well, especially when environmental stressors are present. Spacing and soil may create an environment that can cause future stress on these trees. Planting Leyland cypress too close together or too close to other trees and structures that shade them can decrease vigor and increase pest damage. Caring for an Existing Tree Eliminating moisture stress on Leyland cypress through watering techniques can help lessen the occurrence of canker diseases. In particular, Leyland cypress is susceptible to Seiridium canker. There is no control for this disease other than to prune out the infected plant part. Watering is a long-term commitment for the Leyland cypress owner. These trees should be watered during any period of dry weather and should receive at least 1 inch of water per week. Pour the water at the base of the tree, and do not spray water on the foliage with sprinklers or watering techniques that can cause various  tree disease. As these tree age and lose lower foliage, consider removing Leyland cypress individually as they deteriorate, and replace each with a deciduous evergreen tree like wax myrtle.