The document summarizes the author's experience reducing their caffeine intake through a behavioral intervention. They were drinking 2-3 caffeinated beverages per day and wanted to reduce this to a maximum of 2 per week. They contracted with a roommate to pay $2 for each drink over the limit. This performance management contingency was successful in controlling their behavior and reducing headaches and feelings of bloating. After initial success, they lowered their goal to zero caffeinated drinks per week, which has also been successful except for one week where they had one drink.

1. Kickin’ the Caffeine Buzz<br />Mindy Newhouse<br />Psy 6710<br />8/13/10<br />Dr. Malott<br />The Six Steps of Behavioral Systems Analysis<br />Analyze the natural contingencies<br />I was constantly drinking two or three (sometimes more) caffeinated beverages per week, usually Dr. Pepper and iced tea. I knew it was bad for my health and sometimes made me feel bloated, plus I would get headaches if I went too long without consuming any caffeine, but this failed to control my behavior. Caffeine deprivation and the resulting headaches became motivating operations (a procedure or condition that affects learning and performance with respect to a particular reinforcer or aversive condition) for consuming more caffeine. For the behavior of drinking a caffeinated beverage, the outcome of an infinitesimal deterioration in my health was too small (though of cumulative significance) to control my behavior, making this an ineffective natural contingency. This contingency demonstrates why the mythical cause of poor self-management (poor self-management occurs because immediate outcomes control our behavior better than delayed outcomes do) is false. The outcome of this contingency is immediate, but does not control my behavior.<br />Ineffective Natural Contingency<br />BeforeGiven level of healthBehaviorDrink one caffeinated beverageAfterInfinitesimally worse level of health<br />I could never resist grabbing a drink, pouring it into my mouth, and tasting the rich flavor of Dr. Pepper or the cool, delicious taste of iced tea with lemon. The good, refreshing taste of my beverage contingent on taking a drink demonstrates the effective natural competing contingency maintaining my behavior (a muscle, glandular, or neuro-electrical activity) of drinking caffeinated beverages. <br />Effective Natural Competing Contingency<br />BeforeNo good tasteBehaviorDrink one caffeinated beverageAfterGood taste<br />Specify the performance objectives<br />During baseline (the phase of an experiment or intervention where the behavior is measured in the absence of an intervention), I was consistently drinking two or three caffeinated beverages a day. Ideally, I wanted to cut out caffeine altogether, but I decided to start with a more realistic goal of no more than two caffeinated beverages per week.<br />Design an intervention<br />I contracted with my roommate, Ashley, to be my performance manager. We agreed on a rule (a description of a behavioral contingency) that if I exceeded my limit of two caffeinated beverages per week, then I would have to pay her two dollars for every drink over my limit (more than doubling the normal cost of one of my drinks) and we rid our apartment of my preferred caffeinated beverages. We arranged to meet every weekend (we did not have a specified day and time to meet on weekends, due to our variable work schedules) to discuss my progress. During these meetings, I would show her my year-at-a-glance graph and pay her any money I owed her for exceeding my two-beverage limit for the week.<br />Three Contingency Model of Performance ManagementAfterInfinitesimally better level of healthAfterWill lose $2 at the end of the weekIneffective Natural ContingencyPerformance-Management ContingencyAfterFear the loss of $2 at the end of the weekInferred Direct-acting ContingencyBeforeWill not lose $2 at the end of the weekBehaviorDrink one caffeinated beverageBeforeGiven level of healthBehaviorDrink one caffeinated beverageBeforeDo not fear the loss of $2 at the end of the weekBehaviorDrink one caffeinated beverageImplement the intervention<br />After collecting baseline data for about half of a week, I began my intervention. I kept in frequent contact with Ashley, my performance manager, so that she was always aware of my progress. I was never in the habit of carrying cash, but when I started my intervention I made sure I always had cash available so that, if needed, I would be able to pay Ashley two dollars in a timely manner and therefore experience my consequences more quickly. My performance-management contingency proved to be a rule that is easy to follow (describe outcomes that are both sizeable and probable; the delay isn’t crucial). My intervention had numerous benefits, including the reduction in my headaches, a decrease in my bloated feelings, and an increase in my energy level. I was no longer experiencing the ups and downs that came from drinking a caffeinated beverage to increase my energy and later crashing, so that I would need more caffeine for another energy boost.<br />Evaluate the intervention<br />My intervention was a great success. I never exceeded my two-a-week limit, and for a couple of weeks I only had one caffeinated beverage each. The rule stating the consequence of a two dollar loss was sufficient to control my behavior. The weekly meetings with my performance manager also helped, plus Ashley frequently contacted me throughout the week to check on my progress and routinely inspected our apartment for caffeinated beverages or leftover containers from those beverages. I am now drinking decaffeinated iced tea and indulge in the occasional caffeine-free Dr. Pepper, but I am not drinking the caffeine-free versions as often as I did the caffeinated ones.<br />Insert your graph here.<br />Recycle through the previous steps until you reach your objectives<br />My intervention with the two-a-week limit was so successful; I decided to re-set my goal to zero per week, so I would have to pay two dollars to Ashley for every caffeinated beverage I drank. So far, this has been successful as well and I have managed to go without any caffeinated beverages to get me through my days (and I have not replaced those caffeinated beverages with any other forms of caffeine or junk food), with the exception of one week in which I had one caffeinated beverage. It is a relief to no longer get headaches from caffeine deprivation or to feel bloated from too much acidic Dr. Pepper. I hope to continue to be relatively caffeine-free in the future.<br />