1. Self-monitoring
It is the ability to monitor and regulate self-presentations,
emotions, and behaviors in response to social environments
and situations.
It involves being aware of ones’ behavior and the impact it
has on ones’ environment. It also refers to your ability to
modify your behaviors in response to environmental,
situational, or social variables
2. Types of Self-Monitoring
• Acquisitive
This type of self-monitoring is to acquire attention and approval
from others. It involves assessing the reactions of others and altering
behavior in a way designed to help the person fit in or to garner
attention, status, or power.
• Protective
This type of self-monitoring is intended to protect the individual
from the disapproval of others. People will monitor the situation and
reactions and then modify their own behavior in a way that will be
approved by the group. The goal of this is to prevent embarrassment
and rejection by others.
3. Uses
• Changing a specific behavior3
• Improving self-awareness
• Developing greater awareness of other people
• Improving interpersonal skills
• Gauging the impact of your behavior on a situation
• Figuring out how to behave in a competitive environment
• Noticing symptoms that may require treatment
For example, learning how to self-monitor can help you notice
things about your own behavior that you weren't aware of before. If
these behaviors seem to be unusual or create problems in your life, you
might discuss them with your doctor or therapist
4. Using Self-Monitoring to Change Behavior
• Identify a target behavior:
Pick a specific behavior that you want to monitor and change.
Examples of things you might self-monitor include behaviors related
to health, mood, exercise, eating habits, or social activities.
• Choose a way to record behaviors:
Mentally noting these behaviors is one way to increase
awareness, but writing them down can also be useful. This might
involve tracking frequency, duration, or intensity on a piece of paper
or on a mobile device app.
5. • Set a schedule:
Continuous self-monitoring is possible in some cases, but it may
be more realistic to set a schedule where you check in with yourself
and write down your measures for that time period. This might
involve writing it down after a specific activity or at regular intervals
throughout the day.
