Embrace my Inner Lab Rat

I mentioned in my last blog, that I feel cultural pressure to deny my "Inner Robot", to deny the idea that most of the choices I make each day are automatic responses to my alarm clock, to hunger, to arriving at work, to my mid-morning lull, to more hunger at lunch, to my mid-afternoon lull, to everything that happens from after leaving work.

I also feel pressure to deny my "Inner Lab Rat".  I feel pressured to deny the fact that I respond to "cheese". I respond to rewards.  I'd love to think that I'm motivated to do something if it is "the right thing to do".  I wish I was always motivated by logic, that I picked all my actions based on reason and willpower.  But the reality probably is that I do most of what I do because in one way or another I find it rewarding.

The idea that what we choose to do is based mainly on rewards and punishments is the basic premise of "Behaviorism", a theory of psychology developed by B.F. Skinner in the 1930's.  I read several of his books in the 1970's and 1980's when Behaviorism was still in vogue.  According to a recent article by David Freeman in Atlantic magazine, "Behaviorism" fell out of favor for a while because of discomfort with the idea that our choices are based so deeply on rewards versus reason and willpower.  But behaviorism, says Freeman, is now coming back because its principles are the best explanation for the most successful programs aimed at changing behaviors such as Weight Watchers, Alcoholics Anonymous, and certain exercise programs.  Here's a link to Freeman's article:  The Perfected Self.

So, if I accept my "Inner Lab Rat", if I accept that I behave based on rewards more than I do based on willpower and logic, what should I do?  If I want to make a certain choice more often, I guess I'd better figure out how to make it rewarding.  If I want to use the treadmill more, then watch an action movie on DVD or Netflix.  If I want to get through paperwork at home (something I hate doing), then listen to music while doing it.  If I can't make the task inherently rewarding, treat myself afterwards.  Don't just say, "From now on, I'm going to ______ more often" and expect willpower and memory to take it from there.  Figure out how to make the experience so enjoyable that I can reward my "Inner Lab Rat" with some "cheese".