AP Psychology First Semester Project

Ms. Sofman

You will be doing a self-shaping project. The following needs to be included in the formal writeup.
1. The report needs to be no more and no less than 3 typed written pages (double spaced,
font 12, Times New Roman). Top and side margins should not exceed one inch.
2. Cover page with name and class section. This is in addition to the 3 typed written pages
3. Needs to include 2 tables and 1 graph (both should be on ONE PAGE) in addition to the 3
typed written pages.
4. The following five sections: Introduction, Goal, Materials & Methods, Results, and
Discussion. These sections need to be labeled and underlined within the report.
5. Do not leave spaces between paragraphs or sections. You will be penalized for the waste
of space.
6. Baseline data (this is your control and what you will be comparing your behavior to after
this experiment, see more on this below) needs to be collected for 4 days. Then your
behavior needs to be shaped for at least 7 days.
Introduction:
Why you chose the behavior that needs to be modified.
What action(s) you think are causing the problem behavior.
A brief description of the results of your baseline data. This will then allow you
to state the conditions of your problem behavior and explain what information the
baseline data told you. (This is not the same as the above statement which asks
you to describe what actions you think cause the problem behavior. Now you are
being asked to explain what information the baseline data told you.)
Goal:
State your goal- For example: To lose 5-10 pounds by winter break.
Why you set this goal- I wanted to lose weight and gave myself a range so I
wouldnt feel like a failure.
Methods:
How long you collected the baseline data. ( 4 days is a good time). Baseline data
is the initial collection of data which serves as a basis for comparison with the
subsequently acquired data.
Explain how you used the information obtained from your baseline data to design
your behavior modification program.
Describe the method you used. Be sure to include:
1. Reinforcers:
a. Describe your reinforcers and the requirements needed to
earn them.
b. Indicate if you used positive or negative reinforcement to
achieve your goal and who was in charge of giving you
the reinforcers.
c. Indicate if your program was based on a token economy
and describe how many tokens were exchanged for other
reinforcers.
2. Schedule of Reinforcement describe only the one you used.

a. Fixed-ratio
b. Fixed-interval
c. Variable-ratio
d. Variable-interval
Any problems you may have had with your program that led you to make
changes. If you initially werent successful, you need to make changes in your
program and describe those changes here. (If you didnt have to make any
changes, this does not need to be included.)
How you recorded your data. This would include the method you used to keep
track of your rewards. For instance, if you used a token economy you would
describe how you recorded your tokens(gold stars) and where you kept the chart
and why.(ex: on the refrigerator so everyone could see my progress)

Results:

Statement if goal was achieved.

How your data supports achievement of your goal. (If you did not achieve your
goal you need to state how the data supports those results.)
Tables and graphs should be at the end of this section. Tables and graphs need to
be numbered and have titles.
a. Table: (two tables need to be included)
1. Table 1. The results of your baseline data.
2. Table 2. This should include a record of rewards received.
b. Graph: Needs to show the rate of change of your behavior over the
course of the experiment.

Discussion:

Was your self-shaping project a success and why do you think it was successful?
If you werent successful you need to explain why you think you did not succeed.
What did you learn from this project about the behavior you chose to modify?
An explanation of how your reinforcers kept (or didnt keep) you in pursuit of
your goal.
This is the place where you would discuss any unexpected rewards. For example,
spending more time with a parent or sibling.
What you will do to make sure the desired behavior will not become extinguished.
What improvements you could make in your behavior modification program. In
other words, what would you do differently next time?
If your program was unsuccessful you need to discuss how you might change
your program to achieve success. If your program was a success you need to
discuss how you could make it even better.