The Power of Commitment and ConsistencyLesson 1: The Psychology of Inner Responsibility and CommitmentLearning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
- Explain the concept of inner responsibility and its role in long-term behavioral change.
- Describe the Freedman experiment and its implications for behavior modification.
- Analyze the role of external rewards and threats in shaping personal commitment.
- Apply psychological insights from the reading to real-world situations, particularly in parenting and education.
Lesson Content1. The Concept of Inner Responsibility
- People take ownership of their actions when they believe they have freely chosen them.
- External pressures (e.g., strong threats or large rewards) can undermine a sense of personal responsibility.
- Inner responsibility leads to lasting behavioral changes, whereas forced compliance does not.
2. The Freedman Experiment: The Forbidden Toy Study
- Study Setup: Boys aged 7–9 were told not to play with a robot toy.
- Group 1: Given a severe threat (“I will be very angry and do something about it”).
- Group 2: Given a mild statement (“It is wrong to play with the robot”).
- Findings:
- Short-term: Both groups obeyed while being observed.
- Long-term: The mild warning group internalized the belief that playing with the toy was wrong, while the severe threat group ignored the rule once the authority figure was absent.
- Implications:
- Harsh punishment creates temporary compliance rather than long-term belief.
- Encouraging inner responsibility leads to self-regulation.
3. Applications to Parenting and Teaching
- Parents should avoid heavy bribes or threats if they want children to adopt values sincerely.
- Mild, but meaningful reasoning encourages self-regulation (e.g., “Lying is wrong” vs. “Lying is wrong, and I’ll be disappointed”).
- Schools can encourage responsibility in students by fostering internal motivation rather than external punishments or rewards.
Assessment Activities1. Multiple-Choice Questions (Knowledge & Comprehension)
What was the key finding of the Freedman experiment?
- A) A strong threat led to long-term obedience.
- B) Mild reasoning led children to avoid the toy even weeks later.
- C) The children ignored all instructions.
- D) Large rewards increased commitment.
Why does a strong external threat fail to create long-term behavior change?
- A) People associate their behavior with the external pressure rather than their own beliefs.
- B) People always prefer to rebel.
- C) It makes the forbidden action more appealing.
- D) It immediately changes long-term beliefs.
Which of the following is not a reason why inner responsibility leads to stronger commitment?
- A) It allows people to believe they acted out of personal conviction.
- B) It encourages people to take ownership of their choices.
- C) It removes the need for external reinforcement.
- D) It ensures that people always follow rules without question.
What is a key takeaway for parents from the Freedman study?
- A) Harsh punishment is the best way to ensure obedience.
- B) Giving children too much freedom leads to disobedience.
- C) Mild reasoning helps children develop long-term self-control.
- D) Large material rewards are essential to reinforcing good behavior.
Why do large rewards undermine inner responsibility?
- A) They make people feel manipulated rather than personally invested.
- B) They increase compliance long-term.
- C) They are always ineffective.
- D) They reinforce the behavior permanently.
2. Short-Answer Questions (Application & Analysis)
Why does a large material reward reduce inner responsibility for an action?
How can teachers use Freedman’s findings to encourage good behavior in students?
