Kanfer’s self-regulation model: what is it and what is it for?

Researcher Frederick Kanfer developed an explanation of how people change for the better.

Do you know what self-regulation and self-control are? Did you know that good self-regulation helps to promote changes in behavior? This is what Kanfer's model of self-regulation is all about..

Through his model, Frederick Kanfer establishes that people go through 3 stages when it comes to self-regulating and managing to modify the probability of occurrence of their behavior: self-observation, self-evaluation and self-reinforcement.

What is self-regulation?

Self-regulation could be defined as the capacity to regulate oneself at the behavioral and emotional level.. It is a psychological variable that is part of the competencies of personal development.

Brown (1998), for his part, defines self-regulation as "a person's ability to plan, monitor and direct his or her behavior in changing circumstances".

In 1991, Brown and Miller developed a model that assumes that self-regulation is achieved through seven successive processes, which are information input, self-assessment, change propensity, search, change planning, implementation, and evaluation. A deficit in any (or some) of these self-regulatory processes would involve certain maladjustments in the self-control of the individual's behavior..

For his part, Frederik. H. Kanfer, together with Goldstein, define the concept of self-regulation as the capacity of individuals to direct their own behavior..

Kanfer's model of self-regulation

According to Kanfer, self-regulation (he also calls it self-control) implies that there is a certain underlying reason for inhibiting a response sequence that would otherwise be predicted to have a high probability of occurring.

That is, in self-regulatory processes there is always a situation where one type of behavior is very likely to occur, but nevertheless the probability of occurrence of such behaviors is reduced by the by the person's own control (or management).

Based on these ideas, Kanfer's model of self-regulation serves above all to create appropriate situations in therapy so that the patient learns to change his or her problematic behaviors.

Stages

The stages or phases proposed by Kanfer's self-regulation model are as follows:

Self-observation (self-monitoring) 2.

Through this stage, the person observes his or her own behavior, in order to identify what needs to be changed.. In some cases, it also includes self-reporting of behavior.

2. Self-evaluation (self-evaluation)

In this phase of Kanfer's self-regulation model, the person determines standards, criteria or norms that mark or guide the objectives he/she wants to achieve. Through these criteria, can check whether the behavioral change is the one he is looking for or not, according to his goals.according to their objectives.

3. Self-reinforcement

In self-reinforcement the person self-administers consequences (tangible or symbolic), either positive (in case he/she has met or exceeded the criteria) or negative (self-punishment, in case he/she has failed to reach the previously defined criteria. In the latter case, it could also be that he simply does not reward himself in any way.

Characteristics of the psychological model

Kanfer's model of self-regulation is based on the feedback that the person has on his actions, as well as on the consequencesand the consequences it generates on oneself or on the environment. The model highlights the criteria as fundamental to develop a process of self-correction and self-control, in order to finally self-regulate.

In itself, self-regulation, according to the author, consists of a self-corrective procedure which would appear only when there are discrepancies, imminent danger indexes or conflicting motivational stages.. All this would activate the first stage or self-observation system.

But how would behavior be regulated through Kanfer's model of self-regulation? First of all, it would be necessary for the person to feel the need to increase the effectiveness of his or her own behavior in the face of certain tasks, so that he or she could self-regulate his or her behavior. It could also be that the person is faced with a situation that requires a change in the probability of occurrence of certain behaviors.

Self-control, on the other hand, would imply an aversive state (as opposed to the self-regulation stage). (as opposed to the self-regulation stage); in the face of that aversive state, the person should strive to modify the probability of occurrence of one or more responses.

Assumptions

Why do self-control programs arise? In Kanfer's model of self-regulation, he considers a series of reasons or motives that drive the creation and use of this type of program.

On the one hand, this is due to the fact that there are many behaviors that are only accessible to the subject himself. In addition, problem behaviors are usually related to cognitive activity are related to cognitive activity and to the reactions of the person himself, not being directly observable.They are not directly observable, so a self-regulatory process is necessary.

Kanfer also considers the need to propose an intervention that proposes change as something positive and feasible for the person, with the aim of increasing his or her motivation for such change.

Finally, according to Kanfer's self-regulation model, the intervention should be oriented to teach the patient how to manage possible relapses or new problems, as well as to address the conflicts that may arise.in addition to trying to address current conflicts or problems.

Conclusions

The processes of self-regulation and self-control are very important in therapy. In relation to the efficiency of psychological interventions, if these two processes are effectively developed by the patient, it is likely that clinical therapy sessions will be reduced, as well as the therapist's activity.

In addition, all this would also benefit and enhance a feeling of responsibility and involvement in the patient, who would feel responsible for his or her changes and progress, thus favoring his or her self-concept and self-esteem.

Bibliographic references:

• De la Fuente, J., Peralta, F.J., and Sánchez, M.D. (2009). Personal self-regulation and perception of maladaptive school behaviors. Psicothema, 21(4); 548-55.
• Goldfried, M.R., & Merbaum, M. (1973). A perspective on self-control. In M.R. Goldfried, and M. Merbaum (Eds.), Behavior change through self-control (pp. 3-34). New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
• Kanfer, F. (1986). Implications of a self-regulation model therapy for treatment of addictive behaviors. In W.R. Miller and N. Heather (Eds.): Treating addictive behaviors: Processes of Change. New York: Plenum Press.
• Kanfer, F.H., & Hagerman, S. (1981). The role of self-regulation. In L.P. Rehm (Ed.), Behavior therapy for depression: Present and future directions (143-179). Nueva York: Academic Press.