Other People's Habits: How to Use Positive Reinforcement to Bring Out the Best in People Around You (Hardcover)

by Aubrey C. Daniels (Author) "Let me begin with a bold statement: Most of the world's problems, from crime and drugs to ineffective education and the threats to world peace,..." (more)
Key Phrases: Benjamin Franklin, Mark Twain, Premack Principle (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits, said Mark Twain. Taking this wry observation to heart, renowned author Aubrey Daniels shows readers exactly what steps are required to live a life filled with harmonious relationships, fulfilling connections, and minimal discord and conflict. Using the proven staying power of positive reinforcement, Daniels offers indispensable advice on how to:

Establish effective relationships based on mutual respect and shared expectations Keep the lines of communication open--so friends, family, and co-workers always know exactly what is expected of them How to pinpoint and identify the desired behavior you want How to use positive reinforcement to bring about the desired behavior change

From the Back Cover
How to apply the powerfully positive, groundbreaking system laid out in the bestselling Bringing Out the Best in People to the people in your personal life

*Learn to pinpoint and bring about the behaviors you desire in others--and in yourself *Take advantage of the proven powers and unlimited benefits of Dr. Daniels' renowned positive reinforcement approach *Establish effective relationships based on mutual respect and shared expectations

Gain lasting control of your life--and help friends, family, and colleagues do the same

Finally, the power of positive reinforcement is available to everyone, everywhere.

"Other People's Habits provides a consistent intellectual approach to improving performance and designing practical, tactical interventions with people in our personal lives that are likely to have significant positive effects on their behavior. Daniels' work thoroughly explores and explains a consisten and coherent framework that is grounded in inspired research and experience." - Herman B. "Dutch" Leonard, Academic Dean for Teaching Programs, John f. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 195 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (September 21, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007135915X
• ISBN-13: 978-0071359153
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #446,729 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Power of Positive Reinforcement, June 20, 2004

By	calmly - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This is an exceptionally well-organized and clear book. Superficially, it might seem like "only" a suggestion to compliment others more often. However, what distinguishes it from self-help books that emphasize willpower and attitude is the reliance on the teachings of B.F.Skinner's radical behaviorism.

This is one of the best and few books on applying behaviorism to everyday living that I've aware of. You can read Skinner (e.g. "Science and Human Behavior" or his 3-part autobiography) to understand the scientific foundation of his approach and to get a few ideas how you can manage yourself better, but I have found it difficult to work out just how to apply the lessons of behaviorism in daily life. Advancements have been made in applications to such areas as autism and to education, but these require highly trained behavior analysts.

What Daniels has done is work out and carefully explain a straight-forward way in which anyone can apply behaviorism. His advice seems entirely consistent with Skinner, including the avoidance of punishment. Key basics of behaviorism are made simple by Daniels, who has the clearest explanation of the key behaviorist term "contingency" that I've found.

If he didn't so carefully explain how he arrives at this advice, it might seem simplistic. Just compliment? But significantly more than that, for he identifies a number of rules that must hold to effectively positive reinforce others. And because it doesn't require too many rules, it seems quite manageable. I haven't tried it much yet, but I mean to start doing so soon. I hope to succeed because I'll have the scientific power of behaviorism, the laws of nature and the apparent wisdom of Daniels supporting me and keeping it simple.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rewarded by Rewards: The Benefits of Behavior Analysis, August 2, 2004

By	Kenneth F. Reeve (Caldwell College, NJ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It seems safe to say that the goal of any responsible person in a position of authority, whether that person is a parent, teacher, therapist, or business manager, is to see others be successful, productive, and satisfied with whatever they do. For most people, however, there is a big question mark as to just how we can accomplish these goals.

Other People's Habits provides some of the clearest examples describing how the principles of behavior analysis can be used to achieve these goals for the benefit of everyone. Daniels does a wonderful job differentiating between recognition, reward, and reinforcement, and how each process is likely to affect the actions of another. His Do's and Don'ts for implementing positive reinforcement successfully are extremely clear and helpful (along with having a great deal of empirical support in the research literature, unlike the majority of procedures described in many pop psychology books). Daniels also describes in detail how most individuals who claim to be using behavior analytic principles are, in fact, often misusing these principles with disastrous results. Rather than turning people into disgruntled non-productive individuals, as author Alfie Kohn likes to suggest in his book Punished By Rewards, positive reinforcement is a very effective process to help each person achieve a productive and meaningful life, when used properly.

Readers who are parents may also wish to look at another book, The Power of Positive Parenting by Latham, for the successful application of behavior analytic principles with children. Scholars who are interested in the intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation debate and how it has played out in the research literature may also wish to pick up a copy of Rewards and Intrinsic Motivation: Resolving the Controversy by Cameron and Pierce.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bringing out the best in others is a worthy endeavor, April 17, 2003

By A Customer

I don't see why anyone should settle for second best. I read anything and everything on how to be my best and bring out the best in others. I really like the author's perspective of confronting habits. So much of our activity is automatic, based on old coping mechanisms.

This author recognizes that we do have the power to help others be their best and that self-limiting habits need to be conquered. The reader is given a series of steps to take to overcome these habits. Try them!