Do As You Are Told (Rules)

Skinner (1966) defined rules as contingency specifying stimuli. The rules then should describe the behavior and the reinforcement for the behavior. An example could be: ”Do your homework and I’ll read a chapter of your favorite book” – in this rule both the behaviour and the reinforcer are specified.

Catania (1998) presents a broader definition: ”Behavior which is influenced by verbal antecedents” - no specification of consequences. Rules should state something one is going to do which means that rules should specify the required behaviour.

Why We Have Difficulty Following Rules

• Contact with rules is too small

• Consequences are usually cumulative (not immediate

• Rule description is too vague

• Deadlines are not effectively established