Read the case mentioned below and answer the question :
Rahman is a successful boy, who lives in Mumbai. He is very fond of junk food but he realised that eating junk food has many ill-effects on his health. He read in a newspaper that one can control his/her eating habits in order to reach long term goals in life. After reading this article on "Healthify Life" in the newspaper, he adopted a few effective mechanisms in his own lifestyle.
He selected all necessary information about the ideal weight and body mass index and found out his extra weight that is required to be shed off with immediate effect.
He started self introspection and instructed himself about the changed diet plan and work out schedule.
He kept a self reward policy wherein he could reward his own efforts towards weight loss journey and got extra happiness with each pleasant outcome.
After applying these changes in his life, Rahman reduced his body weight and gained some extra confidence, esteem and happiness in life.
The various psychological techniques of self-control are :-
(A) Observation of own behaviour
(B) Self instruction
(C) Self reinforcement
(D) Self-esteem
(E) Systematic desensitisation
Choose the correct answer from the options given below :
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (A), (B) and (C) Only
(A) Observation of own behaviour Correct. The first technique of self-control: watching one’s own behaviour provides the information needed to change, modify or strengthen certain aspects of self. Rahman found out his ideal weight and how much he had to lose.
(B) Self instruction Correct. We often instruct ourselves to do something and behave the way we want to. Rahman instructed himself about the new diet plan and workout schedule.
(C) Self reinforcement Correct. This means rewarding behaviours that have pleasant outcomes, as when one goes to see a movie with friends after doing well in an examination. Rahman’s self-reward policy is this technique.
(D) Self-esteem Incorrect. Self-esteem is the value judgment a person makes about her/his own worth. It is an aspect of self, not a technique for controlling behaviour; Rahman gained esteem as a result of his efforts.
(E) Systematic desensitisation Incorrect. It is a behaviour therapy technique introduced by Wolpe for treating phobias: the client, kept relaxed, imagines feared situations from the least to the most frightening. A therapist uses it on a fear; it is not a way of controlling one’s own habits.
NCERT (2025-26): “Self-regulation … Learning to delay or defer the gratification of needs is called self-control. Self-control plays a key role in the fulfilment of long-term goals. Indian cultural tradition provides us with certain effective mechanisms (e.g., fasting in vrata or roza and non-attachment with worldly things) for developing self-control. A number of psychological techniques of self-control have also been suggested. Observation of own behaviour is one of them. This provides us with necessary information that may be used to change, modify, or strengthen certain aspects of self. Self-instruction is another important technique. We often instruct ourselves to do something and behave the way we want to. Such instructions are quite effective in self-regulation. Self-reinforcement is the third technique. This involves rewarding behaviours that have pleasant outcomes. For example, you may go to see a movie with friends, if you have done well in an examination. These techniques have been tried out and found quite effective with respect to self-regulation and self-control.” |