14 min • 3 lectures
This course moves beyond the surface-level inquiry of 'am I normal' to explore the mechanics of human behavior and change. Lecture 1 dismantles the Diagnostic Trap by replacing labels with Functional Analysis, a method from B.F. Skinner that asks what purpose a behavior serves rather than what category it fits. Listeners learn the ABC Model—Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence—and apply the 72-Hour Observation Rule to track one habit without attempting change. Lecture 2 addresses the Resistance Paradox: why knowing a behavior is harmful does not stop it. The session introduces Secondary Gain, the hidden payoff that maintains Psychological Homeostasis, and draws on Alfred Adler’s work on symptom purposefulness. Participants complete a Benefit Audit to identify what need the habit fulfills before trying to remove it. Lecture 3 supplies the Agency Engine for lasting change. It contrasts the Willpower Myth with Peter Gollwitzer’s Implementation Intentions, showing how an If-Then plan reduces cognitive load. The Environment over Ego principle teaches that altering external cues outperforms internal effort. Listeners finish with the One-Degree Rule: modify one small environmental cue instead of attempting a total overhaul.
