July 26, 2014

July 26, 2014

Written by Maximus Peperkamp, M.S. Verbal Behaviorist

Dear Reader, 

This writer loves to swim. Recently, he bought a pair of goggles, which he now uses each time he goes swimming. What an improvement. For many years, he was troubled by the chlorine that got into his eyes each time he swam, but now he can swim without being bothered by that. The quality of his swimming became better because he spends more time in the pool and he swims more laps. It is remarkable how this cheap new tool completely changed his experience. 

This is an example of how a small environmental change can lead to major behavioral change. Although he has always liked swimming, he could never fully enjoy it because of the aversive chlorine. Today he swam thirty laps. He was never able to do this before. While swimming, he was also experimenting with his stroke. Instead of only breathing to the left, as he was used to, he tried to also breathe on the right. Initially it was a feeling strange, but after a while it went much better. He can now alternate and is able to breathe left and right.

His endurance has improved. The other day he talked with another swimmer and asked her how to turn at the end of each lap. One flips under water and then pushes off on the side of the pool. This writer had never before been able to accomplish this although he tried it many times. This other swimmer, who was  experienced, told him that her teacher once told her to get it right one must at least make eighteen hundred turns. She demonstrated to this writer how to do it.

When this writer tried it after this conversation, he amazingly made a perfect turn. The lady laughed approvingly and he was feeling very proud. Ever since this perfect turn he has practiced many more turns. Some go better than others and most are pretty mediocre, but once in while a good one happens. Within one week his turns have improved. As a consequence, his speed is not broken up by each turn.  Whenever he does it correctly, he smoothly flips, just before he gets to the other side of the pool, pushes off and then speeds off. Also, because he can now look underneath the water, he monitors his stability.