[acb-hsp] Choice theory and Reality Therapy

[J.Rayl]

Choice Theory and Reality Therapy
by Arlin V. Peterson
Dr. William Glasser, an internationally renowned psychiatrist, dynamic lecturer,
author, and president of the William Glasser Institute, is the founder of Reality
Therapy (RT) and Choice Theory (CT). The purpose of this article is to provide the
reader with a current explanation of the concepts of Choice Theory and the process
of Reality Therapy. A brief historical review of key developments is offered as a
frame of reference.
HISTORY
In 1965 the book Reality Therapy by Dr. William Glasser was published. This book
was, in a sense, Glasser's formal documentation of his break with traditional psychiatry.
The interest in his ideas was of such magnitude that in 1967, in order to further
the study of his new theory, Dr. Glasser founded the Institute for Reality Therapy.
As the Institute expanded into fields other than therapy and with the concepts of
Control Theory being developed in 1994, the Institute was renamed the Institute for
Control Theory, Reality Therapy and Quality Management. In 1996, the name was changed
to The William Glasser Institute.
Dr. Glasser has written several well-known books, including Reality Therapy (1965),
Schools Without Failure (1969), Control Theory: A New Explanation of How We Control
Our Lives ( 1984), The Quality School ( 1990, revised 1998), Staying Together ( 1995),
and Choice Theory: A New Psychology of Personal Freedom ( 1998). For several years
Glasser used the term control theory to explain how the brain works as a control
system. The words, control theory, imply external control and since Glasser has always
taught that we choose all we do, he decided in the spring of 1996 to call what he
teaches Choice Theory. When reading Glasser's material written prior to 1996, the
reader can substitute choice theory for control theory.
A NEW PSYCHOLOGY
Glasser ( 1998) has said people have not made any significant progress in human relations
in the last 100 years. Do husband and wife, parent and child, teacher and student
or boss and worker get along any better today than they did in past years? Probably
not. If anything, human relations may be more complicated. Certainly family life,
divorce rates and school violence have not improved in recent years. Perhaps some
improvement in civil rights in the 1960s and some recent movement toward better relationships
between managers and workers have been made since quality management surfaced in
the 1970s. According to Glasser, compared to technical progress where we have gone
from primitive autos, to jets, to space trips and a man on the moon, human progress
has not kept pace. Glasser says much of the problem stems from our use of a traditional
psychology. He calls this universal psychology that destroys relationships by destroying
personal freedom "external control psychology." Glasser indicates that most of the
misery that people experience is a result of unsatisfying personal relationships.
He says if a person is experiencing misery, he or she is more likely to be involved
in attempting to control someone or in being controlled by someone.
Although attempts to control others have been around as long as mankind, we have
not learned how to effectively deal with the coercion involved. What is amazing is
that we do not use external control psychology with our best friends, strangers,
or maybe our boss. However, the people we love and cherish most are liable to be
subjected to our best efforts to control their behavior. How to break the cycle of
control is addressed in the concepts of Choice Theory and the process of Reality
Therapy.
CHOICE THEORY
Choice Theory is an explanation of how the brain works as a control system and is
the theoretical foundation for Reality Therapy. According to CT, no matter what the
situation is we must behave. We cannot control the situation but we almost always
can control how we choose to behave. Specifically we cannot control genetics, accidents
or other people. We are constantly choosing behaviors that lead others to see us
as responsible, rational, happy, content and in effective control of our lives. Conversely,
we may choose behaviors that lead others to perceive us as irresponsible, irrational,
sad, discontented and generally not in effective control of our lives. As imperfect
human beings we are on a continuum between these types of behaviors and sometimes
we take two steps forward and one backward.
Choice Theory also presents the notion that all behavior comes from within us-driven
by our genes to satisfy basic needs. This concept is opposite to the views associated
with stimulus response psychology. For example, when the phone rings do we always
answer it? Do we always stop at red lights? From Glasser's (1984) perspective, most
of us answer the telephone most of the time because we have a desire within us to
speak with anyone willing to talk with us. However, our desire for privacy is sometimes
greater than our desire to talk, in which case we may choose not to answer the phone.
The key element here is choice--we choose what we will or will not do. The ringing
does not cause us to pick up the telephone nor does the red traffic light cause us
to stop. In the case of the traffic light, we choose to stop because we value our
lives, and to run a red light could be life threatening. Also, by not stopping we
might be cited for a traffic violation. However, we might choose to risk not stopping
at a red light if it were late at night or if we had an accident victim in the car.
Again, the key component is choice.
Nothing humans do is caused by outside forces. As living beings, we always have a
choice; we can choose to respond to life situations in a variety of ways. Basically,
we can choose positive, self enhancing behaviors, or we can choose negative, self
destroying behaviors. Only a machine, such as a telephone answering device, will
respond to outside stimuli every time, all the time and in the same way. It has no
choice.
BASIC NEEDS
Why do people choose certain behaviors rather than others? Glasser ( 1984;1998) indicates
we are all born with genetic needs and we are always behaving to satisfy one or more
of these needs. The 5 basic needs he thinks are common to human beings are survival,
love and belonging, power, freedom and fun. A brief explanation of each basic need
follows.
Survival -refers to those body functions necessary for us to live and reproduce.
These are vital functions automatically controlled by our "old brain" such as breathing,
digesting, regulating blood pressure, and reproducing.
The other four genetic needs are psychological and are contained in the "new brain."
We are born with the needs but not the information or skill to satisfy them. We learn
to satisfy our psychological needs in infancy.
Love and Belonging- Glasser ( 1998) states that "in practice, the most important
need is love and belonging, as closeness and connectedness with the people we care
about is a requisite for satisfying all of the needs." The need for family, friends,
and the need to love and be loved all describe the love and belonging need. It may
not be as immediate as the survival need, but over a long period it can be just as
important to life and death. Some people seem to have stronger genetic programming
for belonging than do others, but unless we have defective genes, we all need other
people to some extent. A person who cannot satisfy the belonging need may become
so lonely that he or she chooses death over life. Indeed, most people who have attempted
suicide describe unbearable loneliness as the reason. Schools, churches, places of
employment, and various organizations are vehicles that provide opportunities for
human interactions to satisfy the need for belonging.
Power- Power is the need to feel important and be recognized. It is not power or
control over other people. We all need to develop a sense of accomplishment and to
gain worth and recognition in some aspect of our life. Power needs are difficult
to satisfy, especially for young people. Power needs are not innately good or bad--they
are simply a part of us-but how we choose to satisfy power needs may be positive
or negative.
Sometimes our drive for power is in direct conflict with our need to belong. This
is often true of marriages that have fallen on hard times. A couple marries to satisfy
their belonging/love need, but once married they may begin a struggle to control
the relationship. When faced with a direct conflict between two needs, we usually
try to resolve it with a compromise. When we are sure we have a little power, we
tend to go out of our way to be friendly (Glasser, 1984a).
Power is one incentive for working. We will work very hard for recognition and power.
However, if we do not think that recognition or power will result from our efforts,
we may give up or withdraw. If we could give students a sense of power and control,
they would do better in school. Glasser believes that if most students were asked
if they feel important in any aspect of school, they would respond negatively. Recently
teachers have developed a sense of less importance in schools, too. Perhaps the principal
feels important, but in any case, if we want people to do better we must provide
opportunities for them to feel important. If relationships are too unequal, it is
difficult to maintain friendships and a spirit of cooperativeness.
Freedom - The freedom need refers to that sense of having control over things that
affect our lives. The freedom to make choices, to have options, and not to feel trapped
or stuck is essential to one's psychological well-being. This is illustrated when
a parent buys play shoes for a young child. The child will accept and value the shoes
more if the parent permits the child to choose between one of two pairs, rather than
force a decision upon the child. Also, senior citizens homes are rated more positively
by their clientele when they are offered choices, such as foods, color of bedspreads,
and social activities.
Students usually work harder and do better in schools where they have choices. Parents,
teachers and administrators would be better off if, instead of telling a child what
to do, they would offer a choice. When asked, "What do you want to do?" people do
better with choices (Glasser, 1984a).
Fun - The pleasure we receive from doing our jobs does not satisfy our fun need.
Fun has to be a division from work and resemble child like play. Learning is also
part of the fun need. We have all heard the adage "knowledge is forever" but the
process of acquiring knowledge is learning and learning is fun. Since learning and
fun go hand in hand, schools should be fun. Students having fun will learn more.
The four psychological needs have great significance for counselors utilizing Reality
Therapy. Reality Therapy counselors consider needs as pathways that contribute to
psychological strength. Counselors look for and assist their clients in identifying
voids in their lives that are the result of unmet needs. Counselors question clients
to determine how they satisfy each of the psychological needs. Pete's Pathogram has
been used as a visual aid to glean information, to obtain focus, and to motivate
clients to make a commitment to change the amount of time and energy spent on satisfying
a particular need (Peterson & Parr, 1982). Also Pete's Pathogram has been used in
a variety of research projects to demonstrate the effectiveness of using CT/RT concepts.
(Peterson, 1995; Peterson & Woodward, 1994; Peterson & Woodward, 1993; Peterson &
Woodward, 1992; Peterson & Woodward, 1991; Peterson & Truscott, 1988).
Identifying needs is often related to culture. What happens when a person cannot
figure out how to meet these needs in ways the culture in which he or she lives deems
appropriate? Because it is important to successfully meet basic needs, people who
do not enjoy success tend to give up and quit trying. They also may choose to rebel
by acting out or to withdraw and become passive. Some people find pleasure in violence,
addictions or non-loving sex. Others may choose to be emotionally upset, psychotic
or addicted.
QUALITY WORLD
The Quality World is the part of the brain that stores images of all the people,
places, things, and activities that we have determined helps us satisfy one or more
of our basic needs. We can think of the Quality World as our resource bank or a picture
album where we keep only special need satisfying pictures. For example, the first
person most of us put in our quality world as a need satisfying person is our Mother.
The Quality World is one of the most important concepts of Choice Theory because
the images represent how we want to live our lives. In essence, they represent what
is important to us at any given time. However the pictures are not inserted with
permanent glue. We can and do change the pictures as our wants change to make it
easier for us to satisfy our needs. This is not nessessarily an easy process, however,
and Reality Therapy counselors frequently assist clients to do this. For example,
when a marriage ends, at least one partner has taken the other person's picture out
of the album as a love-satisfying person. Yet, one partner may leave the other person's
picture in the album. The counselor then would assist that partner to change pictures.
Sometimes we put unrealistic pictures in our albums that cannot be satisfied. When
this happens we must learn how to behave differently or take the picture out of the
album. At the other end of the continuum, if we do not picture something as important,
we will not expend much time or energy trying to satisfy it. For example, from Glasser's
perspective, students need a picture of school as being need-satisfying; otherwise,
they will not learn. Likewise, teachers can't teach students to read if students
do not have a picture of reading as being need-satisfying.
In relationships, the more pictures each individual shares and values the easier
and better they will get along. However, no two persons can share exactly the same
pictures. In order to maintain a loving relationship, we must learn to ignore the
pictures we cannot share.
The implication of the Quality World concept for counseling is that when clients
perceive a discrepancy between what they want and what they have, behavior is directed
toward removing the deficit and producing the results they want. The frustration
that comes from the difference between what clients want and what they have is the
motivation for all behavior. If clients are not able to find a need-satisfying road,
they will tend to bulldoze a new road. If they happen to create a road that is acceptable
or useful to society, they may be considered a genius. Most inventions, for example,
were the result of some person trying to satisfy a need. But if clients create their
world in an unacceptable or nonproductive manner, they may be labeled "crazy" or
"psychotic," or in less severe but equally damaging terms, "difficult" or "lazy."
Counselors cannot satisfy clients' needs, but they can assist clients to develop
alternative behaviors that are more need satisfying. In other words, counselors can
provide road maps for clients who are steering their cars in the wrong direction.
The more pictures a person has in their Quality World, the more resources they have
to meet their needs.
REAL WORLD, SENSORY SYSTEM AND PERCEPTUAL SYSTEM
How do we choose what pictures to put in our quality world? All our pictures come
from what Glasser ( 1984) calls the Real World, which consists of the people, situations,
and things that actually exist. We experience the real world through our sensory
system which consists of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and touching. After we
experience a sensation, we pass the sensation on to our perceptual system which contains
a knowledge filter that helps us determine if the information is useful, possibly
useful, or useless. From the knowledge filter, we pass information on to our valuing
filter where we determine if the information is positive, negative, pleasurable,
painful or neutral for us. This information is the way people, places, situations
and things are stored in our perceived world.
PERCEIVED WORLD
The perceived world contains all our experiences and memories. It is our "all we
have world." Most of the people, places and things are neutral, but some are painful
and negative-some are positive and pleasurable. The really special positive and pleasurable
people, places and things that we have found help us meet our needs as we move from
the perceived world to the quality world.
COMPARING PLACE AND BEHAVIORAL SYSTEM
The comparing place in the brain can be thought of as a scale where we weigh what
we want (the content of our quality world) against what we perceive we have (the
content of our perceived world). If what we have is what we want, the scale is in
balance. When there is a discrepancy between what we want, and what we have, the
scale tips and our comparing place sends a frustration signal to our behavioral system
and we choose a behavior. In our behavioral system we have a repertoire of behaviors
we have used in the past that have worked to some extent to get us what we want to
satisfy one or more basic need. Our behavioral system is also capable of generating
new behaviors. This is our creativity.
TOTAL BEHAVIOR
Most people hearing or seeing the term behavior think of the action that they see
another person doing. Glasser (1984a) however suggests that all behavior has four
components. He has labeled these four components working together as "Total Behavior."
The four components are:
doing - action
thinking - cognition
feeling - emotion
physiology - body.
We tend to describe behavior by the most visible component, but in actuality all
four components are present. For example, if a person is giving a speech and you
were asked to describe the person's behavior, you would probably say he was talking.
However, you would be describing only the doing component because he would be also
thinking about what he was saying, feeling some emotion and his body would be functioning.
This concept is crucial in using Reality Therapy as a counseling method in that if
you effect change in any one component you change the total behavior.
Glasser has, on occasion, used a toy car to illustrate the relationship of the various
components of behavior. The front wheels, which represent actions and thought, are
closely related and more easily controlled than the back wheels, which represent
feelings and physiology. In terms of total behavior, what we are doing at any given
moment is concrete, easily observed and difficult to deny. It is also quite easy
to change what we are doing at any particular time, because we have choice as to
what our actions are going to be. Still, like the car, all four wheels (our total
behavior) must be functioning for the car to travel down the road.
The implication for counseling is that if we teach clients to control their front
wheels, the back wheels will follow down the same road. Glasser ( 1994a) said, "Because
we always have control over the doing component of our behavior, if we markedly change
that component, we cannot avoid changing the thinking, feeling, and physiological
components as well." The main purpose of counseling is to help people to change their
lives-to choose a different road. We must consider total behavior to influence choice
and control of direction.
Because the doing component is the easiest to change, Reality Therapy counselors
tend to start with the client's actions. However, the thinking component is very
potent and perhaps has more long term effect and cannot be ignored. The feeling and
physiology components are also very important in that they send signals as to the
effectiveness of our doing and thinking in getting us what we want to meet our needs.
Since we do not have direct control over our feelings or physiology, Reality Therapy
counselors usually discuss feelings and physiology in concert with the doing and
thinking components. Our total behavior interacts with the real world, thus creating
a control system loop. If we receive negative feedback, we continue to utilize the
previously described components of Choice Theory to find more need satisfying behaviors.
If we seem to be gaining more effective control of our lives, we continue to use
and perhaps improve our chosen behavior.
REALITY THERAPY
Reality Therapy is the counseling approach taught by Dr. William Glasser since 1965.
Choice Theory is the theoretical foundation for Reality Therapy, and the successful
use of Reality Therapy is dependent on the counselor knowing Choice Theory. Reality
therapists now frequently teach Choice Theory to clients as they assist them in taking
more effective control of their lives. Glasser (1998) has stated that unsatisfactory
or non-existent connections with people important to us are the source of almost
all human problems. Therefore, the goal of Reality Therapy is to help people reconnect.
Frequently this process begins with the counselor client relationship.
The counseling relationship should be friendly, positive, non-judgmental, noncoercive
and void of threats, punishments, complaints, or criticisms. The Reality Therapy
counselor will listen to the client's story, but the focus is on the present rather
than the past which cannot be changed. Obviously, past events immediately affecting
the present and past successes are discussed. Glasser recommends we avoid discussing
symptoms and complaints as much as possible since these are the ways that clients
choose to deal with unsatisfying relationships. Reality Therapy counselors look for
opportunities to teach clients the Choice Theory concepts, especially about needs,
Quality World and Total Behavior. Also, we help the client to eliminate excuses for
ineffective behavior and assist them to assume responsibility for the chosen behavior.
In order to help clients choose more responsible behavior, Reality Therapy counselors
must ask their client what they want or where do they want their lives to go. We
then look at what they are currently doing and ask them to evaluate the effectiveness
of their current total behavior. The core question of Reality Therapy could be, "Is
what you are doing getting you what you want?" or "Is what you are doing getting
you closer to the people you need?" Clients need to focus on specifics rather than
generalities within their relationships or life situations. The Reality Therapy counselor
helps the client reconnect and make plans that both the client and counselor agree
have a good chance to succeed. Clients who do not follow the plan are helped to see
the consequence of their choices and either re-commit or develop a new plan.
The Reality Therapy process can be summarized with the following outline:
Establish rapport - make friends, connect.
Determine goals - ask, "What do you want?"
Determine present behaviors - ask, "What are you currently doing, thinking, feeling?"
Self Evaluation - ask, "Is what you're doing helping?"
Determine if client wants to change - ask, "Do you want to learn a better way?"
Make a plan - small, simple, attainable, measurable.
Get a Commitment - Contract - handshake.
Follow up - continue or fine tune the plan.
SUMMARY
Choice Theory is an explanation of how the brain works as a control system.
Reality Therapy is a process to help people determine where they are, where they
want to go, and how to get there. In other words, how to take more effective control
of their lives. Choice Theory and Reality Therapy work in concert. This integration
means that a person cannot apply one without the other.
FUTURE EXPECTATIONS
When invited to write an article on Choice Theory and Reality Therapy for the TCA
Journal, I was quite pleased and eager to present an update on the work of Dr. Glasser.
Glasser is constantly in the process of developing new ideas and adding depth to
the concepts of Choice Theory. His continuous refinement of the practice of Reality
Therapy makes it difficult for all but the most astute counselors to stay current.
Even those of us who are Reality Therapy Certified and instructors for the Institute
find it necessary to attend an annual faculty retreat and the annual International
Convention for Reality Therapy in order to keep up with Dr. Glasser's most recent
thinking. An example of the ongoing development of CT and RT in the new millennium
is a new book, Reality Therapy in Action, published early in the year 2000.
-1-
Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication Information:
Article Title: Choice Theory and Reality Therapy. Contributors: Arlin V. Peterson
- author. Journal Title: TCA Journal. Volume: 28. Issue: 1. Publication Year: 2000.
Page Number: 41+. © 2000 Texas Counseling Association. Provided by ProQuest LLC.
All Rights Reserved.
Next Page

Jessie Rayl
thedogmom63 at frontier.com
www.facebook.com/Eaglewings10
www.pathtogrowth.org
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.acb.org/pipermail/acb-hsp/attachments/20120604/9c21d364/attachment-0001.html>