BEHAVIORAL SHAPING TOOLS

Behavior Shaping Tools (BST) is employed to strengthen the learning process and the practice
of more adaptive behaviors within the social learning environment.
TALK TO
A “Talk To” is an outright correction done by any member of the TC community to another
member who has done a minor infraction but is not aware of it. It is a friendly reminder/advice about an
unacceptable behavior and must be done privately. During a “Talk To”, the resident is made aware of
his/her negative behavior and the results it may have on others and the environment. The feedback
given to the resident who committed mistake is done in a positive way. This is to evoke awareness on
the part of the violators to avoid committing the same mistake and be given heavier sanctions if done
in the future.

PULL-UP
A Pull-up is done as a result of lack, missed or lapses in awareness in a resident. All the
members of the community are responsible to pull-up minor infractions done by peers. It encourages
honesty, demeanor awareness and owning up to one’s mistakes. This is done when the violator is
unknown and must be validated first prior to bringing up in the Morning Meeting.

Pull-ups create a certain degree of dissonance on the guilty party whereby there is a strong
internal conflict whether to practice honesty or continue to live in a lie. When the resident is able to
overcome the impulse to lie and start practicing honesty, his commitment to live by the TC standards
increases.

The resident receiving the pull-up is expected to listen without saying a word, assume that it is
valid, quickly display the corrected behavior and express gratitude in receiving it. After one member did
the pull-up, other residents who want to show concern can make elaborations to give emphasis to the
infractions and concretize the admonitions that need to be relayed to the violator. Two to three
elaborations are ideal.

Too many elaborations are discouraged as they may take so much time. Focus should be given
to the behavior and not the person. It is meant to raise awareness and not to punish or embarrass the
violator. Personal attacks, shaming or the use of racist language are strictly forbidden during pull-ups.
It should be emphasized that pull-ups are done out of responsible love and concern to avoid creating
negative feelings during the process.

In a situation wherein no one stood and owned up a negative behavior raised in the pull-up,
the resident doing the Pull-Up will narrow down the Pull-Up to make it clear and specific, stating the
place and time of the occurrence. In the event that nobody stood to own it up, the resident doing the
Pull-Up will instead ask the community to stand and there, he/she will deliver his pull-up addressing the
entire family believing that the violator is a responsibility of the whole community.

DEALT WITH
Dealt With is done when negative behaviors or infractions to the House Rules/Norms are done
for the second time of same offense by a resident.
A panel of three (3) composed of a senior resident, peer and a friend are tasked to deliver a
serious and stern reprimand to the subjected resident.
Although the tool does not strictly require the presence of a staff, to attain its purpose, the staff
should monitor its conduct to ensure that the panel assigned to the task really acted appropriately. It is
done privately in a room or an area with no other else hearing the conversation.

HAIRCUT
Haircut is done when negative behaviors or infractions to the House Rules/Norms in same
offense are done for the third time or more or for first time grave offenses. It is a carefully planned and
structured verbal reprimand given by a Staff with four other residents - Senior Resident, Peer, Big
Brother, and Department Head. The tone is more serious and can be loud, more harsh and
exaggerated.

This is done to induce anxiety and eventually change the person’s behavior. Before the group
calls in the person, they will discuss among themselves the order of speakers, how intense the haircut
will be and what sanctions will be given if any. The resident is then called inside and waits until he is
asked to sit.
He will be asked if he knows the reason for his appearance. After the person’s response, he will be
asked to sit and remain silent to enable him/her absorb all the advices.

The haircut gives emphasis on the behavior of the resident and the severity of the haircut
should be appropriate to the gravity of the offense. Each member of panel is given ample time to
express himself without interruption from the other members. The staff or peer who booked the haircut
should not be part of the team so as to avoid bias or subjectivity. Before a resident be subjected to
Haircut, his/her infraction must be first investigated, discussed and decided by the Disciplinary Board.
Sanction/Learning Experience that has been decided upon by the Disciplinary Board and the TC staff
will be imposed after the Haircut.

LEARNING EXPERIENCE
A Learning Experience (LE) is an action or activity given to a resident who was subjected to
Haircut or General Meeting who did an infraction to correct or modify a behavior. LE may be task –
oriented, written task or peer interactions. Since TCMP is educational rather than punitive in its
approach to behavioral change, the LE should be done in a way that would remind the person of the
negative attitude he has done without compromising his human dignity. The intent of the LE is not to
stigmatize the person but to motivate him to make restitutions for the wrong doings he committed and
redeem himself in the community.

The LE should be related to the infraction committed for him to focus on the behavior expected
of him in the community. It should not be given as a punishment but rather a motivation to develop
more positive attitude. This will develop a sense of responsibility on him while stressing his
inadequacies. LE should be realistic and humane. Putting a person on LE for more than one (1) week
may lessen the learning objective. Putting the person on LE for an extended period of time or sanctions
that are far harsher than the offense or may deny him of the basic necessities may border on abuse
and violation of human rights.

Close supervision with clear goals increases the effectiveness of the sanction. Upon lifting the
LE after seven (7) days, the resident subjected to the tool will be accorded with a Senior Resident
coming from his/her Static Group who will provide guidance and continually monitors the performance
in the house of the former. The senior resident assigned will give a self-report after fifteen (15) days on
how the resident (who undergone LE) carried out his responsibilities after the LE and state therein the
resident’s condition whether he/she needs further supervision. The authority in giving LE lies in the
Disciplinary Board and TCMP staff.

BANS
Bans are sanctions to members who commit repeatedly infractions or violation to the Cardinal
Rules by prohibiting, disallowing or limiting an activity or affiliation to a group.

It somehow curtails some freedom of movement and association. This sanction causes
unpleasant feelings which people try to avoid hence may evoke behavioral changes in the future. It
must be applied consistently after the adverse behavior to emphasize the negative consequences.
Privileges limited should have impact but must not limit individual ability to meet personal hygiene,
nutritional and emotional needs. A resident subjected to Bans must be first processed in a General
Meeting called for the purpose.
GENERAL MEETING
A repeated breach to the Cardinal Rules necessitates a General Meeting. Such issue should
be discussed with the community to point out to the violator the negative effect the behavior had on the
community. Such offense includes sexual acting-out with a fellow resident, taking drugs and engaging
in physical fight with another resident. Other facilities include stealing or even smoking as part of the
Cardinal Rules. These behaviors pose a threat to the community because they violate the established
order and safety of the facility.
Procedure in a General Meeting:
1. A General Meeting is called and led by a senior member of the staff, usually the Director of
the facility. The extent of the problem is assessed to determine who among the community members
are involved in the incident. Those guilty of the offense are asked to sit in a prospect chair. This is
to arouse anxiety and dissonance.

2. The Director sets the tone of the meeting and leads the community in an open expression
of opinions and feelings regarding the offense brought out into the community. He holds the community
accountable for the slip of its members as each is considered his “brother’s keeper”. The Director
opens the floor for feedbacks, inviting the community for self-reflection and accountability.