BRILLIANT SCHEME. Don't steal.
Tell me if you think this will work.
Personally, I suck at consistently applying as much sunscreen as I should. I realize I'm supposed to. I don't hate the process, but I don't like it. Sunscreen is more expensive than I think it should be, and makes me oily and itchy and sometimes, I find, attracts flies. It gets in my beach snacks, it hurts if it gets in my eyes, and it sometimes makes me break out in rashes, depending on brand and several other possible factors.
Now, basic operant behaviourism has demonstrated that a positive reinforcer following the stimulus ASAP is the most effective way to make a behaviour a habit. However, sunscreen doesn't really have this built in. Best-case scenario? No skin cancer; nothing happens. If you don't use it, the worst-case scenario is eventual skin cancer, but that's too far in the future to be considered a punisher. Sunburns are common, but at least in my case, that doesn't seem to be enough of a punisher to deter behaviour (although given the past week's lunacy surrounding my shoulder blade burns and the related yet accidental flashing of my traumatized sister, I probably should learn). What WOULD be more likely to make me wear sunscreen, you ask?
REFUND.
That's right. My new brilliant scheme, albeit not a huge money-maker, is that the government should refund empty sunscreen bottles, sort of in the same vein as the whole five cents for empty pop bottles setup. It could be compensation for all the health care they won't have to provide to us when we don't get melanoma from excessive sun exposure. If someone more mathematically inclined feels like doing some number-crunching on this subject, knock yourselves out (and then tell me your results).
Either I'm a genius or I have way too much time on my hands or I've gotten too many rays lately or all of the above.
Thoughts?
Personally, I suck at consistently applying as much sunscreen as I should. I realize I'm supposed to. I don't hate the process, but I don't like it. Sunscreen is more expensive than I think it should be, and makes me oily and itchy and sometimes, I find, attracts flies. It gets in my beach snacks, it hurts if it gets in my eyes, and it sometimes makes me break out in rashes, depending on brand and several other possible factors.
Now, basic operant behaviourism has demonstrated that a positive reinforcer following the stimulus ASAP is the most effective way to make a behaviour a habit. However, sunscreen doesn't really have this built in. Best-case scenario? No skin cancer; nothing happens. If you don't use it, the worst-case scenario is eventual skin cancer, but that's too far in the future to be considered a punisher. Sunburns are common, but at least in my case, that doesn't seem to be enough of a punisher to deter behaviour (although given the past week's lunacy surrounding my shoulder blade burns and the related yet accidental flashing of my traumatized sister, I probably should learn). What WOULD be more likely to make me wear sunscreen, you ask?
REFUND.
That's right. My new brilliant scheme, albeit not a huge money-maker, is that the government should refund empty sunscreen bottles, sort of in the same vein as the whole five cents for empty pop bottles setup. It could be compensation for all the health care they won't have to provide to us when we don't get melanoma from excessive sun exposure. If someone more mathematically inclined feels like doing some number-crunching on this subject, knock yourselves out (and then tell me your results).
Either I'm a genius or I have way too much time on my hands or I've gotten too many rays lately or all of the above.
Thoughts?