Why focusing on control backfires: a system perspective: a narrow focus on reward and punishment works against creating a rich milieu of activities and relationships. Principles from systems theory show why external controls fail.(Report)

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On the occasion of John, in residential care, not making his bed, take a look at the following two scenarios:

Scenario I: "John didn't make his bed again" laments Jim, a childcare worker, to his colleague Jason, continuing, "Well, that's 20 points off I guess that means he can't go outside to play ball. "Later John is found in the bathroom, throwing soap bars and hurling towels. Jason and Jim need to apply a physical restraint to John, who yells, "I hate it here!"

This scenario is a prototype of what is all too common today: the prevalence of point and level systems used to control children and youth in various settings. Point and level systems are so common that there is barely a need to describe them. In general, points are awarded for behavior that matches pre-set criteria. Their practices are to find infractions, encourage compliance, reward, punish, and take away. Acquisition of points is connected to levels that in turn enable access to greater "privileges," such as more interesting activities and opportunities to interact with adults; however, all too often the results are that the undesired behavior escalates into a more unmanageable situation.

Scenario II: "Hey, John! You must have had a restless night. Look at that sheet! More twists than a pretzel. C'mon over, give me a hand, and let's get it straightened out. Want you to sleep well tonight so you're fresh for tomorrow's game. And let's get it done now so we can get out to practice. "John grumbles and rolls his eyes heavenward but comes over and picks up an end of the sheet.

This response is an attempt to replicate how Fritz Redl and David Wineman might have handled an "unmade bed" situation with the youngsters at Pioneer House, the treatment program in Detroit that was the subject of their classic work, The Aggressive Child (1957) which encompassed two books, Children Who Hate and Controls from Within.

There were no point and level systems at Pioneer House. Nor were there the insights from dynamical systems theory that have provided completely different insights and altered practices in behavioral sciences (e.g., Butz, 1997).