What are the 5 components of an effective behavioral objective (as discussed in the lesson)?
Use the 5 components to write one observable and measurable objective for the long-term goals listed in 2 of the following 3 scenarios. Only pick 2 of them.
Long-term goal: Tiara will take her medications as prescribed without assistance.
Long-term goal: Mason will complete his math classwork.
Long-term goal: Sandra will play with her classmates.
Why would writing an observable and measurable objective be important for setting future goals?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Components of an Effective Behavioral Objective:
1. Specific Behavior: Clearly define the behavior or action that the individual is expected to demonstrate.
2. Measurable Outcome: Establish criteria for assessing and quantifying the behavior.
3. Achievable Target: Set a realistic and attainable goal for the behavior.
4. Relevant Context: Specify the conditions or context in which the behavior will occur.
5. Timeframe: Determine the timeline within which the behavior is expected to be achieved.
Writing Observable and Measurable Objectives for Long-Term Goals:
1. Observable and Measurable Objective for Tiara:
– Specific Behavior: Tiara will independently take her medications as prescribed.
– Measurable Outcome: Tiara will accurately administer her medications daily for two consecutive weeks.
– Achievable Target: Tiara will achieve a medication adherence rate of 90% over the specified timeframe.
– Relevant Context: Medications will be laid out in a pill organizer in her room each morning.
– Timeframe: Within one month, Tiara will demonstrate consistent medication adherence without assistance.
2. Observable and Measurable Objective for Mason:
– Specific Behavior: Mason will complete his math classwork assignments.
– Measurable Outcome: Mason will submit all math classwork assignments on time for four consecutive weeks.
– Achievable Target: Mason will achieve an average score of 80% or above on math assignments.
– Relevant Context: Mason will have access to necessary materials and support during classwork sessions.
– Timeframe: Within two months, Mason will consistently complete and submit math classwork independently.
Importance of Observable and Measurable Objectives for Setting Future Goals:
Writing observable and measurable objectives is crucial for setting future goals because:
– Clarity: Clear objectives provide a precise understanding of the desired behavior or outcome, reducing ambiguity and misinterpretation.
– Assessment: Measurable objectives allow for objective evaluation of progress, enabling stakeholders to track performance and adjust interventions as needed.
– Motivation: Achievable targets motivate individuals by providing tangible milestones for success and reinforcement of positive behaviors.
– Accountability: Observable objectives hold individuals accountable for their actions, promoting responsibility and ownership of their goals.
– Progress Monitoring: Measurable objectives facilitate ongoing monitoring of progress, enabling timely feedback and adjustments to ensure goal attainment.
By establishing observable and measurable objectives aligned with long-term goals, individuals can track their progress, stay motivated, and work towards achieving desired outcomes effectively and efficiently.
