Continuing a previous conversation on how technology can help provide therapy, Dr. Michael Bordieri with the Murray State University Department of Psychology speaks with Tracy Ross on Sounds Good.

Hear the full Sounds Good interview.

Bordieri says one key to changing behavior is connection to others. When people make a commitment publicly, they may be more likely to follow through than if they kept it to themselves.

He says it basically comes down to accountability, the idea that having other people watching your progress makes you feel responsible. This often comes up when someone is trying to lose weight or quit smoking.

Positive results can come about not just when involving people around you, but through online communities as well. Bordieri says any support is better than none.

He mentions exercise apps that track a runner’s route and how many calories they burned. Many have sharing options to post results on social media.

Bordieri says these supportive communities help those trying to change by showing others cheering them on.

Generally speaking, Bordieri says people behave better in public than in private. Simply put, people don’t want to get in trouble; the threat of punishment serves as motivation to behave appropriately. However, Bordieri says this feeling of being watched can have its downsides.

He gives an example of an overbearing boss watching employees’ shoulders. That constant feeling of being watched coupled with anticipation of negative feedback can influence someone’s behavior.

Bordieri says this is often known as contingency contracting, when someone sets a goal with an incentive for accomplishing it or a cost for not following through.

On the question of which has more weight -the carrot or the stick- Bordieri says it depends on how one frames the situation.

These incentives or costs can even come in the form of real money. Bordieri says there are websites where those looking to meet a goal can set aside cash to either reward themselves or pay a penalty depending on their success. A family member or friend can be designated a referee and record the result. Money lost is given either to a friend or a charity. Bordieri says to make things even more interesting, the charity chosen can be an “anti-charity,” one whose stances are opposite your own.

He says these tools can help drive behavioral change in people that struggle with internal motivation.