How reliable do you think it is to use participants as observers of their own behavior in interventions? In what situations could this be helpful?

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

I'd say very unreliable. As soon as you make them observe themselves they will be hyper aware of their behaviors likely eliminating negative behaviors and enhancing positive ones. Keep this in mind, a common health intervention in diet is simply to have the person keep a food log. They are logging what they eat thus they usually greatly change their habits. They realize they usually eat 7 cookies and since they are observing themselves they cut way back.