A Proactive Model to Control Reactive Behaviors

Abstract

Adaptation to change is not an easy process and sometimes does not happen at all. When people perceive that their
freedom is going to be altered due to an unwanted change, they outwardly exhibit some symptomatic reactive
behaviors such as inertia, resistance, skepticism, and aggression. No matter how intense people’s reactance is, only a
few of them may manage to examine the unwanted change more deeply and find a way to conform or adapt. Knowing
this, the current article focuses on a theoretical proactive model or a solution. The model mainly works on the idea of
recognizing the symptomatic behavioral reactance of learners. In other words, in the face of the reactance-induced
behaviors depicted in the model, the instructors can apply four proactive strategies of brainstorming, open transparent
conversation, small scale project assignment and triple “c” rule by means of which they can walk learners safely
towards mutual trust, classroom stability and learner commitment. In the end, as the model is new, there is still enough
room for further experimental researches on different aspects of the model in actual classroom settings.