Risk and behavior: The mediating role of risk appraisal

The main issue of this paper concerns the mediating role of risk appraisal in the relation between past and future behavior. We expected previous risky behavior to heighten risk appraisal, which, in turn, should stimulate preventive behavior. Results ofthree tests of this mediation hypothesis showed that past behavior was strongly related to future behavior; people who behaved hazardously in the past indicated that they tend to do so in the future. Generally, the expected relation between past behavior and risk appraisal was supported. More risky behavior in the past was associated with a heightened risk appraisal. Results also indicate a relation between risk appraisal and future behavior, but in the opposite direction as predicted. Heightened risk appraisal was related to increased levels of risk in future behavior. When predicting future behavior by both risk appraisal and past behavior the effect of risk appraisal on future behavior disappeared, while past behavior remained a strong predictor of future behavior. In a few cases risk appraisal still predicted future behavior when past behavior was controlled for. Unfortunately, these cases showed the opposite relation; i.e., heightened risk appraisal was related to more risky future behavior. Implications of these findings for research on the role of risk appraisal will be discussed.     

感知的和实际的友伴吸烟行为对青少年吸烟行为的影响

选取北京市一所普通中学和一所重点中学初一至高三的学生为被试,采取自由参与研究和被试自我报告、被试报告友伴、友伴自我报告吸烟行为的方式,从认知发展理论的角度出发,探讨感知的与实际的友伴吸烟行为对青少年吸烟行为的影响。结果验证了认知发展理论,即感知的友伴吸烟行为对青少年吸烟行为具有明显的影响作用,而实际的友伴吸烟行为没有明显的影响作用。研究还发现,性别和友伴关系类型对感知的与实际的友伴吸烟行为之间的差异存在明显的主效应;友伴自我报告的吸烟行为超过被试自我报告的吸烟行为。讨论揭示了研究结果对预防和干预青少年吸烟行为的意义。     

学习困难学生排除理解障碍的实验研究

选取62名学习困难学生和63名优生为被试,以回视作为阅读元认知调节的指标,对学习困难学生的排除理解障碍策略的应用进行了实验研究。结果表明:(1)学习困难学生的回视可分三种类型,即记忆型、理解型和检查型回视;(2)在有无元认知回视上,优差生之间存在十分显著的差异,优生具有更多的元认知回视;(3)元认知回视组的成绩十分显著地优于记忆型回视组及无回视组。     

An investigation of differential reinforcement of alternative behavior without extinction

We manipulated relative reinforcement for problem behavior and appropriate behavior using differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) without an extinction component. Seven children with developmental disabilities participated. We manipulated duration (Experiment 1), quality (Experiment 2), delay (Experiment 3), or a combination of each (Experiment 4), such that reinforcement favored appropriate behavior rather than problem behavior even though problem behavior still produced reinforcement. Results of Experiments 1 to 3 showed that behavior was often sensitive to manipulations of duration, quality, and delay in isolation, but the largest and most consistent behavior change was observed when several dimensions of reinforcement were combined to favor appropriate behavior (Experiment 4). Results suggest strategies for reducing problem behavior and increasing appropriate behavior without extinction.     

Functional analyses and treatment of precursor behavior

Functional analysis has been demonstrated to be an effective method to identify environmental variables that maintain problem behavior. However, there are cases when conducting functional analyses of severe problem behavior may be contraindicated. The current study applied functional analysis procedures to a class of behavior that preceded severe problem behavior (precursor behavior) and evaluated treatments based on the outcomes of the functional analyses of precursor behavior. Responding for all participants was differentiated during the functional analyses, and individualized treatments eliminated precursor behavior. These results suggest that functional analysis of precursor behavior may offer an alternative, indirect method to assess the operant function of severe problem behavior.     

Activity rescheduling: reasoned or habitual?

Utility maximization is widely used to model individuals’ activity scheduling and rescheduling behavior. Utility maximization is based on the assumption that the modeled behavior is the result of a reasoned decision. An alternative to a planned behavior is habitual behavior, whose execution process has become automatic due to its repeated performance. Compared to activity scheduling, little is known about the activity rescheduling behavior. In this paper, we focus our attention on the rescheduling behavior. We step back and ask a basic question: is the activity rescheduling behavior reasoned or habitual? Our initial expectation is that rescheduling behavior is mostly habitual behavior due to its feature of repeated performance. We answer this question by conducting an experiment. Results from the experiment confirm our original null hypothesis that rescheduling behavior is mostly a habitual behavior.     

Commentary: What are behavior systems and what use are they?

The contributions of this symposium on behavior systems are summarized and evaluated by considering two questions: (1) What is a behavior system? (2) What use to the learning theorist are behavior systems? Two examples of behavior systems from the classical ethological literature are compared with the behavior systems discussed in the symposium, and some similarities and differences in the type of analyses used are discussed. Analysis of the pre-organized species-typical behavior systems relevant to the unconditioned stimuli or reinforcers in learning experiments can contribute performance rules and better understanding of the conditions and contents of learning. The organization of behavior systems can also provide important clues to the neural circuitry underlying behavior, and a behavior systems approach can raise novel questions concerning learning and behavioral development. Possible future directions for the behavior systems approach are briefly discussed.     

Precurrent self-prompting operants in children: "Remembering"

In Experiment I, one of three forms of collateral behavior was trained: Differential collateral behavior specific in form to one of two discriminative stimuli; Common collateral behavior of a single form regardless of the stimulus; or Nondifferential collateral behavior of either form regardless of the stimulus. Children were next given a short-delay matching-to-sample task in which the discriminative stimuli served as samples, and the children's previously trained collateral behavior terminated the delay and presented the comparison stimuli. Subjects engaging in sample-specific collateral behavior immediately acquired matching. Subjects engaging in sample-nonspecific collateral behavior failed to acquire matching or did so gradually. In Experiment II the minimal delay in the matching task was varied in a mixed sequence, first with collateral behavior required, and then with collateral behavior prohibited. When emitting collateral behavior Common and Nondifferential subjects showed delay-related decrements in matching while Differential subjects did not. When not emitting collateral behavior all subjects showed delay-related decrements in matching. Common and Nondifferential subjects matched more accurately when prohibited from emitting collateral behavior. Differential subjects matched more accurately when emitting collateral behavior. The results accord with Skinner's (1953, 1968) analysis of precurrent operants.     

学校组织气氛对教师工作倦怠的影响

问卷调查了410名北京市中学教师,探讨了学校组织气氛对教师工作倦怠的影响。结果发现:教师的工作倦怠没有性别、是否班主任、年龄、任课班级数量、学生人数、周任课时数上的差别。在职称和婚姻因素上有明显的差别,玩世不恭维度上,高级职称的教师工作倦怠明显高于中教一级和中教二级教师,中教一级和中教二级教师之间的工作倦怠没有显著差异,单身教师的情绪衰竭和成就感低落比己婚教师明显偏高。在控制了人口统计学变量之后,分层回归和优势分析发现:支持行为和限制行为能显著预测情绪衰竭,限制行为的贡献更大;支持行为、监督行为、限制行为和同事行为能显著预测玩世不恭,支持行为的贡献更大;支持行为、同事行为和疏远行为能显著预测成就感低落,同事行为的贡献更大;亲密行为对情绪衰竭、玩世不恭和成就感低落没有预测作用。     

社会榜样与青少年吸烟行为的关系

本研究对北京市1042名初一至高三学生进行问卷调查,以考察最要好同伴、父母、学校和大众媒体对青少年吸烟行为的影响。研究发现,各种社会因素与青少年吸烟行为有显著的关系;女生更多地受到最要好同伴吸烟行为、母亲吸烟行为和态度以及户外广告的影响;最要好同伴吸烟、学校对吸烟的态度对初中生的影响更大,而高中生更多地受到父亲吸烟行为和户外广告的影响;各种社会因素的影响大小依次为:最要好同伴吸烟、父亲吸烟行为、学校周围广告、母亲和学校对吸烟的态度。     

Gender-specific Normative Misperceptions of Risky Sexual Behavior and Alcohol-related Risky Sexual Behavior

This research examined gender-specific perceptions of risky sexual behavior norms among college students and their relationship with one’s own sexual behavior. We expected that students would misperceive the risky sexual behavior of their peers and that these perceptions would positively relate to their sexual behavior. Undergraduate students from the United States (N?=?687; 57.6% female) completed measures assessing perceived sexual behavior, sexual behavior, and other behaviors (e.g., marijuana use, alcohol consumption). Findings demonstrated that students perceived that others engaged in more risky sexual behavior than they do and that perceived norms were positively associated with one’s own behavior. The incorporation of personalized normative feedback regarding risky sexual behavior into brief interventions aimed at reducing risky sexual behavior is discussed.     

一岁半到二岁半婴儿交涉行为与交换性行为的形成──中日婴幼儿“所有”行为的结构及其发展研究之一

本研究分别在中国和日本对一岁半到二岁半的婴儿进行自然观察,分析了婴儿之间围绕着某些资源而发生的交涉行为和交换性行为的发生过程及其发展上特点。主要结果有①中日婴儿到2岁左右时开始出现交涉行为和交换性行为,但在该年龄阶段并不占有主导地位。②该年龄阶段婴儿的交换性行为还不能说是完整意义上的交换,属于“前交换行为”。③对于获得对方的东西来说,该年龄阶段婴儿的交涉行为和交换性行为并不是很有效的方式。④我们进行观察的中国幼儿园托儿班的婴儿其交涉行为和交换性行为的出现早于日本保育园的婴儿,但从交涉行为出现的比例来看,日本婴儿采用交涉行为的倾向比中国婴儿更明显。     

初中留守儿童社会支持与问题行为的关系

采用社会支持评定量表(SSRS)和问题行为问卷对112名初中留守儿童和132名对照组儿童进行测查,探讨初中留守儿童社会支持与问题行为的基本状况以及两者之间的关系。结果发现:(1)初中留守儿童的支持利用度低于对照组儿童,其违法和违纪行为则高于对照组儿童。(2)在社会支持的三个维度中,主观支持对于初中留守儿童的违法、欺骗和违纪行为均具有显著的负向预测作用,支持利用度则对危害健康的行为具有显著的负向预测作用。(3)与较低社会支持水平下的初中留守儿童相比,较高社会支持水平下的留守儿童的四种问题行为相对较少;无论社会支持水平高低,初中留守男生均比留守女生存在更多的危害健康的行为。     

现实利他行为与网络利他行为：网络社会支持的作用

以366名大学生为被试,采用大学生网络利他行为量表、青少年网络社会支持问卷和大学生利他行为问卷,考察网络社会支持在现实利他行为与网络利他行为关系中的中介作用和调节作用。结果表明:(1)大学生网络利他行为的总平均分显著低于中等临界值,而现实利他行为和网络社会支持的总平均分显著高于中等临界值。(2)现实利他行为、网络社会支持与网络利他行为存在显著的正相关。(3)网络社会支持在现实利他行为与网络利他行为关系间起着完全中介作用。(4)网络社会支持对现实利他行为与网络利他行为的关系又具有调节作用,现实利他行为对网络利他行为的影响在高网络社会支持的个体中要比低网络社会支持的个体更明显。     

The silence of the library: environment,situational norm,and social behavior

On the basis of the idea that situational norms are mentally represented as associations between environments and normative behavior, it was proposed that an environment can automatically direct normative behavior. More specifically, when situational norms are well-established (e.g., when entering the library, one should be silent), an environment is capable of automatically activating mental representations of normative behavior and the behavior itself. In these experiments, participants were exposed to pictures of environments, and effects on accessibility of representations of normative behavior and on actual behavior were assessed. Results indicated that representations of behavior and actual behavior itself are activated automatically when (a) goals to visit the environment are active and (b) strong associations between environment and normative behavior are established.     

Effect of first-grade classroom environment on shy behavior,aggressive behavior,and concentration problems

Investigates the effect of the first-grade classroom environment on the shy behavior, aggressive behavior, and concentration problems of 609 children in 19 East Baltimore public schools. First-grade classroom environment was assessed in terms of dominant pattern of classroom achievement and behavior. Structured teacher ratings assessed child shy behavior, aggressive behavior, and concentration problems at the end of first grade. Children in low-achieving classroom environments had significantly higher teacher ratings of shy behavior and aggressive behavior than children in mixed-achieving or high-achieving environments, even after controlling for potentially confounding child characteristics and classroom behavior environment effects. Analyses controlling for child characteristics and classroom achievement environment effects indicated that children in poor-behaving classroom environments also had significantly higher teacher ratings of shy behavior than children who were not in poor-behaving environments. Subgroup analyses indicated that repeaters in mixed-achieving environments had significantly higher levels of shy behavior compared with nonrepeaters, and repeaters in poor-behaving environments had significantly higher levels of aggressive behavior compared with nonrepeaters. Implications for prevention research are discussed.     

Trajectories of classroom externalizing behavior: Contributions of child characteristics, family characteristics, and the teacher-child relationship during the school transition

The unique and interactive contributions of past externalizing behavior, negative parenting, and teacher-child relationship quality to externalizing behavior trajectories after the transition to school were examined. In a sample of 283 children, random regression analyses indicated that conflict in the teacher-child relationship during the school transition contributed to faster rates of increase in externalizing behavior from kindergarten through third grade above and beyond negative parenting and initial levels of externalizing behavior. A significant interaction between teacher-child closeness and the externalizing behavior intercept indicated that decreases in externalizing behavior were associated with teacher-child closeness, especially for children with the highest levels of externalizing behavior upon school entry. Family socioeconomic status and initial levels of classroom externalizing behavior in kindergarten were also significant contributors to the prediction of externalizing behavior trajectories.     

Problem behavior maintained by a precurrent relation

Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior is a well-established treatment for problem behavior in which the functional reinforcer is delivered after the occurrence of a replacement behavior and withheld after the occurrence of problem behavior. However, sometimes problem behavior continues to occur under these conditions, raising a question as to why problem behavior might maintain when its reinforcer is withheld. This study examined the possibility that problem behavior could be maintained indirectly in a precurrent relation. A functional analysis was conducted to identify a response-response relation between self-injurious behavior (SIB) and an alternative response. The results suggest that SIB was maintained by its relation with the alternative response.     

What's outside the black box?: The status of behavioral outcomes in neuroscience research

Kievit et al.'s target paper exemplifies a trend in recent years in psychology and neuroscience to focus on internal mental and neural processes without integrating actual behavior. We discuss the theoretical status of behavior in the context of their model, and present an extension of the model that explicitly includes behavior. Several theoretical and methodological issues relevant to integrating behavior into the model are considered, particularly the distinction between behavior as measured in the laboratory along with neural and psychological processes (proximal behavior) and behavior as measured in situ as part of ongoing daily experience (distal behavior). We conclude by describing several studies that integrate neural, psychological, and behavioral indicators and discuss how these kinds of studies can facilitate a better understanding of behavior and contribute to theory development.     

组织中员工的自愿性工作行为

自愿性工作行为是角色规范之外的自发性行为, 它包括两大类型：一是以组织公民行为、建言行为、周边绩效等为代表的角色外行为; 二是以反生产行为、沉默行为、越轨行为等为代表的负面组织行为。自愿性工作行为的产生是个体与情境相互作用的结果。“组织公民行为-反生产行为”与“建言-沉默”之间的关系并非对立相反, 在一定条件下且可以互相转化, 本研究将特定类目的转化过程推论至总体, 并用情感事件理论、道德补偿原理及经济理性分析对该推论进行理论论证。