Context and companion's behavior as determinants of cooperation and competition in school-age children

Information about the social context and a companion's actions were studied as determinants of cooperation and competition in middle childhood. In Experiment 1, first-, third-, and fifth-grade children were told that they would play a board game with another same-age, same-sex child (actually a bogus companion). The experimenter's instructions established shared rewards or winner-take-all as outcome conditions. Preprogrammed responses—100% cooperative or 100% competitive—provided information about the companion's actions. Results revealed that the companion's responses alone determined cooperation and competition among the first graders. Third graders used both types of information. Fifth graders, however, demonstrated a bias to respond cooperatively whenever a cooperative cue was present. In Experiment 2, first-grade subjects were given extra rehearsal of the game strategies, a scorekeeping procedure for use during the game, or a combination of the two. Results indicated that, under these conditions, younger subjects were able to use the instructions about reward distribution as well as the companion's actions in guiding their social behavior.     

Knowledge of the world of work: A test of occupational information for young men

The study evaluates a test of occupational information administered to a national sample of 5000 young men, aged 14–24 in 1966, as part of the National Longitudinal Surveys of employment behavior. The predictive validity of the test score is assessed by reference to multiple regression analyses which confirm the significance of the score as an independent predictor of subsequent hourly earnings and occupational status. Correlation and factor analyses are used to examine the quality of the measurement instrument. All in all, the instrument is judged to exhibit desirable characteristics in terms of internal consistency reliability, discriminatory power, and level of difficulty. The test's reliability compares favorably with a commercially produced test designed to be used in counseling as a measure of occupational knowledge. With the possible modification of deleting a section relating to knowledge of earnings differentials, the test is commended to those involved in assessing and counseling the occupational choice process.     

Multiple criteria follow-up of behavior modification with families

This report presents termination and follow-up evaluations of a parent training program based on behavior modification principles. Treatment termination outcome data were obtained for 22 families, and follow-up data were collected on 14 of these families 3 and 8 months after treatment. Results indicated a fairly high level of success at termination on the basis of parent-collected observational data, parent attitude change toward the children, and parent attitude concerning the process and outcome of treatment. Modest levels of success were evidenced on the basis of behavioral data recorded by trained observers in the home. Families who participated in follow-up demonstrated greater cooperation and involvement with the treatment program than those who did not participate. In all other respects, however, these two groups were similar. Follow-up data on parent attitude measures demonstrated maintenance of the treatment effects. Parent observational data were incomplete, but also showed maintenance in follow-up. For the subsample of 14 cases, home observation records indicated a nonsignificant decline in deviant behavior at termination followed by a nonsignificant increase in deviant behavior during follow-up. The meaning and implications of these discrepant findings were discussed and compared with results from other laboratories.     

Marginal distributions for the estimation of proportions inm groups

A Bayesian Model II approach to the estimation of proportions inm groups (discussed by Novick, Lewis, and Jackson) is extended to obtain posterior marginal distributions for the proportions. It is anticipated that these will be useful in applications (such as Individually Prescribed Instruction) where decisions are to be made separately for each proportion, rather than jointly for the set of proportions. In addition, the approach is extended to allow greater use of prior information than previously and the specification of this prior information is discussed.We are grateful to a reviewer for suggestions that made possible a more concise and complete presentation of our work.     

Reduction of kindergarten children's disruptive behavior with delayed feedback and delayed contingent access to play

After measuring the amount of disruptive behavior exhibited by nine kindergarten children in a lunchroom, delayed feedback about the disruptive behaviors engaged in was given to each child after he left the lunchroom, but there were no additional differential consequences for any behaviors. This delayed feedback alone had little effect on the rates of disruptive behavior. When the delayed feedback was paired with contingent access to play, the rates of disruptive behaviors of six of the children was substantially reduced. A more elaborate form of feedback, still paired with contingent access to play, was later found to be effective in reducing the rates of disruptive behavior of the other three children. When contingencies and feedback were removed, the rates of disruptive behavior of the three children who required the extended feedback increased, but the rates of disruptive behavior for the other six children did not increase upon termination of contingencies and feedback. However, when disruptive behavior was differentially reinforced, the rates of disruptive behavior of all of the children increased.     

An EEG investigation of awareness during anaesthesia

Previous studies of awareness during anaesthesia have used patients undergoing surgery. In an attempt to overcome the complications of anxiety and specific stimuli of surgery, this study used healthy volunteers in a laboratory setting. No evidence of recall of events taking place during light anaesthesia was found.