Guidance in scottish secondary schools: A client evaluation

Formal provision for pupil guidance in Scottish secondary schools has been a controversial innovation. This paper provides some ofthe first evidence of its impact based on the evaluation of its clients and using data collected as part of a major national survey of Scottish school-leavers. It indicates that guidance teachers have been having some influence on the curricular and vocational decisions of more-able leavers and also provides evidence of progress over time. It suggests, however, that in terms of distributing and focussing their efforts such teachers have yet to make much impact on the vocational problems facing less-able leavers. Progress in the area ofpersonal guidance for ail leavers has also been restricted. Some reasons underlying these developments are discussed.     

Decision making and job satisfaction among youth workers in community-based agencies

Sixty-four counselors and 32 alternative school teachers in 13 grass-roots agencies reported on levels of participation, influence, and competence in making clinical and administrative decisions. The data supported predictions that (a) professionals would report greater decision-making opportunities and abilities than nonprofessionals, and (b) that workers in general would report higher levels of participation, influence, and competence in clinical than in administrative domains, and higher levels of competence than influence in both domains. However, regression analyses testing the effects of the decision-making variables on different aspects of job satisfaction did not support predicted interactions among participation, influence, and competence. Rather, decision-making involvements had positive effects and decision-making abilities had negative effects on worker morale. The discussion high-lights the need for further research to identify the underlying processes involved in the observed relationships.     

Relationships between locus of control,health value,and preventive health behaviors among women

This study examines the relationships between locus of control expectancies, rated health value, and reported participation in preventive health behaviors among a healthy sample of undergraduate women. The prediction that participation in preventive health behaviors would be a joint function of an internal health-related locus of control belief and holding health in high value was not supported. Instead, individuals who valued their health reported participating in a greater number of health-enhancing behaviors compared to those who valued their health less. Respondents' scores on a health value scale in combination with their rated health status proved to be better predictors of health behaviors than their locus of control beliefs. Limitations of locus of control research with young, healthy individuals are discussed and further investigation into the utility and validity of health value scales is recommended.     

Infant clothing: Sex labeling for strangers

Labeling an infant as a boy or girl affects behavior toward the infant. While intimates know a baby's sex label and behave consistently to the baby, strangers cannot unless given a cue. Forty-eight infants and their caretakers were observed in suburban malls to see if clothing normally provides such cues; 90% of the infants were dressed in sex-typed clothes. Girls wore or carried pink (75%), yellow, ruffles, puffed sleeves, and/or dresses. Boys wore blue (79%) and/or red. Observers were able to correctly guess the sex of “labeled” infants only. Surprisingly, simultaneous caretaker interviews revealed that parents do not spontaneously mention sex as a factor in clothing choice, nor do they feel they would be very bothered by strangers' mistaking the infant's sex.     

Differential reinforcement of low rates of responding (DRL) to reduce dysfunctional social behaviors of a head injured man

Differential reinforcement of low rates of responding (DRL) is a technique in which a positive reinforcer is delivered at the end of a specific interval if a target behavior has occurred at a criterion rate. Traditionally, it has been used in educational settings to manage classroom behaviors. Recently, therapists have begun to use DRL to reduce the rates of a variety of behaviors in non-educational settings. In this study, DRL was part of a behavioral intervention to reduce dysfunctional verbal and physical behaviors of a head-injured young man. The complete intervention program included DRL, changing criteria, and token reinforcement. Over a period of 15 weeks, the intervention resulted in reductions in behaviors in both categories from high rates to near-zero rates.     

Reanalysis of the equation for simple action

De Villiers and Herrnstein (1976) have shown that the equation for simple action, derived from the matching law, predicts change in behavioral output for some 40 experiments in which the value of a single source of reinforcement has been varied. Using only the positive-reinforcement studies they cite that used five or more different reinforcement values, we found the high percentage of variance they report accommodated by this equation (94%) is predicated on instances of averaging rates of behavioral output before making a least-squares fit of the equation. In our reanalysis, which minimizes rate averaging, only 78% of the data variance is accommodated. This diminished data-variance accommodation can be improved by adding parameters that permit the equation's scaling constant to change as a function of reinforcement. Although these parameters permit acceptable levels of accommodation of data variance, they correspond to no obvious psychological processes. These findings support the view that the equation for simple action is an inadequate model for behavioral output.     

Physical Fitness as a moderator of cognitive work capacity and fatigue onset under sustained combat-like operations

A study was devised to investigate the role of physical fitness in moderating both cognitive work capacity and fatigue onset under sustained combat operations. Sixteen male ROTC cadets were followed through a 2.5-day, Pre Ranger Evaluation exercise. Prior to the start of the exercise, the cadets’ overall level of physical fitness was assessed by using five fitness indices (Harvard Step Test, chin-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, and two-mile run). Cognitive performance and subjective measures of fatigue state were assessed at regular intervals before, during, and 1 day after the exercise. The results suggest that fitness may attenuate decrements in cognitive work capacity for certain tasks requiring prolonged mental effort, particularly as the cumulative effects of sleep loss and other stressors begin to mount. Similarly, the results suggest that as overall stress levels increase, fitness may have a beneficial effect in moderating fatigue rate. Fitness did not significantly enhance the recovery process with respect to cognitive work capacity, and actually appeared to hinder recovery from fatigue.