Measuring social skill in grade school boys

This study examined positive and negative assertive skill in 60 elementary school boys, grades 3–8. Subjects' role-played responses to standard analogue situations requiring expression of positive and negative assertion were videotaped and rated retrospectively. High- and low-assertive subjects were identified through ratings of overall assertiveness. Results of this study indicate that (1) high- and low-assertive subjects differ on a number of response components which are related to age level and type of assertive situation (positive vs. negative), (2) assertive skill is associated with role-taking (or decentering) ability, (3) teachers tend to perceive their assertive boys as more sociable and interpersonally sensitive than unassertive boys, (4) there is essentially no correlation between teachers' ratings of aggressiveness and separate behavioral ratings of assertive skill, and (5) behavioral ratings of assertiveness show little relationship to self-report or teachers' ratings of assertiveness.This article is based on a dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Loyola University of Chicago in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The study was conducted under the direction of the second, third, and fourth authors.     

TEACHING SEVERELY MULTIHANDICAPPED STUDENTS TO PUT ON THEIR OWN HEARING AIDS

Two experiments were conducted with six severely multihandicapped students with hearing impairments to: (a) train the six students to put on their own hearing aids independently, and (b) provide an empirical evaluation of a comprehensive instructional program for putting on a hearing aid by assessing acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of that skill across environments. All six students acquired the skill rapidly, with two students requiring remedial training on one step of the program. Because for two of the original three students the newly learned skill failed initially to generalize to other environments, a second experiment was initiated to assess generalization across environments as well as to replicate the efficiency of the acquisition program. When a variation of the multiple-probe baseline technique was used, the behavior of three additional students generalized to other settings without direct training in those settings.     

THE USE OF SELF-MODELING TO IMPROVE THE SWIMMING PERFORMANCE OF SPINA BIFIDA CHILDREN

The use of edited videotape replay (which showed only “positive” behaviors) to improve the water skills of three spina bifida children, aged 5 to 10 years was examined. A multiple baseline across subjects design was used, and behavioral changes were observed to occur in close association with intervention. One child was given successive reapplications of videotaped self-modeling with continuing improvements. It appears that a useful practical technique has been developed.     

Number-word sequence skill and arithmetic performance

In two studies, the role of the number‐word sequence skill for arithmetic performance was investigated. In the first, children between 4 and 8 years of age were asked to count forward and backward on the number‐word sequence and to solve arithmetic problems followed by post‐solution interviews about solution procedures. The results demonstrated that the number‐word sequence skill predicted both number of problems solved and strategy to solve the problems. In Study 2 it was found that solving doubles (e.g., 2 + 2 = ?) problems served as a link between the number‐word sequence skill and the number of arithmetic problems solved. The findings suggest that counting on the number‐word sequence may be an early solution procedure and that, with increasing counting skill, the child may detect regularities in the number‐word sequence that can be used to form new and more accurate strategies for solving arithmetic problems.     

That looks easy! Evidence against the benefits of an easier criterion of success for enhancing motor learning

OPTIMAL theory predicts providing learners with a relatively easier criterion of success during practice enhances motor learning through increased self-efficacy, perceptions of competence, and intrinsic motivation. However, mixed results in the literature suggest this enhancement effect may be moderated by the number of successes achieved by learners practicing with the difficult criterion. To investigate this possibility, we manipulated quantity of practice to affect the absolute number of successes achieved by learners practicing with different success criteria. Eighty participants were divided into four groups and performed 50 or 100 trials of a mini-shuffleboard task. Groups practiced with either a large or a small zone of success surrounding the target. Learning was assessed 24 h after acquisition with retention and transfer tests. In terms of endpoint accuracy and precision, there were no learning or practice performance benefits of practicing with an easier criterion of success, regardless of the number of trials. This absence of a criterion of success effect was despite the efficacy of our manipulation in increasing the number of trials stopping within the zone of success, self-efficacy, perceptions of competence, and, for participants with 100 trials, intrinsic motivation. An equivalence test indicated that the effect of criterion of success was small, if existent. Moreover, at the individual level, intrinsic motivation did not predict posttest or acquisition performance. There were no benefits of easing the criterion of success on pressure, effort, accrual of explicit knowledge, or conscious processing. These data challenge key tenets of OPTIMAL theory and question the efficacy of easing criterion of success for motor learning.     

启动效应与技能学习相互关系的实验研究

利用字母光点和追踪旋转任务,分别对３１名和３２名大学生进行启动和技能学习相互关系的研究。结果发现：在两种任务内,被试的启动和技能学习存在相互独立的关系;在追踪旋转任务中,练习的频率对启动和技能学习都会产生影响。     

理解能力不同的个体抑制干扰信息的效率

根据多媒语言理解测试 ,筛选出汉语综合理解能力高、低不同的两组被试 ,采用固定速移动窗口阅读与选择性再认相结合的实验范式 ,在两个实验中考察了两组被试在理解加工汉语双字词和两从句复合句的过程中对外在干扰信息的抑制效率。词汇加工与句子加工两个实验的结果一致表明 :不同语言理解能力的个体在抑制干扰信息的效率上存在差异 ,低理解能力者的抑制效率也较低 ;抑制效率受到干扰材料意义性的影响 ,越有意义的干扰越难以被抑制     

Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Training for Therapists: Outcomes,Acceptability, and Impact of Support

The objectives of the present study were to assess the effects of online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) training for therapists on measures of CBT knowledge, skills, confidence, and utilisation; to determine what differences might exist between a group supported by regular telephone contact and an independent group who undertook online training without additional support; and to determine the acceptability of CBT online training among rural and remote mental health professionals. Mental health practitioners were randomly allocated to a supported training group (six sessions of 15‐min support) or an independent group. They undertook a 12‐week online CBT training program. The two groups showed similar gains on an objective test of knowledge of CBT, and on self‐report measures of knowledge, skills, confidence levels, and utilisation of skills. However, the supported training group had a significantly higher program completion rate than the independent group. Participants evaluated the program favourably. The results suggest that online CBT training represents a promising and cost‐effective approach to training the mental health workforce, and may be particularly attractive for those who live in regional, rural, and remote communities. A challenge is to determine the most cost‐effective ways to enhance program completion rates and trainee skills.     

Who Abuses Their Coworkers? An Examination of Personality and Situational Variables

ABSTRACT

This study examines predictors of abusive employee behavior toward coworkers. We examined two personality variables, negative affectivity and political skill, and two situational relationship variables—team member exchange and coworker relationship conflict. We tested our hypotheses with data obtained from a sample of 232 working employees. We found that political skill and team member exchange were negatively related to coworker abuse, whereas negative affectivity and relationship conflict were positively related. Additionally, we found statistical support for the negative affectivity-relationship conflict, political skill-team member exchange, and political skill-relationship conflict interactions. Practical implications and directions for future research are provided.