EFFECT OF GROUP PERFORMANCE ON SUBSEQUENT INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE:

Abstract— Does group discussion and deliberation on one issue or task influence the members' decisions or opinions on other issues? In contrast to past research looking solely at changes in responses to the same item discussed by the group, this study examined whether group interaction results in members changing the way they make judgments on related items in the future. The results show that group discussion and consensus on one set of judgments led to a significant convergence of judgmental strategies that extended to a related (but different) set of judgments the members made later as individuals.     

Clamped Corticosterone (B) Reveals the Effect of Endogenous B on Both Facilitated Responsivity to Acute Restraint and Metabolic Responses to Chronic Stress

To determine the effects of both corticosterone (B) and chronic stressors on acute ACTH responses to restraint, young male rats were exposed to streptozotocin-induced diabetes, cold (5-7 degreesC) or intracerebroventricular (icv) neuropeptide Y (NPY) for 5 d and then exposed to restraint within 2 h after lights on. Two groups of rats were studied: intact and adrenalectomized replaced with B pellets that maintained plasma B in the normal mean 24-h range of intact rats. In addition to ACTH and B responses to restraint on d 5, body weight, food intake, fat depots, glucose and other hormones were measured to determine the role of stress-induced elevations in B on energy balance. ACTH responses to restraint were normal in intact rats subjected to diabetes or cold. By contrast, there was no ACTH or B response to restraint in NPY-infused intact rats. All 3 groups of chronically stimulated adrenalectomized rats with clamped B had facilitated ACTH responses to restraint compared to their treatment controls. Overall food intake increased in all groups of stressed rats; however, augmented intake occurred only during the light in intact rats and equally in the light and dark in B-clamped rats. White adipose depot weights were decreased by both diabetes and cold and increased by NPY in intact rats; the decreases with cold and increases with NPY were both blunted and changes in fat stores were not significant in adrenalectomized, B-clamped rats. We conclude that: 1. diabetes- and cold-induced facilitation of restraint-induced afferent input to hypothalamic control of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is opposed in intact rats by the elevated feedback signal of B secretion; 2. NPY does not induce facilitation of afferent stress pathways; 3. chronic stimulation of the HPA axis induces acute hyperresponsiveness of hypothalamic neurons to restraint provided that the afferent input of this acute stimulus is not prevented by B feedback; 4. stimulus-induced elevations in B secretion result in day-time feeding; 5. insensitivity of both caloric efficiency and white fat stores to chronic stress in adrenalectomized, B-clamped rats results from loss of normally variable B levels.     

Relative influences of affect and cognition on behavior: are feelings or beliefs more related to blood donation intentions?

This study tested the relative predictive power of affect and cognition on global attitude and behavioral intention within the tripartite model of attitude structure. Participants (N = 264) completed questionnaires that included an item regarding blood donation experience, five semantic differential items, four behavioral intention items, and one global attitude item. Participants were randomly assigned to either an affective or cognitive instruction set for the semantic differential items. As predicted, semantic differentials were more highly correlated with both global attitude and behavioral intention when completed under the affective instructions than under the cognitive instructions. In addition, donors' and non-donors' attitudes on the semantic differential scales were distinguished from one another only when they were elicited under the affective instruction set. Results provide support for the tripartite model of attitude structure. Future research should examine the relative importance of affect and cognition in less emotion-laden domains.     

Dilution in legal decision making: Effect of non-diagnostic information in relation to amount of diagnostic evidence

Judgments about others are often based on information that varies in terms of its diagnosticity or usefulness in predicting a certain outcome. Previous studies have demonstrated a “dilution effect” in which the addition of nondiagnostic or irrelevant information yields less extreme judgments than those based solely on diagnostic information. Two studies investigated the dilution effect in a juror decision making context in which no midpoint of a scale was provided by researchers. Study 1 examined the inclusion of positive, negative, or neutral character information in a criminal case and found that this nondiagnostic information affected attitude toward the defendant but did not “dilute” guilt judgments. The cases in Study 1 contained a larger amount of diagnostic information than studies that demonstrated the dilution effect. Thus, the amount of diagnostic evidence provided was varied in Study 2, and the results showed “diluted” judgments only when a small amount of diagnostic information was presented. Limitations to the dilution effect were discussed.     

Standards for the Reporting of Genetic Counseling Interventions in Research and Other Studies (GCIRS): an NSGC Task Force Report

As the demand for evidence to support the value of genetic counseling increases, it is critical that reporting of genetic counseling interventions in research and other types of studies (e.g. process improvement or service evaluation studies) adopt greater rigor. As in other areas of healthcare, the appraisal, synthesis, and translation of research findings into genetic counseling practice are likely to be improved if clear specifications of genetic counseling interventions are reported when studies involving genetic counseling are published. To help improve reporting practices, the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) convened a task force in 2015 to develop consensus standards for the reporting of genetic counseling interventions. Following review by the NSGC Board of Directors, the NSGC Practice Guidelines Committee and the editorial board of the Journal of Genetic Counseling, 23 items across 8 domains were proposed as standards for the reporting of genetic counseling interventions in the published literature (GCIRS: Genetic Counseling Intervention Reporting Standards). The authors recommend adoption of these standards by authors and journals when reporting studies involving genetic counseling interventions.     

A Comparison of Health Behavior Constructs: Social Psychological Predictors of AIDS-Preventive Behavioral Intentions

The present study focused on predicting AIDS-preventive behavioral intentions (i. e., intentions to discuss AIDS-related information and to use condoms) from constructs taken from the health belief model, the theory of reasoned action/planned behavior, and social cognitive theory. Questionnaire data were collected from 124 undergraduates using scales from previously published work as well as some new measures designed for this study. Perceived behavioral control, perceived risk, attitudes, self-efficacy, subjective norms, negative expected outcomes, and perceived severity of HIV infection were correlated with at least one intention measure; but regression analyses showed that perceived behavioral control was the strongest independent predictor of condom use intentions and of intentions to discuss AIDS information with a partner. Implications for theory and application are discussed.     

The Role of Desires,Self-Predictions,and Perceived Control in the Prediction of Training Session Attendance1

Employee attendance at a training session was examined using the theory of reasoned action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). In addition, based on Audi (1973a, b) and Warshaw and Davis (1985), a distinction was made between desires (I want) and behavioral self-predictions (I will), and as in Ajzen (1985, 1987), the role of perceived control as a determinant of these desires, self-predictions, and attendance behavior, per se, was investigated. The results indicated that the best predictors of attendance at the training session were one's desire or motivation to attend the training session and the extent to which one perceived pressure from his or her supervisor to do so. Consistent with the theory of reasoned action, the motivation to attend training was predicted accurately from attitudes and subjective norms (R=.76, p < .001). Moreover, these attitudes and subjective norms were themselves predicted from a consideration of behavioral and normative beliefs, and key beliefs underlying one's desire to attend were identified. However, a consideration of perceived control did not improve the prediction of one's desire to attend training, and neither perceived control nor behavioral self-predictions improved prediction of actual attendance. The discussion focused on the roles of perceived control and different measures of intention in behavioral prediction.     

The Relation Between Perceived Risk and Preventive Action: A Within-Subject Analysis of Perceived Driving Risk and Intentions to Wear Seatbelts

Intentions to wear seatbelts in 12 different driving situations were predicted from attitudes toward wearing seatbelts, subjective norms concerning seatbelt uses, and perceived driving risk. In a given driving situation, appropriate measures of attitudes and subjective norms both had significant effects on intentions to wear a seatbelt, whereas there was little relation between risk and intentions. Intentions across the 12 driving situations were significantly related to perceived driving risk, both for aggregate data and for a substantial portion of individual subjects. However, further analyses indicated that risk seemed to affect intentions indirectly through subjective norms and attitudes associated with seat-belt use. The results suggest that attempts to increase seatbelt use should target all relevant beliefs important in determining people's attitudes toward and subjective norms concerning seatbelt use, rather than just focusing upon making people aware of the risks associated with driving.     

Are the Tabloids Always Wrong or Is That Just What We Think? Need for Cognition and Perceptions of Articles in Print Media

This study examines how need for cognition, source credibility, and communication strength influence perceptions of a print-media communication. Participants read a strong or weak communication about an evolutionary theory, presented as an article from the Washington Post (high credibility) or the National Enquirer (low credibility). Results revealed a significant Need for Cognition × Source × Communication Strength interaction. Low-need-for-cognition participants who read the weak communication rated the article more positively when it was attributed to the high-credibility source than to the low-credibility source. Source credibility did not affect impressions of the article and theory among participants high in need for cognition or reading the strong communication. However, articles from the Washington Post were rated as more believable, factual, accurate, and true than those from the National Enquirer.