Increasing technical training efficiency: Peer training via computer-assisted instruction.

Conducted 2 studies of peer training via computer-assisted instruction (CAI) in the technical training of electronics in the military. Ss were 182 male US Air Force personnel. Study 1 compared a peer-trained CAI group (n?=?72) to both an individually trained CAI group (n?=?55) and a conventionally trained group (n?=?55). Results indicate no differences in achievement levels, but the mean training times of both CAI groups were significantly less than that of the conventionally trained group. The mean peer-trained CAI training time was significantly lower than that of the individually trained group, and the variability of training time was also significantly lower. Study 2, using the peer-trained subsample from Study 1 and an additional 48 Ss, investigated optimum pairing strategies. Ss were paired for training based on their previously demonstrated ability. Pairing strategies did not affect individual achievement scores, but some strategies were consistently superior in reducing training times. Implications of CAI peer training in both military and civilian technical training are discussed. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cues to identity in online dyads: Effects of interpersonal versus intragroup perceptions on performance.

This article examines the impact of cues to personal identity on the quality of dyadic collaboration via computer-mediated communication systems. Study 1 (N=180) shows that an absence of cues to personal identity resulted in more work satisfaction and better subjective performance. Analyses suggested that this effect was mediated by perceptions of shared identity that emerged in cueless dyads. Study 2 (N=91) confirmed and extended these effects, showing parallel effects on objective performance. The effects of Study 1 were replicated among high identifiers but not low identifiers. This provides direct evidence that social identity played a role in enhancing the quality of dyadic collaboration. It also illustrates the distinction between interpersonal and intragroup processes in online interaction. We conclude that when individuals in a dyad consider themselves part of an overarching social group, anonymity can improve collaboration performance as a function of shared social identity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of error training and individual differences on training outcomes: An attribute-treatment interaction perspective.

The authors examined the effectiveness of error training for trainees with different levels of cognitive ability, openness to experience, or conscientiousness. Participants (N=181) were randomly assigned to control, error-encouragement, or error-avoidance conditions and trained to perform a decision-making simulation. Declarative knowledge, task performance, and self-efficacy were measured posttraining. Findings suggest the effectiveness of error training is dependent on the cognitive ability or dispositional traits of trainees. High cognitive ability or more open individuals benefit more from error-encouragernent training than low cognitive ability or less open individuals. Conscientiousness has a negative effect on self-efficacy when trainees are encouraged to make errors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluating frame-of-reference rater training effectiveness using performance schema accuracy.

Frame-of-reference training has been shown to be an effective intervention for improving the accuracy of performance ratings (e.g., Woehr & Huffcutt, 1994). Despite evidence in support of the effectiveness of frame-of-reference training, few studies have empirically addressed the ultimate goal of such training, which is to teach raters to share a common conceptualization of performance (Athey & McIntyre, 1987; Woehr, 1994). The present study tested the hypothesis that, following training, frame-of-reference–trained raters would possess schemas of performance that are more similar to a referent schema, as compared with control-trained raters. Schema accuracy was also hypothesized to be positively related to rating accuracy. Results supported these hypotheses. Implications for frame-of-reference training research and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of rime-based orthographic analogy training on the word recognition skills of children with reading disability.

The aim of this study was to determine whether metacognitive strategy training in the use of rime spelling units would be an effective intervention strategy for children with reading disability. Thirty-six disabled readers were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 training groups, a rime analogy training group or an item-specific training group. Posttreatment measures were taken at the completion of the training, and 1-year follow-up data were obtained from the 2 training groups and a sample of 20 normally developing readers. Systematic strategy training in the use of rime spelling units produced generalized achievement gains and transfer to uninstructed materials and was more effective than training that focused on item-specific learning and sentence-level strategies. The superior posttreatment performance of the rime analogy group over the item-specific group was maintained. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ability grouping in army basic training.

"This study investigated the effectiveness of heterogeneous ability grouping as a method of increasing proficiency in Army Basic Combat Training. In each of two companies, low-ability trainees were trained under three conditions of ability grouping… . In spite of a system of competition that made privileges dependent on squad performance, a proficiency test given at the end of eight weeks of training failed to show a significant difference between the learning of low-ability men who had high aptitude men in their squads and those who did not. Achievement at all ability levels was unusually high, but low men who were trained in squads by themselves were just as proficient as low men who were trained in squads with higher ability men." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of training in verbal self-guidance on performance effectiveness in a MBA program.

The present field experiment examined the effects of training in verbal self-guidance (VSG) and a motivational intervention, goal setting, on the performance effectiveness of students in a MBA program. Performance effectiveness was assessed in terms of outcome (i.e., GPA) and behavioural (i.e., interpersonal skills) measures as well as a composite criterion (performance effectiveness). MBA students (n = 126) were randomly assigned to a 2 (VSG training/control) × 2 (goal setting/do your best) factorial design. The results revealed a main effect for VSG on performance effectiveness. There was an interaction effect such that participants who were trained in VSG and set goals had the highest level of performance effectiveness. A subsequent analysis revealed that the main effect for VSG on performance was spurious due to an ordinal interaction effect. Hence, VSG may be most effective when combined with goal setting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of training in organizations: A meta-analysis of design and evaluation features.

The authors used meta-analytic procedures to examine the relationship between specified training design and evaluation features and the effectiveness of training in organizations. Results of the meta-analysis revealed training effectiveness sample-weighted mean ds of 0.60 (k = 15, N = 936) for reaction criteria, 0.63 (k = 234, N = 15,014) for learning criteria, 0.62 (k = 122, N = 15,627) for behavioral criteria, and 0.62 (k = 26, N = 1,748) for results criteria. These results suggest a medium to large effect size for organizational training. In addition, the training method used, the skill or task characteristic trained, and the choice of evaluation criteria were related to the effectiveness of training programs. Limitations of the study along with suggestions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of two methods of training in a complex task by means of task stimulation.

"Improvement in performance with training in a complex task of radar air traffic control was compared under a condition of constant high input load during training vs. a condition of graduated input load during training… . The test performance of Ss trained under constant high input load was significantly superior on several criteria to that of Ss trained under the graduated input load condition." From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4LE65K. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

SHAPE-assisted intuitive decision making and problem solving: Information-processing-based training for conditions of cognitive busyness.

The present study tested the usefulness of a normative model of decision making designed for individuals and teams that emphasized 5 processes needed in cognitively busy decision situations: scrutinize symptoms, hypothesize solutions, analyze proposed solutions, perform modifications and corrections, and evaluate results (SHAPE). All teams (102) were trained in task skills and practiced solving problems before the experimental decision-making situation, a cognitively busy computer-simulated decision situation. Half of the teams were trained in the SHAPE algorithm. Half of the teams received no decision-making training (the intuition condition). Results indicate that SHAPE-assisted intuitive decision making is faster and more accurate than unassisted intuitive decision making. Furthermore, SHAPE-trained teams experienced lower levels of stress, maintained better task performance, and performed more synchronously than teams receiving no decision-making training. Preliminary evidence that SHAPE creates a shared metacognitive strategy is presented. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Team versus individual training, training task fidelity, and task organization effects on transfer performance by three-man teams.

Transfer performance of teams was measured in a simulated radar-controlled aerial intercept task. Superior performance occurred after training on an independently organized task (as compared to that after training which required verbal interaction among controllers), and superior performance occurred in an independently organized transfer task. However, these 2 variables interacted such that performance on an interaction condition of the transfer task was equivalent to that on an independently organized task if prior training was under the independent task organization. Training task fidelity influenced performance only on the interaction transfer task, with superior performance following a high-fidelity training situation in which controllers could acquire the same skills to be required in transfer for communication to interceptor pilots. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effectiveness of error management training: A meta-analysis.

Error management training (EMT) is a training method that involves active exploration as well as explicit encouragement for learners to make errors during training and to learn from them. Past evaluation studies, which compared skill-based training outcomes of EMT with those of proceduralized erroravoidant training or of exploratory training without error encouragement, have yielded considerable variation in effect sizes. The present meta-analysis compiles the results of the existing studies and seeks to explain this variation. Although the mean effect of EMT across all 24 identified studies (N = 2,183) was positive and significant (Cohen's d = 0.44), there were several moderators. Moderator analyses showed effect sizes to be larger (a) for posttraining transfer (d = 0.56) than for within-training performance and (b) for performance tasks that were structurally distinct (adaptive transfer; d = 0.80) than for tasks that were similar to training (analogical transfer). In addition, both active exploration and error encouragement were identified as effective elements in EMT. Results suggest that EMT may be better suited than error-avoidant training methods for promotion of transfer to novel tasks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The benefits of a graduated training program for security officers on physical performance in stressful situations.

This study examined the benefits of a graduated training program for security officers on physical performance in stressful situations and identified predictors of effective coping with stress. In addition, a comprehensive model was developed to present the relationship between physical and psychological performance. Training effectiveness was determined by comparing the differences between performance under normal conditions and under conditions of stress in preintervention and postintervention phases. Measures included a battery of physical and psychological tests. Findings showed that training had a significant effect on performance. Stress had a negative effect only on performance of complex tasks, and this effect disappeared by the end of the course. The authors concluded that security forces can be trained to deal effectively with stressful situations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treating the core deficits of developmental dyslexia: Evidence of transfer of learning after phonologically- and strategy-based reading training programs.

Individuals with dyslexia have difficulty generalizing from word identification training. This study compared 2 forms of word identification training to promote transfer of learning by children with dyslexia. 62 children were randomly assigned to 1 of the training programs or to a study skills control program. One program trained phonological analysis and blending skills and provided direct instruction of letter–sound correspondences; the other trained the acquisition, use, and monitoring of 4 metacognitive decoding strategies. Results provided clear evidence of transfer of learning after treatment of the core reading deficits of these children. Both training approaches were associated with large positive effects, transfer on several measures, and generalized achievement gains. The phonological program resulted in greater generalized gains in the phonological domain and the strategy program in broader-based transfer for real words. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Successful interpersonal skills training with schizophrenic inpatients.

Studied the effectiveness of a set of techniques for increasing the interpersonal skills of 16 nonassertive (Wolpe-Lazarus Assertiveness Questionnaire) male schizophrenic inpatients (average age 29 yrs). Ss participated in 12 sessions of interpersonal skills training. The effectiveness of the procedure was evaluated with both self-report (Subjective Units of Discomfort Scale) and behavioral measures. The behavioral measures involved ratings of S performance during both role-played and spontaneously enacted interpersonal situations. Several of the situations were used in training, and others were used only during the assessment sessions. To promote extrasession generalization of behaviors, dyads were formed and were given homework assignments to complete. Compared to a control group matched on age, length of total hospitalization, and pretreatment level of skills, the interpersonal skills training group significantly improved on measures of loudness, fluency, affect, latency, eye contact, content, and self-reported assertiveness. These improvements were apparent across both role-played and spontaneously enacted situations and across trained and untrained situations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The dread factor: How hazards and safety training influence learning and performance.

On the basis of hypotheses derived from social and experiential learning theories, we meta-analytically investigated how safety training and workplace hazards impact the development of safety knowledge and safety performance. The results were consistent with an expected interaction between the level of engagement of safety training and hazardous event/exposure severity in the promotion of safety knowledge and performance. For safety knowledge and safety performance, highly engaging training was considerably more effective than less engaging training when hazardous event/exposure severity was high, whereas highly and less engaging training had comparable levels of effectiveness when hazardous event/exposure severity was low. Implications of these findings for theory testing and incorporating information on objective risk into workplace safety research and practice are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Problem-solving strategies in learning disabled and normal boys: Developmental and instructional effects.

A developmentally sensitive problem-solving task, the 20-Questions Game, was utilized in this study to examine development- and treatment-related variables among 48 learning disabled and 48 normal boys of two age levels (8–10 years old and 11–23 years old). Subjects performed on three different versions of the experimental task before, immediately after, and two weeks after receiving one of two treatment packages, which differed in their emphasis on task-specific and metacognitive strategies. Results indicated that both younger boys and learning disabled boys demonstrated less efficient problem-solving skills than their older and normally achieving peers. In all subject groups, boys' ability to make use of specific problem-solving skills was highly influenced by variations in stimulus characteristics. Brief training was effective in improving the performance of all subject groups on trained and untrained materials at posttest and follow-up trials. However, expected differences in effectiveness between treatment packages were not realized. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does use-of-force simulation training in Canadian police agencies incorporate principles of effective training?

Numerous police agencies in Canada incorporate use-of-force simulation training into their overall instructional regime. A prominent theory of learning, known as cognitive load theory, suggests that in order for this training to be effective, instructional methods must facilitate the acquisition and automation of task-relevant schemas without overwhelming the limited processing capacity of the learner. In this article, several instructional effects, proposed and supported by the cognitive load literature, are discussed. These training effects operate by minimizing unnecessary cognitive demands, by drawing on instructional methods that enhance schema acquisition, and/or by carefully managing the inherent complexity of the to-be-learned material. The argument is advanced that although use-of-force simulation training may be able to capitalize on many of these effects, at present there is little evidence to suggest that it currently does. The authors conclude by discussing the urgent need to assess how the knowledge gained from cognitive load theory might serve to enhance the effectiveness of use-of-force simulation training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Transfer of task-switching training in older age: The role of verbal processes.

This study investigated the influence of verbal self-instructions (VSI) on the transfer of task-switching training in older adults (56–78 years). We applied an internally cued switching paradigm in a pretest–training–posttest design. Training-related improvements were not modulated by VSI. Transfer (the pretest–posttest reduction of switch costs) was most pronounced when participants applied the VSI at posttest after practicing the switching task without VSI. The results indicate that in contrast to transfer of executive control training, transfer of (verbal) strategy training seems to be limited and that VSI is most beneficial when the task-switching abilities are already well practiced. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of attention training on a behavioral test of contamination fears in individuals with subclinical obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

In the current study, we evaluated the effectiveness of attention training in individuals with subclinical obsessive-compulsive symptoms. We hypothesized that after completing attention training, participants would be more likely to complete steps in a hierarchy approaching their feared contaminant compared with participants in the control condition. Participants completed a probe detection task by identifying letters replacing one member of a pair of words (neutral or contamination related). We trained attention by building a contingency between the location of the contamination-related word in the active condition and not in the control condition. Participants in the active group showed a significant reduction in attention bias for threat and completed significantly more steps when approaching their feared objects compared with participants in the control group. Our results suggest that attention disengagement training may facilitate approaching feared objects in individuals with obsessive-compulsive symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)