Plans to resist distraction.

Conducted 2 experiments with a total of 71 preschoolers to investigate the effects of giving such Ss plans to resist distraction on their actual resistance in a subsequent work situation. A paradigm was developed in which the S, while motivated to work on a repetitive task, was exposed to a "Clown Box" which went through a standardized routine designed to distract the S from his work. The dependent variable assessed the amount of time the S worked in the E's absence. In Exp I, it was found, whether or not the Ss had rehearsed the actions called for in the plans, those who were given 3 plans for resistance worked longer than those who were not given plans. In Exp II it was found that Ss who were given only 1 plan worked as much as Ss who were given 3 plans, and more than Ss who were not given plans. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stability and change in patterns of participation in a parent–child program.

Investigated variations in participation in a neighborhood-based educational support program in 35 18–39 yr old low-income and working-class White mothers of young children who were involved in 6 different parent groups for 1 yr. 30 other Ss had dropped out of participation during this period. Interview data were collected every 6 mo, and staff members kept records of attendance and telephone interactions with Ss. Program participation indices were attendance, relations with program peers, and use of staff services during the 1st 12 mo of involvement. Results show that 8 Ss were peer oriented, 8 Ss were staff oriented, 9 Ss demonstrated increased staff use, and 10 Ss had low involvement. Ss in the 1st 2 groups moved quickly to establish relationships, while Ss in the last 2 groups took a longer time to use program resources. Findings suggest a need for longitudinal measurement of the treatment in evaluation research, a conceptualization of intensive interventions as multidimensional, and the potential usefulness of focusing on interpersonal ties in an intervention program when measuring the treatment. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Methods of communication and mediating processes in realistic job previews.

Assigned 164 bank teller applicants (mean age 22 yrs) who were offered jobs to 1 of 3 experimental groups to investigate the effectiveness of presenting realistic job previews. Ss in Group 1 received a job preview from an incumbent teller; Ss in Group 2 received a job preview brochure; Ss in Group 3 served as controls. Substantially fewer Ss in Group 1 left the job 2–3 mo later than did Ss in the other groups. There were no significant differences in job outcome between Ss in Groups 2 and 3. There was also no support for self-selection and commitment to choice as mediating processes. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Children's referential communication: Components of plans for effective listening.

Investigated the effects of 2 plans on children's listener behavior in a referential communication setting. The design systematically varied the presence and absence of instructions about a plan to engage in comparison activities (comparison plan) and instructions about a plan to request more information if the speaker's message was ambiguous (action plan). 94 elementary school Ss played the role of listener. The speaker was an adult confederate who produced messages of varying informational adequacy. Results show that on an immediate test, Ss who received the action plan asked more questions when the messages were ambiguous and made more correct referent choices than other Ss. These effects persisted on a test administered 2 wks later and were observed both for nameable and abstract stimulus items. No significant effect of the comparison plan was observed. Results suggest that knowing when and how to request additional information is an important listener skill. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Improving the instructional supervisory behavior of public school principals by means of time management: Experimental evaluation and social validation.

Nine principals received 9 hrs of instruction in a 3-phase, time-management approach: (1) time management problem analysis, (2) plan development and implementation, and (3) plan evaluation. Results indicate that all Ss increased time spent in instructional supervision following time-management program participation. Classroom and remedial teachers indicated greater supervision satisfaction following Ss' participation in the program. Nine Ss could apply the time-management approach following the program, based on monthly time-management plans submitted to respective consultants, and principals from other school districts rated the instructional package as potentially beneficial to colleagues and themselves. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of dimensional relevance on accuracy of simulated hiring decisions by employment interviewers.

Presented to 52 experienced employment interviewers (32 male and 20 female) videotaped simulated interviews with 2 applicants (APs) who were differentially qualified for 2 jobs. APs' qualifications and job requirements were manipulated to produce a match or mismatch between each AP and the 2 jobs. However, APs were about average in overall qualifications and were not significantly different in favorability. In a repeated measures design, half the Ss rated the APs on specific job dimensions relevant to the critical behaviors involved in the jobs, while the remaining Ss rated the APs on general job dimensions. Both rating procedures emphasized work behaviors but differed in the relevance of the work behaviors for the jobs under consideration. Results show that Ss who rated on the specific and relevant dimensions accurately discriminated between the more qualified and less qualified AP, whereas Ss who rated on the general job dimensions were not able to discriminate accurately between the 2 APs. There was also a trend for greater agreement among Ss who rated along specific job dimensions. (4 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of contingency-contracting and decision-making groups with chronic mental patients.

Placed 74 29-74 yr. old institutionalized male mental patients in 1 of 3 treatment conditions for a 4-mo period. Ss in the milieu condition received the customary hospital treatment; Ss in the interaction condition received the same treatment as the milieu condition but received 2 hr. additional weekly group therapy; Ss in the incentive condition were placed in groups responsible for making decisions concerning group members. Ss in the incentive condition were rewarded with funds and canteen books contingent upon recommendations from the groups and attendance of Ss in each group at all activities. Results show the incentive condition as superior on percentage of attendance at activities, town passes taken, and days spent out of the hospital, while the interaction condition was superior on nurses' rating scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of work sample test upon self-selection and turnover of job applicants.

Hypothesized that job applicants who were administered a pre-employment work sample test and who, consequently, had a more accurate expectancy about task requirements would have a higher job refusal rate and a lower voluntary turnover rate than applicants not administered the work sample test. Ss were 67 white and 93 black female applicants for the job of sewing machine operator. Some support for the hypotheses was found for white Ss but not for black Ss. Racial differences are explained in terms of the differential importance of factors in the work situation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The misattribution of smoking cessation symptoms.

Asked 15 female nurses who reported smoking at least 10 cigarettes per day to refrain from smoking for 1 day as part of a "study of heart rate." Experimental Ss were given a placebo and told that this pill would cause increased irritability, nervousness, and appetite. Controls received no information about side effects. It was predicted that experimental Ss would attribute their discomfort to the action of the pill and report less cessation difficulty than controls, who would attribute their discomfort to cigarette deprivation. This effect would be expected to appear only after several hours of deprivation when symptoms would be intense. Self-reports revealed a significant Condition * Time interaction, confirming the prediction. (French summary) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Increasing Substance Abuse Treatment Compliance for Persons With Traumatic Brain Injury.

This study compared 3 methods of increasing participation in substance abuse treatment for clients with traumatic brain injury. Participants (N = 195) were randomly assigned to 4 conditions: (a) motivational interview, (b) reduction of logistical barriers to attendance, (c) financial incentive, and (d) attention control. Four interviewers conducted structured, brief telephone interventions targeting the timeliness of signing an individualized service plan. Participants assigned to the barrier reduction (74%) and financial incentive (83%) groups were more likely to sign within 30 days compared with the motivational interview (45%) and attention control (45%) groups. Similar results were observed for time to signing, perfect attendance at appointments, and premature termination during the following 6 months. Extent of psychiatric symptoms was the only significant covariate. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Black applicants' reactions to affirmative action plans: Effects of plan content and previous experience with discrimination.

This study examined the effects of plan content and previous experience with discrimination on Black respondents' reactions to affirmative action plans. Black engineering students (N=1,173) were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 plans implemented by a hypothetical organization and were asked to provide ratings of perceived fairness and intention to pursue a position at the organization. There were significant effects of plan content on perceived fairness and job pursuit intentions, Perceived fairness mediated the effect of content on intentions. Furthermore, previous experience with discrimination interacted with content to affect intentions. Individuals who had experienced relatively more discrimination in the workplace reported stronger intentions to pursue a position at an organization whose plan specified special training opportunities for minorities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of belief on acupuncture analgesia.

24 undergraduates who had indicated either a high or low level of belief in acupuncture-induced analgesia received either acupuncture or a pseudo-acupuncture treatment prior to a 60-sec cold-pressor test. Ss also completed the State scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory at the beginning of the experiment and provided ratings of pain intensity during the cold-pressor test. Ss who held positive beliefs about the effectiveness of acupuncture and who received actual acupuncture treatment reported lower pain than did Ss with negative beliefs and those who received pseudo-acupuncture. Anxiety ratings did not differ between groups. The ratings of belief in acupuncture shown by the 2 groups tended to converge after treatment. Results suggest that differences in the analgesic effects of acupuncture are influenced by expectancy effects and the degree to which expectations are confirmed during the treatment procedure. (French abstract) (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-evaluation and subjective life expectancy among suicidal and nonsuicidal psychotic males.

Self-evaluation and expectancy scales were administered to 96 psychotic males, and protocols were later divided into suicidal (N = 43) and nonsuicidal (N = 53) groups, on the basis of record information. Self-evaluation (SE) was relatively low for covertly suicidal Ss, but not for Ss who had made actual suicide attempts. Suicidal Ss did not have a shorter subjective life expectancy (SLE) than nonsuicidals, but SLE was directly associated with SE regardless of suicidal tendencies. Constricted, "work-only" future plans were associated with SE and SLE among suicidals only, suggesting that the content of the subjective future may mediate the relationship between SE and SLE in suicidal patients. (20 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assertion training with handicapped persons.

Investigated the effects of assertion training in 9 handicapped college students and 5 handicapped discharged rehabilitative medicare outpatients. Ss were matched on self-reported assertiveness and were assigned to 1 of 2 groups: (a) treatment Ss who received assertion training, and (b) waiting-list-control Ss who received no treatment for 5 wks and then received assertion training. Behavioral role playing, self-report, and activity budget pre- and posttest measures revealed that assertion-training Ss reported significantly greater gains in assertive behavior and showed greater improvement in performance on 7 criterion measures than did control Ss. 18 criterion measures did not show any differences between treatment and control groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Series effects in motor performance studies.

It was hypothesized that a series effect would operate in a study designed to determine the optimal work surface height for the performance of a simple motor task. Under Condition A, Ss performed the task at each of 6 work surface hieghts, comprising the lower ? of the range of heights used in an earlier study. Under Condition B, Ss performed at 6 heights comprising the upper ? of the range. Systematic differences were observed in the performance of the 2 groups at the 4 heights they had in common. The differences in motor performance were attributed to a series effect stemming from differences in judgments Ss made concerning what the optimal height should be. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Long-term impact of employee participation in the development of pay incentive plans: A field experiment revisited.

Reports a follow-up on a study by E. Lawler and J. Hackman (see record 1970-05759-001). In the original study, 3 work groups developed their own incentive plans to reward high attendance. Identical plans were then imposed by company management in 2 other work groups. A significant increase in attendance was found in the groups where the plans were participatively developed. After data had been collected, the incentive plans were discontinued by company management in 2 of the 3 participative groups. In the present study, attendance data covering a 12-wk period 1 yr. later revealed that attendance had dropped below pretreatment levels in those 2 groups, but had continued high in the 3rd participative group. A slight increase in attendance was found in those groups where incentive plans had been imposed by company management. Results suggest that long-lasting changes can be effectively introduced into an organization only when all levels involved accept them. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Autonomic arousal, interpersonal climate, and orality.

Electrodermal responses in 34 male undergraduates who gave at least 4 oral-dependent Rorschach responses or no more than 2 such responses were assessed both before and after Ss had either a warm, friendly interaction or a cold, unfriendly interaction with a confederate. Following a 10-min interaction, there was a significant 3-way interaction (Period?×?Condition?×?Orality) in tonic conductance. Analysis produced one simple effect: Highly oral Ss responded differentially to warm or cold treatment by the confederate. Three groups—nonorals in either condition and orals in the cold condition—increased in physiological arousal over time. Only the highly oral Ss interacting with the warm confederate showed no such increase in arousal, presumably because the presence of a friendly other person inhibits physiological activation. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-concept changes of junior high students.

Previous studies have identified a relationship between self-concept and school behavior. The present study investigated whether self-concept (as measured by Bills's Index of Attitudes and Values) and school behavior of problem junior high school students could be changed by participation in a teacher helper program in an elementary school. Ss matched on grade (8th or 9th) sex, and GPA were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group (n = 12). Self-concept ratings of experimental Ss who participated in the teacher helper program for 8 wks significantly increased during this period, while controls did not change. Neither group changed significantly in attendance or GPA. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in personality as a function of college attendance or work experience.

Administered the 16 PF to 105 females and 113 males who took a job immediately after leaving high school (work group) and 177 females and 178 males who entered college immediately after high school graduation (college group). All Ss were tested twice on the 16 PF both during their senior high school year (1965) and 5 yr. later (1970). Analyses of variance were performed for each of the personality factors treated as dependent variables and with groups and occasions as factors in these analyses. Three kinds of results were observed: (a) a set of selective traits that differentiated the college and work groups initially; (b) changes in certain personality traits that were related to the treatment effects experienced by the 2 groups (i.e., college or job); and (c) age trend effects common to both groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychotherapeutic orientations: A comparison of conceptualizations, interventions, and treatment plan costs.

Delineated patterns of conceptualization and intervention for 4 psychotherapeutic orientations (psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, family systems, and eclectic) and then determined how these patterns related to treatment plan costs. 43 therapists with 1 of the 4 orientations responded to 2 case vignettes that each contained a psychosocial history and portions of a 3rd therapy session for a fictitious patient. Ss were asked to (a) conceptualize about information given by the patient, (b) verbally intervene with the patient, and (c) recommend a treatment plan consisting of types (modality/setting) and amounts (session/days) of treatment. Conceptualization and intervention responses were rated by 3 clinical raters using a psychotherapy judgment rating scale. As predicted, psychodynamic therapists recommended significantly more costly treatment plans. Conceptualization and intervention categories given more focus by the psychodynamic group correlated positively with treatment plan costs, and those categories given more focus by the other therapeutic groups correlated negatively with costs. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)