Dimensions of assertiveness: Differential relationships to substance use in early adolescence.

We tested a multidimensioanl formulation of assertiveness and substance (tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana) use in 3 metropolitan-area school samples of adolescents aged 12-14 yrs. Three studies (N?=?675, N?=?1,430, and N?=?5,545) included inner-city and suburban settings and included White, Black, and Hispanic students. Factor analysis of versions of the Gambrill-Richey Assertion Inventory indicated five indepenedent dimensions of assertive behavior. Multiple regression analyses indicated that a dimension of Substance-specific Assertiveness was inversely associated with substance use, whereas dimensions of Social Assertiveness and Dating Assertiveness was positively associated with substance use. A dimension of General Assertiveness was unrelated to substance use. Interaction effects indicated that relations were stronger for girls for Substance and Social Assertiveness and for boys for Dating Assertiveness. Implications of the findings for models of assertive behavior and for design of primary prevention programs are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assertiveness, territoriality, and personal space behavior as a function of group assertion training.

42 18-40 yr old females who requested services from a university counseling center were employed to examine changes in assertiveness, territoriality, and personal space as a function of group assertion training. Ss were assigned to either a treatment (assertion training) group or to a control (waiting list) group. The following outcomes were hypothesized: (a) Ss who participated in the assertion training treatment program would increase their assertive behavior significantly more than controls. (b) Treatment Ss would exhibit smaller personal space zones than would controls. (c) Treatment Ss would use more space on a drawing task than would controls. Data collected from a battery of measures, including the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule, the College Self-Expression Scale, and the Assertive Behavior Situation Test, provided strong support for the 1st and 3rd hypothesis and partial support for the 2nd hypothesis. Implications of the findings for counseling and for the use of ethological constructs are discussed. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some effects of cooperation and competition upon small group behavior.

"From previous research on cooperation, competition, and studies of small groups, an attempt was made to formulate hypotheses that would integrate theoretical approaches to both areas of investigation… . The results of the experiment [presented] permit the following conclusions: 1. Cooperation may be considered a determinant of group cohesiveness… . 2. Cooperation may be considered a determinant of instrumental communications." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of Alcohol on Risk-Seeking Behavior: A Group-Level Analysis.

Although much drinking occurs in social settings, there has been little testing of alcohol in groups. The authors examined the effects of alcohol on performance on a group decision-making task. Fifty-four unacquainted male social drinkers were randomly assigned to 3-person groups that consumed either alcohol (0.82 g/kg) or a placebo. After drinking, participants decided whether to complete a 30-min questionnaire battery or toss a coin and, pending the outcome of that toss, complete either no questionnaires or a 60-min battery. Alcohol groups were significantly more likely than placebo groups to choose the coin toss. Results highlight the potent effects of alcohol on group decision making and suggest that application of social psychological theory and methods to the study of alcohol is warranted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality characteristics related to leadership behavior in two types of small group situational problems.

Using male United States Air Force Officer Candidate School Ss several hypotheses implied in the "great man" theory of small group leadership were focused on small group behavior and situational testing. "The results… personality traits associated with successful performance in two types of small group activity do not differ in relative importance." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some effects of involvement upon evaluation.

"4-person discussion groups were created in a classroom in which 3 members were active participants and 1 member functioned in the peripheral role of recorder… . After the discussion, each S was asked to rank order the membership of his group concerning a number of aspects of group process and to guess the rankings made by each of the others in his group. The data revealed that the recorder-discussant difference in accuracy of prediction occurred only under high personal relevance." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Employment battery performance of Hispanic applicants as a function of English or Spanish test instructions.

Identified 1,300 Hispanic applicants for operator/clerical jobs in northeastern, southern, and southwestern US regions, and determined their language preference. Ss who indicated a preference for receiving the employment test battery with Spanish instructions were allocated to 2 groups; the 1st group was administered the battery with Spanish instructions, and the 2nd group received the same test battery with English instructions. The battery included arithmetic, word meaning, filing, coding, and marking subtests. Comparisons of test performance under the 2 conditions suggest that Spanish instructions resulted in small but significant gains in scores, especially on the marking subtest. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some effects of situational threat on group behavior.

It was found that situational threat affected behavior in three main areas of functioning: interpersonal relations, utilization of actors' and other group members' resources, and effectiveness of the group. An attempt was made to analyze and interpret these results within the framework of a competing response theory of anxiety. 20 references. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some effects of individually prominent behavior upon group effectiveness and member satisfaction.

"An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that in unstructured situations, behavior oriented toward individual prominence in the group is negatively correlated with group performance and positively correlated with member satisfaction… . Twenty-two four-person groups were observed… . Groups were required to solve five problems… . After completion of the problem, Ss rated their satisfaction with the group, the degree to which group members cooperated, and group performance… . It was concluded that in the undifferentiated situation behavior oriented toward individual prominence interferences with effective group action." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of social skills training groups and social skills bibliotherapy with psychiatric patients.

The effectiveness of a systematic social skills group training program was compared to both a bibliotherapy program group and a typical hospital treatment control group (10 18–56 yr old patients per group). Assessment instruments included self-report (Rathus Assertiveness Schedule), observational, and in vivo measures. Results on the observational measure show that the skills training group improved significantly more than the control group, and this difference was maintained at follow-up. The skills group also showed superior improvement on the self-report measure. Results fail to demonstrate the efficacy of bibliotherapy. Findings concerning generalization of social skills group treatment effectiveness were encouraging in that 2 of 3 measures employed to test for generalization showed significant effects. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modification of behavior through verbal conditioning: Effects in group therapy.

An hypothesis that seems to be gaining acceptance on the basis of experimental (as opposed to heretofore face) validity, is that the interpersonal relationship in therapy is not only able to modify the patient's behavior, but in a predictable and desirable direction. This hypothesis was cross-validated by using a group of patients in a Veterans Administration hospital, all in group therapy. The experimental condition, the independent variable, involved exposing S to a TAT-like situation outside of therapy. E responded differentially to the emotionally-toned words used by S: (a) by nodding and saying "mm-hm," (b) by communicating to S via a machine that emitted a clicking sound and added on a counter, and (c) a "no reinforcement" group. Change in the patient's behavior, the dependent variable, was assessed by ratings on a scale to measure interpersonal relationships in group therapy. Significant improvement in the measure of interpersonal behavior in the group therapy was noted in Condition A only. From Psyc Abstracts 36:01:3IG28U. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Comparative Study of Group Contingencies and Randomized Reinforcers to Reduce Disruptive Classroom Behavior.

The present investigation employed an alternating treatments design to (1) examine the efficacy of group contingencies in the reduction of disruptive behavior, and (2) compare the effects of independent, interdependent, and dependent group contingencies in the reduction of disruptive behavior in adolescent males identified with serious emotional disturbance. Disruptive classroom behavior has been associated with both decrement inacademic performance and increased risk for antisocial behavior. Although research findings have suggested that group contingencies are efficacious in reducing disruptive behavior, the data remain inconclusive regarding which group contingency (interdependent, dependent, and independent) is most effective. Results suggest that a clear superiority among the group contingencies was not evidenced. However, all were dramatically effective in the reduction of classroom disruptive behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Component analysis of occupational stress inoculation applied to registered nurses in an acute care hospital setting.

The stress inoculation (SI) paradigm, which consists of education (ED), coping skills training (CST), and exposure to simulated stressors (EX), was applied to the occupational stress experienced by nurses. Occupational stress was operationally defined in terms of 13 dependent measures reflecting problem areas summarized by the acronym ReACT (retrograde complaints, assertiveness deficits, competency concerns, and time stress). ReACT also stood for the ingredients of the CST component (relaxation training, assertive skill building, cognitive restructuring, and time management instruction). To determine which SI components produce a treatment effect, 60 White female acute-care registered nurses (mean age 33.8 yrs) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 active treatment cells: SI, CST, EX, ED, or no treatment (NT). Ss were administered a battery of tests that included the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory and Rathus Assertiveness Schedule. A MANOVA at posttest, and subsequent univariate analyses simultaneously considering 4-mo follow-up data, demonstrated that SI is an effective treatment with durable benefits and that CST is its principal ingredient. Additional demand-characteristics analyses indicated that these effects are not due to placebo-related phenomena. (54 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of assertion training on acceptance of disability by physically disabled university students.

This pilot study focused on the effects of assertion training on 14 physically disabled undergraduates' acceptance of disability. A pretest–posttest control group design was utilized. Ss were randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a no-treatment control group. The hypotheses analyzed were that Ss given assertion training would show increases in Acceptance of Disability Scale scores, self-concept/esteem scores (Rathus Assertiveness Scale), and social interaction skills scores (Behavioral Observation Scale) when compared with individuals who did not experience assertion training. Significant results were obtained for all hypotheses indicating that the groups differed in acceptance of disability, self-concept, and social interaction. The study suggests that assertion training may be effective for increasing acceptance of disability in physically disabled students. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality dimensions in spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta).

Personality ratings of 34 spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) were made by 4 observers who knew the animals well. Analyses suggest that (a) hyena personality traits were rated with generally high reliability; (b) 5 broad dimensions (Assertiveness, Excitability, Human-Directed Agreeableness, Sociability, and Curiosity) captured about 75% of the total variance; (c) this dimensional structure could not be explained in terms of dominance status, sex, age, or appearance; and (d) as expected, female hyenas were more assertive than male hyenas. Comparisons with previous research provide evidence for the cross-species generality of Excitability, Sociability, and especially Assertiveness. Discussion focuses on methodological issues in research on animal personality and on the potential contributions this research can make for understanding the biological and environmental bases of personality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of The nature of nondirective group psychotherapy. An experimental investigation.

Reviews the book, The nature of nondirective group psychotherapy. An experimental investigation by Leon Gorlow, Erasmus L. Hoch, and Earl F. Telschow (1952). This study was designed to investigate with quantitative precision various parameters of the process of nondirective group psychotherapy. Acknowledging the tentative, exploratory nature of the investigation, the authors outline a threefold objective: (a) analysis of the uniformity of group patterns of verbal behavior as a function of variables like time, differing membership, and leadership; (b) delineation of the therapeutic value of the group, per se; and (c) evaluation of the role of the group leader. This book is successful in providing interesting hypotheses and techniques for analyzing protocols. The limitations of its experimental design, however, prevent an evaluation of either the unique characteristics or therapeutic value of nondirective group psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Techniques for the study of group structure and behavior: I. Analysis of structure.

Recent advances in the development of mathematical techniques growing out of sociometry are described. Applications of these techniques are described. Applications of these techniques in assessing status, group structure, and the assignment of individuals to subgroups are suggested. Further use of these procedures should clarify the requirements for adequate explanatory systems and perhaps provide the variables to be incorporated in more comprehensive theories. 47-item bibliog. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A principal components analysis of the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule.

Performed a principal components analysis of the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS) to investigate the adequacy of this inventory as a global measure of assertiveness. The analysis (using 956 undergraduate Ss) indicated that the RAS does not provide a unidimensional index of assertiveness, but rather measures a number of factors including situation-specific assertive behavior, aggressiveness, and a more general assertiveness. The results are discussed in relation to the small number of items comprising the schedule and the rather limited repertoire of different behavioral situations sampled in the items. These problems make it difficult to adequately define the individual factors revealed by the principal components analysis. (3 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Group support and the behavior of leaders and nonleaders.

In order to observe systematic behavioral differences between leaders, joiners, and nonjoiners, 17 Ss in each category were placed in a condition of group support followed by one of group nonsupport. In both conditions, 1 S from 1 of the 3 categories interacted with 3 paid participants in an attempt to solve a relatively unstructured task. As hypothesized, leaders made significantly more positive affect responses than nonjoiners across both situations and leaders made significantly fewer negative responses under support and significantly more negative responses under nonsupport than nonjoiners. 1 major hypothesis was not substantiated: Leaders did not make significantly more task oriented responses than either of the other categories under support or nonsupport. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)