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Effects of modelling and observer's ego involvement on warm-up decrement.

Warm-up decrement (WUD), a phenomenon associated with motor behaviour, is the temporary decrement that occurs when performance resumes after a period of inactivity. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which observing a model while concerned about one's own subsequent performance (e.g. a substitute about to enter the sport contest) influences WUD. The subjects were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: (1) observing an ego-involved model demonstrate the criterion skill, (2) observing a model while not ego-involved, (3) ego involvement without modelling and (4) resting (control). Performance outcome (accuracy) and arousal (cognitive and somatic) were assessed. The results of the study indicated that only the combined ego involvement plus modelling condition eliminated WUD. Positive rather than negative emotions and heart rate increased significantly for these subjects after rest. In contrast, the other conditions each exhibited WUD. Heart rate was significantly higher in the 'model and ego' and 'ego only' groups as opposed to 'modelling only' and rest. Implications for using cognitive strategies while observing competitors just prior to entering the contest on reducing WUD are discussed.

Adolescent

Effects of a model on eating behavior: the induction of a restrained eating style.

An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of a same-sex model on females' eating behavior. The model ate either a large or small quantity along with the subject in an ad lib satiation context, and either did or did not identify herself as a dieter. Subjects were 86 female undergraduates, split into normally dieting or nondieting subgroups. Number of sandwich quarters consumed ad lib following a small fixed preload was found to vary as a function of (a) model's consumption (b) model's dieter status and (c) subject's dieter status; there were no significant interactions. A subsequent taste-rating assessment of nut consumption, in which the model was present but could neither see nor be seen by the subject, indicated that the three factors which had previously affected sandwich consumption independently combined to affect nut consumption interdependently. The results were interpreted in terms of the effect of the model on the quantity and pattern of consumption, and conclusions were drawn about the dynamics of restrained and unrestrained eating and implications for therapy.

Behavior Therapy

Mastery versus ability appraisal: a developmental study of children's observations of peers' work.

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that there is an age-related shift from mastery enhancement to relative ability assessment in the goal of social comparison. Children at ages 5, 7, and 10 made pictures with stickers under conditions of high or low concern with relative performance (competition/no competition) and high or low procedural ambiguity (free design/copying a drawing). The effects of the manipulations on frequency of glancing at the experimenter and the drawing were similar at all ages; competition enhanced glancing at peers, however, only at ages 7 and 10. The hypothesized shift in the function of social comparison was further supported by age differences in children's explanations for glancing at peers and by the pattern of intercorrelations between glances at the 3 targets and between glances and picture quality. The results indicate how mastery-based comparisons can promote mastery and performance and illustrate some costs older children may pay for their tendency to observe others primarily to assess relative ability.

Achievement

The effect of a self-management training package on the transfer of aggression control procedures in the absence of supervision.

An aggression replacement and self-management training package reduced the frequency of aggressive behavior among four junior high adolescents identified as seriously emotionally disturbed (SED). During baseline sessions, the students were covertly filmed as they stood unsupervised in front of the school cafeteria. The four subjects engaged in aggressive behavior during 50% of the filmed intervals. These episodes involved provocation by other students, self-initiated provocation, or continuing interaction between students once an aggressive episode had begun. Treatment procedures included instruction, modeling, and role playing of aggression replacement skills. Self-management training included self-assessment, self-recording, and self-reinforcement. Following an 8-week period, subjects demonstrated substantial improvement in prosocial skills without supervision. During reversal-to-baseline conditions, aggressive behavior increased; however, reinstating treatment conditions brought a return to prosocial behavior. Outcomes suggest that aggressive replacement skills may transfer and sustain more adequately using self-management.

Adolescent

Strengthening child compliance through positive parenting practices: what works?

Examined the laboratory playroom behavior of 36 normal mother-child dyads during a competitive game in which the mothers gave periodic instructions to their children. The dyads were equally divided into a control group, and two experimental groups in which mothers were taught to use positive parenting in the form of mirroring or praise. The game activity was videotaped and observers coded rates of child compliance, maternal instructions, mirroring and praise, and the mothers' overall responsiveness to their children's full repertoire of behaviors. After the game, mothers and children were interviewed separately to assess their satisfaction with the game interaction. Results showed higher percentages of child compliance and higher ratings of dyadic satisfaction for the experimental groups. However, maternal responsiveness proved to be the only significant predictor of these dependent measures, suggesting that mirroring and praise are specific markers for a more complex parenting process. Implications of these results for parenting practices and parent training are discussed.

Adult

Reading-related behavior in an open classroom: effects of novelty and modelling on preschoolers.

Eight preschool children were exposed initially to an unstructured (open) classroom in which, among other objects, a dozen different books were continuously available. Samples of the subjects' behavior over several weeks documented a very low frequency of reading-related activity (attention to books). Introduction of novel books into the classroom increased some children's reading-related behavior, but adults who modelled reading by reading aloud produced larger and more stable increases of such behavior. There was also a relative increase in frequency of independent and a relative decrease in mutual-peer reading-related activity, possibly as a result of modelling. The study calls attention to the need to evaluate the open-classroom setting in a manner compatible with the experimental analysis of behavior in other applied settings-a manner that is also consistent with the real aims of open education.

Aptitude

Assertiveness training using rehearsal and modeling with male alcoholics.

Two different forms of an assertiveness training program were designed for use in an inpatient ward at a VA hospital. Alcoholic subjects were pretested on self-report, behavioral and unobtrusive measures of assertiveness, and randomly assigned to one of three conditions: rehearsal group, modeling group, or discussion control group. Six 1-h group assertiveness training sessions were held over a 2-week period. On completion of the assertiveness training, trained subjects scored significantly higher on the measures of assertiveness than did controls; they also received more regular (vs irregular) discharges from the hospital. These alcoholic patients responded best to a treatment based on rehearsal. At a 2-month follow-up interview from date of discharge from the hospital, assertiveness trained subjects reported less drinking and more abstinent days than controls, though the differences were not statistically significant. Collateral report of subject behaviors generally agreed highly with subject report though collaterals gave slightly less favorable reports. Results were discussed in terms of the problems in conducting follow-up research and in terms of application to alcoholism treatment.

Adult