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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Psychology

Florida International University

1995

Articles 1 - 6 of 6

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Vicarious Reinforcement Is A Result Of Earlier Learning, Maricel Cigales Dec 1995

Vicarious Reinforcement Is A Result Of Earlier Learning, Maricel Cigales

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The term "vicarious reinforcement" has been used by social-learning theorists to denote imitation that results from the observed reinforcement of behavior performed by a model. This conceptualization is incompatible with that of behavior analysis because it ignores the effect of prior learning on the observer's behavior and violates the definition of reinforcement. Experiment 1 replicated prior findings. Preschool children (N=32) imitated a model's reinforced choice responses, in the absence of direct experience with contingencies. In Experiment 2 (N=48), subjects failed to imitate reinforced modeled behavior when observed behavior contingencies were 'incongruent' with those experienced. The results were interpreted as consistent …


Effects Of Inconsistencies In Eyewitness Testimony On Mock-Juror Decisionmaking, Garrett L. Berman Jun 1995

Effects Of Inconsistencies In Eyewitness Testimony On Mock-Juror Decisionmaking, Garrett L. Berman

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In attempting to impeach eyewitnesses, attorney's often highlight inconsistencies in the eyewitness's recall. This study examined the differential impact of types of inconsistent testimony on mock-juror decisions. Each of 100 community members and 200 undergraduates viewed one of four versions of a videotaped trial in which the primary evidence against the defendant was the testimony of the eyewitness. I manipulated the types of inconsistent statements given by the eyewitness in the four versions: (1) consistent testimony, (2) information given on-the-stand but not given during the pre-trial investigation, (3) contradictions between on-the-stand and pre-trial statements, and (4) contradictions made on the …


Social Institutions And Identity Formation : The Interface Between Society And The Individual, Ervin Briones Apr 1995

Social Institutions And Identity Formation : The Interface Between Society And The Individual, Ervin Briones

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes a study conducted to develop and refine a measure, the Social Institutions Rating (SIR), a group administered, self-report measure of institutional attributes and characteristics. This thesis reports data on the psychometric properties of the SIR. Exploratory analyses are reported investigating the empirical effects of social institutions on identity formation within two ethnic/cultural groups, Euroamericans and Hispanics. Based on previous studies with ethnic minorities, a directional hypothesis was tested. The hypothesis that subjects in the Euroamerican sample have a higher identity status than the Hispanic sample for three identity domains (personal, interpersonal, and world view) was not confirmed. …


Worry, Anxiety And Their Relation In A Clinical Sample Of Children With Anxiety Disorders, Steven Kent Cumbo Apr 1995

Worry, Anxiety And Their Relation In A Clinical Sample Of Children With Anxiety Disorders, Steven Kent Cumbo

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Worry is the hallmark feature of the anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Little information, however, is available on childhood worry, and when worry may lead to functional impairment. The number, frequency, intensity, and areas of worry were examined in a clinic sample of children with anxiety disorders (n=59) using a structured data gathering procedure. Findings revealed that number of worry increased with age; severity decreased with age. An interaction between age and gender was also found. No differences were found for frequency or intensity. The most common areas of worry were School, Health, and Personal Harm. A link between …


The Refinement And Validation Of The Critical Decision Making And Problem Solving Scale Moral Dilema (Cdp-Md), Ondina Arrufat Apr 1995

The Refinement And Validation Of The Critical Decision Making And Problem Solving Scale Moral Dilema (Cdp-Md), Ondina Arrufat

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis extended previous research on critical decision making and problem solving by refining and validating a measure designed to assess the use of critical thinking and critical discussion in sociomoral dilemmas. The purpose of this thesis was twofold: 1) to refine the administration of the Critical Thinking Subscale of the CDP to elicit more adequate responses and for purposes of refining the coding and scoring procedures for the total measure, and 2) to collect preliminary data on the initial reliabilities of the measure. Subjects consisted of 40 undergraduate students at Florida International University. Results indicate that the use of …


The Effect Of Age Of Analyst And Reform Of Data On The Results Of Focus Groups With Older Persons, Marian Cherie Clark Mar 1995

The Effect Of Age Of Analyst And Reform Of Data On The Results Of Focus Groups With Older Persons, Marian Cherie Clark

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Focus groups, a typical market research method used with young consumers, are currently being used with older consumers to identify the needs and desires of this potential market segment. Research suggests, however, that social interaction and risk taking behaviors may be different for older and younger persons. The current practice of using young persons to analyze and interpret the discussions of older focus group members may be a serious methodological error. To test this, twenty young men and women (age range 17-35), and twenty old men and women (age range 65-89) analyzed either videotapes or typed transcripts of focus group …