NCJ Number
56069
Journal
Corrective and Social Psychiatry and Journal of Behavior Technology Methods and Therapy Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: (1979) Pages: 25-30
Date Published
1979
Length
6 pages
Annotation
METHODS OF MOTIVATING AND EVALUATING COLLEGE STUDENTS' PERFORMANCE AS VOLUNTEER OBSERVERS IN BEHAVIOR PROGRAMS ARE DEMONSTRATED.
Abstract
SEVEN TEAMS OF STUDENTS FROM A BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION CLASS, ALL OF WHOM HAD VOLUNTEERED TO OBSERVE AND RECORD THE INHOME AND INSCHOOL BEHAVIOR OF CLIENTS OF A COMMUNITY-BASED BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PROGRAM, WERE ASSIGNED TO THREE EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS. SOME RECEIVED ONLY VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM THEIR TEAM CAPTAINS AS TO THE BASIC AND SUPPLEMENTARY BEHAVIORS EXPECTED OF THEM AS VOLUNTEER OBSERVERS. OTHERS WERE TOLD THAT JOB BEHAVIOR WOULD BE MONITORED BY TEAM CAPTAINS, THAT EACH BEHAVIOR HAD BEEN ASSIGNED A POINT VALUE, AND THAT A PERFORMANCE GRAPH ON EACH TEAM MEMBER WOULD BE POSTED WEEKLY. ONE OF THE 'POINT SYSTEM' TEAMS WAS ALSO GIVEN A CLASSROOM GRADE INCENTIVE TO PERFORM WELL ON THE JOB. THE JOB BEHAVIORS OF ALL 27 VOLUNTEERS WERE MONITORED WEEKLY. THE PUBLIC DISPLAY OF PERFORMANCE GRAPHS PRODUCED JOB BEHAVIOR SUPERIOR TO THAT PRODUCED BY INSTRUCTION ALONE. ADDITION OF THE GRADE INCENTIVE PRODUCED PERFORMANCE THAT WAS BETTER THAN THAT PRODUCED IN EITHER THE POINT SYSTEM OR INSTRUCTION CONDITION. THE EXPERIMENT ALSO DEMONSTRATED THE ADVANTAGES OF USING COLLEGE STUDENTS AS PARAPROFESSIONALS IN NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS, WHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO SUBSTITUTE IN SOME CAPACITIES FOR THE PROFESSIONALS INDIGENOUS TO THOSE ENVIRONMENTS (TEACHERS, PAROLE OFFICERS, NURSES, DAYCARE WORKERS, ETC.). A LIST OF REFERENCES AND DOCUMENTS OF THE POINT SYSTEM ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)