Behavior Alteration Techniques Research Articles

ELLEN G. WHITE PERSPECTIVE ON POLITICS AMONG SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST LEADERS

ELLEN G. WHITE PERSPECTIVE ON POLITICS AMONG SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST LEADERS

Because I'm the Teacher and I Said So: GTA Use of Behavior Alteration Techniques to Establish Power and Credibility in the College Classroom

This study investigates how graduate teaching assistants' (GTA) use of behavior alteration techniques (BATs) in class influences students' perceptions of their power and credibility. GTAs employ BATs through specific, strategic messages in their classes (Roach, 1991); what is not known is how these messages impact students' perceptions of credibility and power. Results indicate GTAs should be more concerned with establishing credibility via BATs, rather than focusing on power. Recommended BATs are those that communicate trustworthiness and caring. Utilizing a relational power and instructional influence theoretical lens (Mottet, Frymier, & Beebe, 2006), results further demonstrate the damaging effects of gaining compliance via antisocial BATs.

Student Antisocial Compliance-Gaining as a Function of Instructor Aggressive Communication and Classroom Justice

This study investigated students’ perceptions of their instructors’ argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness, classroom justice, and effectiveness of and likelihood of communicating student antisocial behavior alteration techniques (BATs). Results indicate that student perceptions of instructor argumentativeness were not related to their perceptions of the effectiveness of or likelihood of communicating antisocial BATs, or to their perceptions of classroom justice. In contrast, student perceptions of instructor verbal aggressiveness were positively related to their perceptions of the effectiveness and likelihood of communicating virtually all the antisocial BATs and negatively related to all three types of fairness. Finally, classroom justice mediated the relationships between instructor verbal aggressiveness and antisocial BAT effectiveness and likelihood of use, but did not mediate the relationship between instructor argumentativeness and antisocial BATs.

Student Use of Relational and Influence Messages in Response to Perceived Instructor Power Use in American and Chinese College Classrooms

The purpose of this study was to examine a theoretical model explaining the influence of instructor power (i.e., coercive, reward, legitimate, expert, referent) on students' relational and social influence communication behaviors (i.e., student affinity-seeking strategies, student behavior alteration techniques) across two cultures. Participants were 445 undergraduate students from the U.S. (n=265) and China (n=180). Results of structural equation modeling revealed that perceived instructor referent and expert power had indirect effects (mediated by student communication satisfaction), and perceived instructor reward power had a direct effect, on both student affinity-seeking strategies and student behavioral alteration techniques in the U.S. In China, perceived instructor referent and legitimate power had indirect effects (mediated by student communication satisfaction) on both student affinity-seeking and student behavioral alteration techniques, whereas perceived instructor expert and legitimate power had direct effects on student behavioral alteration techniques.

An Exploration of College Instructors' Use of Classroom Justice, Power, and Behavior Alteration Techniques

A growing body of research indicates that classroom justice concerns are important to students. When students perceive their instructors are not concerned about justice, they report a host of negative outcomes. Due to the importance of justice assigned to students, the present study sought to understand how instructors view justice. Results indicated that college instructors view interactional justice as the most important fairness component. Their use of power and antisocial behavior alteration techniques (BATs) plays a role in these fairness judgments, accounting for a significant amount of variance in procedural and interactional justice. However, power and antisocial BATs use appear to play little role in instructors' concerns over distributive justice. Results, limitations, and future research are discussed.

When in Rome, Do as the Romans Do: A Comparative Analysis of Chinese and American New Teachers' Compliance-Gaining Strategies

This study extends the compliance-gaining literature by comparing the behavior alteration techniques (BATs) used by new Chinese and American teaching associates. Students in an American institution reported their perceptions of teacher compliance-gaining behaviors using items from the Kearney et al. (1984) and Lu (1997) instruments developed from Chinese instructor BAT use in Chinese classrooms. Students reported that both American and Chinese teachers used strategies from both instruments. Moreover, no significant differences were revealed between students' perception of Chinese and American instructors with regard to frequency of BAT use as defined by the two typologies. Hence, new Chinese instructors appear to adapt successfully to United States classrooms with regard to compliance-gaining strategy use.

The relationship between student interest and teacher's use of behavior alteration techniques

Two hundred and nine college students completed surveys that pertained to their perceptions of teacher behaviors (BATs) and their level of interest. Interest was measured using the Frymier, Shulman, and Houser (1996) Learner Empowerment Scale. Not only do the results indicate that pro‐social teacher behaviors are related to increased levels of student interest, but results show that different teacher behaviors are differentially related to the separate dimensions of interest. This supports earlier assertions by Weber, Martin and Patterson (2001) that interest is a multifaceted construct providing teachers with different avenues to influence their students’ affective responses.

The relationships among instructors’ antisocial behavior alteration techniques and student resistance

This study examined the relationships between instructors’ use of antisocial behavior alteration techniques (BATs) and students’ use of teacher‐owned resistance strategies. College students (N = 190) completed questionnaires assessing their perceptions of their instructor's communication and their own behaviors in the classroom. Results of a canonical correlation suggest that a combination of higher levels of instructor use of the punishment from teacher, punishment from others, guilt, negative relationship, legitimate teacher authority, and debt BATs corresponds with a combination of higher levels of student resistance through teacher advice, teacher blame, appeal to powerful others, and modeling teacher's affect.

Antisocial classroom communication: Instructor influence and interactional justice as predictors of student aggression

The present study investigated potentially destructive instructor and student communication. In particular, it examined the relationships between instructor use of antisocial behavior alteration techniques (BATs), student perceptions of instructor interactional justice, and students' likelihood of indirectly aggressing against their instructors. Results indicate that student perceptions of instructors' use of antisocial BATs and instructor interactional injustice predicted increased student indirect aggression. In addition, student perceptions of instructor antisocial BAT use and interactional justice were negatively correlated and interactional justice was a stronger predictor of student indirect aggression than was instructor antisocial BAT use.

Encouraging student involvement: An approach to teaching communication

Research demonstrates that students approach learning using the following strategies: (a) surface strategies (meeting requirements at a minimal level, usually through rote learning), (b) achieving strategies (striving to receive high grades, even if the subject is not of interest, by performing the activities typical of good students), or (c) deep strategies (working to develop competence and interest in the subject, such as trying to relate new knowledge to previous knowledge) (King, 1996). Most teachers would agree that the facilitation of meaningful, deep learning is the goal of instruction. How do we encourage our students to utilize deep learning strategies in the communication classroom? Deep learning is more likely in situations where students are highly involved and engaged in the learning process (Kember & Gow, 1994). In this article, I review Astin's theory of involvement and discuss the ways I use this theory to generate pedagogical practices designed to promote deep learning. ASTIN'S THEORY OF INVOLVEMENT Astin's (1984) theory of involvement posits that students learn more the more they are involved in both the and social aspects of the collegiate experience. Students who are involved devote significant energy to academics, spend time on campus, participate actively in student organizations and activities, and interact often with faculty. On the other hand, uninvolved students neglect their studies, spend little time on campus, abstain from extracurricular activities, and rarely initiate contact with faculty or other students (Astin, 1984). Importantly, the most persuasive types of involvement are academic involvement, involvement with faculty, and involvement with student peer groups (Astin, 1996, p. 126). This theory is consistent with student-centered teaching approaches in that the student plays an integral role in determining her or his own degree of involvement in various educational activities. According to Astin (1984), the quality and quantity of the student's involvement influences several educational outcomes including cognitive learning, satisfaction with the entire college experience, and increased rates of student retention (Astin, 1984, 1999). For a student to be deeply involved in the learning process, she or he must invest energy in relationships and activities. The amount of energy a student invests in these types of activities will vary based upon the student's interest, goals, and other commitments. Astin (1984) argues that instructors should use involvement theory to maximize student learning. To accomplish that goal, instructors must be aware of how motivated students are and how much time and energy they are devoting to the learning process. In the next section of this article, I explain the ways in which I use involvement theory to guide the pedagogical practices I employ in the classroom. Practical implications. There are several practical implications of Astin's theory of involvement. Chickering and Gamson (1987, 1991) offer the following pedagogical practices for facilitating student involvement and engagement: student-faculty contact, cooperation among students, active learning, prompt feedback, time on task, high instructor expectations for students, and respect for diverse talents and learning styles. Although I must admit that I have yet to master these practices, I use them as guiding principles in my teaching. In terms of student-faculty contact, communication educators have long known that this is a critical variable in the educational fortune of students. I attempt to foster that contact both within and outside of the classroom. I believe it is important that teachers do all they can to facilitate a supportive learning environment where the students feel comfortable to contribute to on-going discussions, debate competing points of view, and ask questions. Therefore, I get to know each of my students as individuals; I refer to them by their first names; I refrain from using intimidation, belittlement, or other anti-social behavior alteration techniques; I demonstrate my passion for the subject matter and teaching; and I challenge my students while offering the kind of support I think they need to be successful. …

Students’ use of power in the classroom: An investigation of student power, teacher power, and teacher immediacy

The purposes of this study were to examine: (1) students’ use of power to gain compliance from instructors, (2) the association between students’ use of power and their instructors’ power, and (3) students’ use of power and the nonverbal immediacy of the instructor. The results revealed that even though students did not feel they had a great amount of influence with their instructors, they used a variety of behavior alteration techniques (BATs) to gain compliance from them. Specifically, students reported using prosocial strategies most frequently and antisocial techniques least frequently. The results also revealed a positive association between students’ overall sense of power and their perception of their teachers’ power. Instructors’ use of reward power was also related to students’ use of prosocial BATs. Conversely, instructors’ use of coercive power was associated with students’ antisocial BATs. Finally, students tended to use expert power more with nonverbally immediate teachers than nonimmediate teachers. Students’ use of BATs did not depend upon the nonverbal immediacy of the instructor. The theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.

Explaining bias in teacher ratings of behavior alteration techniques: An experimental test of the heuristic processing account

The purpose of this study was to assess the heuristic processing account of likelihood‐of‐use ratings for message strategies, an account offered to explain the problematically high correlation between the rated likelihood of use of message items and the rated social appropriateness of those items. The heuristic processing explanation was tested by manipulating the conditions which evoke heuristic information processing. Respondents in a control group provided likelihood‐of‐use ratings to Kearney et al. ‘s checklist of Behavior Alteration Techniques under standard instructions while those in the experimental group rated messages under conditions intended to decrease heuristic information processing. The decreased heuristic processing treatment altered the pattern of respondents' likelihood‐of‐use ratings such that (a) the association between likelihood‐of‐use ratings and the perceived politeness of checklist items was significantly (p < .05) smaller in the experimental condition than the control condition, (b) respondents in the experimental condition endorsed fewer polite items than those in the control condition, and (c) respondents in the experimental condition endorsed more impolite items than those in the control condition. The implications of these results for the assessment and study of message behavior are discussed.

Culture and compliance gaining in the classroom: A preliminary investigation of Chinese college teachers' use of behavior alteration techniques

This study examined the use of behavior alteration techniques (BATs) to gain student compliance in the Chinese context. Chinese college teachers reported using most of the BATs that college teachers from the United States (U.S.) have been found to use; Chinese teachers use many BATs even more frequently. However, Chinese teachers communicate behavior alteration messages (BAMs) that differ from those used by their U.S. counterparts. While previous research with U.S. teachers shows a preference for reward‐based, prosocial BATs, Chinese teachers said they were more likely to use punishment‐oriented, antisocial BATs. Finally, analysis of interview data revealed that Chinese teachers' use of BATs and BAMs emphasized authority, morality and modeling. These themes are consistent with larger themes in Chinese culture and help to make sense of cultural variation in instructional communication behaviors.

An assessment of the discriminant validity of the checklist of behavior alteration techniques: A test of the item desirability bias in prospective and experienced teachers’ likelihood‐of‐use ratings

Abstract This study assessed the discriminant validity of the checklist of Behavior Alteration Techniques. Specifically, the ability of the BATs checklist procedure to discriminate between the likelihood that individual BATs would be selected and the social desirability of those same BATs was examined. The BATs checklist should discriminate between the likelihood that individual BATs would be selected and the social desirability of those same BATs because 50 years of observational studies of teacher discipline behavior suggest that teachers typically and routinely employ negative and antisocial strategies to correct student misbehavior (Burleson & Waltman, 1993). In a within‐subject, repeated measures designs, prospective teachers and experienced teachers provided likelihood‐of‐use and social appropriateness ratings to the BATs checklist in the four hypothetical situations typically employed with the BATs checklist. As predicted, likelihood‐of‐use and social appropriateness ratings were significantly corr...

An assessment of the convergent validity of the checklist of behavior alteration techniques: The association between teachers’ likelihood‐of‐use ratings and informants’ frequency‐of‐use ratings

Abstract An important area of applied communication research is teachers’ use of classroom discipline and management strategies which have become known as Behavior Alteration Techniques (BATs). The instrument commonly used to measure teachers’ use of BATs is the checklist of Behavior Alteration Techniques. The purpose of the present research was to assess the convergent validity of the checklist of Behavior Alteration Techniques. Thus, this research attempted to assess the extent to which teachers’ likelihood‐of‐use ratings converge with other measures of teacher BAT use. It was hypothesized that the correlation between students’ and student teachers’ ratings of the frequency of teacher BAT use would be significantly higher than the correlation of either index with teachers’ likelihood‐of‐use ratings. This hypothesis was not supported: The BATs checklist did not fail this test of convergent validity. However, the results do not support the claim that the BATs checklist passed this test of convergent validity. Explanations for these results are offered and their implications are discussed. In brief, the present results suggest important considerations in the study of this important area of applied communication.

Graduate teaching assistants' use of behavior alteration techniques in the university classroom

This study addressed graduate teaching assistants' use of Behavior Alteration Techniques (BATs) in the university courses they teach. Analyses included an examination of how BAT use impacts student affective learning and a comparison of these findings with professorial BAT use/influence. Results indicated that BAT use is significantly related to student affective learning for graduate teaching assistants and for professors. Discriminant analysis revealed that high/low affective learning can be reliably predicted by BAT use.

Communication in the classroom: Power and motivation

The goal of the present study was to determine which power bases and Behavior Alteration Techniques have positive, negative, and no association with student motivation toward studying course content. In addition, teacher immediacy and teacher use of affinity‐seeking techniques were examined for their potential to off‐set possible negative effects on student motivation resulting from teachers’ use of power and BATs to control mundane student behaviors in the classroom. To replicate previous work and place this study within the context of that work, both cognitive and affective learning also were examined. Results are summarized in the context of this and the previous studies in this series.

The relationship between physicians’ use of power stategies and type a orientation in physician‐patient communication

Employing a two sample design, this study examined the relationship between physicians’ use of Behavior Alteration Techniques (BATs) and physicians’ type‐A orientation. Patient and physician respondents reported selection of antisocial BATs was a significant predictor of type‐A physicians.

Evaluators' perceptions of teachers' use of behavior alteration techniques

Research on teachers' communication of power in the classroom has focused on message based strategies that teachers and students perceive to influence students to engage in on‐task behaviors. The present study sought to determine which of these message based strategies evaluators of teachers perceive are commonly used by good, average, and poor teachers. This study also sought to determine if the strategies that evaluators find commonly used by teachers are similar to those reported by teachers and students.

Experienced and prospective teachers' selections of compliance‐gaining messages for “common” student misbehaviors

Research has examined either prospective or experienced teachers’ reported use of Behavior Alteration Techniques (BATs). In extension, this study differentiates between both preteachers’ and experienced teachers’ cognitive schemes for classroom management. Respondents selected those strategies they would use to gain student compliance in misbehavior scenarios reflecting misbehavior type (active/passive) and intensity (frequent/occasional). Employing pro and antisocial BAT factors as criterion variables, four significant multivariate effects resulted. Experienced teachers reported using more pro and antisocial strategies than did prospective teachers. Both relied on antisocial techniques for active misbehaviors and pro social for passive; both pro and antisocial for frequent, as opposed to occasional, misbehaviors; and males were associated with more antisocial techniques. Implications are discussed in terms of design alternatives to the standard selectionist approach.