Use Of Behavior Alteration Techniques Research Articles

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Situational and Individual Determinants of Teachers' Reported Use of Behavior Alteration Techniques

Tying together principles applicable to compliance-gaining from both interpersonal and instructional communication theory and research, this investigation focused on situational and individual difference determinants of teachers’ strategy selection in the classroom. Specifically, this study required teachers to focus on student misbehavior scenarios that reflected the situational determinants of misbehavior type (active/passive) and intensity (moderate/severe). Results indicated that teachers’ compliance-gaining message selection was influenced substantially by misbehavior type, and to a lesser extent, misbehavior intensity. Assessments of teachers’ and students’ gender confirmed stereotypic differences for male and female teachers’ reported technique use, but no student gender effect was obtained. These findings are compared with those obtained with prospective teachers (Plax, Kearney, & Tucker, 1986). Results are discussed in terms of cognitive scheme development for classroom management.

Locus of control and personal constructs in students’ reactions to teacher compliance attempts: A reassessment

This study reassessed the conceptual basis, analysis, and interpretation of a recent study by Stewart, Kearney, and Plax (1985). Based on implicit personality theory, the personal constructs of internally and externally oriented students were thought to differ. These constructs were expected to engender different perceptions of teachers’ use of behavior alteration techniques (BATs) in the classroom. Students with an external locus of control perceived more frequent BAT use by teachers than did internally oriented students. Moreover, perceptions by externally oriented students deviated from the norm (moderates’ perceptions) more frequently than did the perceptions by internally oriented students.

Power in the classroom VII: Linking behavior alteration techniques to cognitive learning

The present investigation examined the relationship between use of Behavior Alteration Techniques (BATs) and student perceived cognitive learning in college classes. Arguing that BATs serve to gain student on‐task compliance which, in turn, is consistently associated with achievement, results indicated a substantial relationship between BAT use and cognitive learning on both absolute and relative measures of achievement. Supplementary analyses further indicated that students perceived “good”; teachers employing more of the BATs positively associated with learning, while “poor”; teachers employed more of the BATs negatively associated with learning. Relatively small differences in teacher BAT use were noted for courses in students’ major area of study versus those courses outside their major. Discussion centers on those BATs recommended for use which are associated with higher cognitive learning and which do not, simultaneously reduce students’ affect.

Communicating control in the classroom and satisfaction with teaching and students

This investigation reports the findings of two studies designed to explore the relationship between the use of Behavior Alteration Techniques (BATs) in the classroom and teacher satisfaction toward their profession and students. Results indicated that BAT use was a significant predictor of satisfaction for teachers at all levels of instruction. Specifically, elementary and secondary teachers’ (Study 1 ) use of primarily antisocial BATs was shown to be negatively related to their satisfaction, whereas the use of primarily prosocial BATs was unrelated to satisfaction. In contrast, college teachers’ (Study 2) use of prosocial BATs was positively associated with their satisfaction, but antisocial BAT use was unrelated. Interpretation of findings and discussion of differences were based on an analysis of the managerial demands and techniques available to teachers of younger students versus teachers of more adult‐learners.

Prospective teachers’ use of behavior alteration techniques on common student misbehaviors

Pertinent to recommendations for communication training in teacher preparation, this study investigated prospective teachers’ intended use of communication control strategies in managing student misbehaviors. After formulating a typology of common student misbehavior types (active/passive) and intensity (moderate/severe), prospective teachers were asked to project their use of behavior alteration techniques in four separate scenarios. Results indicated that inexperienced teachers are likely to employ the same two strategies across all four scenarios, regardless of misbehavior type or intensity. Findings are discussed in terms of teacher training in classroom management.

Power in the classroom V: Behavior alteration techniques, communication training and learning

This study examined the relationship between differential use of Behavior Alteration Techniques (BATs) by teachers trained or untrained in communication in instruction and learning of students of varying quality levels. Results indicated that increased use of Immediate Reward from Behavior, Deferred Reward from Behavior, Self‐Esteem, and Teacher Feedback as well as decreased use of Punishment from Teacher, Legitimate‐Teacher Authority, Debt, Responsibility to Class, and Peer Modeling were associated with increased student learning. Results also indicated that appropriate training in communication in instruction may lead to more appropriate choices of BAT usage and increased student learning. The results of this investigation were found to be generally consistent with previous studies in this series.

POWER STRATEGIES IN ORGANIZATIONS.

Two studies examined subordinate perceptions fo their own and their supervisors' use of behavior alteration techniques and the relationships between such use and subordinate satisfaction. The results indicated that subordinates seldom use most of the techniques in their interactions with their supervisors, but when they do they favor use of Expert and Self-Esteem approaches. Supervisors were found to use most frequently the techniques labeled Expert, Self-Esteem, Reward from Behavior, Legitimate-Higher Authority, and Personal Responsibility. Strong, positive relationships between supervisor and subordinate use of the individual techniques studied were obtained, suggesting a possible modeling effect within the organization. Almost all of the significant correlations between use of individual techniques and subordinate satisfaction with supervision were negative, suggesting the possibility that increased attempts at behavioral alteration stem from subordinate dissatisfaction or lead to that dissatisfaction.

Pupil Control Ideology and Organizational Socialization: A Further Examination of the Influence of Experience on the Beginning Teacher

The primary reference employed in this paper is to view schools as social organizations. Such a perspective calls attention to the structure of the social relations in the school as well as to norms, values, and other orientations shared by school personnel. The present study builds upon earlier research in which pupil control was seen as a central feature of the organizational life of schools.2 A major concern was the socialization of teachers with regard to pupil control ideology. It was hypothesized that as teachers were absorbed into the teacher subculture their pupil control ideology would become more custodial. Cross-sectional data confirmed the prediction that more experienced teachers would be more custodial than less experienced teachers.3 Subsequent longitudinal data on a sample of beginning teachers also showed a significant increase in the custodialism of pupil control ideology both after the student teaching experience and again after the first year of teaching.4 The purpose of this inquiry is to reexamine the pupil control ideology of the same sample of beginning teachers as they acquired their second year of teaching experience. Before the empirical phase of this investigation is reported, it seems appropriate to review the conceptual framework and rationale from which the major hypothesis was developed.

The Influence of Experience on the Beginning Teacher

The Influence of Experience on the Beginning Teacher