David C. Rimm

Group-assertive training in treatment of expression of inappropriate anger.

Male volunteers reporting a history of expressing anger in an inappropriate or antisocial manner were assigned to an assertive training group or to a placebo group. Assertive training, conducted over a total of 8 hr., consisted primarily of behavior rehearsal, i.e., role-playing anger-inducing situations. On objective measures of assertion and comfort, 7 Ss in the assertive condition showed significantly greater improvement than the 6 controls. Subjective measures of discomfort and anger showed significantly greater improvement for assertive Ss than for the controls, although a significant treatment effect was not observed for self-rated confidence. Results for a global assertive inventory, while in the predicted direction, were not significant. A measure relating to internal versus external control did not yield a treatment effect. Thus, consistent with previous findings, the effects of assertive training were highly situation-specific. These results support the value of group-assertive training. They also suggest that assertive training may provide an effective means for dealing with anger which typically leads to anti-social aggression.

Assertive training versus rehearsal and the importance of making an assertive response

Abstract This study dealt with whether mere practice would enhance assertion, and whether assertive training would reduce negative effect in simulated target situations, even when subjects (Ss) made no overt response. Males reporting difficulty with authority figures received either rehearsal alone or the complete assertive training package; in a subsequent behavioral test half in each group were told to make a response, with the remainder instructed to remain silent. Objective ratings revealed marked improvement following assertive training, while the effects of practice alone were negligible. For Ss receiving assertive training, reduction in selfreported negative affect in the target situations appeared to be independent of whether or not they engaged in overt verbalization, suggesting that assertive training, per se may enhance feelings of well-being.

SEX OF MODEL AND SEX OF SUBJECT IN REDUCTION OF SNAKE AVOIDANCE

The effects of sex of experimenter on approach to a snake were assessed in both modeling and non-modeling conditions. Subjects were selected on the basis of a pretest in which they indicated that they would never pick up a harmless snake depicted on one of eight color slides of animals. 72 subjects (36 males and 36 females) served in one of 8 groups (4 groups of males and 4 groups of females). Each group of 9 subjects served in one of the following conditions: (a) a non-modeling condition with the same sex experimenter, (b) a non-modeling condition with an opposite sex experimenter, (c) a modeling condition with the same sex experimenter, and (d) a modeling condition with an opposite sex experimenter. All experimenters were selected to be attractive. Analysis of variance for scores on a 19-step sequence of approach yielded a significant interaction of sex of experimenter by sex of subject (F = 4.18, df = 1/64, p < .05). All other comparisons were non-significant. Results indicate that an attractive experimenter of the opposite sex increases approaching a snake particularly by male subjects.

The relative efficacy of thought-stopping and covert assertion

The relative efficacy of Rimms (1973) thought-stopping and covert assertion, thought-stopping alone, covert assertion alone and a placebo control was tested. All three experimental treatments were predicted to be superior to the control and differences among the experimental treatments were expected. Thirty-six volunteers with a strong fear of harmless snakes were given one of the four treatments. Results demonstrated the efficacy of the combined treatment, as had been shown in previous research, but also demonstrated the efficacy of the individual components alone. Scheffee Planned Comparisons at the post test and four week follow-up indicated that the three experimental groups were superior to the control on the three self-report and behavioral tests of fear of snakes (p < 0.01 for each) but not on a test of fears in general. Scheffee Post Hoc Comparisons showed no significant differences between the experimental groups. The possible overlapping functions of the components are discussed.

The effects of differing forms of blank feedback on response repetition in paired-associate learning*

The present investigation compared four conditions of blank feedback on response repetition in a paired-associate learning task. In no case was S given feedback of any kind. In one condition S was not told there would be no feedback; in a second condition S was so informed. In a third condition E was out of the room while S performed the task. In a fourth condition S was told there were no correct answers. Consistent with previous findings, Ss showed a very marked tendency to repeat, given blank feedback. However, the effect of the way in which blank was administered did not approach significance. The findings argue against the view that, when Ss repeat following blank feedback, it is because they interpret blank as a confirmation of their response (i.e., the “silence gives consent” hypothesis, Spence, 1970); the findings support Buchwald’s (1969) hypothesis that Ss treat blank as if it were devoid of information value.