Nora Rangel

Effects of differential and shared consequences on choice between individual and social contingencies

Four studies evaluated the effects of shared and differential earnings on the choice between individual and partial-altruism contingencies. The experimental situation consisted of solving a puzzle on two synchronized computer screens. Thirty two college students were assigned to sixteen dyads, four in each experiment. Experiment 1 compared differential to non-differential exchange of points. Experiment 2 compared individual to shared administration of points under non-differential exchange. In Experiment 3, conditions were the same as in Experiment 2, but with differential exchange of points. Experiment 4 was like Experiment 3, but participants were located in separate rooms. Results showed that most dyads preferred to respond to the social contingency in which both participants were affected. However, sharing and differential exchange of earnings did not seem to affect choice. Verbal agreements within dyads, prior to solving the task, seem to be the common factor accounting for choice of the social contingency. Results are discussed in terms of the relationship between language and social behavior.

A Comparison of Choice Between Individual and Shared Social Contingencies in Children and Young Adults

A study was run in order to evaluate the preference for individual or social contingencies under different social exchange situations. Twenty four dyads of children and of college students solved a visual puzzle on a computer screen. In the experimental conditions each subject in every dyad could track the performance of his/her peer and also place pieces in the peer´s puzzle. Dyads were exposed to two sequences of experimental conditions comprising competition, partial altruism, total altruism, and forced cooperation and sharing. In all these conditions subjects could choose to solve their puzzle individually instead of working additionally on the peer´s puzzle. Results show that most subjects chose to solve the puzzle individually; initial exposition to the forced cooperation and sharing condition did not promote shared performance.

Choice between individual and shared social contingencies in children: An experimental replication in a natural setting

A study evaluated in a natural setting the preference for individual versus social contingencies under different social exchange conditions. Twelve children were distributed in six dyads. Children had to solve a puzzle placed on the same table for each child in a dyad. In the experimental conditions each subject in every dyad could also place pieces in the peer’s puzzle. Dyads were exposed to two sequences of experimental conditions comprising competition, partial altruism, and total altruism. In all these conditions subjects could choose to solve their puzzle individually instead of working additionally on the peer’s puzzle. Results show that most subjects chose to solve the puzzle individually, even when they obtained less earnings.

Reciprocity of Responding as a Determinant of Partial-altruistic Behavior in Humans

An experiment evaluated the effects of reciprocal behavior by a confederate on the partial-altruistic behavior of a peer under concurrent individual and social contingencies. The experimental situation consisted of solving a puzzle on two synchronized computer screens. Eight female university students were assigned to 8 dyads (with a confederate), divided in two groups of four dyads each. All dyads were exposed to successive experimental phases in which the percentage of reciprocal behavior by the confederate varied from 0 to 25, 50, 75 and 100%. The differences between both groups was that one was exposed to increasing percentages of reciprocal behavior by the confederate, whereas the other was exposed to decreasing percentages. Participants showed partial altruism as a function of the proportion of reciprocal behaviors by the confederates. Results are discussed in terms of two kinds of reciprocity and the role of situational and verbal factors.

Verbal and Non-verbal Induction of Reciprocity in a Partial-altruism Social Interaction

Two studies evaluated the induction of partial altruism through reciprocity behavior and verbal statements anticipating choices under concurrent individual and social contingencies. The experimental situation consisted of solving a puzzle on two synchronized computer screens. Twenty four college students were assigned to 12 dyads, six in each experiment. Experiment 1 compared the induction of partial altruistic behavior in participants as an effect of consistent reciprocal and indifferent behavior of a confederate. Experiment 2 compared the effects of verbal statements anticipating choices under reciprocity and indifferent conditions or in standard partial altruism situation. Results of experiments showed that both reciprocal behavior by the confederate, and the verbal anticipation of responses induced partial altruistic behavior in participants. However, verbal anticipation resulted in more enduring effects than reciprocal behavior by a confederate. Results are discussed in terms of situational versus linguistic control of altruistic behavior.

Establishing Effective Software Development Teams: An Exploratory Model

Nowadays software represents an important piece to support a wide diversity of industrial needs in different domains. However, software development is not always a successful task, mainly for human related reasons. A problem that deeply affects small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly when they invest in software process improvement or to get high performance technology. The development of software is teamwork; unfortunately, not all teams manage themselves to achieve an effective performance. This paper aims to show a proposal of a model to integrate highly effective teams for software development. The proposed model focuses on three factors: skills, interactive styles and knowledge; with an innovative way to integrate teams by avoiding the use of traditional questionnaires. The paper includes both the background for this research and a global view of the model fundamentals. A discussion of the components of the model is also included.

Partial-altruistic interactions as a function of reciprocity induction and written declarations

ABSTRACT Two studies were conducted to systematically evaluate the effects of induced reciprocity by a confederate and written declarations about anticipated responding in the task on partial-altruistic interactions. The experimental situation consisted of solving puzzles on two synchronized computer screens. Sixteen college students were assigned to 16 dyads (one participant and one confederate), eight in each experiment. All dyads were exposed to successive experimental conditions in which the percentage of pieces placed in the participant’s puzzle by the confederate varied from 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% to 100%. Half of the dyads were exposed to an increasing order of percentages and the other half to a decreasing order. In Experiment 1, the effects of time-restricted induction of reciprocal behavior by a confederate were analyzed, implementing a response alternation procedure, on partial-altruistic behavior of the participant in the dyad. In Experiment 2, the effects of the interaction between reciprocal responding and written declarations anticipating the participant’s responses in the same partial-altruistic situation were compared. Participants showed partial-altruistic behavior as a function of the percentage of pieces placed by the confederates in remote puzzle. Results are discussed in terms of the kinds of reciprocity involved in all social exchange relations and the role of situational and verbal factors.

Building High Effectives Teams Using a Virtual Environment

The increasing need of effective teams is a reality. And software development organizations are not the exception, because nowadays, most software is developed by teams. An important factor of a team is to achieve an adequate integration of its members, strongly linked to the team cohesion and performance. It is essential to integrate reinforced teams according to its members’ abilities, knowledge and interactive styles. This paper provides a proposal for identifying team roles using a virtual environment and the idea of the Rube Goldberg machine. A first step implemented from this proposal provided goods results in the selection of adequate roles for integrating a more effective team.

A Model to Integrate Highly Effective Teams for Software Development

Software development is not always a successful task, mainly for human related reasons. This situation highlights the importance of focusing on the human factor to help organizations in reducing the risk of failure due to this factor. As a solution, this paper presents a model that aims to help organizations in the integration of highly effective teams for software development, based on three factors: skills, interactive styles and knowledge. The paper includes the development of the model steps and the proposal of an environment we are developing to implement the model using gamification so that it will present an attractive way to integrate the teams.

Team Members’ Interactive Styles Involved in the Software Development Process

In the process of software development, the importance of a team is unquestionable. Beside the team members’ technical knowledge and their skills, the interaction among them is a relevant factor that could affect their efficiency. According to the Team Software ProcessSM methodology, the phases of the software process and the activities of each team member, involve a multiplicity of situations with different interaction requirements. The objective of this work is to identify the interactive styles relevant to the phases and roles of the team members, through gamification techniques. After that, we would explore how the integration of these individuals with particular interactive styles, will conjointly face the software development process.