The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential effectiveness of assertive training as a mode of intervention for altering college students' perceptions of the locus of control of reinforcement. Effects of sex and sex and treatment interaction on perceptions of internal-external control were also studied.One measure of the control construct as a personality variable is the Rotter I-E scale. This instrument may be used to distribute individuals along a continuum with regard to whether they perceive themselves as possessing or lacking control over what happens to them and the degree to which they accept responsibility for their behavior and life experiences. The end points of this continuum are labeled internal and external control orientations. Internally oriented individuals perceive reinforcements as contingent upon their personal behavior. Both positive and negative life experiences are, therefore, believed to be consequences of one's actions. On the other end of the continuum are individuals who are externally oriented. These individuals perceive reinforcements to be unrelated to their personal behavior and, therefore, beyond personal control and responsibility. Measures of the control construct have been shown to correlate with some consistency with indices of anxiety and adjustment. Internals appeared to have less debilitating anxiety and to be better adjusted according to selected measures of adjustment. In addition, these individuals tended to describe themselves in more positive terms on self-report inventories than did externals.Researchers in the area of assertive training have reported that no relationship between assertive behavior and control orientation has. been found. The intent of this study was to focus upon that aspect of assertive training which stresses the importance of increasing individuals' behavioral repertoires so that they have a choice about how they behave. It was hypothesized that an emphasis upon the element of choice, and the resultant importance of accepting personal responsibility for that choice, would affect alterations in perceptions of locus of control.Sixty-two undergraduate college students enrolled in either of two sections on Human Growth and Development at a Midwest university were the population for the research. The final sample of 62 students completed the Rotter I-E scale and were randomly assigned within their section to either an assertive training or treatment control group. Two treatment and two treatment control groups resulted. The treatment control groups met during the same time period as the respective assertive training group for the purpose of class-related film-discussions. All groups met for six consecutive weeks during the time regularly scheduled for the section. In the seventh week, the Rotter I-E scale was readministered to all subjects.An analysis of covariance, using pretest scores on the Rotter I-E scale as the covariate, was conducted to determine the effects of treatment, sex, and treatment and sex interaction on perception of locus of control as measured by adjusted posttest scores on the I-E scale. Based upon this analysis, the researcher reached the following conclusions:1. Assertive training had no significant effect upon undergraduate college students' perceptions of internal versus external locus of control.2. Sex had no significant effect upon undergraduate college students' perceptions of internal versus external locus of control.3. Interaction of treatment and sex had no significant effect upon undergraduate college students' perceptions of internal versus external locus of control.

The purpose of this study was the investigation of the effects of instructional sets and modeling on oppositional assertion while statistically controlling assertive predispositions by means of a multivariate analysis of covariance. Scores on the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS) were used as the covariate and ratings of two components of oppositional assertion, compliance content and global assertiveness, were the dependent variables. Additional measures were taken using the whole IRAS scores and the Poland Factor 1 (PF'1) "Oppositional Assertion" scores of the RAS in a repeated measures ANOVA design.All subjects in this study were female undergraduate students of Ball State University. The treatment of the, subjects was as follows: The entire potential subject pool (students taking an introductory general psychology course in the Department of General and Experimental Psychology, Ball State University, Spring Quarter, 1976) was administered the RAS being given no information regarding the purpose of this task. The RAS protocols of the male students were removed while those from the female students were retained. Three weeks later a female confederate recruited female subjects for "an experiment on women." These subjects were then randomly assigned to one of the three treatment conditions, videotaped assertive modeling alone, modeling with behavioral instructions focusing on the known components of assertiveness, or modeling with instructions focusing on the psychoanalytic constructs of ego autonomy. A no modeling control treatment could not be included because of subject and design problems. The effects of pure modeling effects can be inferred by use of the PF 1 of the RAS. Each subject was individually shown the Training Film and immediately afterwards was given a series of ten videotaped test situations to which she was to respond. These responses were recorded on audiotape andgiven to three judges for rating. Subjects were then asked to complete a RAS and a general nonempirical questionnaire, and were then debriefed by the experimenter.Three raters were trained by the experimenter and each heard and evaluated every tape. Three-way interjudge reliability was very high with r = .882 for compliance and r = .798 for global assertion. These ratings were summed and entered in the MANCOVA design.Results of the data analysis revealed surprising outcomes. The RAS did not covary significantly with the dependent behavioral variables. With the possibility of covariate analysis obviated; a MANOVA was performed using the remaining behavioral data. No F2 value exceeded 1.00 indicating no behavioral difference between the treatments. There was also no significant difference between the pre- and post-test scores of the full RAS. Significant results were obtained using PF 1 of the RAS. The treatment incorporating psychoanalytic constructs in the instructions showed the greatest magnitude of increased oppositional assertion (t = 5.38, p_<.001).' The group with behavioral instructions also increased significantly (t = 2.77, P_<-05) while the group receiving modeling alone did not significantly improve (t = 0.06, P_>.05), Additional post hoc analysis indicated that the randomization had failed to control. all variables. The behavioral group was significantly different from the modeling-only group (C = 1.76, p_ .001) at pre-test, with no significant differences in the other comparisons. On post-test both the behavioral and the psychoanalytic groups here significantly (t = 6.96, P <.001; t =7.03, p <.001) different from the modeling only group but not from each other.The conclusions were made that the multivariate approaches had failed to reveal significant changes because of severe (>33%) subject attrition (N after attrition = 39). The significant findings using PF 1 of the RAS were seen as evidence that the treatments had been effective in modifying assertion, with the treatment including psychoanalytic constructs perhaps being more effective. No generalization to other forms of assertiveness was seen.The recommendation was made for additional research on inter-theoretical application of assertion training. The possibility of salutory therapeutic effects resulting from combining behavioral and intra-psychic insight approaches was suggested.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Florida, 1982. / Description based on print version record. Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 77-85).

Thesis--Wisconsin. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 121-128).

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-105).

In recent years, assertion training programs have become increasingly more popular and widespread. The value of this type of intervention has been demonstrated in the treatment of both clinical and nonclinical populations (cf. Wienman, Gelbart, Wallace and Post, 1972; Bloomfield, 1 973; Alberti and Emmons, 1 978). In response to the growing awareness of the importance of asserti veness in successful daily functioning, several measures of this characteristic have been developed (cf. McFall and Lillesand, 1971; Rathus, 1973). Most of these measures are self report questionnaires requiring written responses. For example, the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule consists of 30 statements and the subject is asked to indicate how characteristic each one is of her typical behavior. A global score reflecting one's degree of assertive behavior is then derived.

No description available.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effects of Assertiveness Training upon female college students who had been described as aggressive or assertive. Another purpose was to determine whether the sex of the trainer would influence the effects of Assertiveness Training.All subjects were female undergraduate students enrolled in courses at Ball State University. The sample was selected on the basis of the score obtained on the Dominance/Submissiveness (E) Scale of the 16 Personality Factor Test. The entire Personality Profile was administered, however, the 13 items identified as contributors to the (E) Scale were chosen to select subjects. Females attaining a raw score within the range of 11-26 were defiled as Aggressive and designated as Level I. Females attaining a raw score within the range of 7-10 were defined as assertive and designated as Level II.The test was administered to 200 females who had been solicited from residence halls and various classes. Of the 169 females who scored within the required range, 111 stated they would participate in the group experience.Subjects in both Levels I and II were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group, and were further randomly assigned to a male or a female trainer. The experimental, Assertiveness Training, group received the training procedures of Lange and Jakubowski (1976). The control group received a neutral group experience. Both Levels I and II met for a total of eight hours, which were divided into three sessions occurring over a one week period. The first session was two hours long and the two remaining sessions were three hours long.Upon completion of the third and final session, the 16 Personality Factor Test was readministered. Of the 111 potential subjects, 39 or 35%, 26 in Level I and 13 in Level II, attended the three sessions and were readministered the posttest procedure. Data obtained from these posttest scores were utilized in the statistical analyses of this study.A 2x2x2 factorial design was utilized in the study. The three factors, sex of the trainer, dominance level, and treatment, had fixed levels with the sex factor utilized as a block. A univariate analysis of variance (ANOV ) was performed on the 16 Personality Factor (J') Scale using posttest scores. A priori specified hypotheses were tested using t test statistics, which were computed using the error mean square (ANOVA). The .05 level of statistical significance, with 3'y4 degrees of freedom, was considered necessary for rejection of the four null hypotheses.The following are conclusions drawn from this study: 1. Assertiveness Training had no significant effect upon the aggressiveness of female college students.2. Assertiveness Training had no significant effect upon the assertiveness of female college students.3. Assertiveness Training had no significant effect upon the aggressiveness of female college students as a result of the sex of the trainer.4. Assertiveness Training had no significant effect upon the assertiveness of female college students are a result of the sex of the trainer.Tentative conclusions drawn from the demographic data are: 1. Sex of trainer had no significant effect on the withdrawal rate of subjects.2. Assertiveness Training had no significant effect on the withdrawal of subjects. 3. The E Scale of the 16 Personality Factor Test may measure variables other than Dominance/Submissiveness.

No description available.

No description available.