Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2005. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 105 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-74).

Thesis (M.A.)--West Virginia University, 2000. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 86 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 49-54).

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A choice paradigm was used to evaluate allocation of interlocking behavior of two groups of two participants between responses having operant consequences only and responses having cultural consequences. In a discrete trial BABABAB design, each participant could select one of three options, which delivered either 3 or 5 points. In B (cultural consequence) conditions, two of the options had additional effects: the 3-point option also added 3 points to the other participant's earnings, and one of the 5-point options also subtracted 5 points from the other participant's earnings. The third option was unchanged in both conditions and delivered 5 points to the participant who selected it. Results indicated that participants in both groups initially frequently produced response combinations that earned 8 points for one or the other individual (and 0 or 3 points for the other), but allocation of responding increasingly changed to combinations that produced 6 points for each individual. This shift in performances away from maximum individual reinforcement towards maximum group reinforcement indicates cultural contingencies did not act in concert with operant contingencies, suggesting they are different mechanisms of selection.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether changes in physical space impacted preschool children's cooperative behavior. These changes in physical space included differentiated and undifferentiated ceiling height and wall color. This study used an experimental design with subjects experiencing four conditions each. The sample consisted of 30 preschool children across four different half-day preschool classes in a preschool laboratory on a university campus. Children were assigned to small groups of four children. Each group was comprised of two boys and two girls. The groups experienced each condition for five minutes each week over a four-week period. A multivariate repeated-measures analysis was used to determine whether the predictor variables: age, gender, and condition, were related to the outcome variable of cooperative behavior. There was a significant main effect for Condition on children's cooperative behavior. Post-hoc comparisons revealed the cooperative behavior scores of children in the condition with a differentiated ceiling and an undifferentiated wall color to be significantly higher than all other conditions. A polynomial contrast revealed a nonlinear relationship between the conditions. Additionally, older children were more cooperative than younger children. Boys were more cooperative than girls. In differentiated spaces, whether in ceiling height or in wall color, children's cooperative behavior scores increased. Physical spaces where ceiling height and wall color were both undifferentiated or differentiated appeared to depress children's cooperative behavior scores. The undifferentiated space may have not been stimulating enough to enhance children's cooperative behavior, while the space with both differentiation in the ceiling height and wall color may have been overstimulating for preschool children. Administrators and planners of children's play spaces must be aware of how overly simple or highly complex environments can negatively impact on children's development. / Graduation date: 1997

This research programme employed a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to address the question of the effects of cooperative learning on kindergarten children's perspective-taking ability and prosocial behaviour. / In an observational study, the kindergarten classes of two teachers who had the reputation for using small-group cooperative activities with their students were observed for one month at the beginning of the school year. Very few cooperative activities were employed during the observation period, making it impossible to determine the effects of engaging in such activities. An analysis of the qualitative observations elucidated techniques that these teachers used to create a smoothly functioning class. / A quasi-experimental study was conducted involving kindergarten students working for six weeks in either an individualistic or cooperative programme. Both qualitative and quantitative observations indicate that students who engaged in cooperative learning activities displayed a higher number of instances of prosocial behaviour than those in the individualistic programme. The results revealed that participation in the cooperative programme positively correlated with increases in affective perspective taking.

A sample of 55 female and 41 male university students (N = 96) enrolled in introductory psychology courses participated in a 2 by 2 (uncertainty by communication) factorial between-subjects ANCOVA design investigating the independent and joint effects of uncertainty and communication on cooperation rates in a simulated commons dilemma. Participants' self-efficacy and risk perceptions (pertaining to resource management) were also examined as covariates to investigate each of their relations to cooperation rates. Participants were randomly divided into groups of three and "fished" in a computer simulation of ocean fishing (FISH 3.1), and completed a short questionnaire. As predicted, the presence of group communication was associated with higher rates of cooperation; the presence of uncertainty was associated with lower cooperation rates; and higher levels of resource management self-efficacy were associated with higher cooperation rates. The prediction that the detrimental effect of uncertainty would be more pronounced when there is no communication present received partial support: a marginally significant interaction was found between communication and uncertainty. Contrary to expectations, higher levels of resource management risk perception were associated with lower cooperation rates. Limitations of the current investigation are outlined and possible directions for future research are discussed.

Thesis (M.A.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Psychology, 2008. / Thesis advisor: Brent Donnelan. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 29, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 70-76). Also issued in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2009. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Thesis (diploma of psychology)--University of Queensland, 1973. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 49-51).