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Browsing by Author "Yaeger, Nancy J."

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    Construct validation of the type A behavior pattern in children: the importance of anger and achievement striving
    Yaeger, Nancy J. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1988)
    The validity of the Type A construct for children was empirically examined in the present study. The multi-trait, multi-method construct validation strategy was used to determine if the convergent, concurrent, and discriminant validities of the Type A construct would be supported. Constructs used as comparisons included anger, achievement-striving, and depression. Type of measures used included self-report, teacher-rating, and behavior observations. Subjects were 132 boys and girls in the fifth grade in elementary schools in Southwestern Virginia. Additional multiple regression analyses were employed to determine the best predictors of assessed levels of Type A behavior in children. Results indicated that different methods of measuring Type A behavior in children were significantly intercorrelated, thereby supporting the convergent validity of Type A in children. In addition, Type A was significantly and positively correlated with anger and achievement-striving, but more ambiguously related to depression. Type A did not achieve consistent discriminant validity from anger and achievement-striving, however, it was discriminantly valid when contrasted with depression. It was concluded the Type A behavior pattern for children did not achieve consistent construct validity. The implications of these findings for future research in the area of Type A behavior were discussed.
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    The effects of vicarious reinforcement on Type A and Type B children in a competitive situation
    Yaeger, Nancy J. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1984)
    Observing another child receive reinforcement has been shown by past researchers to produce two different types of effects: 1) facilitative, or 2) debilitative when children coact in a more competitive situation. Since Type A children have been found to engage in more comparison processes and are more competitive, the purpose of the present study was to empirically determine if Type A and Type B children's responses would differ in situations where they coacted with an intermediate status child who received or did not receive reinforcement. Fourth grade children were designated as Type A, Type B, or intermediate status by their teachers via the Matthews Youth Test for Health. Performance, affective behaviors, and written and verbal self-reports about the experimental situation were the dependent measures. Generally, it was found that reinforcement had non-specific facilitative effects on the performance of a dyad, and a mild facilitative effect for vicarious reinforcement was observed. Observing reinforcement was found to negatively effect children's enjoyment of the task, however. Type A children did not respond differentially than Type B children to observing versus not observing another child receive reinforcement, although Type A children's performances were more variable than Type B children's regardless of the situation. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for understanding vicarious reinforcement processes, and Type A behavior in children.