Theories of Reactivity in Self-Monitoring

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Three theoretical explanations have been proposed to account for reactivity in self-monitoring, including Kanfer's cognitive-mediational model, Rachlin's operant recording response model, and Nelson and Hayes's multiple cueing model. The present study compared these models under uniform conditions. Sixty undergraduates were assigned to either self-monitoring (SM); SM plus goal setting (GS); SM, GS, plus self-reinforcement (SR); GS plus SR; or a training only control group. The dependent variable consisted of verbal nonfluencies. Results suggested that although all conditions produced significant reductions in verbal nonfluencies, reactive effects were largest under the two conditions that employed self-reinforcement conditions (i.e., SM + GS + SR, and GS + SR). The role of external contingencies in the reactivity of self-monitoring are discussed.