Introduction
In psychological research it is important to understand the effects of moderators and mediators to the research being conducted. A moderator is a variable that exists prior to the experiment which affects the reaction of the independent variable on the dependent variable. A mediator is a variable that reduces the significance of the relationship of an independent variable on the dependent variable. A way to understand this concept is to explore specific examples.
Example 1
High satisfaction with one's direct supervisor leads to lower levels of employee turnover. In other words, employees who are highly satisfied with their direct supervisor are less likely to leave an organization than employees who are dissatisfied with their
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In other words, children who are read to more by their parents show faster cognitive development than children who are read to less often (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2007).
In this example, a possible moderator is the child’s IQ. A child’s inherited IQ could change the relationship between the parent to child reading rate (independent variable) to the faster cognitive development (dependent variable). The child with a high IQ is likely to show faster cognitive development, although their parents do not read to them, whereas the child with a low IQ is likely to show slower cognitive development, even if the parents read to
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Even if a parent reads to his or her child often, the child’s cognitive development is likely to be affected by his or her teacher. If the teacher does not succeed in inspiring the child, then it is likely that the rate of cognitive development will be lower than a child with a successfully inspiring teacher, regardless of parent to child reading rate.
Example 3
The experience of being socially excluded leads to increases in aggressive behavior. Research has found that when people are excluded by others, they are more likely to behave aggressively, even to people who did not initially exclude them (Twenge, Baumeister, Tice, & Stucke, 2001).
In this example, a possible moderator is a child that has Asperger Syndrome. Asperger Syndrome is a mild form of autism. Two symptoms of Asperger Syndrome are that the child does not recognize social cues and has a tendency to keep to themselves. A person with these characteristics would not recognize they were being excluded, so their aggressiveness would be unaffected by being excluded.
A possible mediator in this example is a teacher who takes the time to talk to students about the situation resulting in the child feeling good about themselves. External kindness from other sources which boost the excluded child’s morale could have a mediating effect on aggressive behavior.
Example
...ctly related to violence, may have attributed to frustration, which in turn could lead to anger and aggressive behavior. Also, lack of socialization leads to deviant behavior and juvenile delinquency.
… Being read to has been identified as a source of children’s early literacy development, including knowledge of the alphabet, print, and characteristics of written language. By the age of two, children who are read to regularly display greater language comprehension, larger vocabularies and higher cognitive skills than their
In 1992, a group of Norwegian researchers conducted a study of girls. “They found girls participate in aggression, but they express their anger in unconventional nonphysical ways” (Simmons 20). Another group of experts from the University of Minnesota continued with these findings and found the girl’s aggressive behavior should be classified into three subcategories; relational, indirect, and social aggression” (Simmons 21). An example of relational aggression would be ignoring someone or giving them the “silent treatment” which can be very traumatic for the victim. They wonder what they...
Dreikurs’ model relies on the idea that “a misbehaving child is only a discouraged child trying to find his place” (Jones & Jones, 2013, p. 33). When a student is feeling inadequate, they will filter through some or all of the four attention-getting behaviors. These disruptive behaviors are: attention getting, power, revenge, and displays of inadequacy. Dreikurs believed that when a child fails to feel as though he or she belongs, they will “act out” in various ways in order to gain acceptable. Sometimes these behaviors work, and other times, students are left feeling more frustrated. For example, a student who may fall behind in class may use inappropriate jokes or commentary to solicit respect from classmates. The student may then try exhibiting power over the administrator in the classroom further trying to increase their status in the social climate. If the student does not receive the attention they seek, they may try to seek revenge on the teacher or even other students in the classroom. In many cases, the disgruntled student gives up entirely and will revert to using phrases such as, “I don’t care anyway,” or “I meant to do that.” Instead of being instructed on how to cope effectively with their emotions, students default into primitive fight or flight strategies. Because of a student’s inability to feel socially equa...
During adolescence, I began reading and writing through a fundamental learning program called, "Hooked on Phonics." This program consisted of long hours spent reading short novels and writing elementary phrases which were commonly taught in the second and third grade. With the motto, "Improve your child's reading and writing skills in just four weeks!" I was bound to become the next Mark Twain. The method of this course specialized in the improvements of word acquisition rates as well as reading speed; however, it lacked in the area of teaching comprehension. At a young age, I was instilled with the dire need to be highly educated and although I was unable to experience a fun and adventurous childhood like many other children, I am grateful for being raised with a greater knowledge and wisdom than that ingrained in many.
Vaillancourt, T., & Hymel, S. (2006). Aggression and social status: The moderating roles of sex and peer-valued characteristics. Aggressive Behavior, 32, 396–408. doi:10.1002/ab.20138.
Children learn aggressive behavior by watching others behave aggressively, and acting on or imitating those observed behaviors, such as a young child bullying another to get a...
Researchers have found several social factors that attribute to childhood aggression. Some of these factors include mother infant relationships, neighborhood structure, family structure, and peer influences.
Berkowitz, L (1974). Some determinants of impusilve aggression: Role of mediated associations with reinforcement. Psychological Review, 81, 165-176.
Feshback, Seymour and Jolanta Zagrodzka. (1997). Aggression: Biological, Developmental, and Social Perspectives. New York: Plenum Press.
“Relational aggression is defined as behaviors that harm others by damaging (or threatening to damage) or manipulating one’s relationship with his/her peers, or by injuring one’s feelings of social acceptance.” (Ophelia Project, “Issues” par 3). This type of aggression is mainly directed toward the emotions rather than physical behavior. Some examples of relational aggression include:
Why do children who are read to at an early age have an advantage over does who are not?
“Because brain development is so heavily dependent on early experience, most babies will receive the right kind of nurturing from their earliest days, through our loving urges and parenting instincts. “there are so many things that I’ve read that could make a baby smarter like reading to them while pregnant or even talking to them so the brain can develop the right way while in the womb but loving your child and catering to them is the right way and will eventually lead them to the right path to learn. Yes, speaking to your child and listening to them can and will critically develop the brains –building years. Parents do forget that a child’s developments are not when school begins but before that. If a child comes from a home that listens and speaks when the other one is done and knows manners the child will develop that and learn that is the right way to go about things as oppose to a house hold who may talk over each, shout or even hit their brains will pick all that up like a sponge. So talking to your child and actually listening to them is one of the best brain developments. “Language is fundamental to most of the rest of cognitive development, this simple action—talking and listening to your child—is one of the best ways to make the most of his or her critical brain-building years.” (Zero to
...nd aggressive behavior. In M. H. Bornstein and M. E. Lamb (Eds.), Social, emotional, and personality development. Part III of Developmental Psychology: An Advanced Textbook (2nd Edn.), pp. 461 – 495. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
The present writing recommends that hostility beginning at an early age proceeds all through improvement (Campbell, 2002; Shaw et al., 1996). Understanding the formative directions of animosity is one approach to think about hostility (Tremblay, 2004). Roughly thirty-eight years prior, Lee Robins led the principal follow-up of kids seen at kid direction centers and found that issue youngsters can move toward becoming issue grown-ups (Robins, 1966). Meta systematic examinations have affirmed high steadiness coefficients for forceful conduct (Olweus, 1979), yet the jury is still out on whether there is one or numerous pathways that advance early forceful conduct into later savage conduct. By and large, early forceful conduct is indicator of later forceful practices.