Interests as Behavior Controlling (Discriminative) Attitudes: A Test of the A-R-D Theory of Interest Measurement.
Abstract
In a test of the A-R-D theory, an experiment was conducted to investigate the discriminative controlling function of interests. The Strong Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB) was administered to 264 male undergraduate subjects. Approximately two to four weeks later, 40 of the subjects were asked to return for another experiment with the stated purpose of measuring their emotional responses while reading. Subjects were required to select an essay from two stacks of articles bearing the label of occupations associated with either the subject's high or low SVIB score. With only one exception, all selection behaviors were under the control of the subjects' tested interests. Subjects then read essays dealing with either their high or low interest area while the experimenter 'measured' their emotional responses using bogus GSR equipment. Subsequent ratings of the articles as interesting, informative, and pleasant were more positive when the essay topic was the same as the subject's high SVIB score than when the topic was the same as his low interest score. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0719426
Entities
People
- Arthur W. Staats
- Peter F. Guay
Organizations
- University of Hawaiʻi System