Dissertations and Theses @ UNI
Availability
Open Access Thesis
Keywords
Classroom environment--Psychological aspects; Games--Psychological aspects; Games--Social aspects; Social skills in children--Study and teaching;
Abstract
Previous research has suggested that the structure of games influences children's social behaviors. However, no research to date has focused on the effects of both game structure and sociomoral atmosphere on children's social behaviors in the classroom. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to detennine the differential effects of game structure and sociomoral atmosphere on children's social behaviors during game time. Specifically, this study examined the differential effects of cooperative and competitive games on the cooperative, aggressive, disengaged and engaged onlooking behaviors of children in a constructivist and traditional classroom atmosphere. A total of 36 first grade students (19 boys and 17 girls) participated in the research. During the study, we recorded the children's responses-in-three game conditions (competitive, cooperative, and competitive, respectively). Target behaviors were measured during game time in each classroom. The sociomoral atmospheres which are reflected in the structure of both classrooms were assessed in a preliminary evaluation and, later, in a formal classroom observation using the Social Environment subscale of the Regents' Center's Classroom Observation Instrument The children's preferences for particular cooperative and competitive games were assessed with the Liking-of-Games-Questionnaire (LGQ), and the teachers' comments were recorded on the Teacher Interview (TI) at the end of this study. I hypothesized that cooperative games would result in higher percentages of cooperative behaviors (including helping, sharing, and assisting other players) and lower percentages of aggressive behaviors than competitive games. Further, I hypothesized that children in the classroom with the more constructivist sociomoral atmosphere would exhibit more cooperative behaviors than children in the classroom with the more traditional classroom atmosphere. Finally, I proposed that children would prefer to play cooperative games instead of competitive ones. Results of the data are analyzed and interpreted. The implications are discussed along with the limitations of the present study and directions for future research.
Year of Submission
1999
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Department of Psychology
First Advisor
Carolyn Hildebrandt
Second Advisor
Rheta DeVries
Third Advisor
Suzanne Davis
Date Original
1999
Object Description
1 PDF file (93 leaves)
Copyright
©1999 Taunjah Patrease Bell
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Bell, Taunjah Patrease, "Differential Effects of Game Structure and Sociomoral Atmosphere on the Social Behaviors of First Grade Students" (1999). Dissertations and Theses @ UNI. 2085.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/2085
Comments
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