Langer & Rodin Section A

What did Langer aim to test?

- the effect of increased responsibilty and choice on happiness and percieved control on nurshing home patients AND the impact of increased responsibility on factors such as satisfaction and mental alertness.

What is the quote in the Wider Context?

- "control refers to the extent to which an individual feels able to control his/her own behaviour"

What is an internal Locus?

- where "you" control your own behaviour and make your own choices

What is an external Locus?

- where you believe that your behvaiour is shaped by the choices of "others" and fate

People with HIGH external Locus tend to...

- face less stress and therefore less likely to become ill

What is important as the population gets older?

- that the aged continure to make choices so they are less likely to face ill health

Seligman thought that lack of control leads to what?

- depression

He called this what?

- learned helplessness

If people have no control they...

- learn to give up, like the walking corpses in concentration camps

Ferrare (1962) observed what?

- the effect of older people not having a choice where they live

How many pps were involved in this study?

- 17 old people

How many died after 4 weeks?

- 8

How many died after 10 weeks?

- 8 more (16/17 total)

All the deaths were...

- unexpected                                (this suggests that lack of choice effects well-being)

Langers research method was a what?

- field experiment in a high quality nursing home in Connecticut, USA

How many pps were involved?

- 91 aged 65-90

How many males and females in the RIG group?

- 8 males, 39 females (4th Floor)

How many males and females in the CG group?

- 9 males, 35 females (2nd Floor)

All the pps were...

- balanced in terms of health, class, time at home etc.

The first questionnaire rated what on what scale?

- happiness and activeness on a 0-8 scale

What happened ONE week later?

- announcements were made seperatley to each group by the 33 year old male boss

The RIG groups announcement emphasised what? 

- personal responsibility (make their own choices eg. movie night, plant)

The CG groups message emphasised what? 

- the staffs responsibility (staff made their choices eg. movie night, plant)

What happened THREE days later?

- the pps were revisited and told breifly their message again

TWO nurses, THREE weeks later did what?

- filled in a second questionnaire assessin the patients across 9, 10 point scales on alertness, activeness and participation

There was also what measures?

- behavioural mesaures such as if the pps attented movie night or took part in the jelly bean competition

What ethical issues were addressed?

- ensuring all the staff still gave high quality care to both groups of pps

In terms of happiness etc. on questionnaire 1 there was...

- no significant difference

What % of the RIG group felt happier?

- 48%

What % of the CG group felt happier?

- 25%

The RIG group spent more time...

- visiting other patients on different floors, talking the the staff

Less time...

- watching TV, reading

Attendance to movie night was...

- higher for the RIG group (which was no difference to one month earlier)

How many pps took part in the Jelly Bean Competition?

- 10 from the RIG, 1 from the CG

What % improved according to nurses in the RIG group?

- 93%

What % improved according to nurses in the CG group?

- 21%

What % became more 'debiliated' in the CG group after 3 weeks?

- 71%

What measure was not used as a comparison?

- 20% of pps did not understand what was meant by 'control'

Langer concluded what?

- giving people responsibility had a postive effect on their health AND procedures/policies should be put in place to remove any factors that reduce real responsibilty in institutions