Fear reduction in help-givers as a function of helping.

Abstract

Anecdotal evidence suggests that a helper benefits from the experience of helping. An analysis of the helping process suggests two important components-modeling of improving behavior by the helpee and a role requirement of behaving competently. In the present research, snake phobics provided help to confederates whom they believed to be similarly phobic. Moderate and severe phobics were assigned to one of four conditions: the role requirement plus modeling, modeling alone, mere participation as a helper, or expectancy control. Results indicated that merely participating as a helper produced behavioral benefits beyond placebo effects. Modeling by the helpee led to additional improvement in the helper, but role demands resulted in no further gains over the modeling effects. Only moderate phobics benefited from mere participation as a helper; severe phobics required the modeling component to achieve improvement. Modeling produced more subjective improvement than the expectancy manipulation.

Effects of Different Strategies within a Microtraining Situation

“…In education, the evaluation of cross-age tutoring has indicated some promise (Gartner, Kohler, & Riessman, 1971;Mosher & Sprinthall, 1971), but has suffered from uncontrolled research. Rakos and Schroeder (1976) describe the reduction of trainee fear through aide to anxious clients. No study was located that directly assessed the impact of learning through teaching within a human relations program.…”