Moderating Effects of Social Assistance on Verbal Interventions to Promote Safety Belt Use

Abstract

Research was conducted to examine the effectiveness of posting a written sign (e.g., "Please Buckle Up, I Care") to prompt the safety belt use of drivers exiting a university parking lot. In addition, the moderating effects of an intervention agent holding the written sign was evaluated (i.e., a socially assisted intervention). The results showed the effectiveness of a socially assisted written sign was greater than presenting a written sign alone. The results and interventions, in general, are discussed within a rule-governed and verbal-intervention framework.

Effects of Response Cost and Socially-Assisted Interventions on Hand-Hygiene Behavior of University Students

“…However, during the intervention phases, the number of students observed entering the restroom to hand wash did not change. Interestingly, the behavior change techniques used in our pilot research have been previously shown to influence student hand hygiene (e.g., Surgeoner, Chapman, & Powell, 2009), the hand hygiene of food preparation staff (e.g., Geller, Eason, Phillips, & Pierson, 1980) as well as other important health behaviors (e.g., Berry, Geller, Calef, & Calef, 1992;Williams, Thyer, Bailey, & Harrison, 1989). However, university students in this cafeteria setting were not influenced by these traditional intervention techniques.…”

A Systematic Review of Pliance, Tracking, and Augmenting

“…No other significant differences were observed as a function of pliance or tracking. Berry et al (1992) examined the extent to which a sign requesting vehicle drivers to 'buckle up' governed pliance in drivers leaving a university parking lot. This sign was either presented in the presence or absence of an observer.…”

When workplace safety depends on behavior change: Topics for behavioral safety research

“…Much of the research on prompts in safety has been in the arena of traffic safety. These studies suggest that verbal prompts delivered by an individual are more effective than written prompts (Berry, Geller, Calef, & Calef, 1992;Williams, Thyer, Bailey, & Harrison, 1989), and that prompts delivered immediately before the target behavior is to be emitted are more effective than prompts that are delayed (Austin, Sigurdsson, & Rubin, 2006). The extent to which these relationships generalize to behavioral safety in occupational settings has not been systematically studied, but this certainly appears to represent a key research question in the area of behavioral safety given the widespread use of prompts in safety interventions.…”

“…Under what conditions is retraining necessary? d. How can prompts be used effectively to help promote safety performance?Berry et al, 1992) 4. Observation and Measurement a.…”