| Summary: | "No brief is necessary for the worthwhileness of an intensive and careful study of the language controls of behavior. Verbal influences constitute one of the universal and accepted techniques for the direction of learning and for human management. The teacher, the dentist the physician, the lawyer, the preacher, the parent, all operate in areas where language controls are highly important for exchange of thought and agreement on action. The relationships of the adult and child as represented in the experimental situations employed in the present monograph are typical of those in which young children are being guided while there is still a high degree of dependence on adults. There is reason to assume, however, that some of the same general principles apply in the verbal contacts among persons engaged in interacting social groups with a desire to cooperate. It is highly gratifying to note the regularly significant difference found for simple, constructive, directive, unhurried, and approving verbal directions as contrasted to those which contain confusing, destructive, negative, and reproving elements. While the study is of primary significance from the standpoint of the growing body of technique of human relations, it is also of interest to view the material in the light of test situations which reveal individual differences. It appears probable from the findings that the more mature children, chronologically and mentally, will make greater allowances for the unfortunate language approaches of the adult. It also appears to be clear that the experimental situations employed are in one sense a test of personality, for the children with problem tendencies as described in naturally occurring situations are more likely than others to react by failure and refusal under the negative type of control. Experience with large numbers of teachers who have consciously attempted to improve their methods of language control and their expressed belief in the improvement of their practice with such study indicates a possible direction for further systematic investigations. That we shall have more information about these matters is assured by studies already in progress by Dr. Johnson and her students and by others who have profited by some feature of her general findings or approach"--Foreword. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)
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