Measuring and Creating Cognitive-Behavioural Associations: Testing a Social Identity Model of Behavioural Associations (SIMBA)

为了使行为改变干预取得成功，至关重要的是，它们必须基于经验支持的理论，该理论解释了干预是如何起作用的，以及为什么起作用。然而，总的来说，很少有行为改变干预措施是作为明确的、有经验支持的行为改变技术的结果而构建的--研究加强了这种做法的必要性。拟议项目的目的是对一种新模式进行全面测试，该模式将学习理论中的技术整合到社会认同方法中，解释作为学习联想的行为的出现和维持。此前的研究已经调查了提出社会心理学概念之间认知关联的模型的实用性。格林沃尔德和他的同事使用他们的平衡身份设计来评估自我、女性社会类别和积极效价概念之间的联系强度。使用内隐联想测试(IAT)，他们的研究表明，使用这些间接测量可以在概念之间建立一致的关联模式。然而，使用传统的自我报告方法不能证明同样的结果--支持行为研究中外显认知的低预测价值。统一的理论，如平衡身份设计，强调了关联联系存在于个人层面。然而，有理由相信，在集团一级的概念之间可能存在类似的联系。社会认同理论和自我归类理论都解释了自我、社会认同和群体行为三者之间的关系。此外，研究还支持这样一个事实，即对特定社会类别的认同预示着参与与健康相关的行为的意图，如酗酒、体育锻炼和防晒行为--这些行为受到群体规范的制约。对社会类别的认同感越强，群体规范和个人行为之间的一致性也越强。虽然关于社会认同方法的大部分工作都是使用自我报告的方法来衡量关联，但拟议的项目将致力于在隐性层面上衡量这些关联。拟议的项目将测试行为协会的社会认同模型(SIMBA)，该模型提出社会认同、群体规范和个人行为的概念之间的联系。该模型建议，当任何两个节点链接到同一第三个节点时，两个节点之间的关联应该加强。这一概念被称为“平衡-和谐原则”，强调了在整个三和弦中可能保持的一致性程度。通过修改任何一个关联链接的强度，可以通过随后改变其他链接的关联强度来实现行为改变。这种改变行为的方法与社会心理学家通常采用的技术不同，后者通常侧重于向个人提供与规范有关的信息11，或鼓励参与者参与目标设定和意志规划策略。拟议的研究由三个工作流程组成，以测试SIMBA，确定建议的关联存在于已建立的组(流1)中，可以在新的组中创建(流2)，并且可以在新的和已建立的组中改变(STEAM 3)。在攻读博士学位期间，Emily将在澳大利亚昆士兰大学进行一段时间的研究，获得Winnifred Louis教授的额外指导/监督，并与SIGN小组(由Alex Haslam教授和Jolanda Jetten教授领导)合作。

In order for behaviour change interventions to be successful, it is essential that they are based on empirically supported theory that provides an explanation of how and why the intervention works. In general, however, few behaviour change interventions have been constructed as a result of well-specified, empirically supported behaviour change techniques-and research has reinforced the necessity of this practice. The aim of the proposed project is to provide a comprehensive test of a new model that explains the emergence and maintenance of behaviour as learned associations, integrating techniques from learning theory into a social identity approach. Research has previously investigated the utility of models that propose cognitive associations between social psychological concepts. Greenwald and colleagues used their Balanced Identity Design to assess the strength of associations among the concepts of self, the female social category, and positive valence. Using the Implicit Association Test (IAT), their research demonstrated that a consistent pattern of associations could be established among concepts using these indirect measures. However, the same results could not be demonstrated using traditional self-report measures-supporting the low predictive value of explicit cognitions in behavioural research. Unified theories such as the Balanced Identity Design have highlighted that associative links exist at the level of the individual. However, there is reason to believe that similar associations may exist between concepts at the group level. Both social identity theory and self-categorisation theory account for the relationships among the concepts of the self, social identity and group behaviour. Moreover, research has supported the fact that identification with a particular social category predicts intentions to engage in health-related behaviours such as binge drinking, physical exercise, and sun protection behaviours-as moderated by group norms. Stronger identification with a social category has also been shown to result in a stronger consistency between group norms and individual behaviour. While the majority of work on the social identity approach has measured associations using self-report methods, the proposed project will aim to measure these associations at the implicit level. The proposed project will test a social identity model of behavioural associations (SIMBA) that proposes associations between the concepts of social identity, group norms, and individual behaviour. The model suggests that when any two nodes are linked to the same third node, the association between the two nodes should strengthen. This notion is known as the 'balance-congruity principle' and emphasises the degree of consistency that can potentially be maintained throughout the triad. Through modifying the strength of any one associative link, behaviour change could be achieved by subsequently altering the associative strength of other links. This approach to behaviour change is in contrast to techniques commonly applied by social psychologists, which typically focus on providing individuals with norm related information11 or encouraging participants to engage in goal setting and volitional planning strategies. The proposed research consists of three work streams to test the SIMBA by establishing that the proposed associations exist in established groups (Stream 1), can be created in novel groups (Stream 2), and can be changed in both novel and established groups (Steam 3). In the PhD, Emily will spend some time at the University of Queensland in Australia to conduct research there and to obtain additional mentoring/supervision from Prof Winnifred Louis and to work with the SIGN group (led by Profs Alex Haslam and Jolanda Jetten).