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

为了使行为改变干预措施取得成功，至关重要的是，这些干预措施必须基于经验支持的理论，以解释干预措施如何以及为什么起作用。然而，总的来说，很少有行为改变干预措施是由于明确规定的、经验支持的行为改变技术而构建的，研究也加强了这种实践的必要性。拟议项目的目的是提供一个新模型的全面测试，该模型解释了作为学习关联的行为的出现和维持，将学习理论中的技术整合到社会认同方法中。先前的研究调查了提出社会心理学概念之间认知关联的模型的效用。格林沃尔德和他的同事利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，使用这些间接测量方法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无法证明同样的结果，这支持了外显认知在行为研究中的低预测价值。平衡身份设计等统一理论强调，联想联系存在于个人层面。然而，有理由相信，在群体层面上，概念之间可能存在类似的关联。社会认同理论和自我分类理论都解释了自我、社会认同和群体行为概念之间的关系。此外，研究支持这样一个事实，即对特定社会类别的认同可以预测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调节。对社会类别更强的认同也会导致群体规范和个人行为之间更强的一致性。虽然大多数关于社会认同方法的工作都使用自我报告方法来测量关联，但拟议的项目将旨在在隐含水平上测量这些关联。拟议的项目将测试行为关联的社会认同模型（SIMBA），该模型提出了社会认同、群体规范和个人行为概念之间的关联。该模型表明，当任意两个节点连接到相同的第三个节点时，这两个节点之间的关联应该加强。这个概念被称为“平衡-和谐原则”，强调在整个三和弦中可能保持的一致性程度。通过改变任何一个联想链接的强度，行为改变可以通过随后改变其他链接的联想强度来实现。这种行为改变的方法与社会心理学家通常采用的方法相反，后者通常侧重于向个人提供与规范相关的信息，或鼓励参与者参与目标设定和意志规划策略。提议的研究包括三个工作流程来测试SIMBA，通过建立提议的关联存在于已建立的组（流1），可以在新组（流2）中创建，并且可以在新组和已建立的组（流3）中更改。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，并获得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）一起工作。

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).