Date of Award

4-2006

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. John Austin

Second Advisor

Dr. Alyce Dickinson

Third Advisor

Dr. James Carr

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of self-monitoring on safe positioning of individuals performing a typing task and an assembly task using a multiple baseline design across behaviors and tasks. The study took place in an analogue office setting with seven college student participants. The dependent variable was the percentage of observations scored as safe and each session was recorded via a hidden camera.. During baseline, participants received information regarding safe positions and then completed a typing task and an assembly task during nine-minute sessions. In the self-monitoring phase, participants recorded whether a targeted posture was safe or at-risk. In the third phase, if the targeted postures improved at least 20-percentage points over baseline during self-monitoring, additional behaviors were monitored. Otherwise, an overt camera condition was implemented in addition to self-monitoring. Five of the 17 dependent variables exposed to the self-monitoring intervention resulted in substantial changes in safety performance and an additional six behaviors resulted in a mean improvement of more than 10% from baseline to intervention. The camera present condition produced differential improvement for two of the 12 exposed postures. This information could lead to a viable alternative for improving occupational safety.

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