Topical References

For the Designed Change Process

Activation theory, which identifies that activation (stress) causes automatic performance of the dominant behavior pattern. Bandura, 1969; Hull, 1943; Lazarus, 1977; Linton, 1945; Osler, 1954; Samelson, 1980; Skinner, 1953; Spence, 1956; Ullman, 1969; Wandersman, 1976; Wolpe, 1958.

Social learning theory (cognitive psychology) has its focus on the effects of stress on performance, not on the cognitive process which carries out performance. Bandura, 1969; Campbell, 1960; Cosden, 1979; Duffy, 1962; Folkman, 1979; Hachman, 1979; Lazarus, 1977; Mandler, 1979; Mechanic, 1979; Meichenbaum, 1977; Miller, 1960; Rycklak, 1977; Simon, 1979; Wandersman, 1976.

Humanistic and other studies report on the existence and use of cognitive flexibility in human thinking. Alker, 1978; Aronoff, 1970; Bandura, 1969; Campbell, 1960; Cosden, 1979; Crow, 1978; Harackiewisz, 1979; Herrman, 1976; Johnson, 1978; Obrist, 1978; Rycklak, 1977; Shostrom, 1966; Simon, 1979; Wandersman, 1976.

Erratic performance under high stress is universally noted and reported in these studies. Some note that this "erratic behavior" stems from perfect replication of earlier learned responses, a vital piece of information for those who wish to do something about such "erratic behavior". Appley, 1967; Berkun, 1964; Fontaine, 1980; Friedman, 1967; Grinker, 1945; Kelley, 1965; Kilpatrick, 1957; Marton, 1967; Menninger, 1977; Rahe, 1977; Ronan, 1953; Selye, 1978; Siegel, 1978.

Studies which indicate that performance under the extremes of stress, both high and low, are poor, while moderate stress produces optimal performance. Appley, 1967; Benson, 1980; Berkun, 1964; Broadbent, 1971; Duffy, 1962; Fontaine, 1980; Freeman, 1940; Harris, 1969; Johansson, 1978; Kemeny, 1979; Malmo, 1959; Mandler, 1953; McGrath, 1970; Naatanen, 1973; Pepinski, 1960; Ruff, 1967; Shaw, 1956; Stennett, 1967; Vogel, 1959; Zajonc, 1965.

Studies which link high stress with the replication of the earliest learned childhood responses of parent and child, behavior which is rigidly dominant and behavior which is rigidly submissive. Brown, 1953; Darley, 1966; Fodor, 1978; Friedman, 1977; Grinker, 1945; Henshaw, 1977; Janis, 1971; Klausner, 1967; Leeb, 1975; Linton, 1945; Mayo, 1933; Postman, 1948; Rosenberg, 1961; Spaulding, 1972.

Acknowledgment of the powerlessness of the human being over his own past learned responses is necessary before the process of designing change can begin. Anonymous, 1962.

The impact of feelings, stress and emotion on the human body is well documented, but little outside the Designed Change Process is helpful in managing and changing those effects. Arnold, 1967; Barrell, 1977; Cousins, 1979; Dohrenwend, 1974; Duncan, 1977; Fontaine, 1980; Friedman, 1974; Glass, 1977; Lacey, 1967; Lukens, 1979; Obrist, 1978; Rahe, 1964; Rahe, 1977; Rose, 1978; Sargent, 1978; Schaffer, 1954; Schwab, 1974; Selye, 1976; Selye, 1978; Simonton, 1978; Snyder, 1980; Thompson, 1975; Wolff, 1950.

Some studies documented the effects of pleasure, enjoyment, confidence, humor and serenity as effective in improving performance reduced under stress. Anonymous, 1962; Brockner, 1979; Cowen, 1952b; Gardiner, 1978; Henshaw, 1977; Isen, 1978; Kobasa, 1979; Mechanic, 1977; Michenbaum, 1977; Osler, 1954; Pomeroy, 1950; Samelson, 1980; Schmall, 1980; Spaulding, 1972; Wolpe, 1958.

"Set" is the tendency, particularly under stress, to act in whatever way the mind has been set by previous behavior or perception. Set requires that the person respond within tight limits, and prevents information which would disrupt the set from being perceived. Angyal, 1965; Carkhuff, 1969; English, 1958; Gregory, 1968; Jervis, 1980; Katz, 1966; Linton, 1945; Lloyd, 1972; Lynch, 1960; Miller, 1960; Ross, 1980; Segall, 1966; Simon, 1979; Williams, 1964; Winson, 1978; Wooldridge, 1979.

Set limits information input to facilitate human functioning. (Dad is concentrating on important work and does not even notice that he gave Sonny five dollars, but the slight smell of smoke will penetrate the set.) Set is also how the discoveries of the past century in the field of behavioral science are unknown to psychologists, consultants and therapists. Kupfmiller, 1969; Linton, 1945; Malmo, 1959; Mandler, 1979; McCormick, 1976; Ross, 1980; Steinbuch, 1971; Young, 1964.

Automatic responses are regressed to more familiar behavior during stress. Andreasen, 1977; Barthol, 1973; Beier, 1951; Bettleheim, 1943; Grinker, 1945.

Automatic responses are regressed to more stressful behavior during stress. Anonymous, 1962; Arkes, 1977; Beam, 1955; Marrow, 1938; Spence, 1956 Zeigarnik, 1927;

Professionals are less able to communicate with the people they are trying to help than those who have not been so processed, or whose training was long ago. Anonymous, 1962; Carkhuff, 1969.

Corporate culture and group climate can be used by skillful behavioral scientists to manage and control the behavior of a staff or organizational unit. Membership in a group produces cognitive rigidity, producing conformity to that group. Stress greatly increases that rigidity, often producing group tracking. Carkhuff, 1969; Darley, 1966; Janis, 1971; Jervis, 1980; Linton, 1945; Mayo, 1933; Parton, 1981; Rosenberg, 1961; Zajonc, 1965.

Information processing in the human brain is carried out in a dual or bimodal fashion. The automatic function is a product of the rehearsal by the aware function of innovative behavior. The aware function is greatly capacity limited, while the automatic function manages easily large masses of processing automatically, and often without the subject's awareness that anything at all has been done. Anonymous, 1962; Atkinson, 1968; Howard, 1979; Kupfmuller, 1959; McConnell, 1977; McCormick, 1976; Schneider, 1977; Shiffrin, 1977; Steinbuch, 1971; Woolridge, 1979; Young, 1964.

Psychological research often produces stress. The stress causes cognitive rigidity which then restricts the study to behavior under those particular circumstances. Amabile, 1979; Argyris, 1968; Beier, 1951; Friedman, 1967; Rosenberg, 1969; Smock, 1955a; Smock, 1955b.

Studies which report major new and revolutionary concepts during the twentieth century, and which have been neglected, left unreported or suppressed. These especially include evidence for and presentation of the bimodal theory of information processing in the human. Angyal, 1965; Anonymous, 1962; Linton, 1945; Mayo, 1933; Marrow, 1938; Samelson, 1980; Steinbuch, 1971; Young, 1964; Zeigarnik, 1927.

The interpersonal meaning of behavior is the most obvious performance shaping factor. Thomas, 1981.