Abstract

Behavior setting theory (BST), growing out of ecological psychology, is a powerful tool in understanding the environment and its effect on behavior. A behavior setting is an ecological unit composed of not only the expression of human behavior, but also the environment. The main tenet of BST is that such settings are coercive in their effect on behavior. According to the theory, settings are more important in predicting future behavior than either consideration of differences at the level of individual psychology or examination of the environment alone.

Online communities have taken on increased importance as a source of information and advice as well as the exchange of ideas. In addition, the amount of formal teaching that occurs online has increased dramatically. Little basic research has been undertaken in this area, however, to apply tested methods of face-to-face research and theory generation in the area of ecological psychology to the new environment of online teaching and learning.

This study investigated an established online community of Volkswagen bus owners through examination of e-mail messages sent on a listserv and a web-based Online Behavior Setting Survey. Messages were coded using both structural elements of behavior settings as well as emergent categories generated by the application of grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). It was concluded that behavior settings as defined by Barker (1968), Schoggen (1989), and others exist in online environments. In particular, evidence was found that the physical milieu surrounding users and the standing pattern of behavior attached to its milieu are directly coercive to their behavior. Additionally, distinctions between face-to-face behavior settings and computer-mediated behavior settings were analyzed using BST and the data contained evidence that participants may move back and forth rapidly between face-to-face and computer-mediated environments.

Finally, having ascertained that behavior settings exist in online environments, the results of the study are tied to established and emergent research in online teaching and learning, and suggestions are made for future research in the application of ecological psychology in computer-mediated environments.

Citation

Henry, D.J. Computer-mediated behavior settings: An application of behavior setting theory in online environments. Ph.D. thesis, Indiana University. Retrieved August 7, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/128108/.

This record was imported from ProQuest on October 23, 2013. [Original Record]

Citation reproduced with permission of ProQuest LLC.

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Keywords

• Educational Psychology Education
• Social Psychology
• Technology of Education