Write a detailed description explaining how to train the assistants so that they have high inter-rater reliability. Look on the PsychINFO Web site to find some inter-rater reliability studies and see if you can get any ideas. Make sure you operationalize aggression before you start to explain your training plan. Be specific about what your research assistants should do to increase the similarity of their rating scores. Submit the reliability training plan for your research assistant
Introduction
Reliability can be summed as the continuity and consistency of a measure or parameter. Reliability is often obtained when similar results are obtained in a repeated way. It however proves futile to give an exact calculation but is obtained through test-retest methods, inter-rater reliability, parallel forms and internal consistency reliability measures.
Inter-rater reliability is the reliability that is usually obtained by having two or more individuals carry out an assessment of behavior whereby the resultant scores are compared for consistency rate determination. Each item is assigned a definite score within the scale of either 1 to 10 or 0-100%. The correlation existing between the rates is then determined giving an inter-rated reliability coefficient. It majorly defines the ability of different examiners to give similar results about an individual’s performance and attitude without influencing each other.
Aggression refers to a forceful disposition that occurs either due to retaliation but at times without provocation and is an action aimed at causing harm or increasing social dominance. Aggression takes various forms in physical, verbal or non verbal communication means. Relational aggression such as bullying and social manipulations might be intended to harm or not cause no harm. It takes several forms as impulsivity, anger, and hostility which are sometimes displayed or remain intimidate.
Aggression is determined and controlled by certain environmental, psychological and physical factors making different individuals to display distinct levels of aggression and similar aggression displays within diversified individual species. Gender is a common determinant of aggression in both humans and animals whereby males are believed to be generally more physically aggressive than females and is common across many different age groups and cultural settings: The females are generally presumed to have better control of aggression compared to men. Alcohol causes a lot of misjudgment thus causing a lot of violence due to this influence. Frustration is a major situational factor leading to aggression as those individuals under frustrations tend to create a feeling of blockage..
In training the examiners in the aspect of establishing reliability, they should be able to consider the distinct scoring method in aggression to include holistic scoring whereby the researcher is not supposed to dwell much attention on any one aspect of a research candidate’s attitude or behavior but rather make conclusions based on the general characterized rather than making separate verdicts about an individual’s total organization. Analytical scoring method can also be employed in a case whereby the candidates’ behavior is analyzed based on specific traits and actions that show aggression. The making of high inter-rater reliability is a more central issue: It would be of no reality to expect all researchers and examiners to match the absolute value at all times because of the differences in reliability and validity, without establishing a method of high reliability achievement, all the actions would have been a reality of time wastage. In setting the standards where large numbers of individuals are under research, the researchers and examiners are supposed to have a common standard scoring policy of those under study. This would ensure that the examiners of such studies are able to award points or marks within a specified range of scores maintaining certain consistency. This facilitation of standard score ranges is always determined by the team leader.
The trainers must be given certain significant training tips on the scoring procedure relating to the previous or past processes of such social transfer studies. An analysis of the scoring pattern is done so that individuals with inconsistent and deviating results should be avoided in repeated studies. This improves the high rate of inter-rater reliability to be higher since it makes a possibility of having individuals of consistent resultant behaviors maintained within the study frame.
The sampling process should also be arguably initiated by the team leader whereby the team leader is able to collect a percentage of the individuals within the study then makes a random assessment by giving a blind mark which is independent to gauge the award system and procedure. This blind marking procedure should basically be repeated in order to narrow the scoring deviation between different individuals under research. Through this criteria, the similarity and consistency existing in the reliability testing process is maintained.
Conclusion
The social learning theory has been widely used in the explanation of violence cycle or the intergenerational aggression transmission. Early experiences of frustrations and physical assault are likely to experience aggression. However, there has been a major criticism of this approach claiming that it gives an oversimplified human behavior description. Though it explains some complex behavior but unable to adequately account for the range of development. Exposure to violent experiences cannot necessarily make us develop such tendencies of violence.
References
Bandura, A. R. (1961). Transmission of aggression through imitation of aggressive models. Journal ofAbnormal and Social Psychology, 575-82.
Freedman, J. (2002). Media violence and it's effects on aggression:Assessing the scientific evidence. Toronto: university of Toronto Press.
Landsford, J. (2012). Boys and Girls relational and physical aggression in nine countries. Aggressive Behavior, 298-308.
