The Influence of Adult and Peer Role Models on Children’ and Adolescents’ Sharing Decisions

This study explores how the age (adult vs. peer) and the suggestion (to be fair vs. unfair) of models affect the sharing decisions of 9‐ and 12‐year‐olds (N = 365) from Italy and Singapore. Results demonstrate a developmental shift in the influence of models on children's and adolescents’ sharing decisions in both cultures: Children's decisions were more affected by an adult model's suggestion than by that of a peer model, whereas the opposite was true for adolescents. Regardless of the models’ influence, participants considered equal sharing to be the fair choice and reported being happier when their sharing decisions were generous. Our results highlight the crucial importance of social and developmental factors for the promotion of fairness judgments and emotions.     

Use of the Systems Approach to Training Design and Delivery in Japanese Corporations

Numerous writers have described the commitment of Japanese corporations to training and various characteristics of Japanese training. Yet there is little empirical evidence to support their conclusions, and almost nothing is written about the processes the Japanese use to design training. To obtain more empirical information about the kinds of training conducted in Japanese corporations, and about whether they use systematic design and development processes, the present study successfully surveyed 45 Japanese corporations in six different industries. Results indicated, among other things, that there is more classroom training in proportion to on-the-job training than suggested by the literature, that a variety of training techniques are used in classroom training, and that the majority of training is produced internally by training departments and subject matter experts (SMEs). Only two of the companies indicated that they had a formal, systematic approach to instructional design and development. Most evaluation of training consists of post-training surveys of training transfer, and/or assessing learner reactions to courses. Most of the companies were interested in the possibility of using more systematic design approaches, especially with the introduction of more technology in support of training.