A total of 41 student volunteers were randomly assigned to five groups: two twice-weekly groups, which met for 3 hours for eight meetings; two marathons, which met continuously for 24 hours; and a nontreatment control group. During the group sessions, group partici pants'skin conductances, a measure of their arousal levels, were recorded. The treatment groups had significant positive change on 14 of 15 measured personality variables between the pretest and the posttest, and positive change on all dependent measures between the pretest and a two-month follow-up. The control group also changed significantly on four de pendent measures. On the posttest, members of the twice-weekly groups scored significantly higher than members of the marathon on three dependent measures. In follow-up, members of the twice-weekly groups on the average were significantly more aroused, as measured by skin conductance, than members of the marathons. No significant relationship was found between group members'gain scores on the 15 dependent measures and their skin conduc tance scores.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Alperson, B., Alperson, E., & Levine, R. (1971). Growth effects of high school marathonsExperimental Publication System, 10, 369-376.
2.
Bach, G. (1966). The marathon group: Intensive practice of intimate interactionPsychological Reports, 18(3), 995-1002.
3.
Bach, G. (1967). Marathon group dynamics: I. Some functions of the professional group facilitatorPsychological Reports , 20, 995-999.
4.
Berry, R. (1962). Skin conductance levels and verbal recallJournal of Experimental Psychology, 65(3), 275-277.
5.
Bunker, G. (1961). The effect of group perceived esteem on self and ideal concepts in an emergent group Unpublished master's thesis, Brigham Young University.
6.
Burke, R., & Bennis, W. (1961). Changes in perception of self and others during human relations trainingHuman Relations, 14, 165-182.
7.
Dunn, O. (1961). Multiple comparisons among meansJournal of the American Statistical Association, 56, 52-64.
8.
Fanning, L. (1972, February). Massed versus spaced experiences in personal growth groupsDissertation Abstracts International , p. 4344A.
9.
Finan, J., & Taylor, L. (1940). Quantitative studies of motivation: I. Strength of conditioning in rats under varying degrees of hungerJournal of Comparative Psychology, 29, 119-134.
10.
Foulds, M., Girona, R., & Guinan, J. (1970). Changes in ratings of self and othersComparative Group Studies, 1(4), 349-355.
11.
Foulds, M., & Guinan, J. (1970). Changes in ratings of self and others Unpublished manuscript, Bowling Green State University.
12.
Foulds, M., Guinan, J., & Hannigan, M. (1970). The marathon group: Does it increase reported self-actualization ? Unpublished manuscript, Bowling Green State University.
13.
Foulds, M., Guinan, J., & Warhime, R. (1974). Marathon group: Changes in perceived locus of controlJournal of College Student Personnel, 15(1), 8-11.
14.
Gibb, J. (1953). Effects of role playing upon a) role flexibility and upon b) ability to conceptualize a new rolePaper presented at the meeting of the American Psychological AssociationCleveland.
15.
Greenberg, H. (1972, October). Self-concept changes in a therapy marathonDissertation Abstracts International, pp. 1790-1791B.
16.
Keppel, G. (1964). Facilitation in short- and long-term retention of paired associates following distributed practice in learningJournal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 3, 91-111.
17.
Kimball, R., & Gelso, C. (1974). Self-actualization in a marathon growth group: Do the strong get stronger?Journal of Counseling Psychology , 21(1), 32-42.
18.
Koziey, P., Loken, J., & Field, J. (1971). T-group influence on feelings of alienationJournal of Applied Behavioral Science, 7(6), 724-731.
19.
Lader, M., & Wing, L. (1966). Physiological measures, sedative drugs and morbid anxietyLondon: Oxford University Press.
20.
Lathey, R. (1972, January). A comparison of change toward self-actualization in marathon group counseling and traditional group counselingDissertation Abstracts International, p. 3692A.
21.
Link, S. (1972, May). A study of degree of change in self-concept as a result of participation in a marathon T-groupDissertation Abstracts International, pp. 6622-6623A.
22.
Loomis, T. (1973). A comparison of marathon and weekly meeting encounter groups Unpublished master's thesis, University of Hawaii.
23.
Lykken, D., & Venables, P. (1971). Direct measurement of skin conductance: A proposal for standardizationPsychophysiology. 8, 656-672
24.
Matarazzo, J., Ulett, G., & Saslow, G. (1955). Human maze performance as a function of increasing levels of anxietyJournal of General Psychology , 53, 79-95.
25.
Maxwell, M. (1973, July). The effects of focused videotape feedback in marathon therapy groupsDissertation Abstracts International , p. 2307A.
26.
Miles, M. (1965). Changes during and following laboratory training: A clinical-experimental studyJournal of Applied Behavioral Science, 1(3), 215-242.
27.
Mintz, E. (1967). Time extended marathon groupsPsychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 4, 65-70.
28.
Mintz, E. (1969-70). The marathon on wingsVoices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy, 5, 23-27.
29.
Mintz, E. (1971). Marathon groups: Reality and symbolNew York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
30.
Mitchell, R. (1970, May). An evaluation of the relative effectiveness of spaced, massed, and combined sensitivity training groups in promoting positive behavioral changeDissertation Abstracts International , p. 4834A.
31.
Obrist, P. (1959). Physiological correlates of serial learning: A longitudinal studyYellow Springs, OH: Fels Research Institute.
32.
Owens, J. (1973, April). Personal Orientation Inventory real-ideal response set measures of self-actualization and congruency in an encounter and marathon groupDissertation Abstracts International , pp. 5498-5499A.
33.
Peters, D. (1966). Identification and personal change in laboratory training groups Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
34.
Rotter, J. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcementPsychological Monographs: General and Applied, 80(1), 1-28.
35.
Scheffé, H. (1959). The analysis of varianceNew York: John Wiley.
36.
Shapiro, J. (1967). An investigatory study into the clinical use of an adjective check list Unpublished paper, Hawaii State Hospital, Kaneohe.
37.
Shapiro, J. (1971). Encounter groups as in-service training for teachers and teachers-to-beJournal of Hawaii Personnel and Guidance Association, 1, 18-25.
38.
Shor, R., & Orne, E. (1962). Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form APalo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
39.
Shostrom, E. (1968). The Personal Orientation InventorySan Diego, CA: Education and Industrial Testing Service.
40.
Simmons, R. (1971, November). Intensity as a variable in programmed group interaction: The marathonDissertation Abstracts International , p. 1494A.
41.
Stoller, F. (1968). Accelerated interaction: A time-limited approach based on a brief, intensive groupInternational Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 18, 220-235.
42.
Underwood, B. (1961). Ten years of massed practice on distributed practicePsychological Review, 68, 299-347.
43.
Unger, J. (1972, July). The differential effects of marathon and weekly groups' self-perceptions and interpersonal feelingsDissertation Abstracts International, p. 168A.
44.
Washington, K. (1971, March). A comparison of the effectiveness of two group counseling formatsDissertation Abstracts International , p. 4479A.
45.
Wittmer, J., & Ferinden, F. (1971). The effects of group counseling on the attitude and GPA of deprived Negro underachieversComparative Group Studies, 2(1), 43-51.
46.
Yerkes, R., & Dodson, J. (1908). The relation of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit-formationJournal of Comparative and Neurological Psychology, 18, 459-482.
47.
Zimet, C., & Fine, H. (1955). Personality changes with a group therapeutic experience in a human relations seminarJournal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 51, 68-73.
