Emotional Arousal During Sensitivity Training as a Function of Length of the Experience

Abstract

Emotional arousal was studied during sensitivity training groups of one-, three-, and five-day durations. Emotional arousal was measured by re peated administrations of the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (Zuck erman & Lubin, 1965). Data were obtained from fifteen one-day, nine three-day, and eight five-day T-groups, all held in England. No significant effects were found among one-day groups. Three-day groups showed initial increase and subsequent decrease in depression and hostility. Five-day groups showed a rise followed by afall in anxiety, depression, and hostility, with a second rise in depression and hostility later in the week. It was concluded that the rise-and-fall pattern found in this and earlier studies is dependent on adequate time for the elicitation of negative affect and may also require the isolation of the group from contact with other groups. Appropriate leader behaviors at different stages of this progression are discussed.