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initiating structure

a function of effective leadership that involves organizing the group for its work, typically by setting standards and objectives, identifying roles and positioning members in those roles, developing standard operating procedures, criticizing poor work, and defining the relationship between leaders and subordinates. Compare consideration.

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Psychology term of the day

February 2nd 2025

rule-governed behavior

rule-governed behavior

any behavior that is influenced by verbal antecedents, such as following instructions (as when children clean their rooms because they are told to do so) or reacting to one’s own private thinking (as when an adult begins an exercise program after thinking “I need to lose weight”). The term does not refer to behavior that can be described by a rule. For example, rats’ behavior that adopts a win–stay, lose–shift strategy cannot be described as rule-governed. Also called verbally governed behavior. Compare contingency-governed behavior.