Psychology of the scientist: LXIV Work-related attitudes of U.S. scientists.

It is logical to think that doing important, meaningful work contributes to job satisfaction. In contrast to all other professional workers, however, evidence from nationwide surveys shows that scientists are more likely to prefer important, meaningful work but are less satisfied in their jobs. This suggests that various factors in the work environment of U.S. scientists somehow may prevent them from achieving the satisfaction they desire in their jobs. This paper speculates about the nature of some of these factors.     

Psychology of computer use: XXIV. Computer-related stress among technical college students.

Hudiburg's Computer Technology Hassles Scale, along with a measure of global stress and a scale on attitudes toward computers, were administered to 186 students in a two-year technical college. Hudiburg's work with the hassles scale as a measure of "technostress" was affirmed. Moderate, but statistically significant, correlations among the three scales are reported. No relationship between the hassles scale and achievement as measured by GPA was detected.     

Predicting the performance and innovativeness of scientists and engineers

A study of 644 scientists and engineers from 5 corporate research and development organizations investigated hypotheses generated from an interactionist framework of 4 individual characteristics as longitudinal predictors of performance and innovativeness. An innovative orientation predicted 1-year-later and 5-years-later supervisory job performance ratings and 5-years-later counts of patents and publications. An internal locus of control predicted 5-years-later patents and publications, and self-esteem predicted performance ratings for both times and patents. Team-level nonroutine tasks moderated the individual-level relationships between an innovative orientation and performance ratings and patents such that the relationships were stronger in a nonroutine task environment. Implications for an interactionist framework of performance and innovativeness for knowledge workers are discussed.     

The effects of perceived pressures on managerial and nonmanagerial scientists and engineers

The two major purposes of the present study were (1) to empirically investigate the effects of excessive pressures perceived by Ph.D.-level scientists and engineers employed in a large multidivisional energy R&D laboratory on work attitudes and performance; and (2) to test the proposition that scientists with managerial responsibilities perceive more pressures and strains than do those with no such duties. Results indicated that the pressured scientists perceived more role strain and a less positive climate, were less satisfied, and received lower performance evaluations from their supervisors than non-pressured ones. No differences were found in the perception of pressures between the managerial and nonmanagerial scientists, although the managers reported a more positive climate and higher satisfaction than did nonmanagers. The implications of these findings with regard to management practice (i.e., dual ladders) and future research on stress among this occupational group were briefly discussed.     

Perceptual distortion of intrapersonal and near-personal space sensed by proprioception

It is known that the illusory displacement of a vibrated limb can be transferred to a nonvibrated contacted limb. The purpose of this study was to quantify and compare the transferred illusory displacements occurring in the intrapersonal and near-personal space. In two tasks, 8 male and 8 female blindfolded subjects estimated (1) the height of the left elbow and (2) the height of an external object located at the same height as the left elbow, by the proprioception of the right arm which was Subject to illusory displacement. If the internal representation of the left elbow in one's body schema could provide precise information of its static position independently of the proprioception of the right arm, the perceived displacement of the right arm might be smaller when influenced by proprioceptive information from the static left arm, than when in contrast instead with an object which is not a body part. There was no difference in the estimation of illusory displacement between male and female subjects and between right and left arms. No significant difference was observed between transferred displacements of the left elbow and the object. This means that the perception of limb position sensed by the proprioception of another limb can be distorted as easily as the perception of location of an external object. This suggests that the internal representation of static limb position is not enough to provide the correct information of current limb position in the absence of vision.     

Unique features of an R&;D work environment and research scientists and engineers

Not only is good management of research the critical difference between a thriving research organization and an average one, but research is the most difficult to manage of all functional activities. (Lamontagne Report, 1972, Vol. 2, referenced in Vol. 6, Ch. 10, p. 8 of the 1994 Report of the Auditor General of Canada). Thomas E. Clarke graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Master’s in Physics in 1967. During his employment at Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., he became interested in the effective management of scientists and engineers and returned to U.B.C. to obtain an MBA in organizational behavior. Subsequently, he held numerous positions in the Canadian government relating to R&D. During this time he designed Canada’s Industrial Innovation Center Program to support the training of future technical entrepreneurs and to provide advice to small high-tech businesses. In 1980, he started his own consulting firm, Stargate Consultants Limited, 〈www.stargateconsultants.ca〉, which specializes in science policy/program studies and R&D management training.     

Perceptual projects:A theory of veridicality and distortion in perception

Abstract.— The split between objective and subjective information, characterizing dualistic theories of perception, is argued to have caused contradictions around the problems of veridicality of perception and the attention-attracting power of stimulus properties. The theory of threshold-regulation in categorical perception is criticized and an alternative model is suggested, where the main distinctions are between the "knowing how" and the "knowing that" of perception, between exteriorization and interiorization, and between the perceptual project and the perceptual foundation. It is demonstrated that concepts used in the analysis of dialogical communication are useful in the theory of perception to explain phenomena such as curiosity, boredom, and pathological perception.     

Psychology of the scientist: LXXXV. Research on homosexuality: a response to Schumm (and Herek)

Because social science is "messy," just about any criticism of any work--including our efforts--has validity. But the empiricist principle is more important than a theoretical search for perfection in research. The findings from our 1983-1984 nationwide random survey are superior to earlier efforts and similar enough to those reported by the 1992 nationwide random survey conducted by University of Chicago investigators, the 1994 British effort, and the 1996 NHSDA to suggest all approximate "a similar truth about reported sexuality."     

Moderating effects of employee expectancies on the relationship between leadership consideration and job performance of engineers

Ninety-four engineers were asked to describe their supervisors' leadership style, to indicate their expectancies whether performing effectively in their jobs would lead to job rewards and the valence of these rewards. It was hypothesized that employees' expectancies and a considerative leadership style interact to influence the performance levels of these engineers. Results indicated that leader consideration and employee expectancies operate in joint fashions to effect job performance.     

A multiple-level examination of job activities and employee outcomes

Prior research has investigated relationships between job activities and employee outcomes, but multiple levels of analysis considerations often have been overlooked. In a study of a police organization, three theoretical perspectives were examined, and multiple levels of analysis were considered conceptually and empirically, to better specify and test associations between activities and outcomes. Results from Within and Between Analysis (WABA) suggested that relationships between law enforcement and resource control job activitiesand employee outcomes of attention, latitude, and involvement operated at multiple levels of analysis. The associations were based on differences between individuals, work groups, and job-based collectives (job families). Implications for future research and practice are discussed.