Measuring Person–Environment Fit: A further validation of the perceived fit scale

Perceived job fit typically encompasses an employee's suitability for the requirements of the job or the culture and values of the organization. This view of job fit overlooks another suitability judgment made by employees in which contribution to the organization is compared with the rewards received in return. Cable and DeRue referred to this type of fit as needs–supplies fit in their 2002 study. To distinguish needs–supply fit from the two more commonly examined types of fit, person–organization fit and person–job fit, the researchers developed the Perceived Fit Scale (PFS). The purpose of the current study was to examine the psychometric properties of the PFS by evaluating its reliability, concurrent validity, and factor structure via confirmatory factor analysis. Three hundred and seventeen certified public accountants participated in the study. The factor analysis results showed that the final model in this study was similar to the factor structure of the PFS reported by the developers, thus providing further support for need–supply fit as a viable dimension of perceived job fit.     

Measuring perceived ceiling height in a visual comparison task

When judging interior space, a dark ceiling is judged to be lower than a light ceiling. The method of metric judgments (e.g., on a centimetre scale) that has typically been used in such tasks may reflect a genuine perceptual effect or it may reflect a cognitively mediated impression. We employed a height-matching method in which perceived ceiling height had to be matched with an adjustable pillar, thus obtaining psychometric functions that allowed for an estimation of the point of subjective equality (PSE) and the difference limen (DL). The height-matching method developed in this paper allows for a direct visual match and does not require metric judgment. It has the added advantage of providing superior precision. Experiment 1 used ceiling heights between 2.90?m and 3.00?m. The PSE proved sensitive to slight changes in perceived ceiling height. The DL was about 3% of the physical ceiling height. Experiment 2 found similar results for lower (2.30?m to 2.50?m) and higher (3.30?m to 3.50?m) ceilings. In Experiment 3, we additionally varied ceiling lightness (light grey vs. dark grey). The height matches showed that the light ceiling appeared significantly higher than the darker ceiling. We therefore attribute the influence of ceiling lightness on perceived ceiling height to a direct perceptual rather than a cognitive effect.     

The perceived ethnic discrimination questionnaire--community version: validation in a multiethnic Asian sample

This study evaluated the validity and reliability of the Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire-Community Version (PEDQ-CV) Lifetime Exposure scale in a multiethnic Asian sample (N = 509). The 34-item scale measures perceived interpersonal racial/ethnic discrimination and includes four subscales assessing different types of discrimination: Social Exclusion, Stigmatization, Discrimination at Work/School, and Threat/Aggression. The Lifetime Exposure scale demonstrated excellent reliability across the full group and in all major subgroups. Subscales displayed good reliability across the full group and moderate-to-good reliability in each subgroup. The Lifetime Exposure scale was significantly correlated with the depression and anxiety subscales of the SCL-90-R, providing preliminary evidence of construct validity. The data suggest the Lifetime Exposure scale, previously validated in Black and Latino adults, is also appropriate for use with Asian samples, and can be used to examine both within-group and between-groups differences in discrimination.     

Spatial memory in rats: A cross validation study

Two experiments were performed to investigate whether two measures of spatial memory, working memory (WM) and reference memory (RM), can be generalized over learning situations. In the first experiment, outbred WU rats were used; in the second four inbred strains. In both experiments rats were given 50 training trials in both a holeboard and a high-sided radial maze: 4 out of 16 holes and 4 out of 8 arms were baited. The number of WM (revisits to baited holes/arms) and RM (visits and revisits to never baited holes/arms) errors were calculated for 5 blocks of 10 trials; odd-even reliabilities were determined for the last 20 trials and were shown to be satisfactory for both measures in both types of apparatus. Error-decrements were analyzed by trend components. For both WM and RM, simple and canonical correlations were determined between means and significant trends in maze and holeboard as a test for construct validity; in both experiments r's and R_c's were very low. It was concluded that the concepts WM and RM are not validly generalizable over tests.     

Construction and validation of a perceived physical fitness scale

Numerous researchers have demonstrated that improvements in physical conditioning can influence one's psychological functioning. Heaps proposed in 1978 that physical improvement does not improve psychological functioning. Heaps contended that only when an individual is cognitively aware of the physical improvement can one expect psychological functioning to be enhanced through physical activity. The purpose of this study was to construct a valid and reliable instrument to assess an individual's perception of his physical fitness.     

Collective moral disengagement: Initial validation of a scale for adolescents

Collective moral disengagement refers to shared group beliefs that morally justify negative actions. This study reports an initial validation of the newly developed Classroom Collective Moral Disengagement Scale (CCMDS) for adolescents. This self-report instrument assesses the degree to which mechanisms of moral disengagement are shared by students in their class. Data were collected from two samples of 486 and 654 adolescents attending middle and high schools in Italy. Through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses the unidimensional structure of the scale was established. Multigroup analyses demonstrated configural, metric and scalar invariance of the model across age and gender groups. The final version of the scale consists of 17 items and it has good internal consistency and validity. It is concluded that the scale is a promising measure for research concerning group level morality.     

Post-traumatic stress symptoms in adolescents exposed to an earthquake: Association with self-efficacy,perceived magnitude,and fear

The objective of this study was to evaluate th×e relationship between the magnitude of an earthquake, the fear experienced, the self-efficacy beliefs, and post-traumatic stress symptoms in adolescents. We expected self-efficacy beliefs to predict post-traumatic stress symptoms, and this relation to be mediated by fear. We used data from a longitudinal project on adolescent normative development that was under way at the time of the 2010 earthquake in Chile. Six months before the earthquake, 218 adolescents responded to a self-efficacy beliefs scale; three months after the earthquake they reported the perceived magnitude of the event, the fear they experienced, and their post-traumatic stress symptoms. Results showed that perceived magnitude was not associated with fear or post-traumatic stress symptoms, but self-efficacy beliefs and fear were associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms. The hypothesized role of fear as a mediator in the relation between self-efficacy beliefs and post-traumatic stress symptoms was supported by the data. The results of the study, suggest that preventive interventions aimed to increase awareness of how to face a disaster may not only contribute to save lives but may also increase adolescentś sense of personal efficacy, reducing subsequent emotional reactivity associated with the event.     

Measuring adult attachment: a construct validation of two self-report instruments

This study reports the Swedish construct validation of two translated attachment style scales. The factor structure of the attachment construct was investigated via exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of attachment scores from 515 students of a Swedish university. Results supported the expected two-factor solution, but found a three-factor solution to be a viable alternative. In addition, the attachment scales were compared with the Big Five personality inventory (NEO-PI), using a sample of 87 Swedish students, and found to have expected correlation to this scale.     

Development and validation of a measure of perceived relative deprivation in childhood

Childhood adversity is known to impact psychological functioning and physical health in later life, but research into the mechanisms responsible has been impeded by the absence of a suitable retrospective measure of perceived relative deprivation in childhood. We developed and validated scores of the Perceived Inequality in Childhood Scale (PICS). In total, 683 students from Liverpool University, Liverpool Hope University and the University of East London were sampled by means of online methods. The data were separated using odd–even methods and an exploratory factor analysis identified a 2 factor solution: perceived relative deprivation (12 items) and family social capital (4 items). The measure was then subjected to confirmatory factor analysis and a 3 factor structure was revealed. The scale was further validated against Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) scores of childhood addresses. The PICS is a brief, practical scale suitable for both small and large-scale research studies.     

Measuring adjustment to chronic skin disorders: validation of a self-report measure

This article describes the development of a questionnaire that assesses problems in adapting to chronic skin disorders, the Adjustment to Chronic Skin Diseases Questionnaire. Patients (N = 442) with different skin disorders completed the original item pool. Principal-components analysis suggested a 6-factor solution that was largely replicated with 2 additional samples of 192 patients with psoriasis or atopic dermatitis and 165 patients with atopic dermatitis. Four of the subscales showed very good internal consistencies, retest reliabilities, and sufficient correlations with expert ratings: Social Anxiety/Avoidance, Itch-Scratch Cycle, Helplessness, and Anxious-Depressive Mood. Two short additional subscales, Impact on Quality of Life and Deficit in Active Coping, showed moderate internal consistencies, but good retest reliabilities. Correlations of the subscales with measures of depression, anxiety, and coping, and meaningful differences between dermatological subgroups support their construct validity. A treatment study showed that changes in some of the subscales correlated with changes in the severity of the skin condition.     

Assessing extraversion and emotional stability in adolescents: development and validation of a questionnaire

A reduced version of the Five-factor Personality Inventory, which only considers two of the five original dimensions, was constructed to assess Extraversion and Emotional Stability especially for a sample of 581 adolescents. This used Items 6, 9, 11, 19, 21, 39, 41, 46, 54, 59, 61, 66, 84, 89, 91, and 99. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis showed that the factor structure of the questionnaire is acceptable, and both scales are reliable and correlated with similar measures as The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised.     

When I was born: perceived parental reactions of adolescents

A 32-item multiple choice test, When I Was Born, was designed to measure adolescents' perceptions of parental reactions at the time of their births. A total of 372 subjects, ages 11 through 20 years, were administered the test. The population included 140 physically normal subjects, 97 adolescents with acquired physical problems, and 135 subjects with congenital physical anomalies. Factor analyses of test data using 100 normal subjects as the criterion population identified four factors: Parental Emotion, Parental Apprehension, Parental Pride, and Parental Nurturance. On all four factors, normal subjects had the highest scores, and subjects with congenital anomalies had the lowest scores. The findings suggest that the test measures both adolescents' projected feelings about parental reactions at their birth and the current impact of a physical problem on the child.     

Predictors of perceived satisfaction with parental control in Chinese adolescents: a 3-year longitudinal study

Over three consecutive years, 2,559 Chinese adolescents (mean age = 12.65 years at Wave 1) responded to instruments assessing their trust of parents, perceived parental trust of the children, readiness to communicate with the parents, and satisfaction with parental control. Results showed that mutual trust between the parents and their adolescent children and the children's readiness to communicate with the parents were related to perceived satisfaction with parental control at Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3. Although readiness to communicate with the parents and mutual trust between the parents and their adolescent children predicted perceived satisfaction with parental behavioral control and its change over time, trust of the parent was the strongest predictor. While the influence of trust of the father on satisfaction with paternal control was stronger for adolescent girls than for adolescent boys, influence of paternal trust on satisfaction with paternal control was stronger for adolescent boys than for adolescent girls.     

Relative and absolute stability in perceived parenting behaviour: a longitudinal study with children and adolescents

Patterns of relative and absolute stability in parental behaviour with children and adolescents are reported. The sample comprised 523 youth (58.7% girls). Data were collected at three time periods: T1 (M age = 11.1 yr.), T2 (M age = 12.2 yr.), and T3 (M age = 13.2 yr.), each separated by one year. According to children's reports, relative consistency was moderate in both mothers and fathers, particularly as regards communication and strict control. In contrast, as children got older, parental rearing practices related to strict control and hostility decreased. There was a similarity between fathers and mothers in terms of relative and absolute stability. Relative stability was affected by the child's sex, the parenting variable, and the time period; however, the patterns of absolute stability reveal no differences by sex.     

Differences between general computer attitudes and perceived computer attributes: development and validation of a scale

The aim of this study was to develop a tool for measuring individuals' dispositions toward the use of computers in their work environment. The study reports the construction and validation of a general computer attitude and perceived computer attribute scale. Exploratory factor analytical evidence with a sample of 381 employees indicated a structure underpinned by two constructs, an attitudinal factor and a perceived computer attribute factor. The internal consistency estimates of reliability of scores were .81 for the attitudinal factor and .89 for the perceived computer attribute factor. Compared to the computer attitude subscale, scores on the perceived computer attribute subscale correlated higher with computer experience and professional computer use within the sample.     

Causal attributions for losing as perceived by adolescents

To assess the causal attributions for losing perceived by both early and late adolescents, a sample of 150 high school students responded to a questionnaire comprising three categories of activities (sport, academic, and social) in which they had not won or achieved a desired outcome. The obtained attributions for not winning were categorized into four areas: task difficulty, luck, effort, or ability. Adolescent girls indicated significantly more internal attributions and boys more external attributions. Seventh graders' attributions were external and twelfth graders' were internal. No differences emerged as a function of high and low self-esteem. Implications for the structure of achievement tasks are discussed.     

The Social Phobia Inventory: screening and cross-cultural validation in Spanish adolescents

Availability of brief, self-report measures to be used as screening instruments is crucial to detect correctly youth with social anxiety disorder and therefore, reach those otherwise under-detected and under-treated. A previous study revealed that the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) was potentially an appropriate measure for screening social anxiety among US adolescents. However, there is a lack of information concerning its properties as a screening test in other cultures and languages. This is the main objective of this study, although further validity of the scale is provided as well. The sample consisted of 192 adolescents (a sample composed of 114 subjects with a principal diagnosis of social anxiety disorder; and a group consisting of 78 subjects with no diagnosis of social phobia). Results suggest that the Social Phobia Inventory has demonstrated good psychometric properties and indeed may be used as a screening tool in Spanish-speaking adolescents.     

Development and validation of a scale to measure perceived control of internal states

One of the key developments in the psychological literature on control has been the growing recognition of the multidimensional nature of the control construct. Recent research suggests that perceived control of internal states may be just as important as perceived control of external events. The Perceived Control of Internal States Scale was developed to provide a measure of the degree to which people feel they have control of their internal states (emotions, thoughts, physical reactions). I report the results of 2 studies (N= 689), supporting the reliability, construct, and incremental validity of the scale. The buffering effects of perceived control for people facing major life events was also explored, with higher levels of perceived control being associated with less physical and psychological symptoms of strain.     

Measuring adaptive expertise: development and validation of an instrument

Individuals with adaptive expertise possess the skills to deal with novel problems. Whereas this concept has been around since the mid-1980s, no instrument exists that provides a good operationalization of the theoretical construct. This inhibits the further development of research on adaptive expertise and the evaluation of employees’ adaptive expertise levels. Adaptive expertise has been unanimously described as a composition of domain-specific and innovative skills. Some researchers argue that metacognitive skills are also crucial. This study aimed to establish whether an instrument measuring adaptive expertise is composed of these three dimensions. In addition, it was tested whether such an instrument is influenced by task variety and work experience, as previously reported in literature. A sample of 383 professionals and graduates were used to test the Adaptive Expertise Inventory. Through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), (E/CFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the quality of the instrument was evaluated. Good model fit was achieved. The final instrument consisted of two dimensions—i.e., domain-specific and innovative skills—with five items each. Regression analysis showed that not work experience, but task variety is related to level of adaptive expertise. The Adaptive Expertise Inventory proved to be a valid instrument for measuring adaptive expertise.