Seniority in the generational transition of laboratory groups: The effects of social familiarity and task experience

The determinants of leadership seniority in laboratory groups were investigated in two experiments. In both experiments a procedure was used in which individual group members were periodically replaced throughout 7 generations. The individuals within the groups folded origami products and traded with other groups so as to earn quarters. In the first experiment the effect of social familiarity on seniority was investigated by comparing a set of standard groups with a set of rotational groups in which the group members moved from group to group between generations and thus always interacted with strangers. There was less seniority in the rotational groups. In the second experiment the effect of experience on seniority was investigated by comparing a set of standard groups with a set of experienced groups in which the new group members were recruited from the standard groups. There was less seniority in the experienced groups. It was found in both experiments, in agreement with previous research, that over generations the subjects earned increasing amounts of money and worked with increasing speed and efficiency.     

Safe driving and road-crossing tasks: A particular case of successful transfer of learning

The current study examines whether crucial safe driving skills are associated with safe road-crossing skills as pedestrians. The main research question was whether skills that are acquired from the point of view of a driver are associated with the skills of pedestrians in different platforms or settings. Furthermore, the study examines whether task performance on one platform (driving) primes an operator for task performance on another (road-crossing as a pedestrian) or vice versa. Sixty people took part in this study and completed a demographic questionnaire, a Driving Behavior Questionnaire, a Pedestrian Behavior Scale and two computerized tests – a Hazard Perception Test for Drivers and a Hazard Perception Test for Pedestrians.We found that the better the participants detect hazards on the road as drivers, the better they detect hazards as pedestrians as well, and that most of the participants’ self-reported values regarding their driving and their road-crossing as pedestrians are correlated. The study revealed an association between years of seniority in driving and the number of driving hours per week, and some behavioral variables as pedestrians – meaning that exposure to the road as a driver may be related to safer behavior as a pedestrian.     

Improving organizational newcomers’ creative job performance through creative process engagement: The moderating role of a synergy diversity climate

Despite the mounting research demonstrating that employee seniority positively relates to creative job performance, we predict that a synergy diversity climate eliminates the employee seniority–creative job performance relationship by unleashing the creative potential of organizational newcomers. Drawing upon the integration-and-learning perspective for managing diversity, Study 1 finds that a synergy diversity climate moderates the relationship between employee seniority and supervisor-rated creative job performance lending support to our hypothesis. Study 2 provides an extension by showing how creative process engagement mediates this moderating effect on self-rated creative performance. Finally, Study 3 replicates and extends Study 2 by demonstrating the mediating role of creative process engagement but utilizing supervisor-rated creative job performance, while again showing synergy diversity climate to be an important boundary condition. In sum, we find that synergy diversity climate, as opposed to fairness and discrimination diversity climate, interacts with employee seniority by facilitating greater creative process engagement for newcomers subsequently impacting creative job performance. We discuss theoretical and practical implications for how the individual-level creative job performance effects may represent a microfoundation to creative team dynamics that confer a sustainable competitive advantage.     

Which occupational risk factors are associated with burnout in nursing? A meta-analytic study

Numerous empirical studies have suggested a link between occupational factors and the burnout syndrome. The effect sizes of the association reported vary widely in nursing professionals. The objective of this research was to assess the influence of five occupational factors (job seniority, professional experience, job satisfaction, specialization and work shift) on the three burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment) in nursing. We conducted a meta-analysis with a total of 81 studies met to our inclusion criteria: 31 on job seniority; 29 on professional experience; 37 on job satisfaction; 4 on specialization; and 6 on work shift. The mean effect sizes found suggest that job satisfaction and, to a lesser extent, specialization were important factors influencing the burnout syndrome. The heterogeneity analysis showed that there was a great variability in all the estimates of the mean effect size. Various moderators were found to be significant in explaining the association between occupational factors and burnout. In conclusion, it is important to prevent the substantive moderators that are influencing these associations. The improved methodological variables explain most of the contradictory results found in previous research on this field.     

Les décisions d’orientation dépendent-elles des stéréotypes sociaux ? Sous quelles conditions ?

IntroductionIn this research we want to show that influence of social stereotypes linked to the social background on the students’ orientation is not a social fate that cannot be ignored but that there really are conditions that allow to reduce or even suppress those effects. The objective is to test the hypothesis according to which the seniority of the teachers, their type of professional commitment and the fact of working or not in an area earmarked for special educational assistance (prioritary education zone) must allow to significantly reduce the stereotypes effects on the academic judgment.MethodWithin the framework of an experimental research lead in school, we have asked high school teachers to express propositions of continuing studies as well as success predictions from ficticious student files reaching the end of high school. The results confirm that the bias generally observed in academic judgments are reduced in professors having a seniority above 5 years compared to the ones having a seniority lower than 5 years, those who have a strong work commitment, like the “self made persons” or “social activists” types, compared to those having a lower type of work commitment like the “self investors” or “careerists” types and those working in an area earmarked for special educational assistance (prioritary education zone) compared to those who work outside these areas.ConclusionThis research shows that factors likely to limit the effects of social background stereotypes on academic judgments do exist.     

Authorship: The Hidden Voices of Postgraduate TEFL Students in Iran

Although an author is defined as someone who has made substantial contributions to a research study, sometimes power relations in student-supervisor collaborations play a more determining role in attribution of authorship. This article reflects the ideas of eight Iranian postgraduate Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) students about authorship policies and practices at their universities. The interview data indicate that the participants were not involved in authorship decisions and authorship credits were given based on their supervisors’ positions and seniority rather than their contribution to students’ research. The participants also described unfair authorship experiences affecting their motivation, interest in academia, self-confidence, etc. It is recommended that faculty members and policy-makers in TEFL programs in Iran engage in ongoing open discussions about authorship policies and decision-making with students to avoid creating negative feelings and unpleasant experiences for students which might lead to a legacy of unfair authorship practices.     

Fear of ‘failure’ and ‘tissue damage’ in police recruits,constables, sergeants and senior officers

This study investigates the effects of occupational experiences on the pattern of fears among groups of British male police officers. Two categories of fears were studied: (1) fear of failure and negative evaluation; (2) fear of tissue damage and bodily harm. The former was expected to increase with police experience and seniority, whereas the latter should decrease due to greater exposure in vivo and limited opportunities for avoidance behaviour. The Ss comprised 72 police recruits, 62 constables, 30 sergeants and 93 senior officers. The hypotheses were confirmed, suggesting clear group differences among police officers in the pattern of fears which was related to police experience and seniority. The Fear scores were found to correlate significantly with neuroticism as measured by the EPQ.     

Training-related Variables,Gender and Training Outcomes: A Field Investigation

A two-week training programme was provided to male and female trainees. Data were collected on each of the subject's locus of control and on each subject's perception of the degree to which their work environment would be supportive of application of skills acquired in training. The outcome variables measured for the 73 trainees (35 males, 38 females) included motivation to transfer, evaluation of the training programme, the grade achieved at the conclusion of training, self-report and immediate superior's evaluation of the use of acquired skills. Data were also collected on seniority. Hierarchical regression analysis was employed to test the effect of gender, and training-related variables on training outcomes. Controlling for the effect of seniority the data indicated that gender had an impact on motivation to transfer, and gender and seniority both had a significant effect on reaction to the course. Perceived work environment support and its interaction with seniority also accounted for a significant portion of explained variance of motivation to transfer and reactions to the course. Locus of control did not have a significant effect on four of the training outcomes but the interaction of locus of control and seniority affected the superior's evaluation of the use of skills. The results are discussed in terms of their tactical and strategic implications for the relationship between training-related variables and gender.     

The effects of Web site structure: the role of personal difference.

This study examined the effects of Web site structures in terms of advertising effectiveness- memory, attitude, and behavioral intentions. The primary research question for this study is, What type of Web site (Web ad) structure is most effective? In the pilot study, we tested the difference between two Web site structures, linear and interactive, in terms of traditional advertising effectiveness. Results from the pilot study did not support our research expectations. However, differences in terms of memory were noted between the two structures. After re-creating the Web site based on subjects' comments, in the final experiment, we examined the differences between the two structures and the moderating role of personality difference on the effects of Web site structure. The results confirm that participants' attitude, memory, and behavioral intentions were affected differently by the different Web site structures. However, some research hypotheses were not supported by the current data.     

Is It Lonely at the Top? An Empirical Study of Managers’ and Nonmanagers’ Loneliness in Organizations

Loneliness is often assumed to be an occupational hazard for senior-ranked members of an organization. However, most of what researchers hear about being "lonely at the top" is anecdote. This article provides empirical evidence from three separate studies assessing loneliness in managers and nonmanagers. Across all three studies, loneliness did not differ by managerial status. Managers were no more or less lonely than their nonmanager counterparts. This suggests that factors beyond seniority may be contributing to loneliness in organizational settings. Ideas for future research are discussed.     

Rewarding seniority: exploring cultural and organizational predictors of seniority allocations

The author investigated how organizations in the United Kingdom, the United States, New Zealand, and Germany use seniority in their decisions about rewarding employees. The author asked employees from several organizations to indicate how often their organizations use seniority when making decisions about pay raises, promotions, and dismissals. Results indicated that organizations with egalitarian cultures, economically successful organizations, and public-sector organizations use seniority more often in such decisions. Furthermore, uncertainty avoidance predicted greater use of seniority. The findings are discussed in light of the potential of seniority to maintain and control conflict inherent in open systems and the aging workforce in Western societies.     

Relationships Between Conscientiousness Sub-Factors and Constructive and Destructive Behavioral Intentions

This study examined the relationship between Conscientiousness, its sub-factors of Achievement and Dependability, and constructive and destructive behavioral intentions. In a sample of 270 undergraduate students, scores on personality measures were correlated with constructive and destructive behavioral tendencies as measured by responses to scenario situations. Results indicated that both Achievement and Dependability were negatively related to destructive behavioral intentions. As hypothesized, the relationship between Achievement and constructive behavioral intentions was significantly higher than the relationship between Dependability and constructive behavioral intentions. Contributions, limitations, and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

行为执行意向的理论观点及其相关研究

执行意向是指个体以行动目标为导向,通过连接情景线索和目标导向反应,建立行为意向和实际行为之间联系的中介变量。通过梳理执行意向的概念、心理联系及应用研究,发现执行意向主要与行为意向、自我协调、合作性、计划提醒、自觉性、人格等变量产生心理联系;形成执行意向的人具有克服困难,达到既定目标的积极心理状态。然而,执行意向并不总是发挥其积极效应,其与具体情景、个体差异性等有关。最后,文章从四个方面对今后研究的热点与方向进行了展望。     

Commitment to Work, Care Giving and Seniority: The Case of Nursing

The current study examined whether differences in commitment to paid employment or different levels of private sphere responsibility between women and men could explain the gender segmentation of the paid work force. A survey of a composite sample (N?=?380) of Australian nurses showed that there were no significant differences between women and men in terms of commitment to paid employment although commitment was a predictor of seniority. Primary care-giving status also predicted seniority and women were more likely than men to have care-giving responsibility for dependents. Multiple logistic regression showed that, independent of gender, primary responsibility for care-giving to dependents, rather than commitment to paid employment, explained more of the differing chances for women and men of being in senior positions.     

Determinants of Perceived Pay Inequities: The Effects of Comparison Other Characteristics and Pay‐System Communication1

Using an equity theory framework, we hypothesized that performance, seniority, and gender differences in comparison others lead to perceived pay inequities, but that this relationship is moderated by an explanation of the pay system. A policy‐capturing methodology was used. We found that performance and seniority differences are related to perceived pay inequities, but these perceived inequities were less pronounced when the pay system was explained to employees. Interestingly, we did not find any evidence of gender effects in perceived pay inequities. These results are discussed in terms of new developments in integrating procedural‐justice and distributive‐justice domains.     

A FIELD STUDY OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PURPOSE: RESEARCH- VERSUS ADMINISTRATIVE- BASED RATINGS

Many researchers have discussed the theoretical and practical importance of rating purpose. Nevertheless, the body of empirical studies, the majority of which were conducted in a laboratory setting, focus on leniency. There has been little research on other effects of rating purpose. The present study examines 223 ratees in a field setting for whom there were both administrative-based performance appraisal ratings (which were actually used for personnel decisions) and research-based performance appraisal ratings (obtained for a validation study). Two of the hypotheses were supported; administrative ratings were more lenient than research-based ratings. The administrative-based ratings demonstrated a statistically significant relationship with ratee seniority, while the research-based ratings did not. There was mixed support for a third hypothesis: Research ratings were significantly correlated with a predictor, while the administrative ratings were not. The difference between the validity coefficients, however, was not significant. Contrary to the hypothesis, the rank order between administrative-based and research-based ratings was relatively high ( r = 33).     

The effects of biasing information on behavioral observations and rating scales

The effects of biasing information on behavioral observations and rating scales were studied. Fortyone undergraduate students trained in making reliable behavioral observations were given differential expectations concerning the activity level of a target child. They then viewed videotape recordings of that child and tallied frequency counts of six behavioral categories simultaneously. In addition, subjects completed postexperimental rating scales composed of specific, identifiable behaviors in regard to the target child. Results indicated that, for the most part, neither the behavioral observations nor the rating scales were significantly affected by the biasing information. It is suggested that rating scales constructed of items as discrete and readily identifiable as those of behavioral observation measures may prove resistant to biasing effects.This study is based in part on a thesis submitted by the second author to Case Western Reserve University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the master of arts degree in psychology. The authors express their appreciation to the Claremont Unified School District, Claremont, California, for their assistance in the production of the videotape and to the Instructional Support Center at Case Western Reserve University for their co-operation in providing research space. Special thanks are given to Thomas Hyde for his advice and assistance throughout the study.     

行为决策理论之父：纪念Edwards教授2周年忌辰

著名心理学家W ard Edwards对行为决策的学科形成与理论发展作出了巨大贡献。文章简要介绍了Edwards的生平,以主观期望效用模型和贝叶斯决策为核心回顾了Edwards的决策理论、主要成就及其对行为决策研究的学术贡献。文章并从行为决策领域的研究、科普、应用及人才培养等方面总结了中国行为决策研究的发展历程,以及Edwards的学术思想对中国行为决策研究的主要影响。文章展望了行为决策研究的前景,并呼吁更多的中国心理学工作者投身于行为决策研究。     

The institutional impact of research challenges and constraints on psychology and other social and behavioral sciences

Psychology and other social and behavioral disciplines are severely limited by the extraordinary complexity of the phenomena of study and numerous legal, ethical, and logistical constraints. In this article, we examine the impact of these research challenges on the institutional standing of and support for our disciplines. The immense challenges of human research have contributed to unfavorable stereotypes of the capabilities of social and behavioral scientists and fostered self-censure of our fields. Low consensus for research questions, frameworks, and approaches, and frustration with the limitations of studies have fragmented disciplines such as sociology and anthropology. The numerous obstacles and impediments have led to the subordination of social and behavioral science which has been maintained through policies, practices, ideologies, and stereotypes favoring the natural sciences. Psychologists and other social and behavioral scientists need to recognize the limitations of their research enterprise imposed by the complexity of the study phenomena and stop disparaging their work. Moreover, they need to recognize the potential for conflict and division because of the low consensus in our fields and act collectively to promote social and behavioral science.