The Relationship Between Optimism and Coping Styles of Salespeople

Despite an awareness of the inverse relationship between stress levels and job performance, researchers have not addressed the specific coping strategies used by salespeople in their efforts to cope with sales-related stress. A framework is developed that suggests dispositionally optimistic salespeople may employ different coping strategies than do pessimistic salespeople. Support for hypotheses that have been grounded in this broad proposition was developed in a study that employed a multi-firm sales sample. Optimists were found to employ more problem-focused coping tactics, while pessimists used more emotion-focused coping. Issues relating to why problem-focused coping tactics are preferable as well as how greater use of problem-focused coping may be promoted within a sales organization are discussed.     

Coping Strategy Profiles Used by Salespeople: Their Relationships with Personal Characteristics and Work Outcomes

Sales research to date has focused on coping styles as measured by problem-focused coping (PFC) and emotion-focused coping (EFC), but it has excluded time management perceptions and behaviors as ways of coping with stress (Srivastava and Sager 1999; Strutton and Lumpkin 1993). This study examines a coping model that integrates EFC, PFC, and time management behaviors in the rubric of a profile. The profile allows for practice of several coping behaviors simultaneously. Using data gained from salespeople, four tentative coping strategy profiles are developed and examined relative to personal characteristics and job outcomes. Study results suggest that salespeople who are able to better handle stress use time management behaviors more often in addition to using high levels of PFC and low levels of EFC.     

Differences In the Importance of Selling Techniques Between Consumer and Industrial Salespeople

Abstract

The techniques involved in the personal selling process have been well documented in numerous sources over the years, but little research-based guidance has been provided to aid professional salespeople in the implementation of such techniques. The purpose of this research study is to examine the importance of 84 selling techniques, and cite the similarities and differences between consumer and industrial salespeople. The results indicate that consumer salespeople tend to rely more on other people, community contact, and standardized sales presentations than do industrial salespeople, while the latter rely more on company-supplied resources and partially standardized presentation styles.     

Patterns of Sexuality Communication Between Preadolescents and Their Mothers and Fathers

The purpose of the current study was to examine communication about sexual topics between preadolescents and their mothers and fathers. Participants were 135 African-American mothers, fathers, and their 9- to 12-year-old offspring. Each member of the triad completed a 10-item measure of communication about risk factors for sexual activity, sexual communication, and sexual risk prevention. A majority of parents and their preadolescents reported communication had occurred about most topics. Mothers and fathers were equally likely to communicate with sons whereas mothers were more likely to communicate with daughters than were fathers. Based on the study results, preadolescence may be the optimal time for parents to provide sexual risk prevention messages to their children before sexual behaviors are initiated.     

Communication Differences Between Physicians and Their Patients in an Oncology Setting

The physician-patient relationship has critical importance in the quality of medical care, especially in the oncology setting. Of particular interest over the past two decades has been the communication between physicians and their patients. It is understood that communication is related to patient and physician satisfaction as well as other medical outcomes. However, despite this interest and attention, investigators have only recently begun to assess the communication between physicians and patients from the patient's point of view. Additionally, previous investigations have primarily relied upon retrospective reports of the interaction from patients or physicians. The current investigation assessed physician–patient communication in an oncology setting, both as it was occurring and following the interaction. The units of analysis included participant ratings as well as those of trained observers. Findings revealed that physicians and patients disagree as to the valence of the messages which transpired. Additionally, results suggest that it is the patients who distort the messages in the positive direction. Research and clinical implications of this disagreement and positivity bias are discussed.     

Passion for Driving and Aggressive Driving Behavior: A Look at Their Relationship

The purpose of the present research was to investigate the relationship between passion for driving and aggressive driving behavior in 3 studies. Study 1 examined the association between passion and aggressive driving behavior in a sample of undergraduate students. Results showed that an obsessive passion for driving was associated with aggressive driving behavior, while harmonious passion was not. Study 2 replicated these results with an ecologically valid sample of community‐dwelling drivers. Finally, Study 3 replicated the results obtained in Studies 1 and 2 in a laboratory setting using a driving simulator under controlled frustrating driving situations with judges' assessment of aggressive driving behavior. Study 3 also showed that the emotion of anger mediated the obsessive‐passion/aggressive‐driving‐behavior relationship.     

Antecedents and Outcomes of Organizational Commitment: A Study of Salespeople

The role organizational commitment plays in salesperson behavior is unresearched. To increase understanding of both causes and outcomes of organizational commitment for salespeople, this study proposed and tested a path model. The model was drawn from the framework for studying organizational commitment proposed by Chornco (1986).

The study results imply that salespeoples' performance is not determined by commitment or by effort, but that it is positively affected by the sales manager, income and education. Commitment was positively affected by anticipatory socialization, work satisfaction and manager satisfaction. Means for building commitment are discussed, as are situations where management should stress salesforce commitment.     

Indsales Model: A Facet-Level Job Satisfaction Model among Salespeople

While a debate exists with regard to the measurement of job satisfaction as a global or multifaceted construct, research has yet to understand how the facets of job satisfaction behave in a developmental process. Using the INDSALES satisfaction scale, this research theoretically develops and empirically tests a multifaceted job satisfaction model using a sample of 226 business-to-business sales representatives. The results demonstrate the linkages among different elements of satisfaction and illustrate the interdependencies inherent to job satisfaction facets. Drawing from expectancy theory and the established relationships among satisfaction facets, sales organizations should focus their efforts on increasing salesperson satisfaction with policy and support and properly aligning salesperson expectations.     

The Relationship Between Racial Identity Development and Multicultural Counseling Competency: A Second Look

The relationship between racial identity development and multicultural counseling competency across a 2‐year period of time was examined in this study. Significant increases were found in multicultural counseling competency but not in their levels of racial identity development across time. Possible explanations for and limitations of this research are discussed. La relación entre el desarrollo de la identidad racial y la competencia para consejería multicultural a través de un período de dos años se examina en esta investigación. Se encuentran aumentos significantes en la competencia para consejería multicultural, pero no en el nivel de desarrollo de identidad racial a través del tiempo. Se examinan las posibles explicaciones y las limitaciones de esta investigación también.     

Establishing the First Stages of Early Reciprocal Interactions Between Mothers and Their Autistic Children

No abstract available for this article.     

Examining Relationships Between Physicians and Their Patients: A Psychoanalytic Model

This is a study of a group of physicians' reflections about their communication with patients. Using an applied psychoanalytic framework for self-inquiry in groups, the authors summarize their findings and provide a model for others to use. They describe their method of conducting and studying three physician groups. The authors identify six essential dynamics within groups and illustrate the dynamics with examples of physician reflections. They summarize further their observations about the composition, dominant themes, and phases of development for each group. The intent of the self-inquiry groups—to clarify physicians' habits and thought patterns about patients—is upheld in the report's conclusion, in which the authors report participants' evaluation of their learning experience. Recommendations are made for analysts to apply the model in work with general physicians.     

Professional Growth Versus Personal Growth of Salespeople: A General Systems Model

Abstract

This study was designed to test a general systems model of growth, specifically how professional growth contributes to personal growth and vice versa. After a discussion of general systems models, two hypotheses were identified for testing. Hypothesis One dealt with personality traits of personal growth as being indicators of professional growth; Hypothesis Two focused on age as it contributes to professional growth and ultimately to personal growth. Several indicators of personal growth were correlated with indicators of professional growth to test Hypothesis One, which was ultimately supported. Hypothesis Two was tested using ANOVA with several well- known professional growth measures and age as independent variables, with self-esteem measures and inner/other-directedness measures as dependent variables. Hypothesis Two was not supported.     

Unravelling Criteria for Assessing the Performance of Salespeople: A Causal Analysis

Abstract

In the past, academic research on sales force performance has used either objective performance data or subjective managerial ratings to measure sales performance. Consistent with corporate practices, objective and subjective performance measures were used in this research project. The relationships among three components of performance: specific task behaviors, specific goal achievement and overall performance were examined. A casual analysis suggests that managerial evaluations of overall sales performance are influenced by their perceptions of specific selling behaviors and the degree to which sales people attain specified performance goals.     

Service Employees’ Reactions to Mistreatment by Customers: A Comparison Between North America and East Asia

The authors proposed that customer service employees’ reactions to mistreatment by customers can vary between North American and East Asian employees due to differences in their cultural values. Customer mistreatment was predicted to be associated with direct, active, and target‐specific reactions (i.e., sabotage directed toward the source of mistreatment) more so among North American employees as compared to East Asian employees. In contrast, customer mistreatment was predicted to relate to more indirect, passive, and target‐general reactions (i.e., withdraw organizational citizenship behavior directed toward customers in general) among employees in East Asia as compared to employees in North America. A field study of customer service employees (N = 213) working in the same hotel chain in China and Canada found support for these predictions. Mediation analyses showed that individualism and collectivism accounted for these differences. Theoretical and practical implications are provided, and future directions are discussed.     

Family Communication Following BRCA1/2 Genetic Testing: A Close Look at the Process

This study examines the process of communicating BRCA1/2 genetic test results to family members, and the factors influencing disclosure. Twenty-nine semi-structured telephone interviews with BRCA1/2 tested individuals, 4 to 9 years post-notification, were conducted. Our results suggest that individual, familial, relational and socio-medical factors influence the decision to disclose/not disclose genetic test results to family members. These factors are at play in all three communication phases: the Decision-making phase, in which the individual ponders various factors before deciding to disclose test results to family members; the Disclosure phase, in which communication per se takes place; and the Reaction phase, which shapes the participant’s subsequent disclosure/non-disclosure decisions. We propose a guiding framework to assist in identifying and evaluating significant factors that might shape the course and outcome of the transmission of genetic information to family members.     

Empowerment and Powerlessness: A Closer Look at the Relationship Between Feminism, Body Image and Eating Disturbance

Objectification Theory (Frederickson & Roberts, 1997) states that women’s bodies are viewed as objects to be evaluated and this societal objectification may lead to self-objectification when women view their own bodies as objects. The current study theorized that empowerment is an important factor in reducing self-objectification. Although empowerment is a central tenet of feminist theory, this study is the first to examine the relationship between empowerment, feminism, and body image and eating disturbance. Participants were 276 women from the southeastern USA. Results demonstrated that empowerment was more predictive of body image and eating disturbance than was feminism. Development of a validated empowerment scale specific to body image and eating disturbance may be useful for future research, prevention, and treatment efforts.     

初中生与父母沟通的障碍及调适

初中生身心发展的种种特殊矛盾和表现使初中生与父母的关系发生了微妙的变化，本文描述了父母与子女沟通的必要性，列举了初中生与父母沟通的障碍，并分别针对父母和初中生给出了调适建议。     

Suicidology: A Look Backward and Ahead

Using the metaphor of “a long run’ to describe our progress in suicidology, the author looks back to discuss important concepts that have become well established, such as clues to suicide, ambivalence, crisis services, suicide consultations, and psychological autopsies. An example is the psychological autopsy of Marilyn Monroe. Follow-up studies of crisis center clients have indicated that chronically suicidal clients are at the greatest risk of suicide. Recommendations for the long-term treatment of such patients are provided. Research on youth suicide is reported. Finally, the author looks ahead toward new developments in training and treatment.