Interrelationships among three measures of preference for cognitive style based on hemisphere specialization theory

Right and left cerebral hemisphere and limbic scores derived from the Herrmann Brain Dominance Profile were correlated with left, right, and integrated scores from the Torrance-Reynolds Your Style of Learning and Thinking and four cognitive style scores from the Kolb Learning Style Inventory. Coefficients from 40 students in occupational therapy indicated low moderate positive relationships between like-named hemisphere scores, lack of significant relationships between cognitive style and two independent measures of hemispheric preference, and relative independence of preferred hemisphere mode as well as relative independence between cerebral and limbic systems. The data are interpreted as requiring cautious concern about the validity of these measures by potential users.     

Relationships among projective and direct verbal measures of achievement motivation

The present study was undertaken to explore ways projective arid nonprojective verbal measures of achievement motivation elicit comparable and dissimilar responses in a "Third World" sample of entrepreneurs as a test of McClelland's theory of economic growth. Results were generally consistent with the theory of achievement motivation, and suggested that high scores on n Ach were associated with high rates of industrial and agricultural output; low scores were associated with static or declining business. TAT measurement was the best predictor in that it correlated 0.68 and 0.48 with agricultural and industrial production. Results further lend support to past findings: namely, that Various achievement measures appear to be measuring dissimilar constructs.     

Independence training,need achievement and need affiliation

American white and American Indian grade school boys and girls from the North Central Plains are studied. The previously shown significant and positive relationship between high need achievement and low need affiliation is hypothesized to be a culturally based and sex related phenomenon. The early training of Plains Indian children especially that of boys emphasizes early independence rather than either affiliation or achievement. As hypothesized, it was found in this study both that white children had significantly higher need affiliation scores than Indian children and that boys indicated higher need achievement than girls, indicating cultural and sexual differences. It appeared also that success is a more potent condition for Indian boys in intensifying need achievement scores, whereas failure intensifies the need achievement scores of white children. This suggests that perceived success and failure operate differentially between these cultural groups. Other results also corroborate earlier findings of the culture bias of « standard » intelligence tests.     

Similarity among common measures of academic achievement: implications for assessing disabled children

Four commonly used measures of academic achievement were administered in counterbalanced order to 32 elementary and middle school-aged children enrolled in exceptional education programs for the learning disabled. Measures chosen were the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, KeyMath-R, Test of Written Spelling 2, and the Gray Oral Reading Test-Revised. Analysis suggested corresponding measures of reading, mathematics, and spelling were highly correlated, although in some instances generated significantly different mean standard scores. Implications for practitioners are discussed.     

Attachment,temperament, and social referencing: Interrelationships among three domains of infant affective behavior

The relations among attachment, temperament, and social referencing—three constructs tapping individual differences in affectivity—were investigated in a sample of 48 12-month olds. Social referencing behavior was observed in three laboratory situations, attachment measures were rated during the Ainsworth Strange Situation, and temperament was assessed by Rothbart's (1981) Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ). A broad temperament factor predicted some Strange Situation behaviors and the information-seeking component of social referencing, but few of the expected relationships between attachment and social referencing were confirmed.     

Interrelationships among students' study activities,self-concept of academic ability,and achievement as a function of characteristics of high-school biology courses

This investigation focused on the interrelationships among students' study activities, students' self-concept of academic ability ratings, students' academic achievement, and instructional practices in 12 high school biology courses. Using a framework derived from a previous investigation, course features were classified into those that appear to (a) place demands on, (b) support, or (c) compensate for student engagement in particular study activities. Students' study activities, self-concept of academic ability ratings, and achievement were measured with experimenter-developed instruments. Results are reported for (a) characteristics of instruments and course features, (b) relationships between central factors of the investigation, and (c) multi-level relationships between course features and student variables. Results at the student level indicated that self-concept of academic ability and, to a lesser extent, students' study activities were positively associated with student achievement. Students' self-concept of academic ability ratings were also linked to students' engagement in generative, proactive study activities. At the course level the supportive practices of providing challenging homework assignments and extensive feedback on student coursework were associated with student engagement in effortful, generative, proactive study activities. The provision of extensive feedback was also associated with high student achievement. Multi-level relationships were analysed using hierarchical linear modelling (HLM) analyses. These analyses revealed, for example, that in courses in which little or no feedback is given on homework assignments, the relationship between achievement and student engagement in diligent effort management activities was enhanced. Other HLM analyses were conducted to examine the mediating role of course features on the relationship between students' self-concept of academic ability and their study activities and achievement. For example, the presence of challenging course demands was associated with an enhancement of the relationship between self-concept of academic ability and achievement whereas the presence of instructor provisions (supports and compensations) designed to reduce course demands was associated with a reduction in this relationship.     

Investigating Interrelationships among Sales Training Evaluation Methods

Today numerous training options are available to sales organizations, and sales training teams use various means to report training effectiveness. This study utilizes Kirkpatrick’s (1959; 1960) training evaluation model and examines the interrelationships among its four levels of sales training evaluation (i.e., reactions, knowledge acquisition, behavior change, and organizational outcomes). Empirical results indicate that sales trainees’ use of training materials at work is positively related to achieving sales training outcomes, including improving (1) organizational commitment, (2) sales effectiveness, and (3) customer relations. Furthermore, trainees who had positive reactions to training were more likely to learn the material, and trainees with higher levels of knowledge retention were more likely to apply the material in the work environment. Implications are discussed that may aid sales firms to better evaluate training solutions provided by vendors and to develop more effective and accountable sales training efforts.