New Wine in a New Bottle: Refining The Assessment of Authentic Leadership Using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM)

The aim of this study was to investigate the multidimensional nature of authentic leadership (AL) through the re-evaluation of the factor structure of the most commonly used scales in AL research, the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ) and the Authentic Leadership Inventory (ALI). Results from Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM) conducted among 538 workers of private (57,81%) and public (42,19%)? organizations provide support for the multidimensional nature of AL but also reveal excessive content overlap across subscales and an inability to properly reflect the a priori factor structure of both instruments. Further analyses enabled the identification of key items from both instruments providing a cleaner depiction of the a priori dimensionality of AL, leading to the development of an integrated optimized measure, the Authentic Leadership Integrated Questionnaire (AL-IQ). The main contribution of this study is the proposition of an alternative and optimized measure of authentic leadership that sheds light on the distinct theoretical facets of this positive leadership style. Our data suggest that the AL-IQ is a promising tool for characterizing the strengths and weaknesses of leaders and managers’ AL practices. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use a combination of classical Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) and newly developed ESEM framework to assess the construct validity (factor structure, reliability, and criterion-related validity) of the two main AL measures: the ALQ and the ALI.     

Behavioral evidence for a differential modulation of semantic processing and lexical production by aging: a full linear mixed-effects modeling approach

The effect of normal aging on lexical production and semantic processing was evaluated in 72 healthy participants. Four tasks were used, picture naming (PN), picture categorization (PC), numerical judgment (NJ), and color judgment (CJ). The dependence of reaction time (RT) and correct responses with age was accounted by mixed-effects models. Participants underwent neuropsychological testing for verbal, executive, and memory functions. The RTs increase significantly with age for all tasks. After parceling out the non-specific cognitive decline, as reflected by the NJ task, the RT for the PN task decreases with age. Behavioral data were interpreted in relation with neuropsychological scores. Our results suggest that (a) naming becomes more automatic and semantic processing slightly more difficult with age, and (b) a non-specific general slowdown of cognitive processing occurs with age. Lexical production remained unaltered, based on compensatory automatic processes. This study also suggests a possible slowdown of semantic processing, even in normal aging.     

Let’s Open the Decision-Making Umbrella: A Framework for Conceptualizing and Assessing Features of Impaired Decision Making in Addiction

Neuropsychology Review - Decision-making impairments play a pivotal role in the emergence and maintenance of addictive disorders. However, a sound conceptualization of decision making as an...     

Peak Procedure Perform ance in Young Adult and Aged Rats: Acquisition and Adaptation to a Changing Temporal Criterion

Twenty-four-month-old and 4-month-old rats were trained on a peak-interval procedure, where the time of reinforcement was varied twice between 20 and 40 sec. Peak times from the old rats were consistently longer than the reinforcement time, whereas those from younger animals tracked the 20- and 40-sec durations more closely. Different measures of performance suggested that the old rats were either (1) systematically misremembering the time of reinforcement or (2) using an internal clock with a substantially greater latency to start and stop timing than the younger animals. Old rats also adjusted more slowly to the first transition from 20 to 40 sec than did the younger ones, but not to later transitions. Correlations between measures derived from within-trial patterns of responding conformed in general to detailed predictions derived from scalar expectancy theory. However, some correlation values more closely resembled those derived from a study of peak-interval performance in humans and a theoretical model developed by Cheng and Westwood (1993), than those obtained in previous work with animals, for reasons that are at present unclear.     

The Job Engagement Scale: Development and Validation of a Short Form in English and French

Journal of Business and Psychology - The original 18-item Job Engagement Scale (JES18) operationalizes a multidimensional hierarchical conceptualization by Kahn (1990) of the investment and...     

Geographic region effects on adolescent physical self: An exploratory study

The objectives of this exploratory study were to examine gender differences in physical self‐concept, and the influence of geographic place of residence on both adolescents' physical self‐concept and gender differences in physical self‐concept. The Physical Self Inventory was used to measure physical self‐perceptions and global self‐esteem. Participants were 323 boys and 282 girls living in the North or South of France. First a Mann‐Whitney U test was used to assess gender differences and the influence of geographic region differences on physical self‐perceptions (physical self‐worth, physical condition, sport competence, attractive body, physical strength) and global self‐esteem. Then a Kruskal‐Wallis ANOVA for ranked data was used to assess geographic region influence on boys' and girls' physical self‐concept and global self‐esteem. The results showed that not only did boys have significantly higher physical self scores (on all scales) and global self‐esteem than girls, but also that adolescents from the North of France had higher physical self scores (on all scales) and global self‐esteem than adolescents from the South. Moreover, many differences were found between boys and girls on physical self scores (on all scales) and global self‐esteem according to their geographic place of residence. The main results showed that girls from the South had lower scores on the attractive body, physical strength, physical self‐worth, and global self‐esteem scales than all other adolescents, and that boys from the South had lower scores on the attractive body and global self‐esteem scales than did boys and girls from the North.     

Kinesthetic estimation of the main orientations from the upright and supine positions

This work investigated the accuracy of the perception of the main orientations (i.e., vertical and horizontal orientations) with the kinesthetic modality--a modality not previously used in this field of research. To further dissociate the influence of the postural and physical verticals, two body positions were explored (supine and upright). Twenty-two blindfolded participants were asked to set, as accurately as possible, a rod to both physical orientations while assuming one of the two body positions. The horizontal was perceived more accurately than the vertical orientation in the upright position but not in the supine position. Essentially, there were no differences in the supine position because the adjustments to the physical vertical were much more accurate than they were in the upright position. The lower accuracy in the estimation of the vertical orientation observed in the upright position might be linked to the dynamics associated with the maintenance of posture.