Factor analysis of the army air forces sheppard field battery of experimental aptitude tests

A factor analysis was made of 39 experimental printed aptitude tests and seven reference tests selected from the Army Air Forces Aircrew Classification Battery. Thirteen factors were extracted and two independent orthogonal rotational solutions were completed. Twelve factors were interpreted. Of these, seven were clearly identifiable with previously known factors: numerical, perceptual-speed, spatial-relations, visualization, visual-memory, paired-associates-memory, and length-estimation factors. A planning factor was not as clearly identifiable. A reasoning factor was probably a composite of two or more factors that failed to separate. A new factor possibly has to do with orientation with respect to the points of the compass. Two factors were doublets, each apparently specific to one kind of test. Better conceptions were gained of the spatial-relations and visualization factors and of the kinds of tests that measure them best. Efforts to improve measures of unique factors were not uniformly successful. The attempt to duplicate a psychomotor test rather directly by analogy in printed form failed almost completely.For support of a large part of the investigation the senior author is indebted to the Social Sciences Research Council for a grant-in-aid. Dr. Fruchter supervised the computational work in the extraction of factors and in one of the rotational solutions. Much of the work was done while he was employed by the Air Training Command Human Resources Research Center. While the opinions and conclusions are those of the authors, they wish to express their appreciation to that organization and especially to Dr. John T. Dailey for making the facilities possible and to Mr. William B. Lecznar for technical and computational assistance.     

Use of the test scoring machine and the graphic item counter for statistical work

The graphic item-counter is described and its use as a statistical device is explained. Procedures are presented for obtaining Pearson product-moment correlations by means of the graphic item-counter.     

Visualizing actions from a third‐person perspective: effects on health behavior and the moderating role of behavior difficulty

Visualizing behavior from a third‐person (vs. first‐person) perspective can produce stronger motivation to enact the behavior. However, the effects of perspective on health behaviors have been mixed. Hypothesizing that the difficulty of the visualized behavior might moderate the effect of perspective, two experiments manipulated the difficulty of the visualized behaviors (fruit/vegetable consumption; exercise) plus perspective and subsequently measured motivation (Experiments 1 and 2) and behavior (Experiment 2). In both experiments, the third‐person perspective produced stronger motivation to perform the easier, but not the more difficult, behavior. This effect extended to behavior in Experiment 2. Under certain conditions, encouraging people to visualize behavior from a third‐person perspective could represent a useful and cost‐effective means of promoting health behavior change.     

Can Civility Norms Boost Positive Effects of Management Commitment to Safety?

We proposed that civility norms would strengthen relationships between management commitment to safety and workers' safety motivation, safety behaviors, and injuries. Survey data were obtained from working adults in hazardous jobs—those for which physical labor is required and/or a realistic possibility of physical injury is present (N = 290). Results showed that management commitment positively related to workers' safety motivation, safety participation, and safety compliance, and negatively related to minor injuries. Furthermore, management commitment to safety displayed a stronger positive relationship with safety motivation and safety participation, and a stronger negative relationship with minor worker injuries when civility norms were high (versus low). The results confirm existing known relationships between management commitment to safety and worker safety motivation and behavior; furthermore, civility norms facilitate the relationships between management commitment to safety and various outcomes important to worker safety. In order to promote an optimally safe working environment, managers should demonstrate a commitment to worker safety and promote positive norms for interpersonal treatment between workers in their units.     

The two roads of passionate goal pursuit: links with appraisal,coping, and academic achievement

Background and Objectives: In this research, we tested the role of cognitive appraisals in explaining why harmonious and obsessive passion dimensions are related to distinct forms of coping and explored if performance was impacted by these appraisal and coping processes. Design: Undergraduate students (N = 489) participated in a longitudinal study and completed three surveys throughout the course of an academic year. Methods: Participants completed assessments of both passion dimensions (Time 1), reported how they were appraising and coping with the mid-year examination period (Time 2), and provided consent to obtain their final grade in Introductory Psychology (Time 3). The hypothesized model was tested using structural equation modeling. Results: Harmonious and obsessive passion dimensions were linked with approach and avoidant coping responses, respectively. Cognitive appraisals, particularly appraisals of challenge and uncontrollability, played an indirect role in these relationships. In addition, both appraisals and coping responses had an indirect effect in the relationship between passion dimensions and final grade. Conclusions: These results identify cognitive appraisal as a reason why passion dimensions are linked with distinct coping tendencies and demonstrate the role of appraisal and coping processes in the journey to passionate goal attainment.