A Multi‐Source,Multi‐Study Investigation of Job Performance Prediction by Political Skill

Political skill is a social effectiveness construct with a demonstrated capacity to predict job performance. However, because performance prediction research in this area to date has made exclusive use of self‐reports of political skill, and due to frequent distrust of self‐ratings of constructs in important personnel decisions, there is a need to investigate how multiple alternative sources of political skill and job performance measures relate, thus raising both theoretical and methodological issues. In three studies, employing a triadic data collection methodology, and utilising both cross‐sectional and longitudinal designs, this research tested the hypotheses that employee political skill, measured from the perspective of employees' assessor A, will positively predict job performance rated by assessor B (i.e. Hypothesis 1a), and vice versa, that employee political skill measured by assessor B will predict job performance ratings measured by assessor A (i.e. Hypothesis 1b).     

Suicidal behavior in adolescent and young adult gay men

The relationship of homosexuality to suicidal behavior was explored by questionnaire responses from 52 men in gay-and-lesbian college organizations and 56 men in gay rap groups. A family background of alcoholism and physical abuse, social supports perceived as rejecting of homosexuality, and no religious affiliation were associated with a history of suicidal ideation, reported by 55% of the participants. Racial/ethnic minorities tended to be overrepresented among suicidal as compared to nonsuicidal gay men. Suicide attempts, reported by 20% of the sample, were most often associated with intrapersonal distress, and occurred most often while individuals were "closeted" and/or in the context of recent rejection for being homosexual. Nearly all attempters were aware of their homosexual feelings, but had not yet established a "positive gay identity" at the time of their first suicide attempt. Suicidal behavior in gay youths may be the product both of familial factors that predispose youths to suicidal behavior, and for social and intrapersonal stressors involved in coming to terms with an emerging homosexual identity.     

Implementing a long-term computerized remedial reading program with synthetic speech feedback: Hardware,software, and real-world issues

This paper discusses hardware choices, software developments, implementation issues, and preliminary results from an ongoing long-term remedial reading study. Reading-disabled children read books on microcomputers linked to speech synthesizers, obtaining speech feedback on difficult words at whole-word, syllable, or subsyllable levels of segmentation. Word-recognition ability and attitude about reading improved for children using the system. In addition, segmented feedback especially benefited phonological word-decoding skills for most of the children.     

Maternal gestational stress alters adaptive and social behavior in adolescent rhesus monkey offspring

Data from rodent studies have indicated that stress experienced by pregnant mothers may result in behavioral and biological abnormalities in their offspring. However, few studies have examined the effects of prenatal stress on the offspring beyond the childhood period. In this study, 7 prenatally stressed (PNS) monkeys and 7 monkeys from undisturbed pregnancies were tested under mildly challenging conditions at 4 years of age. Following separation from cagemates and group formation, PNS monkeys showed more locomotion, abnormal and disturbance behavior than controls. Controls showed approximately six times more play than PNS animals. The PNS males showed the most clinging to others and the largest increase in contact with other animals over the period. Group differences were also found when the monkeys were observed as groups or alone in a playroom. Controls showed more explanatory behavior in the playroom, whereas PNS monkeys showed more inactivity. Control animals showed a decrease in distress vocalizations over time in the playroom, whereas PNS animals showed the opposite pattern. Control animals spent more time in proximity to and contact with cagemates than PNS animals. These results indicate that prenatal stress can have effects on adaptive and social behavior that persist into adolescence.     

Behavioral decisions during interpersonal conflict resolution

A laboratory study was conducted to examine the role of explorative decision making for interpersonal conflict resolution. Participants were 64 male students, who had to negotiate for an outcome distribution against bogus enactment of two confederates. Questionnaire and observational data, which were taken before, during and after the negotiation revealed strong support for hypothesized effects of coping with situational antagonism. Results indicate that substantial shifts take place according to locus of decision control and that behavior is determined by different decision preferences as conflict resolution proceeds.     

A therapist's ritual of respect

A great deal of attention in systemic family therapy has been given to the process and technique ofdeveloping 'therapeutic' rituals for families. In this paper we address the process of the therapist developing the ritual of practising respect. By practising respect the therapist shifts to a position similar to that of an anthropologist who is attempting to understand another culture and its epistemology. The ritual of practising respect has the potential of changing the therapist's tendency to move toward social control and moralist judgements. A case example is presented in this paper which illustrates the therapeutic ritual of practising respect for the client/family.