The mediational role of perceived stress in the relation between optimism and burnout in competitive athletes

Abstract

Burnout has been highlighted as an important issue, not only in occupational settings but also among athletes. Optimists appear to be more resistant to burnout, which might be partly explained by lower levels of stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between optimism and burnout symptoms in 217 athletes (139 males and 78 females, aged 16 to 19 years), while also examining stress as a mediator in this relationship. The results showed that optimism had a significant negative relationship with both stress and burnout. Mediation analyses indicated that perceived stress fully mediated the links between optimism and two symptoms of burnout, emotional/physical exhaustion and sport devaluation, and partly mediated the link between optimism and a third symptom, reduced sense of accomplishment. The findings indicate that individual factors, such as optimism, may play an important role in the development of burnout by virtue of their association with stress. Future research should, therefore, investigate the longitudinal effects of optimism on stress and burnout.     

Psychophysiological effects of emotional dissonance in a face-to-face service interaction

Abstract

Current research demonstrates that requirements to express emotions which are not genuinely felt in the particular situation (emotional dissonance) are associated with negative long and short-term effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate: (a) the psychophysiological short-term effects of emotional dissonance in a face-to-face service interaction and (b) the moderating role of gender and neuroticism. In total, 32 women and 27 men were instructed to play the role of a service employee, who had to interact with an angry and rude customer. Half of the sample was given information that the organization expected them to be friendly (emotional dissonance), the other half was told they were expected to act naturally and show their genuine feelings (no emotional dissonance). Subjective and behavioral responses revealed that participants in the “friendly” condition modulated their emotional expressions to a greater extent than those in the “naturally” condition. Participants in the “friendly” condition showed stronger systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses. Furthermore, hierarchical regression analyses yielded that gender and neuroticism partly moderated the association between emotional dissonance and participants' psychophysiological response.     

Reviewing,Categorizing, and Analyzing the Literature on Black–White Mean Differences for Predictors of Job Performance: Verifying Some perceptions and Updating/Correcting Others

In both theoretical and applied literatures, there is confusion regarding accurate values for expected Black–White subgroup differences in personnel selection test scores. Much confusion arises because empirical estimates of standardized subgroup differences (d) are subject to many of the same biasing factors associated with validity coefficients (i.e., d is functionally related to a point‐biserial r). To address such issues, we review/cumulate, categorize, and analyze a systematic set of many predictor‐specific meta‐analyses in the literature. We focus on confounds due to general use of concurrent, versus applicant, samples in the literature on Black–White d. We also focus on potential confusion due to different constructs being assessed within the same selection test method, as well as the influence of those constructs on d. It is shown that many types of predictors (such as biodata inventories or assessment centers) can have magnitudes of d that are much larger than previously thought. Indeed, some predictors (such as work samples) can have ds similar to that associated with paper‐and‐pencil tests of cognitive ability. We present more realistic values of d for both researcher and practitioner use. Implications for practice and future research are noted.     

Autistic Traits Below the Clinical Threshold: Re-examining the Broader Autism Phenotype in the 21st Century

Diagnosis, intervention and support for people with autism can be assisted by research into the aetiology of the condition. Twin and family studies indicate that autism spectrum conditions are highly heritable; genetic relatives of people with autism often show milder expression of traits characteristic for autism, referred to as the Broader Autism Phenotype (BAP). In the past decade, advances in the biological and behavioural sciences have facilitated a more thorough examination of the BAP from multiple levels of analysis. Here, the candidate phenotypic traits delineating the BAP are summarised, including key findings from neuroimaging studies examining the neural substrates of the BAP. We conclude by reviewing the value of further research into the BAP, with an emphasis on deriving heritable endophenotypes which will reliably index autism susceptibility and offer neurodevelopmental mechanisms that bridge the gap between genes and a clinical autism diagnosis.     

Normality and naturalness: A comparison of the meanings of concepts used within veterinary medicine and human medicine

This article analyses the different connotations of “normality” and “being natural,” bringing together the theoretical discussion from both human medicine and veterinary medicine. We show how the interpretations of the concepts in the different areas could be mutually fruitful. It appears that the conceptions of “natural” are more elaborate in veterinary medicine, and can be of value to human medicine. In particular they can nuance and correct conceptions of nature in human medicine that may be too idealistic. Correspondingly, the wide ranging conceptions of “normal” in human medicine may enrich conceptions in veterinary medicine, where the discussions seem to be sparse. We do not argue that conceptions from veterinary medicine should be used in human medicine and vice versa, but only that it could be done and that it may well be fruitful. Moreover, there are overlaps between some notions of normal and natural, and further conceptual analysis on this overlap is needed.     

Are you interested? A meta-analysis of relations between vocational interests and employee performance and turnover

A common belief among researchers is that vocational interests have limited value for personnel selection. However, no comprehensive quantitative summaries of interests validity research have been conducted to substantiate claims for or against the use of interests. To help address this gap, we conducted a meta-analysis of relations between interests and employee performance and turnover using data from 74 studies and 141 independent samples. Overall validity estimates (corrected for measurement error in the criterion but not for range restriction) for single interest scales were .14 for job performance, .26 for training performance, -.19 for turnover intentions, and -.15 for actual turnover. Several factors appeared to moderate interest-criterion relations. For example, validity estimates were larger when interests were theoretically relevant to the work performed in the target job. The type of interest scale also moderated validity, such that corrected validities were larger for scales designed to assess interests relevant to a particular job or vocation (e.g., .23 for job performance) than for scales designed to assess a single, job-relevant realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, or conventional (i.e., RIASEC) interest (.10) or a basic interest (.11). Finally, validity estimates were largest when studies used multiple interests for prediction, either by using a single job or vocation focused scale (which tend to tap multiple interests) or by using a regression-weighted composite of several RIASEC or basic interest scales. Overall, the results suggest that vocational interests may hold more promise for predicting employee performance and turnover than researchers may have thought.     

Comparing the Psychometric Characteristics of Ratings of Face‐to‐Face and Videotaped Structured Interviews

Videotaped interviews are used for both research and for making selection decisions in organizations. However, little research has examined the extent to which the psychometric characteristics of ratings of videotaped interviews are comparable with those of ratings made on the basis of face‐to‐face (FTF) interviews. Within a simulated selection setting, we compared ratings of interviewers who conducted FTF structured interviews to ratings of interviewers who viewed videotapes of those interviews. Results revealed that FTF ratings were significantly higher than video ratings of the same interviewees. We also found that the two sets of interviewers rated the relative performance of interviewees differently. For example, the correlation between FTF and video ratings (r=.31) was significantly smaller than the correlation between ratings of interviewers who conducted FTF panel interviews with the same interviewees (r=.73). Overall results suggest that researchers and practitioners should be cautious about generalizing research findings and selection decisions made on the basis of videotaped interviews to FTF interviews.     

Relation of useful field of view and other screening tests to on-road driving performance

The purpose of this study was to examine the value of a clinical driving assessment battery in predicting performance on an on-road driving test. 43 participants referred to the Bryn Mawr Rehab Adapted Driving Program for evaluation of driving ability underwent an evaluation consisting of a predriver screening and an on road driving test. The predriver screening included a vision screening, a reaction rime task, a split-attention task, the Hooper Visual Organization Test, verbal and symbolic sign recognition, and assessment of Useful Field of View. Logistic regression analyses were applied to identify which predriver screening variables could be used to predict outcome on the on road driving test (pass/fail); UFOV was that best single predictor. The addition of screening tests beyond UFOV alone did not increase predictive validity. These findings suggest that UFOV may serve as an indicator of the need for further driving assessment.     

Ethnic group differences in measures of job performance: a new meta-analysis

The authors conducted a new meta-analysis of ethnic group differences in job performance. Given a substantially increased set of data as compared with earlier analyses, the authors were able to conduct analyses of Black-White differences within more homogeneous categories of job performance and to reexamine findings on objective versus subjective measurement. Contrary to one perspective sometimes adopted in the field, objective measures are associated with very similar, if not somewhat larger, standardized ethnic group differences (ds) than subjective measures across a variety of indicators. This trend was consistent across quality, quantity, and absenteeism measures. Further, work samples and job knowledge tests are associated with larger ds than performance ratings or measures of absenteeism. Analysis of Hispanic-White standardized differences shows that they are generally lower than Black-White differences in several categories.