Dimensions of counselor functioning

In 1957 the editor of the Journal of Counseling Psychology rejected an article on group counseling because, by definition, “Counseling is a process in which two persons….” Since then the functions of a counselor have broadened to include working with groups in many ways. Some will maintain that we have expanded far beyond our domain into that of the organizational psychologist. The authors of this article assume that the counselor's functions should include a wide range of interventions and have organized them within a “Cube.” This model provided the structure for this Special Issue. The three dimensions of the Cube are: (a) the target of the intervention, (b) the purpose of the intervention, and(c) the method of intervention. We think this model has great heuristic potential as a tool for both research and practice.     

an ecological perspective and model for campus design

Blocker's article described the implications of an ecological perspective in the elementary school setting. Banning and his colleagues at WICHE have been interested in institutional change in higher education. While this article does not describe a “program” per se, it does describe in some detail a methodology for change. After discarding traditional student personnel perspectives (unenlightened, adjustment, and developmental), Banning and Kaiser push out the frontier with their concept of “ecosystems.” An ecosystem is one in which there is a true transaction between mutually dependent partners, with the assumption that either may change so that mutual benefit may result. A model for bringing about such change is presented, and a methodology for using the model is described.     

The counselor and individualized instruction

This article describes some ways counselors can use their skills to help teachers individualize instruction. The author describes the four basic components of most programs of individualized instruction, suggesting tasks counselors could perform relating to each component. The author concludes that the interested counselor is able to contribute greatly toward the improvement of instruction and in so doing become substantially involved in helping pupils to meet their needs.     

Guidance and Counseling in the Republic of Ireland

University College Dublin introduced counselor training in 1967, and guidance and counseling are now established in secondary education and the national employment and rehabilitation services.     

A Three-Step Model for More Effective Presentations

The need is discussed and a model presented to aid in effective presentations. Three stages involve presenting, personalizing, and enabling participant interaction with the material.     

NEGOTIATING QUALITY OF WORKLIFE, PRODUCTIVITY AND TRADITIONAL ISSUES: UNION MEMBERS'PREFERRED ROLES OF THEIR UNION

Recognizing the importance of the union in successfully implementing quality of worklife programs, numerous commentators have called for union-management collaborative programs. In response to these pleas, recent studies have addressed union activists'perceptions of their unions'roles in negotiating quality of worklife as well as other issues. Although important, these studies have focused on the union leadership and have generally failed to consider the rank and file union members' views. The primary objective of the present study was to examine union members'preferred roles of their union in negotiating quality of worklife, productivity, and traditional bargaining issues. A second purpose was to explore the correlates of their views concerning the union's role in dealing with these issues. Using data collected from 171 members of a railroad, union, the results showed that members' support for union involvement tended to vary depending upon the type of issue in question. They strongly preferred collective bargaining when dealing with traditional union concerns and joint union-management efforts when quality of worklife issues were involved. In predicting preferred union-management cooperation, the importance of the individual predictors varied across the types of negotiation issues. However, attitudinal measures were generally found to be more important in explaining members'preferences than demographic or union participation measures. The results are discussed in terms of implications for implementing joint union-management programs.     

INFLUENCES BEHIND NEUTRAL RESPONSES IN SUBORDINATE RATINGS OF SUPERVISORS: A METHODOLOGICAL NOTE

Isolation of the influences behind neutral responses is the chief concern of this paper. A sample of 416 assembly-line operators were asked to rate their supervisors according to an instrument which contained a list of positive supervisory traits and behaviors. Three rating options were provided: agree, don't know and disagree. It was hypothesized that over-all dissatisfaction with the subjects would be a significant influence behind neutral responses. Several methods of classifying raters into satisfied/dissatisfied groups were experimented with. The results generally supported the hypothesis, with some qualifications. Dissatisfied raters were found to give significantly more neutral responses than satisfied raters. However, rater nationality and age were also found to be significant influences.     

Classroom Teacher and Teacher-in-Training Susceptibility to Stereotypical Bias

Two groups of classroom teachers and two groups of teacher trainees completed behavior checklists, first for a hypothetical child labeled either normal or emotionally disturbed and then for a videotaped child, labeled normal or emotionally disturbed. From an ANOVA of their responses, it was concluded that teachers and trainees hold quantitatively similar stereotypes for normal and disturbed children but differ in their susceptibility to label-induced bias. Teachers tended to be more realistic in their evaluations of “normal,” nonbiased behavior, but were influenced by the biasing label to a greater extent than the trainees. The authors discuss limitations of the study and its implications for training programs.     

THE 12-HOUR WORK DAY: DIFFERING EMPLOYEE REACTIONS

This field study examined the reactions of non-exempt employees (N=671) to utilizing a "compressed word schedule" (i.e., 12-hour shifts) for staffing a continuous process plant which operated 24-hours per day/seven days per week. The 12-hour shifts were fixed with shifts changing at noon and at midnight. Based upon previous research, it was hypothesized that employees who had actually worked the 12-hour schedule would be more positive towards it than would employees who had never worked it. This was found to be the case. For example, those who had worked the 12-hour schedule saw the compressed schedule as being less fatiguing, saving on commuting cost and time, providing a more regular sleep pattern, and providing more usable time off. A second hypothesis concerned only those working the 12-hour shift. It was hypothesized that those employees working the 12 PM to 12 AM shift would be "less out of phase" with physiological and social rhythms and, thus, react more positively to the 12-hour shift than employees working the 12 AM to 12 PM shift. This hypothesis was strongly supported.     

The Effect of Firm Survival Situations on Managerial Ethics

The purpose of this study is to examine whether certain strategic situations (profit vs. survival situations) cause managers to act more ethically or less ethically. Results from multivariate repeated measures tests suggest that managers will vary their level of ethical response when faced with a situation in which the organization's survival is at stake.