GENERALIZATION OF EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT TRAINING TO THE JOB SETTING: INDIVIDUAL AND SITUATIONAL EFFECTS

This study examined whether variables at individual, unit, and suborganization levels influence the extent to which the knowledge and skills learned in employee involvement (EI) training are generalized beyond specific EI activities. Training generalization occurs when the knowledge and skills learned in training for a specific purpose in one context (e.g., EI training for use in quality circles) are applied by trainees in another context (e.g., regular job duties). A multiple-cross-level design using data gathered from 252 employees and supervisors drawn from 88 units across 11 suborganizations provided support for both individual and situational effects. Hierarchical regression results demonstrated that characteristics at individual, unit, and suborganization levels significantly predicted the extent EI knowledge, skills, and attitudes were generalized to the core job activities. As predicted, trainees were more likely to use EI training in performing core job activities the more EI activities they participated in, the greater their commitment to the organization, and the less cynical they were about the likelihood of positive organizational change. Contrary to expectations, more generalization of EI training was found to occur in units and suborganizations with less participative climates.     

USING THE UNMATCHED COUNT TECHNIQUE (UCT) TO ESTIMATE BASE RATES FOR SENSITIVE BEHAVIOR

Many areas of personnel research are "sensitive." We provide an empirical assessment of the unmatched count technique (UCT) to determine the base rate for a number of proscribed behaviors for professional auctioneers. To our knowledge, this is the first empirical application of a UCT technique in organizational studies. Advantages of the UCT are discussed including: (a) a more accurate estimate of the base rates for sensitive behavior, (b) absolute anonymity to subjects, (c) "legal immunity" to the researcher, and (d) facilitation of complete disclosure to subjects with no deception.     

PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK EFFECTS IN TRAINING: THE ROLE OF PERCEIVED CONTROLLABILITY

A field experiment with 86 employees tested whether performance feedback that attributes past performance to factors within trainees' control would result in heightened software efficacy, goal commitment, positive mood, and learning, compared to feedback that attributes past performance to factors outside trainees' control. In addition, we assessed whether the use of feedback would produce a Galatea effect, or gain in trainees' performance that is the result of a boost in their self-efficacy. The results show that trainees who received feedback that attributed their performance to factors within their control had higher software efficacy. Software efficacy was positively related to learning (both declarative knowledge and compilation). Contrary to our expectations, feedback did not influence goal commitment or positive mood. Further, a statistically significant Galatea effect was not obtained; however, feedback that attributes performance to factors outside trainees' control was related to a decrease in software efficacy.     

EFFECTS OF MULTIPLE ADMINISTRATIONS OF THE MMPI FOR EMPLOYEE SCREENING

Psychological screening has become commonplace in a number of occupational groups. With the growing popularity of screening and the relative scarcity of appropriate personality measures, re-screening individuals with the same inventory is frequent. This paper examines the effect of re-screening with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) on contract workers (n = 1,997) from the nuclear power industry. Participants completed the Inventory as a part of a routine screening procedure. Each participant provided several profiles as a result of regular employment cycles. Although the differences are generally small, some scales show large enough mean changes to warrant concern when interpreting the profiles of those who have taken the profile multiple times. Although scale reliabilities tend to increase, the usefulness of the Inventory appears to decrease with an increasing number of administrations. The effect is one of increasing normality of test profiles. One interpretation of the results is that candidates for jobs become "test-wise," and the scores are the result of a combination of responses to the repeated assessment. It becomes increasingly difficult to identify unfit employees with the Inventory. Given these results, further research on retesting effects of the Inventov, as well as other personality measures, is indicated.     

PSYCHOLOGICAL CLIMATE: IMPLICATIONS FROM COGNITIVE SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY AND INTERACTIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

Underlying assumptions and rationale of psychological climate are addressed from the perspectives of cognitive social learning theory and interactional psychology. Major emphasis is placed on the implications of these theoretical models for psychological climate. It is suggested that psychological climate (a) reflects psychologically meaningful, cognitive representations of situations rather than automatic reflections of specific situational events; (b) is generally more important than the objective situation in the prediction of many salient individual dependent variables; (c) is predicated on developmental experience, and frequently involves conflicting orientations generated by the preservation of valued and familiar schemas, on one hand, and openness to change in the interest of achieving adaptive and functional person-environment fits, on the other; and (d) is related reciprocally to memory, affect, and behavior in a causal model which predicts a reciprocal causation between perception and affect, and between individuals and environments. The suggestions above are employed to provide recommendations for future research.     

Moral Judgment Research and the Cognitive-Developmental Approach to Moral Education

Describing Kohlberg's interview test and his own Defining Issues Test (DIT), Rest assures us that we now have usable, reliable ways of assessing an individual's moral judgment development level. There is evidence for accepting a developmental sequence in moral judgment, from low stage thinking to higher stage thinking. Rest reviews the evidence for three aspects of morality as part of the cognitive domain, although numerous other factors beyond moral judgment influence concrete behavior. The author offers impressions about educational interventions. Moral judgment theory is considered the current best choice for “theoretical richness, practical implications, validated findings.”     

FUNCTIONS OF LIFE INSURANCE AGENCY MANAGERS and RELATIONSHIPS WITH AGENCY CHARACTERISTICS and MANAGERIAL TENURE

A questionnaire completed by 1282 male life insurance agency managers from 50 companies was used to develop (via factor analysis) six behavorial functions of agency managers. The relationship between the frequency of activity in each function and five variables–number of agents, number of supervisors, tenure, type of agency and origin of agency–was examined using zero order and multiple correlation procedures. The two measures of size, number of agents and number of supervisors, were the most consistent correlates of behavior. The degree of shared variance among management functions and the five variables, though significant statistically, did not exceed 9%. Reasons cited for these results included: (1) policies and practices particular to individual companies; (2) the discretion managers have in choosing task activities; (3) the limited number of variables examined as correlates of managerial functions; and, (4) individual differences among agency managers. It was concluded, for practical reasons, that management research should include efforts to develop taxonomies that cut across technological categories of managers as well as defining the specific behavior functions of managers in particular technological categories. Such specific taxonomies are required for effective human resource management practices at managerial levels in organizations.     

Intrinsic And Extrinsic Motivation and Attitudes Toward Professional Continuing Education: Implications for the Counselor

The purpose of this study was to investigate intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of individuals enrolled in a continuing education program. The types of couseling strategies and programs to help workers increase their self-confidence are discussed.     

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as an Alternative in Career Counseling

A process is described for using the Myers-Briggs Type indicator with career clients who are test aware and test expected or referred by colleagues.     

The Use of Hypnotic Elements and Audio Recordings with the Fantasy Relaxation Technique

The Fantasy Relaxation Technique, developed by Hugh Gunnison in 1976, is a simple method of gaining control over panic and anxiety. Two new components have been added to the original technique and they seem to enhance students' self-control during tests.