Socialization tactics and newcomer adjustment: A meta-analytic review and test of a model

One of the most popular and often studied topics in the organizational socialization literature is Van Maanen and Schein’s [Van Maanen, J., & Schein, E. H. (1979). Toward a theory of organizational socialization. In B. M. Staw (Ed.), Research in organizational behavior (Vol. 1), pp. 209-264. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.] theory of organizational socialization tactics. Over 30 studies on socialization tactics have been conducted in the past 20 years. In this meta-analysis, we examine the relationships between six socialization tactics and various indicators of newcomer adjustment as well as the moderating effects of study design (cross-sectional vs. longitudinal), measurement scale (use of complete vs. modified tactics scale), and type of newcomer (recent graduates vs. other newcomers). Our results indicate that institutionalized socialization tactics were negatively related to role ambiguity, role conflict, and intentions to quit, and positively related to fit perceptions, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job performance, and a custodial role orientation. We also found that the social tactics (serial and investiture) were the strongest predictors of adjustment outcomes. The results also indicated that the relationships between the tactics and outcomes were stronger for recent graduates compared to other newcomers; cross-sectional designs compared to longitudinal designs; and when Jones’ [Jones, G. R. (1986). Socialization tactics, self-efficacy, and newcomers’ adjustments to organizations. Academy of Management Journal, 29, 262-279.] complete scales were used compared to modified versions. Support was also found for a mediation model of newcomer adjustment in which role conflict, role ambiguity, and fit perceptions partially mediate some of the relationships between the socialization tactics and distal outcomes of adjustment. The implications of these results for research and practice are discussed.     

Work and family satisfaction and conflict: a meta-analysis of cross-domain relations

This meta-analysis is a review of the literature examining the relations among stressors, involvement, and support in the work and family domains, work-family conflict, and satisfaction outside of those domains. Results suggest that a considerable amount of variability in family satisfaction is explained by work domain-specific variables, whereas a considerable amount of variability in job satisfaction is explained by family domain-specific variables, with job and family stress having the strongest effects on work-family conflict and cross-domain satisfaction. The authors propose future directions for research on work and family issues focusing on other explanatory mechanisms and moderators of cross-domain relations.     

Toddlers view artifact function normatively

When children use objects like adults, are they simply tracking regularities in others’ object use, or are they demonstrating a normatively defined awareness that there are right and wrong ways to act? This study provides the first evidence for the latter possibility. Young 2- and 3-year-olds (n = 32) learned functions of 6 artifacts, both familiar and novel. A puppet subsequently used the artifacts, sometimes in atypical ways, and children's spontaneous reactions were coded. Children responded normatively to non-designed uses (e.g., protesting, tattling), although the effect was stronger among older children. Reactions were identical for novel and familiar items, underscoring how rapidly tool-function mappings are formed. Results depict toddlers as already sensitive to the uniquely human, normative nature of tool use.     

Wild chimeras: Enthusiasm and intellectual virtue in Kant

Kant typically is not identified with the tradition of virtue epistemology. Although he may not be a virtue epistemologist in a strict sense, I suggest that intellectual virtues and vices play a key role in his epistemology. Specifically, Kant identifies a serious intellectual vice that threatens to undermine reason, namely enthusiasm (Schwärmerei). Enthusiasts become so enamored with their own thinking that they refuse to subject reason to self‐critique. The particular danger of enthusiasm is that reason colludes in its own destruction: Enthusiasm occurs when self‐conceit and reason's desire to transcend its boundaries mutually reinforce each other. I conclude by sketching an account of Kantian intellectual virtue that is consistent with Kantian moral virtue.     

Reactions to Affirmative Action: Seeking the Bases for Resistance1

It has been argued that affirmative action negatively affects the self‐perceptions of beneficiaries. In contrast, it was hypothesized that this would not occur when individual qualifications were explicitly considered and, indeed, that failure under discrimination would be more self‐detrimental. However, perceptions of reverse discrimination may buffer negative self‐attributions on the part of nonbeneficiaries. Responses in an experimental simulation indicated that, of several affirmative actions for women, passive nondiscrimination was viewed as the fairest response to discrimination. While women's self‐perceptions were not affected by affirmative actions, they did suffer under failure. The presence of affirmative actions did not alleviate the effects of failure on men's self‐perceptions. Possible alternatives for resistance to affirmative action are assessed and discussed.     

Using motivational interviewing as a supplement to obesity treatment: a stepped-care approach.

OBJECTIVE: This investigation was designed to improve behavioral weight loss program (BWLP) treatment outcomes by providing stepped care (SC) to individuals experiencing difficulties with weight loss during treatment. SC entails transition to more intensive treatments when less intensive treatments fail to meet treatment goals. In a BWLP, motivational interviewing (MI) may increase participants' motivation toward behavioral change and thus complement the acquisition of behavioral change skills. It was hypothesized that BWLP+SC (MI) participants (i.e., participants who failed to meet weight loss goals and received MI) would demonstrate superior treatment outcomes when compared with BWLP (SC matched) participants (i.e., participants who failed to meet weight loss goals but did not receive MI). DESIGN: Fifty-five obese, sedentary adults were randomly assigned to a BWLP+SC or a BWLP. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in weight, cardiorespiratory fitness, self-reported physical activity, and diet (i.e., calories, percentage daily intake of fat, protein, and carbohydrates) in response to treatment were assessed. RESULTS: Participants significantly decreased their weight, increased physical activity/fitness, and improved dietary intake (ps<.05). BWLP+SC (MI) participants lost more weight and engaged in greater weekly exercise than BWLP (SC matched) participants who did not receive MI (ps<.05). CONCLUSION: For individuals experiencing weight loss difficulties during a BWLP, MI may have considerable promise.     

Description of a Fidelity Implementation System: An Example from a Community-Based Children’s Mental Health Program

Public policy initiatives to deliver evidence-based practices in community settings have increased the need to develop implementation feedback systems to assist program administrators adopting the practices as well as researchers who wish to continue the line of research. This paper contributes to the efforts to reduce the implementation gap in the children’s mental health services field by exploring the concept of fidelity and highlights its importance to the adoption of evidence-based practices. Fidelity, or the degree to which interventions are implemented as originally designed, is generally conceptualized as a system of five unique and interrelated components including adherence, dosage, participant responsiveness, quality of delivery, and program differentiation. Definitions and a critical analysis of each of the component’s strengths and weaknesses are offered while discussing the integrated nature of each component. An example of the development and use of the five components of fidelity within a community-based evidence-based program is described.     

What is specific to music processing? Insights from congenital amusia

Musical abilities are generally regarded as an evolutionary by-product of more important functions, such as those involved in language. However, there is increasing evidence that humans are born with musical predispositions that develop spontaneously into sophisticated knowledge bases and procedures that are unique to music. Recent findings also suggest that the brain is equipped with music-specific neural networks and that these can be selectively compromised by a congenital anomaly. This results in a disorder, congenital amusia, that appears to be limited to the processing of music. Recent evidence points to fine-grained perception of pitch as the root of musical handicap. Hence, musical abilities appear to depend crucially on the fine-tuning of pitch, in much the same way that language abilities rely on fine time resolution.     

Developmental Continuity in Teleo-Functional Explanation: Reasoning about Nature Among Romanian Romani Adults

Teleo-functional explanations account for objects in terms of purpose, helping us understand objects such as pencils (for writing) and body parts such as ears (for hearing). Western-educated adults restrict teleo-functional attributions to artifact, biological, and behavioral phenomena, considering such explanations less appropriate for nonliving natural entities. In contrast, children extend explanations of purpose to the nonliving natural domain. This cross-cultural study explores whether apparent restrictions in“promiscuous teleology” occur as a function of age and development, generally, or scientific literacy, more specifically. Using methodology from Kelemen (1999b Kelemen , D. ( 1999b ). Why are rocks pointy? Children's preference for teleo-functional explanations of the natural world . Developmental Psychology , 35 , 1440 – 1453 .[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), two groups of adult Romanian Roma from the same community selected explanations for properties of biological and nonbiological natural entities; one group had little or no science training, the other was formally schooled. Compared to their schooled peers and to Western-educated American adults, nonschooled Romani adults were more likely to endorse purpose-based explanations of nonbiological natural entities. Findings challenge assumptions of fundamental conceptual discontinuities between children and adults.