FULL AND ERRANT COACHING EFFECTS ON ASSIGNED ROLE LEADERLESS GROUP DISCUSSION PERFORMANCE

The effect of coaching on Leaderless Group Discussion Performance was examined. Thirty-six female undergraduate subjects participated in six-person assigned role leaderless group discussions. Trained observers evaluated performances in each discussion, which included two 5s from each of three coaching conditions. Ss in full coaching condition received extensive coaching on proper group discussion performance. 5s in the errant coaching condition received improper, but believable, coaching. 5s in the naive, or control, condition received no coaching. Results showed that 5s in the full coaching conditions were rated significantly higher than 5s in the errant or naive conditions. The results were discussed in the light of previous research.     

An efficient punched-card method of computing epsilonX,epsilonX2, epsilonXY,and higher moments

A method of computing X, X ², XY and higher moments on IBM equipment is described. The basic method is that of successively summary punching, collating a variable number of blank cards behind these summary cards, gang-punching the data from the summary cards into the blank cards, and totalling the entries on these summary cards. The method appears to have several advantages over those previously described, especially if coded data are used.     

Test reliability and correction for attenuation

Evidence is cited to show that specificity, or lack of equivalence, in the comparable forms of tests has a tendency to lower the value of reliability coefficients but has no tendency to lower the value of observed trait coefficients. This implies that the greater the lack of equivalence, the higher will be coefficients corrected for attenuation. Errors of measurement are supposed to reduce the magnitude of observed trait coefficients. Since specificity does not lower the correlation between two tests and since the split-half and equivalent-form reliability coefficients treat specificity as error, it follows that these two coefficients cannot legitimately be used in Spearman's correction-for-attenuation formula.     

Marital satisfaction and topographical assessment of marital interaction: A longitudinal analysis of newlywed couples

Despite numerous tests of social learning hypotheses relating to marriage, important questions remain concerning how best to quantify behavior displayed in marital interaction. In the present study, 60 newlywed couples reported their marital satisfaction, engaged in a 15-minute problem-solving discussion, and reported their marital satisfaction again 6 and 12 months later. The interactions were microanalytically coded, the codes were assigned a numeric value, and each spouse's cumulative point totals were plotted as a function of time in the interaction. This was done separately for all 60 couples. Graphs were divided into groups based on the topography of the graphically represented interactions. These groups differed cross-sectionally and longitudinally in their level of marital satisfaction. Couples tended to have lower satisfaction scores when their initial interactions were characterized with behavioral parity between the spouses at the beginning of a discussion, changing to asymmetrical patterns of behavior later in the conversation. This method was found to be more predictive of marital satisfaction than were standard methods of assessing dyadic interaction (i.e., base rates of behavior and sequential analysis). Implications of these data for understanding how interactions relate to the course of newlywed marriage are discussed.     

DOING COMPETENCIES WELL: BEST PRACTICES IN COMPETENCY MODELING

The purpose of this article is to present a set of best practices for competency modeling based on the experiences and lessons learned from the major perspectives on this topic (including applied, academic, and professional). Competency models are defined, and their key advantages are explained. Then, the many uses of competency models are described. The bulk of the article is a set of 20 best practices divided into 3 areas: analyzing competency information, organizing and presenting competency information, and using competency information. The best practices are described and explained, practice advice is provided, and then the best practices are illustrated with numerous practical examples. Finally, how competency modeling differs from and complements job analysis is explained throughout.