The problem of empirical redundancy of constructs in organizational research: An empirical investigation

Construct empirical redundancy may be a major problem in organizational research today. In this paper, we explain and empirically illustrate a method for investigating this potential problem. We applied the method to examine the empirical redundancy of job satisfaction (JS) and organizational commitment (OC), two well-established organizational constructs. Analysis based on responses from a sample of 292 employees collected at two occasions showed that: (a) the construct-level correlation between JS and OC was very high (.91) and (b) both JS and OC are similarly related to positive affectivity and negative affectivity. These results suggest that the constructs may be empirically indistinguishable, despite their well-established conceptual distinction. These findings illustrate the problem of empirical redundancy of organizational constructs and provide a basis for a possible movement towards parsimony in the realm of constructs that could open the way to more rapid advances in knowledge in organizational research.     

Translation and validation of the Spanish version of the "Echelle de Satisfaction des Besoins Psychologiques" in the sports context

The aim of the present research was to translate and to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Satisfaction of Psychological Needs Scale, using a sample of 284 athletes (204 male and 78 female). Results of the confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the correlated three-factor structure of the scale. Furthermore, the results showed evidence of convergence validity with the Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale. The predictive validity was tested using a structural equation model in which task orientation climate predicted the three basic psychological needs and these, in turn, intrinsic motivation. Likewise, we documented evidence of reliability, analyzed as internal consistency and temporal stability. Results partially support the use of the Spanish version of the scale in sports.     

Longitudinal effects of two individual career counseling interventions on clients’ career decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic over a 1-year follow-up

This study assessed the effects of two individual career counseling interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic over a 1-year follow-up. Participants (n = 71) engaged either in four individual humanistic–psychodynamic (during winter 2021) or cognitive career counseling (during winter 2022) sessions at a university counseling clinic. Latent growth models indicated that clients experienced a significant reduction in their career decision difficulties and psychological distress and a significant increase in their life satisfaction over sessions and the 12 months following. Clients who received cognitive career counseling sessions experienced larger effects. Results highlight the utility of individual career counseling in times of crisis.     

The many faces of configural processing

Adults' expertise in recognizing faces has been attributed to configural processing. We distinguish three types of configural processing: detecting the first-order relations that define faces (i.e. two eyes above a nose and mouth), holistic processing (glueing the features together into a gestalt), and processing second-order relations (i.e. the spacing among features). We provide evidence for their separability based on behavioral marker tasks, their sensitivity to experimental manipulations, and their patterns of development. We note that inversion affects each type of configural processing, not just sensitivity to second-order relations, and we review evidence on whether configural processing is unique to faces.     

Production of lexical categories in French children with SLI and in normally developing children matched for MLU

Free speech recording samples of two groups of French SLI children aged 48 and 62 months (matched for MLU, 1.70) and two groups of French normally developing children aged 26 and 36 month (matched for MLU, 3.2) were compared to determine whether they showed a difference in the use of lexical categories. A category-by-category comparison showed few significant differences. For low MLU children, SLI produced significantly fewer infinitives, past participles, copulas, and demonstrative pronouns. For high MLU children, the difference persisted only in past participles use. As for English SLI children, French SLI children were delayed in their acquisition of verbs. However, the differences in the syntactic structure of English and French ruled out a syntactic explanation of the deficit. Phonetic problems seem to decrease with age, so they cannot be the only explanation behind the difficulties of SLI children, which probably involve cognitive problems such as processing limitations.     

Specificity and Abstraction of Examples: Opposite Effects on Fixation for Creative Ideation

Fixation is one of the major obstacles that individuals face in creative idea generation contexts. Several studies have shown that individuals unintentionally tend to fixate to the examples they are shown in a creative ideation task, even when instructed to avoid them. Most of these studies used examples formulated with high level of specificity. However, no study has examined individuals’ creative performance under an instruction to diverge from given examples, when these examples are formulated with a high level of abstraction. In the present study, we show that (a) instructing participants to avoid using common examples when formulated with a high level of specificity increases fixation; whereas (b) instructing participants to avoid such examples while using a more abstract level for stating these common examples—such as a categorization of these examples—mitigates fixation and doubles the number of creative ideas generated. These findings give new insights on the key role of categorization in creative ideation contexts.     

Structural validity and reliability of the Spanish version of the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI) in a sample of the general Spanish population

This paper introduces the validation of the Spanish adaptation of the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI) by Wegner and Zanakos (1994). A sample of 833 people from the general population completed the WBSI along with other questionnaires. The exploratory factor analysis and the confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor solution accounting for 51.8% of the cumulative variance. This structure is comprised of the two following factors: unwanted intrusive thoughts (alpha = .87, r = .70) and actions of distraction and suppression of thoughts (alpha = .80, r = .60). Both internal consistency reliability (alpha = .89) and test-retest reliability (r = .71) showed adequate homogeneity, sound consistency, and stability over time. The results are discussed bearing in mind both isolated factors and the possible relationships of the suppression factor with automatic negative thoughts and insomnia.     

La connaissance du gain d’autrui : une incitation au risque ?

This research aims at suggesting a causal model of risk-taking, following the announcement of another player's gains in a gamble with elementary characteristics. Risk-taking was measured by investment ratio, the amount the participant decided to bet divided by his current total assets. According to Langer's definition [J Perso Soc Psychol 32 (1975) 311-328], the illusion of control was measured by the level of personal success. The results show that the knowledge of another's gain increased risk-taking and the expectancy of personal success. These results validated the causal-model wherein the effect of the knowledge of another's gain on risk-taking was mediated by the expectancy of personal success. The discussion relates mainly to the need for taking into account the fact that gamblers are not isolated decision-makers, but takes account of some social parameters which guide their choices and actions.     

儿童基本心理需要满足对上网行为和上网情感的影响：一项追踪研究

在自我决定理论的框架下,对467名3~5年级小学生进行为期12个月的追踪调查,以探讨儿童基本心理需要满足对其上网行为和上网情感发展的影响。结果发现：（1）3~5年级儿童的上网时间、上网积极情感和上网消极情感在一年间存在着显著减少的发展趋势;（2）基本心理需要满足能够预测上网积极情感的增加和上网消极情感的减少,对上网时间发展的预测不显著;（3）自主、胜任和关系这三个维度对儿童上网情感的发展都起着重要作用。