Worker traits and worker functions in DOT

Some users of the worker traits ratings and worker function hierarchies in DOT do not seem to be fully aware that the two systems are in large part redundant: the worker traits can be efficiently summarized by the ratings of worker functions (level of complexity of working with data, people and things). This paper, a by-product of an extension of DOT to the Australian Census Classification of Occupations, attempts to validate the worker function hierarchies in terms of the worker traits required by different jobs in DOT. It shows empirically that the variation in worker traits across the 21,741 occupations listed in DOT is closely reflected in the 197 worker function profiles, which have the better research potential.     

DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF EATING REGULATION IN OBESE AND NONOBESE CHILDREN

Bite rate, sip rate, and concurrent activities of six 7-yr-old children, three obese and three nonobese, were observed at lunchtime over a six-month period. A procedure for decreasing bite rate, putting eating utensils down between bites, was implemented in a multiple-baseline across-subjects design. Sip rates and concurrent activities were observed to assess behavioral covariations. In addition, bite rate and amount of food completed were computed over six food categories to analyze food preferences. Results indicated the control of bite rate across all subjects, with a significant reduction in amount of food consumed. Correlations between the response classes indicated they were at least partially independent. Differences in eating behavior of obese and nonobese subjects were observed for breadstuffs and milk drinking.     

When a bystander becomes an accomplice: Situational determinants of reactions to dishonesty

In a series of experiments, undergraduates (N = 288) performed a task with a confederate who subsequently lied about his or her performance in order to obtain a cash bonus. The probability of bystanders' reporting the dishonesty and refusing to sign a document attesting to the confederate's score was differentially affected by situational factors and sex of the bystander, wrongdoer, and authority figure. Bystanders were most apt to report the misdeed when they were competing against rather than working either independently or cooperatively with the culprit, at least when the bonus was provided by a large corporation. In addition, females were more likely than males to report when the victim was another person rather than either a corporation or the bystander himself, and both sexes were more apt to report a female wrongdoer than a male one. Persons who initially reported the misdeed were less likely to become active accomplices than were those who failed to report it. Furthermore, less written verification of the falsehood occurred when (a) nonreporters were performing independently rather than either competing against or working cooperatively with the culprit for the bonus, and (b) a male was in an immediate position of authority.     

Perceptions of Rehabilitation Counselor Behavior

A comparison of perceptions held by selected rehabilitation subgroups toward counseling behavior was conducted. As expected, rehabilitation counselor educators were most different from state agency personnel in rehabilitation. State agency personnel appeared to value active counselor behavior more than educators. However, the predicted similarity between educators and trained counselors in state agencies and in other settings did not materialize. Differences between subgroups are discussed with respect to possible environmental and group influences. Some implications for communication between subgroups and training programs for rehabilitation counselors are also presented.     

On the handling of heavy bias in a self-paced task

Following an earlier observation that systematic variations in performance on a task with heavy frequency imbalance was correlated with fluctuations in the amount of bias in the input programme, an experiment was carried out to establish the roles of long and short term sampling. Two groups of subjects were trained on a self-paced, five-choice task. One group's input had an average of 68 per cent. bias on one source, the other had 44 per cent. on the same source. Analysis of data was carried out on three levels of local bias for each condition, one level being identical for both conditions. It was found that responses to the biased stimuli were determined by the average bias in each input sequence and not by moment to moment variations in that bias. The effect observed originally can therefore be accounted for in terms of a relatively simple additive model which includes the “repetition effect” first described by Bertelson.     

A LABORATORY INVESTIGATION OF SOCIAL CLASS AND NATIONAL DIFFERENCES IN HELPING BEHAVIOR

Etude au laboratoire des différences dans le comportement d'entraide selon la nationalité et la classe sociale. —Le même plan d'expérience a été réalisé à Madison (Wisconsin) et à Oxford (Angleterre) pour déterminer si les adolescents appartenant à différentes classes sociales obéissent aux mêmes principes dans l'aide qu'ils apportent aux camarades qui dépendent d'eux. Les adolescents de Madison appartiennent à des families de la classe moyenne ((I) petits industriels, commerçants, artisans, (2) employés de bureau) ou de la classe ouvrière. Les adolescents d'Oxford proviennent seulement de la classe moyenne des employés ou de la classe ouvrière. Dans les deux échantillons, le sujet est d'abord amené à croire qu'un camarade lui a apporté beaucoup ou peu d'aide quand lui-même en avait besoin pour gagner un concours. Dans la phase suivante qui est supposée impliquer un concours sans rapport avec le premier, le sujet a l'occasion d'aider la personne qui a été son partenaire ou une tout autre personne. Les résultats de Madison montrent, conformément à l'hypothèse, que les sujets appartenant à la classe des petits industriels, commerçants et artisans ont plus tendance à agir selon une conception de simple échange. Plus que les adolescents de la classe des employés ou de la classe ouvrière, ils croient que les gens s'attendent à ce qu'ils travaillent dur pour une autre personne seulement dans la mesure où ils ont eux-mêmes bénéficié d'une telle situation et ils font des efforts au profit du camarade qui dépend d'eux, dans l'attente d'une réciprocité de type « donner et recevoir ». A Oxford, les sujets de la classe ouvrière sont plus orientés vers la réciprocité que les fils d'employés. Quelques difficultés d'ordre méthodologique sont discutées, mais l'A. pense que les tentatives actuelles pour analyser l'interaction sociale en termes d'échange économique ne peuvent être également appliquées à toutes les classes sociales.     

A comparison of men's and women's consciousness-raising groups

This study contrasted the nature and function of consciousness-raising (CR) groups for men and women. Questionnaires were filled out by 61 individuals representing 10 CR groups. There were no significant differences between sexes in terms of rankings for services rendered by the CR groups. This suggests that consciousness-raising groups for men and women may be more alike than different. Combining sexes, it was found that emotional support was rated significantly higher than sociopolitical change and behavior change/advice. CR participants appear to be more concerned with the fulfillment of emotional and social needs in their groups and less concerned with behavioral and political change.     

Learning-disordered children's evoked potentials during sustained attention

Evoked potentials and performance of 19 learning-disordered (LD) and 19 normally achieving children were studied in two versions of the Continuous Performance Test (CPT). In both CPT procedures, LD children made more errors of omission and commission than did normal children. Evoked potential differences between groups were especially prominent in the more difficult BX version of the CPT. LD children displayed significantly smaller late positive components (LPC) of the evoked potential to critical stimuli in the task. There were no LPC differences between diagnostic groups for noncritical stimulus categories. The results suggest a deficit in behavioral and cortical indices of sustained attention among LD children.This research is based on a doctoral dissertation in psychology submitted by the first author (Dainer, 1980) and supervised by the second author. The research was partly supported by NIMH Grant MH 32103 and New York State Health Research Council Contract 1396 to the second author. We are grateful to the Strong Memorial Hospital Learning Disorders Clinic; B.O.C.E.S. School #1, Fairport, New York; Rochester Learning Disabilities Association; and Winifred Stebbins for referring learning-disordered children, and to the Rochester Central YMCA for referring normally achieving children. The University of Rochester College of Arts and Science provided partial support for computer funds. For their assistance, we are grateful to Lance Bauer, John Chapman, Michael Davidson, Dale McAdam, James Metz, and Lawrence Ota.