Workplace justice outcomes as a function of adversaries' gender composition: A field assessment

There is extensive documentation that the sex of organizational members may bias a wide variety of managerial decisions and workplace outcomes. While such effects have been persuasively demonstrated, the sex context of these effects has received little attention. It is argued here that it is not merely the sex of the actor, but the nature of the dyadic match (male/male; female/female; male/female; female/male) that is a critical influence on outcomes. This hypothesis is strongly supported by gross differences in workplace justice outcomes based on the dyadic composition of the actors involved in dispute proceedings (n=369) in a field setting. These results are tempered, however, inasmuch as analysis also indicates differences in the severity of disputed issues across these dyadic compositions.     

Visual and tactual form complexity:A psychophysical approach to perceptual equivalence

Equivalence of two modalities for processing form-complexity information was investigated by obtaining category judgments of the complexity of 100 random forms from 40 Ss who explored the forms visually and 40 Ss who explored them tactually. Intercorrelations of judgments and multiple regression analyses with form measures indicate that information was used in the same fashion independent of input modality. Latencies were interpreted as reflecting information gaining and processing capabilities.     

Comparison of three abbreviated MMPIs for psychiatric patients and normals.

Two studies, one using 242 psychiatric patients and the other 120 normal college students, were conducted to evaluate the predictive potential of three abbreviated MMPIs namely the Midi-Mult, Hugo abbreviated MMPI and Faschingbauer abbreviated MMPI. With regard to psychiatric inpatients, the Faschingbauer abbreviated MMPI-scale group means were markedly similar, highly correlated, and seemed to be a fairly accurate substitute for the MMPI in predicting clinical types. Numerous deficiencies were evident when using the Midi-Mult or Hugo abbreviated MMPI, especially with regard to classification analysis concerning validity, mean raw score scale differences and high point codes. In contrast, results from a normal college sample showed close statistical correspondence, high comparability in identifying valid and invalid profiles as well as high correspondence with respect to high point codes and general profile elevations regardless of which abbreviated form was used.     

A comparison of error based and time based learning measures as predictors of general intelligence

Two methodological issues involved in determining the relationship between learning and general intelligence (g) are examined. They are firstly, the use of subject learning strategies in a paired-associated learning task and secondly the importance of time in the measurement of learning efficiency. Concerning the first issue, paired-associates learning scores of subjects who were instructed in the use of an appropriate learning strategy correlated significantly with general intelligence scores while those not so instructed did not. Concerning the second issue, a time based learning measure was developed to predice the time required for complete learning in the paired-associates learning task. This measure was compared learning with a number of error-based learning measures in their ability to predict general intelligence. The time based learning measure was clearly superior to the error based measures yielding a correlation of .59 with general intelligence.     

Laterality differences in sensitivity to line orientation as a function of adaptation duration

Since available evidence indicates that the two cerebral hemispheres are differentially sensitive to different types of stimulus information, and that they also utilize different strategies in processing information, is it possible that the two hemispheres are differentially sensitive to adaptation? Three groups of four subjects each were adapted to black and white gratings using three adapting durations: 500, 1,000, and 5,000 msec. Immediately following adaptation, a test grating was presented in either the left or right visual field. The task of the subject was to determine whether the lines of the adapting and test gratings had the same orientation or not. Analysis showed that in the 5,000-msec and 1,000-msec conditions, more errors occurred with left visual field presentations, responses to left visual field presentations took longer, and a bias-free measure showed that subjects were more sensitive to right visual field presentations. For the 500-msec group, there were no apparent differences between left and right visual fields presentations. The results indicate differential effects of adaptation on the two hemispheres, suggesting sensitivity differences between the two halves of the brain.     

Book reviews

Base Christian Communities and Social Change In Brazil. W.E Hewitt, Lincoln, London: Universty of Nebraska Press, 1991. 150 pp, £ 23.70.

Spiritual Quest. An Inter‐Religious Dimension. Hasan Askari, West Yorkshire: Seven Mirrors, 1991. 152 pp. £10.00. ISBN 1–873685

The Bed worth R.E. Project. Peter Woodward, ed. Warwick; University of Warwick, Department of Arts Education, 1991. 59 pp, (no price indicated).

A Dictionary of Judaism and Christianity. Dan Cohn‐Sherbok, London: SPCK, 1991. 181 pp. £15 ISBN 0–281–04538–0

Truth to Tell: The Gospel as Public Truth, Lesslie Newbigin, London: SPCK, 1991. 90pp, £5.99.     

Spatial-frequency-contingent color aftereffects: Adaptation with one-dimensional stimuli

The McCollough effect was shown to be spatial-frequency selective by Lovegrove and Over (1972) after adaptation with vertical colored square-wave gratings separated by 1 octave. Adaptation with slide-presented red and green vertical square-wave gratings separated by 1 octave failed to produce contingent color aftereffects (CAEs).However, when each of these gratings was adapted alone, strong CAEs were produced. Adaptation with vertical colored sine-wave gratings separated by 1 octave also failed to produce CAEs, but strong effects were produced by adaptation with each grating alone. By varying the spatial frequency of the test sine wave, CAEs were found to be tuned for spatial frequency at 2.85 octaves after adaptation of 4 cycles per degree (cpd) and at 2.30 octaves after adaptation of 8 cpd. Adaptation of both vertical and horizontal sine-wave gratings produced strong CAEs, with bandwidths ranging from 1.96 to 2.90 octaves and with lower adapting contrast producing weaker CAEs. These results indicate that the McCollough effect is more broadly tuned for spatial frequency than are simple adaptation effects.     

Getting real in analysis

The author uses a detailed clinical example to illustrate how reality testing can create rather than foreclose opportunities for analytic investigation. He proposes that authentic analysis of transference within the treatment relationship requires close and explicit attention to be paid to considerations of reality, but in a way that does not require the patient to defer to the analyst's view. The author reconsiders certain conceptions of a special psychoanalytic reality, of regression in clinical analysis, and of the nature of free association, suggesting that they tend to discourage the realism necessary to effective psychoanalytic work. In this context, he underlines the importance of ongoing reference to therapeutic outcome as an aspect of reality, and reflects upon the impact of the reality of the analytic treatment setting and the question of termination.