THE EFFECTS OF MESSAGE INTRODUCTION,MESSAGE STRUCTURE,AND VERBAL ORGANIZING ABILITY UPON LEARNING OF MESSAGE INFORMATION

This study focused primarily upon Ausubel's advance organizer concept as a relatively abstract message introduction. Subsumption theory suggests that the advance organizer should be superior in learning effects to an introduction of message main points and that the advance organizer should interact with message structure and verbal organizing ability. This study found no overall advance organizer superiority to other introduction conditions. However, simple interactions, which were analyzed to interpret a significant three-way interaction on one of two dependent variables, provided qualified support for first-order interaction hypotheses. These hypotheses predicted that the superiority of an advance organizer to other introduction conditions would be greater for a low-structure message than for a high-structure message and greater for low-ability subjects than for high-ability subjects. They also included a prediction that the superiority of a high-structure message to a low-structure message would be greater for high-ability subjects than for low-ability subjects. Analysis of serial position effects indicated primacy in recall under high-structure message conditions.     

Early development of letter specialization in left fusiform is associated with better word reading and smaller fusiform face area

A functional region of left fusiform gyrus termed “the visual word form area” (VWFA) develops during reading acquisition to respond more strongly to printed words than to other visual stimuli. Here, we examined responses to letters among 5‐ and 6‐year‐old early kindergarten children (N = 48) with little or no school‐based reading instruction who varied in their reading ability. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure responses to individual letters, false fonts, and faces in left and right fusiform gyri. We then evaluated whether signal change and size (spatial extent) of letter‐sensitive cortex (greater activation for letters versus faces) and letter‐specific cortex (greater activation for letters versus false fonts) in these regions related to (a) standardized measures of word‐reading ability and (b) signal change and size of face‐sensitive cortex (fusiform face area or FFA; greater activation for faces versus letters). Greater letter specificity, but not letter sensitivity, in left fusiform gyrus correlated positively with word reading scores. Across children, in the left fusiform gyrus, greater size of letter‐sensitive cortex correlated with lesser size of FFA. These findings are the first to suggest that in beginning readers, development of letter responsivity in left fusiform cortex is associated with both better reading ability and also a reduction of the size of left FFA that may result in right‐hemisphere dominance for face perception.     

A MARKET RESEARCH APPROACH TO DETERMINING LOCAL LABOR MARKET AVAILABILITY FOR NON-MANAGEMENT JOBS

As an alternative approach to setting affirmative action hiring targets, preferences for non-management jobs were explored using a research technique known as conjoint measurement or trade-off analysis. A general population sample and an applicant sample were surveyed in two cities. Results showed sharp differences in job preferences between men and women. It was also found that women were less interested in non-traditional telephone work than men—probably because the jobs that are non-traditional for women were outdoors, dirty, and had a higher chance of injury. The research technique also permitted the identification of the demographic characteristics of those people who are interested in non-traditional work.     

A SEX COMPARISON OF FACTORS RELATED TO SUCCESS IN NAVAL HOSPITAL CORPS SCHOOL1

Background information, Comrey Personality Scale scores, and a standard Navy aptitude test score were obtained on 600 Navy enlisted men and 600 Navy enlisted women prior to beginning Naval Hospital Corps School training. A comparison of the men and women indicated that the sexes differed on a number of background and personality dimensions. A double-split cross-validation design with multiple regression was then employed in the development of a test battery for predicting school completion. Results indicated that the men were more predictable than the women with cross-validities on the order of .53 for men and .41 for women. For the total sample, cross-validities were approximately .47. An empirical comparison of the utility of these equations for screening candidates for paramedical training suggested that the use of separate equations with the sexes would not produce results which were substantially different from use of the single equation developed on both sexes combined.     

Agency and Organizational Help for the Handicapped

This article describes efforts to improve the provision of community services to handicapped individuals and their families. McIlroy and Zeller look at both system-targeted and client-centered approaches. The authors also provide lists of community resources, national information sources, and national organizations that provide assistance to the handicapped.     

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL, PROMOTION AND THE COURTS: A CRITICAL REVIEW

Twenty-three Title VII court cases were reviewed in order to determine the standards set by the courts in their assessment of performance appraisal systems when used as the basis for promotion decisions. The topics covered were adverse impact determination, the courts' adjudication strategy, and the evidence needed to justify the performance appraisal procedures. Among the major findings was the courts': (1) failure to adhere to the "applicant flow technique" of adverse impact determination, (2) interest in assessing performance appraisal systems regardless of their adverse impact, (3) ignorance regarding acceptable validation procedures, and (4) focus on objectivity in lieu of validity. The discussion offered suggestions to employers for developing a professionally sound and legally defensible appraisal system.     

AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF PERCEPTIONS OF RATEE BEHAVIOR FREQUENCY AND RATEE BEHAVIOR CHANGE USING BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATION SCALES (BES)

Behavioral Expectation Scales (BES) research has concentrated upon psychometric properties, while evidence for potential operational advantages has been largely anecdotal. This empirical study explored the operational value of BES as a technique for identifying divergent rater-ratee perceptions of ratee behavior frequency and for facilitating subsequent ratee behavior change. Results indicated that ratees perceived desired behaviors as occurring more often and undesired behaviors occurring less often than did raters. Behavior change was demonstrated both after development and after implementation of BES. Such operational advantages of BES are argued as a crucial factor in the choice of an organization's performance appraisal format.