The NEO Personality Inventory: Using the Five-Factor ModeI in Counseling

Personality psychologists have recently concluded that five major dimensions account for most individual differences in personality traits. The NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI) is a concise measure of this Five-Factor Model and of some of the important traits that define the factors. Characteristics of the test, features for administration and scoring, and studies of reliability, stability, and validity are summarized. The NEO-PI may be particularly appropriate for use in counseling because it is brief, nonpsychopathological in content, and sensitive to client strengths as well as weaknesses. We suggest several ways in which the counselor can learn how to use the NEO-PI effectively.     

What Predicts Change in Marital Interaction Over Time? A Study of Alternative Models

This is a report on what predicts the deterioration of affective marital interaction over a 4-year period. Four models were compared for their ability to predict Time-2 dysfunctional marital interaction (a set of reliable predictors of marital dissolution). These four models were: (1) baseline physiology at Time-1; (2) interaction physiology at Time-1; (3) a balance model based on the ratio of positivity to negativity at Time-1; and, (4) cognitions about the relationship operationalized from our coding of the Oral History Interview. All four models predicted Time-2 dysfunctional marital interaction. All four models were also able to predict change, operationalized as predicting Time-2 interaction, controlling for Time-1 interaction, that is, using a covariance regression analysis. The most powerful model in predicting change was the balance ratio model.     

EMPLOYEE ATTITUDE SURVEYS IN A MULTINATIONAL ORGANIZATION: CONSIDERING LANGUAGE AND CULTURE IN ASSESSING MEASUREMENT EQUIVALENCE

The cross-cultural equivalence of a multinational employee opinion survey was examined using multiple-groups covariance structure analysis to examine 4 scales in 4 countries. Cultural and linguistic influences were considered by assessing equivalence across 2 pairs of countries having the same language but different cultures (U.S. and Australia, Mexico and Spain) and across countries differing in culture and language (U.S. and Mexico). The measure was equivalent across U.S. and Australian samples only. Analyses indicated items that were the source of lack of invariance. One cause explored was translation problems. Practical issues in assessing measurement equivalence in employee opinion surveys are discussed.     

The Interview as an RJP Medium: Shooting Oneself in the Foot?

Wanous and Colella (1989) stated that the interview is the most commonly used medium for delivering realistic job preview (RJP) information to applicants. RJPs incorporated into the interview typically involve a question-and-answer period in which the applicant is encouraged to ask questions. This study examined whether interviewer ratings are influenced by the kind of questions (realistic favorable vs. realistic, moderately unfavorable vs. unrealistic, highly unfavorable) asked in the RJP segment of the interview. The temporal placement of the question-and-answer segment (beginning of the interview vs. at the end) was considered as well. ANOVA results indicated no significant differences in job-related ratings, and MANOVA results indicated no significant differences in personal-trait ratings. Implications and directions for future research are also addressed.     

THE EFFECT OF POSITION POWER AND PERCEIVED TASK COMPETENCE ON TRAINER EFFECTIVENESS: A PARTIAL UTILIZATION OF FIEDLER'S CONTINGENCY MODEL OF LEADERSHIP1

This study investigates the effect of trainer position power and trainer perceived task competence on trainees' performance levels. Three classifications of position power are examined: (1) high position power; (2) moderate position power; and (3) low position power. Two conditions of perceived task competence are also investigated: (1) high competence trainer behavior and (2) low competence trainer behavior. The results indicate that trainees perform at a higher level when trained by a trainer with high position power and high task competence as compared to a trainer with low position power and low task competence. The results also show that the trainer's position power and trainer's task competence jointly affect trainee effectiveness. Based on the research results, changes in organizations' standard training programs are recommended.     

AN EVALUATION OF GENERIC TEAMWORK SKILLS TRAINING WITH ACTION TEAMS: EFFECTS ON COGNITIVE AND SKILL-BASED OUTCOMES

This study evaluated the utility of generic teamwork skills training for enhancing the effectiveness of action teams. Results from 65 4-person action teams working on an interdependent command and control simulator revealed that generic teamwork skills training had a significant and positive impact on both cognitive and skill-based outcomes. Trained team members evidenced higher levels of declarative knowledge regarding teamwork competencies and demonstrated greater proficiency in the areas of planning and task coordination, collaborative problem-solving, and communication. Furthermore, results indicated that cognitive and skill based outcomes were interrelated. Team members' declarative knowledge regarding teamwork competencies positively affected planning and task coordination, collaborative problem solving, and communication skills. However, we found that the effects of declarative knowledge differed across team members depending on their roles and responsibilities. The team benefited the most from the knowledge held by the team member who occupied the most critical position in the workflow. Implications of these findings for future research and practice are discussed.     

Religion and Altruistic U.S. Foreign Policy Goals: Evidence from a National Survey of Church Members

Interest in the possible role of religion in shaping attitudes toward the U.S. foreign policy has increased significantly in recent years, but relatively few studies have been conducted. Drawing on a new national survey of church members, we examine the relationships of religious identity, religious involvement, and congregational programs to attitudes about the importance of altruistic foreign policy goals. We find no support for popular claims that evangelical Protestants hold particularly supportive attitudes toward international human rights and humanitarian aid policies. We find only modest support for the idea that attendance at worship services encourages people to be altruistic in a way that influences their views about foreign policy. However, we do find considerable support for the idea that congregations can shape members' views about foreign policy through intentional activities that raise awareness of needs at home and abroad .