REDUCING NONCOMPLIANCE TO FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT KEEPING AT A FAMILY PRACTICE CENTER

In this study, we evaluated follow-up appointment keeping at a family practice center. To determine if noncompliance could be reduced, four treatments were implemented: no-treatment control, modified appointment card, free follow-up, and a reduced rate follow-up. Thereafter, the reduced rate follow-up was implemented again to determine the extent noncompliance could be reduced for all eligible patients. Incentives significantly increased follow-up appointment keeping, whereas the modified appointment card was ineffective. A cost analysis suggested that the no-treatment control and modified appointment card conditions were the least expensive, but also the least effective. The incentive conditions were more expensive, but the reduced rate condition generated the most net revenue. Questionnaire data suggested that the incentive conditions had an effect on noncompliance and may be considered for use in other medical settings.     

Leadership ratings for male and female military cadets

Ratings of leadership ability for 1096 male and 91 female cadets at the U.S. Military Academy (West Point) were examined for gender differences. Males were rated significantly higher than females for two of the three rating periods. Correlates of these ratings were examined in an effort to explore the meaning of such ratings for males and females. For both male and female cadets, situationally specific correlates of leadership ratings were identified. Physical ability and performance were most highly correlated with leadership ratings during summer training camp, while academic ability and performance were most highly correlated with these ratings during the academic year. These correlations were generally higher for females than for males. The value of such information to organizational newcomers and the means by which such information might be transmitted to them were discussed.     

Appointed and Elected Leader Responses to Favorableness of Feedback and Level of Task Activity from Followers1

Leader evaluations of four types of followers, providing either positive or negative feedback with either high or low task activity, were studied. Forty-six subjects, 20 female and 26 male, were randomly placed in the appointed or elected conditions of leader legitimacy and told they were leading four same-sex followers in a group problem-solving task. The dependent measure was a score made up of their semantic differential ratings of each follower. A three-way interaction indicated that elected and appointed leaders responded differentially to high and low activity followers under the negative feedback condition, but similarly under the positive feedback condition. In addition, a main effect showed that elected leaders were generally more positive than appointed leaders in judgments of their followers. The results were interpreted within a social exchange perspective on leader-follower relations.     

Is Natural Kindness a Natural Kind?

Philosophical Studies -     

Leader esteem for the least preferred co-worker score, training, and effectiveness: an experimental examination.

A laboratory experiment supported Fiedler's Contingency Model analysis of leadership training. The effect of leadership training on group performance was contingent on leadership style, that is, the leader's relation to his least preferred co-worker (LPC). Training improved the performance of high LPC leaders, but was detrimental to the performance of groups with low LPC leaders. High intelligence leaders profited more from training than low intelligence leaders, but low intelligence leaders were more productive overall. Leader LPC times Intelligence interactions indicated that follower satisfaction and interpersonal affect were highest for groups with high LPC-low intelligence leaders or low LPC-high intelligence leaders. Implications for contingency theories of leadership are discussed.