Suggestive Parallels between Kirton's A-I Theory of Creative Style and Koestler's Bisociative Theory of the Creative Act

ABSTRACT Kirton's Adaption-Innovation (A-I) theory of cognitive style was reviewed with particular regard to the three factors [Sufficiency of Originality, Efficiency, and Rule/Group Conformity] assumed to underlie the basic (AI) continuum. The basic additive model (AI = SO + E + R) set out by Kirton was then related to Koestler's bisociative theory of the creative act. The compatibility of the two theories offered mutual support for both. The intent of this paper is to explore connections between Kirton's Adaption-Innovation Theory and Koestler's theory of the creative act. In Koestler's distinctive term, the “bisociation” of the two theories offers interesting possibilities for reciprocal illumination. Kirton's work, initiated by the publication (Kirton, 1976) of his measure of creative style, the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI), will be sketched first, followed by a brief overview of Koestler's 1963 monograph (Koestler, 1967). Parallels between the two theories will be suggested in a final section that casts the three Kirton factor/traits into the conceptual framework of the creative act set out by Koestler.     

Multiple Authorship in the Personnel and Guidance Journal: A 12-Year Study

The increase of multiple authorship in the Personnel and Guidance Journal over a 12-year period is explored. Reasons for the growth are examined.     

Men without jobs: Some correlates of age and length of unemployment

Measures of reported health change, financial stress, financial strain, and commitment to the labour market were used with a sample of 954 unemployed working-class men, selected to cover equally all levels of age and several levels of length of unemployment. It was found that psychological deterioration, financial stress and strain, and labour market commitment were greatest among middle-aged unemployed men. Deterioration in health and degree of financial strain were found to be greater among men unemployed for longer periods in contrast with those who had more recently become unemployed, but no association was observed between length of unemployment and the measures of financial stress and commitment to the labour market. The probability of having an employed wife was found to be negatively associated with length of unemployment, consistent with the operation of a household strategy for income maintenance.     

The Symbiotic Survival Pattern: A Relational Theory of Schizophrenia

A theoretical formulation regarding schizophrenia and family functioning is presented that attempts to integrate individual and systems approaches. Despite these approaches dealing with phenomena at different levels, they interact, modify, and determine each other. A review of the literature in both psychoanalytic and family theory served as background and foundation. The symbiotic survival pattern found in families with a schizophrenic member is a mutually controlling system of interaction in which each individual feels responsible for the self-esteem and survival of the other. This involves at least three people, two of whom are expected to act out introjected images for the third. A paradigm of intrapsychic introjects, as well as an illustrative method of describing their use in family transactions, is developed.     

Marriage and Family Counseling in Counselor Education: National Trends and Implications

The authors report the results of a survey of 274 counselor education chairpersons asked to respond to a series of questions concerning the current status of marriage and family counseling in counselor education. Respondents indicated that marriage and family programs in counselor education are continuing to grow in popularity, identified courses most frequently employed in the training of such counselors, provided information about support that AACD could give to enhance the development of marriage and family counseling, and gave their opinions about how marriage and family counseling programs should be accredited.     

MANAGERIAL FUNCTIONS: AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT CENTER DIMENSIONS?

The construct validity of traditional assessment center dimensions was compared with that of a set of alternative constructs based on the functional structure of managerial work. Subjects were 75 middle-level managers in state government who participated in two developmental assessment centers as part of a centralized management development program. One assessment center measured performance in terms of traditional attribute dimensions and the other in terms of functions performed in managerial work. Results show that evidence for construct validity is weak for both sets of constructs.     

META-ANALYSIS OF PERSONALITY-JOB PERFORMANCE RELATIONS: A REPLY TO ONES, MOUNT, BARRICK, AND HUNTER (1994)

Tett, Jackson, and Rothstein's (1991) meta-analysis identified higher average correlations for personality in predicting job proficiency than did Barrick and Mount's (1991). Ones et al. suggest that discrepancies between the two studies involving the Big Five personality dimensions are due to certain procedural differences. In this reply, we show that their arguments do not adequately explain the noted discrepancies. We also show that, because personality traits correlate significantly with job performance both positively and negatively beyond chance levels, use of absolute values, contrary to Ones et al., is important in meta-analyses involving personality. Addressing all of Ones et al.3 statistical concerns, re-analysis of Tett et al.k main data set results in slightly lower mean validities (e.g., .24 vs.29 for fully corrected values based on confirmatory estimates), and renders non-significant the job analysis/no job analysis distinction found to be significant in the original study. Tett et al.'s main conclusions, however, remain unchanged. We suggest that Barrick and Mount's lower mean validities may be due to their averaging signed correlations, pooling exploratory and confirmatory findings, and to the use of different inclusion criteria for selecting source studies.