The longitudinal effects of early identification and counseling of underachievers

This study examined the effects of early identification and psychological services on underachievement through a follow-up study conducted six years later. One hundred and seventeen fourth-grade underachievers had been identified through a regression equation and were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received psychological services during their fourth, fifth, and sixth grades from a team of university professors. Psychological services were primarily adult centered, focusing on the redirection of parents and teachers who were the primary influence on the lives of these underachievers. Follow-up studies of them at high school graduation indicated that differences between these groups reached at least the .05 level of significance for class rank, the ACT composite, the ITED composite and its subtests, and level of educational and vocational performance after high school graduation. Differences which were not statistically significant were found for pregraduation aspirations for the immediate future.     

A two year follow-up study of public vocational school graduates

A 2-year follow-up study of public vocational school graduates revealed that the graduates successfully obtained jobs. Among the factors deemed important by both graduates and employer, communication skills were mentioned as vital. Counseling and preparation in getting along with others were perceived by graduates as inferior. Except for cooperative work program graduates, adjustment to an 8 hr workday caused some problems.     

Classroom behavior inventory: Factor verification

Sixty-nine second grade suburban children were rated by three teachers using a classroom behavior inventory. Factor analysis was performed to test the a priori structure of the instrument. The 18-item inventory was analyzed on three factors: Task-Oriented vs Distractibility, Extroversion vs Introversion, and Considerateness vs Hostility. The three factors loaded perfectly according to the a priori design. The need for further investigations concerning the reliability and a comparison of the rating scale with objective observations is indicated.     

Effects of priming self‐construals on self‐evaluations: Cultural game player perspective

This study examined the validity of situational view on culture‐specific behaviours focusing on self‐evaluation. Two experiments with American students as samples were conducted to examine whether priming their self‐construals would affect individuals' self‐evaluation. In Experiment 1, the participants' self‐evaluation was compared across different conditions of primed self‐contruals. In Experiment 2, the participants were split into 2 groups based on their initial default self‐consturals and, the self‐evaluations were compared across the 2 groups after priming self‐contruals. The results demonstrated that although the participants' self‐evaluation was initially in accord with their default self‐construal, it changed into accord with the primed self‐construals. The findings supported the proposed cultural game player view. Implications on situational view of self‐evaluation are also discussed.     

Can Civility Norms Boost Positive Effects of Management Commitment to Safety?

We proposed that civility norms would strengthen relationships between management commitment to safety and workers' safety motivation, safety behaviors, and injuries. Survey data were obtained from working adults in hazardous jobs—those for which physical labor is required and/or a realistic possibility of physical injury is present (N = 290). Results showed that management commitment positively related to workers' safety motivation, safety participation, and safety compliance, and negatively related to minor injuries. Furthermore, management commitment to safety displayed a stronger positive relationship with safety motivation and safety participation, and a stronger negative relationship with minor worker injuries when civility norms were high (versus low). The results confirm existing known relationships between management commitment to safety and worker safety motivation and behavior; furthermore, civility norms facilitate the relationships between management commitment to safety and various outcomes important to worker safety. In order to promote an optimally safe working environment, managers should demonstrate a commitment to worker safety and promote positive norms for interpersonal treatment between workers in their units.     

Behavioral momentum theory fails to account for the effects of reinforcement rate on resurgence

The behavioral‐momentum model of resurgence predicts reinforcer rates within a resurgence preparation should have three effects on target behavior. First, higher reinforcer rates in baseline (Phase 1) produce more persistent target behavior during extinction plus alternative reinforcement. Second, higher rate alternative reinforcement during Phase 2 generates greater disruption of target responding during extinction. Finally, higher rates of either reinforcement source should produce greater responding when alternative reinforcement is suspended in Phase 3. Recent empirical reports have produced mixed results in terms of these predictions. Thus, the present experiment further examined reinforcer‐rate effects on persistence and resurgence. Rats pressed target levers for high‐rate or low‐rate variable‐interval food during Phase 1. In Phase 2, target‐lever pressing was extinguished, an alternative nose‐poke became available, and nose‐poking produced either high‐rate variable‐interval, low‐rate variable‐interval, or no (an extinction control) alternative reinforcement. Alternative reinforcement was suspended in Phase 3. For groups that received no alternative reinforcement, target‐lever pressing was less persistent following high‐rate than low‐rate Phase‐1 reinforcement. Target behavior was more persistent with low‐rate alternative reinforcement than with high‐rate alternative reinforcement or extinction alone. Finally, no differences in Phase‐3 responding were observed for groups that received either high‐rate or low‐rate alternative reinforcement, and resurgence occurred only following high‐rate alternative reinforcement. These findings are inconsistent with the momentum‐based model of resurgence. We conclude this model mischaracterizes the effects of reinforcer rates on persistence and resurgence of operant behavior.     

Validation of a Chinese Version of the Psychological Sense of School Membership (C-PSSM): Tests of Measurement Invariance and Latent Mean Differences

This study examined the factorial structure of the Chinese version psychological sense of school membership scale (C-PSSM) (Cheung and Hui Asia Pacific Education Review, 4(1), 67–74, 2003). Five hundred and thirty-four university students from Hong Kong completed an 18-item C-PSSM and data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. In addition, tests of measurement invariance and latent mean differences were performed. From the results of the CFA, two items were deleted and a 3-factor, 16-item C-PSSM model was found to have an acceptable fit, with acceptable level of internal consistency for each factor and the overall scale. Measurement invariance (configural, metric, and partial scalar) of the 16-item C-PSSM was supported and the tests of latent mean differences revealed no statistical significance in factor score differences between male and female participants in this study. Overall, this study contributed to the literature by generating new insights on to the psychological sense of school membership through validating the C-PSSM on a sample from a culture and age group different from those reported in the current literature.