MODERATORS AND SUBGROUPS1

It is argued that an alternative preferable to the use of moderators is subgrouping subjects on the basis of the patterns or profiles of their scores across several dimensions of significance. This means that the variance between subgroups is of primary concern. Evidence is presented to suggest that, as implied, the simple fact of subgroup membership will often significantly enhance both meaning and prediction.     

“SECRET TESTS”

The current study was undertaken to develop a typology of “secret tests,”—that is, social strategies that people use to acquire knowledge about the state of their opposite-sex relationships. Furthermore, the influences of relationship type and respondent sex on strategy use were assessed. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed with data obtained from a total of 181 respondents. Findings suggest 14 basic categories of “secret tests” that comprise 7 cluster types in a two-dimensional spatial representation. Passive, active, and interactive strategy types were evident. Females reported more secret test strategies than did males, and people in opposite-sex relationships that were in transition from platonic to romantic reported more strategies than people in either platonic cross-sex or romantic cross-sex relationships. Differences were found as well in the type of secret test most likely to be employed as a function of respondent sex and relationship type.     

THE EFFECT OF JOB OFFER TIMING ON OFFER ACCEPTANCE, PERFORMANCE, AND TURNOVER

Employers often enjoy some discretion in how quickly they extend job offers following candidate interviews. Applicant reactions research suggests that quicker offers are more likely to be accepted. This paper reports an archival study investigating the effect of offer timing on offer acceptance and employment outcomes with field data ( N  = 3,012) from 1 large company, including both student ( N  = 906) and experienced ( N  = 2,106) candidates. The 2 groups differed markedly in their recruiting processes, but job seekers of both types were more likely to accept earlier offers. Further, we found no differences for either performance ratings or turnover among employees hired after quicker offers and those who accepted later offers. It therefore appears that employers may benefit from accelerating their postinterview job offer processes, improving their acceptance rates, and reducing vacancy times without incurring either performance or turnover penalties.     

UNPROCTORED INTERNET TESTING IN EMPLOYMENT SETTINGS

As the Internet has become more accessible to individuals and organizations, the use of computerized testing has become more feasible. Computerized testing has brought with it a demand for unproctored testing that allows test takers to take employment tests at times and places convenient to them. However despite the advantages of costs and convenience, unproctored Internet testing (UIT) introduces a number of issues, many of which have not yet been resolved. These problems range from hardware and software issues to concerns about the security of the test content, the identity of candidates, and cheating. This article explores the pros and cons of unproctored, Internet testing. Six panelists share their opinions and experiences regarding issues around UIT and offer suggestions for appropriate use and future research.     

Downtown Metropolitan Churches: Ecological Situation and Response

Based on three principles from theories of human ecology, this study examines the response of downtown churches in metropolitan Columbus, Ohio to a changing environment. Over 150 years, churches grew in number, stabilized, contracted sharply, and restabilized, changing increasingly from neighborhood to niche churches. Better-funded larger and older churches survived by developing heterogeneous religious and other ties with diverse weekday populations of downtown residents, employees, shoppers, and transients. Churches closer to the city center had more opportunities to develop these relationships. Sociological factors such as theology, leadership, and external resources from the metropolis, state, and nation also played a role. The interaction of sociological and ecological frameworks on both macro and micro levels explains the response of religious organizations to specific urban environments.     

The Experience of Job Insecurity for Professional Women

In this article the authors examine the experience of job insecurity, as described by 20 women professionals living and working in a large metropolitan area on the west coast of Canada.