APPLICATION OF CONTENT VALIDITY METHODS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A JOB-RELATED PERFORMANCE RATING CRITERION

This study demonstrated the use of quantitative content validity procedures in the development of a job-related behavioral rating scale criterion for entry-level psychiatric aides. Work behavior items were developed by staff from 6 state psychiatric hospitals, placed in a content validity questionnaire using the Lawshe format, and given to a representative sample of 38 aides and supervisors. Seventy-eight of 83 items were found to be significantly job-relevant using the computation procedures of both Lawshe and Aiken. After the significant items were grouped into 4 categories with high interjudge agreement and placed in a rating scale format, ratings were obtained on 72 psychiatric aides from 4 hospitals. Items in the 4 categories were found to be internally consistent using coefficient alpha. Significant but low concurrent validities were established for 2 verbal ability selection tests using the rating criterion. The validities found were interpreted to be especially significant when the factors of low selection ratio, restriction in range, and limited rater training were considered.     

FULL AND ERRANT COACHING EFFECTS ON ASSIGNED ROLE LEADERLESS GROUP DISCUSSION PERFORMANCE

The effect of coaching on Leaderless Group Discussion Performance was examined. Thirty-six female undergraduate subjects participated in six-person assigned role leaderless group discussions. Trained observers evaluated performances in each discussion, which included two 5s from each of three coaching conditions. Ss in full coaching condition received extensive coaching on proper group discussion performance. 5s in the errant coaching condition received improper, but believable, coaching. 5s in the naive, or control, condition received no coaching. Results showed that 5s in the full coaching conditions were rated significantly higher than 5s in the errant or naive conditions. The results were discussed in the light of previous research.     

RELATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS OF VERBAL, ARTICULATIVE, AND NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION TO EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS IN THE JOB INTERVIEW SETTING

Recruiter ratings of 338 on-campus interviews were used in a discriminant analysis procedure to determine the relative importance of the verbal, articulative, and nonverbal dimensions of communication during the job interview. Correlation of seven variables with the discriminant function indicated that appropriateness of content, fluency of speech, and composure were of greatest importance in contributing to a favorable employment decision. These findings were contrary to the recent literature which has emphasized the importance of nonverbal behavior. Implications for job-interview skills training are discussed, and suggestions for a comprehensive workshop model are presented.     

Stimulus redundancy and immediate recall

This study examined immediate recall in two stimulus prefix and two stimulus suffix conditions and in a condition that combined a prefix and suffix. Suffixes and the combination of a prefix with a suffix interfered more with recall overall than did prefixes. Performance in each of the conditions that included a prefix was significantly better overall than in appropriate control conditions, in which interference was augmented by a redundant element in recall. It was suggested that prefixes and suffixes lie operationally on a continuum and that their effects result from the subject's inability to dissociate the redundant element from the memory series. However, the location of redundancy imposes different processing requirements that differentially influence recall.     

Factors influencing failure to show for a family evaluation

Abstract

An important issue in clinical practice concerns clients' failure to keep their initial evaluation appointments, which has been termed defection (Shapiro and Budman, 1973). Research findings and clinical impressions suggest that client defection can be related to three sets of factors: actuarial variables, client psychological and motivational variables, and client-clinician interaction prior to the initial appointment (Rubinstein and Lorr, 1956; Garfield, 1971). Among the actuarial variables, the following have been suggested as being related to clients' defection: referral source, distance client must travel for the appointment, client socioeconomic status (SES), and waiting time (Brill and Storow, 1960; Raynes and Warren, 1971; Lorion, 1973).     

Nicknames of notorious American twentieth‐century deviants: The decline of the folk hero syndrome

This report examines the public use of personal nicknames for notorious American Twentieth Century Deviants. The analysis documents the frequency of nicknames by decade in the twentieth century, the category of the deviant act committed by the person nicknamed, and the connotations of the nicknames. The relationship between the use of nicknames for deviants, and deviants as folk heroes is explored. The data indicate that the public use of personal nicknames for deviants peaks in the 1920's and 1930's and has been declining ever since. This phenomenon parallels the decline in American's belief in the “rags to riches” type of folk hero.