Unwanted attention: The psychological impact of cyberstalking on its survivors

This exploratory study investigated experiences of cyberstalking by analysing the psychological impact on young adult users (n = 12; females = 9). The participants completed in-depth e-mail interviews documenting their lived experiences as cyberstalking survivors. The data were thematically analysed. The findings indicate that young adults who have experienced cyberstalking report a wide-ranging psychological impact on them; including feelings of stress, hurt, paranoia, insomnia, betrayal, anger, fear, and in some cases even depression. These findings advocate the need for tailored interventions to alleviate the impact on cyberstalking survivors.     

The Effects Of Recruitment Message Specificity On Applicant Attraction To Organizations

We used the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) from marketing research to explain and examine how recruitment message specificity influences job seeker attraction to organizations. Using an experimental design and data from 171 college-level job seekers, the results showed that detailed recruitment messages led to enhanced perceptions of organization attributes and person–organization (P–O) fit. Perceptions of fit were found to mediate the relationship between message specificity and intention to apply to the organization. In addition, perceptions of organization attributes and P–O fit were found to influence intentions to apply under circumstances of explicit recruitment information while attractiveness and fit perceptions were shown to influence application intentions under conditions of implicit recruitment information. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.     

Using task clarification, graphic feedback, and verbal feedback to increase closing-task completion in a privately owned restaurant

An informant functional assessment was used to evaluate closing-task completion by servers and dishwashers at a restaurant. Based on the functional assessment results, an intervention consisting of task clarification, posted graphic feedback, and verbal feedback was implemented and evaluated with a multiple baseline design across two groups of employees. Results showed an increase of 15% and 38% in task completion for the two groups.     

The development of organizational strategies in children: evidence from a microgenetic longitudinal study

The authors examined memory on a sort-recall task in children 8 to 12 years of age. Children were first classified as either strategic or nonstrategic on a sort-recall pretest and then participated in an 11-week microgenetic study involving nine sessions. Strategy use was assessed on each trial. Consistent with past longitudinal research, changes from nonstrategic to strategic behavior occurred suddenly rather than gradually. Once children began using organizational strategies, their recall performance improved immediately. Deliberate strategy use was clearly reflected by sorting behavior during encoding but not in clustering during recall. Conclusions about whether there are children with utilization deficiencies are thus affected by how the concept is defined and whether sorting or clustering is taken as the indicator of spontaneous strategy use.     

The adoption of innovation in collective action organizations

This study used a quantitative/qualitative methodology to explore how collective action organizations (CAOs) remain open to organizational change and innovation. It examined the adoption of inclusion—a recent innovation in the field of disabilities—by local chapters of The Arc Michigan (a disabilities CAO). We found considerable variability in the adoption of inclusion by local Arc chapters. This variability was significantly related to the ecology surrounding these chapters. Local Arc chapters that had adopted an inclusion philosophy had significantly different internal and external environments from those that had not adopted inclusion. Our qualitative findings make it clear, however, that innovative Arc chapters were not the passive recipients of these internal and external influences. These chapters were proactive players in defining and shaping the nature of their internal and external environments. Strategies that were related to a chapter's ability to remain open to innovation included (a) a change orientation, (b) a conscious philosophy or vision, (c) a proactive strategy for achieving chapter goals and overcoming barriers to change, (d) the creation of a supportive organizational network, and (e) avoidance of resource dependencies that required them to engage in activities that were inconsistent with the innovation. These findings provide a framework by which CAOs can maintain an openness to innovation and remain on the forefront of social change.     

The organizational context of children's mental health services

This paper reviews what is known about the organizational context of children's mental health services and describes organizational constructs, conceptual models, research methods, and intervention strategies that can be used to link organizational context to service quality and outcomes. Using evidence from studies of business and industrial organizations as well as studies of children's service organizations, the paper presents a model of organizational effectiveness that depends on several contextual characteristics that include organizational culture, structure, climate, and work attitudes. These characteristics are believed to affect the adoption of efficacious treatments (EBPs [evidence-based practices]), adherence to treatment protocols, therapeutic alliance, and the availability, responsiveness, and continuity of services. Finally, 10 components of the ARC(Availability Responsiveness and Continuity) organizational intervention are described as examples of strategies that can be used to develop organizational contexts with the prescribed characteristics. Mental health researchers are encouraged to consider including these constructs, conceptual models, research methods, and intervention strategies in dissemination, effectiveness, and implementation studies that address the gap between research-based knowledge about mental health treatment and what is actually offered in the community.     

Changes in college students' socioeconomic status aspirations during the COVID-19 pandemic

Although university students tend to be optimistic about their future socioeconomic status (SES), little is known how their SES aspirations changed during the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using latent growth curve modeling techniques, we examined changes in subjective SES aspirations for students who began college before the pandemic (cohort 1; Fall 2019) and students who began college during the pandemic (cohort 2; Fall 2020). Moreover, we assessed how SES indicators (i.e., subjective family SES; first-generation status; low-income status) and a contextual financial indicator (i.e., pandemic-related financial impacts) predicted changes in SES aspirations for both groups of students. Although SES aspirations were similar at the beginning of college for both groups of students, students who began college before the pandemic experienced a greater rate of downward change between the baseline assessment and the assessment shortly after the pandemic began. In both cohorts, students from higher-SES families had higher SES aspirations at the beginning of college and steeper rates of downward change. Furthermore, despite having similar SES aspirations at the beginning of college, first-generation students whose first year was interrupted by the pandemic experienced steeper downward changes in their SES aspirations. However, pandemic-related financial impacts did not predict this downward change for either cohort. Our findings suggest that uncertainty in the early stages of the pandemic may have led to cautiousness in students' aspirations for their future SES attainment, particularly for first-generation students.     

Why should interests not be a matter for HR only? Commentary on Wille and De Fruyt (2023)

This invited commentary critically examines the article “The resurrection of vocational interests in human resources research and practice: Evidence, challenges, and a working model” by Wille and De Fruyt. It offers additional perspectives on expanding the discussion on interests within human resources (HR), supporting leaders in conducting career conversations, and integrating career education into HR practices. The commentary emphasizes the importance of considering organizational interests, training leaders for effective dialog, and providing career development opportunities. By addressing these areas, HR practices can better align individual aspirations with organizational goals and enhance employee engagement and long-term employability.     

Cumulative impact neglect in processing sequential changes

We demonstrate that decision contexts that involve sequential numerical changes over time can lead to suboptimal consumer choices in both incentivized and hypothetical studies. This is because, for such changes, an earlier outcome has a cumulative effect on the final total, which consumers tend to ignore. We document the prevalence of consumers' tendency to neglect this cumulative impact when processing sequential rent increases and price discounts as consumers focus on the naïve totals and trends formed by the consecutive price changes and choose economically inferior options. We propose a nudge that helps alert consumers about the cumulative effects and decrease their tendency to fall prey to this bias. We discuss the theoretical contributions as well as the implications for consumers, managers, and policymakers.