Chronic motivational state interacts with task reward structure in dynamic decision-making

Research distinguishes between a habitual, model-free system motivated toward immediately rewarding actions, and a goal-directed, model-based system motivated toward actions that improve future state. We examined the balance of processing in these two systems during state-based decision-making. We tested a regulatory fit hypothesis (Maddox & Markman, 2010) that predicts that global trait motivation affects the balance of habitual- vs. goal-directed processing but only through its interaction with the task framing as gain-maximization or loss-minimization. We found support for the hypothesis that a match between an individual’s chronic motivational state and the task framing enhances goal-directed processing, and thus state-based decision-making. Specifically, chronic promotion-focused individuals under gain-maximization and chronic prevention-focused individuals under loss-minimization both showed enhanced state-based decision-making. Computational modeling indicates that individuals in a match between global chronic motivational state and local task reward structure engaged more goal-directed processing, whereas those in a mismatch engaged more habitual processing.     

结构方程模型常用拟合指数检验的实质

拟合指数检验是评价结构方程模型(SEM)的重要环节。从协方差结构分析的角度将SEM与传统的回归模型比较,容易理解为什么SEM需要拟合指数。揭示了目前几种流行的拟合指数检验的实质:基于卡方的绝对拟合指数(如RMSEA)检验的实质是重新设定卡方检验的显著性水平(不同于通常的.05),相对拟合指数(如NNFI和CFI)检验的实质是基于虚模型设定均方(卡方与自由度之比)降低到的比例;在NNFI大于临界值后,报告和检验CFI是不必要的。根据研究结果提出了一些方便实用的拟合检验建议。     

Family Dynamics and Attitudes Toward Marriage

To examine our hypothesis that family experiences would be associated with attitudes toward marriage, we administered the Family Environment Scale (FES; Moos & Moos, 1986) and a Marriage Attitudes Questionnaire (MAQ; adapted from Long, 1987) to 40 unmarried college students. Correlational analyses indicated that for the conflict subscale of the FES, only two of the six marital expectation questions approached significance. However, family expressiveness (another subscale of the FES) was significantly correlated with three of the marital expectation questions and approached significance with a fourth question. These results indicated that higher expressiveness in the family was significantly related to positive attitudes toward marriage. We concluded that family dynamics need to be studied from multiple perspectives to identify factors that influence marital expectations.     

Randomized trial of a calling-infused career workshop incorporating counselor self-disclosure

A randomized controlled trial was used to test (1) the efficacy of a two-session career development workshop for college student participants; (2) the effect of counselor self-disclosure on outcomes; and (3) the effect of infusing calling and vocation concepts on outcomes. Both standard (person-environment fit) and calling/vocation-infused interventions improved career decision self-efficacy relative to a wait-list control. Counselor self-disclosure also increased participant career decision self-efficacy in both conditions and increased appraisals of meaning in life for participants in calling/vocation-infused workshops. Incorporating considerations of calling and vocation neither detracted from nor added to workshop effectiveness. Career development workshops were supported, as was the use of moderate counselor self-disclosure. Suggestions for career counseling practice and intervention research are discussed.     

Individual strategy preferences and decisional fit

The present research introduces the concept of decisional fit. A decision maker experiences decisional fit when the individually preferred decision strategy fits the actually applied strategy. In accordance to other fit‐concepts in psychology (e.g., person–environment fit), we expected positive effects of decisional fit. Five studies examine the effects of a fit between the individual preference for intuition and deliberation (PID) and the actually used decision strategy (intuition or deliberation). A comparison of extreme types (according to participants' values on the PID scale) revealed that decisional fit enhances the perceived value of the chosen or evaluated object (Studies 1–3). In Studies 4 and 5, participants experienced less regret after decisional fit. The findings highlight the importance of considering individual differences when comparing intuitive and deliberate decision making, because strategy preferences interact with applied strategies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Applying the Bradley-Terry-Luce method to P-E fit

This study attempted to increase the size of the correlation between person-environment (P-E) fit and job satisfaction by rescaling the instrumentation of the Theory of Work Adjustment using the Bradley-Terry-Luce method and a probability-based fit index. This approach worked as well as, but failed to outperform, the currently used correlation-based fit index. However, a probability-based fit index offers the advantage of being intuitively easier to understand than a correlation-based index. The very high correlation between the correlation-based fit index and the probability-based fit index suggests that both assess the same construct. It is argued that, considering the restriction of range common to all assessments of job satisfaction, the correlation between fit index and job satisfaction may not represent an upper limit, but rather a lower bound of the relationship between P-E fit and job satisfaction.     

A future-oriented Retirement Transition Adjustment Framework

This theoretical paper presents a person–environment fit framework that extends the Minnesota Theory of Work Adjustment to retirement transition and adjustment. The proposed Retirement Transition and Adjustment Framework (RTAF) also accommodates dynamic intra-individual and environment change over time, configural combinations of variables, and an ecological perspective to psychological-level decisions. The RTAF permits the collection of frequently sampled longitudinal person and environment data, allows for a detailed analysis of change and responsiveness, and can accommodate external influences from the family team, and social, economic and political policies. The paper concludes by using the RTAF to illustrate the types of psychological measurement and analysis opportunities likely to emerge in light of developments in the web, virtual reality, personal informatics and computing and information technology generally.     

A time-lagged investigation of the mediating role of person–organization fit in the relationship between leader–member exchange and employee affective organizational commitment

This study provides a new perspective on the relationship between LMX and affective organizational commitment, treating person-organization fit (P-O fit) as an explanatory mechanism and identifying co-worker support and customer recognition as moderators of the first stage of this indirect relationship. Results of a three-wave time-lagged study of survey responses obtained from 137 employees working in the retail service sector over a three-year period were consistent with the proposed model. Multiple regression and moderated mediation analyses revealed that LMX indirectly and positively predicted affective organizational commitment through its positive relationship with P–O fit, suggesting that LMX provides a means by which supervisors are able to instill organizational values in employees and/or signal the degree to which their values match those of the organization. Moreover, co-worker support and customer recognition each moderated the first stage of this indirect relationship, such that the relationship between LMX and P–O fit and, in turn, its indirect relationship with affective organizational commitment is stronger as support from co-workers or customer recognition is lacking. At high levels of co-worker support and customer recognition, LMX exhibits no significant relationship with P–O fit. Together, these results provide new explanations for how and under which conditions LMX might influence employee commitment, suggesting that LMX is particularly salient when employees are lacking other sources of relational support or recognition and that high-quality relations with co-workers and/or customers may serve to compensate for low LMX quality in shaping P–O fit and affective organizational commitment.     

暂时句法歧义句认知加工初探

研究通过两个实验探讨了汉语句子理解中的直接宾语（DO）／句子补语（SC）类暂时句法歧义句的认知加工特征。实验一采用自定速移动视窗技术,发现歧义句和无歧义句解歧区的阅读时间存在显著差异。实验二增加了论题适合性因素以探讨非句法信息在句子理解加工中的影响,发现论题适合性信息影响歧义区和解歧区的阅读时间。实验结果表明：在汉语句子加工中存在DO／SC暂时句法歧义效应;论题适合性信息即时参与对句子的加工,并对句法歧义效应产生影响。     

Current Directions in Personnel Selection Research

Abstract— For many decades, the focus of personnel selection research was on developing selection tests that maximized prediction of job performance; the approach was typically lacking in theoretical bases. The past two decades saw significant shifts in research to a focus on the nature of constructs and their interrelationships, characterized by an approach that emphasizes theoretical understanding of the phenomena under investigation. This article provides an overview of how a construct-oriented approach underlies major current directions in scientific research on personnel selection. Emerging trends that are likely to constitute issues of enduring importance are discussed.