The illusion of the perfect alibi: Establishing the base rate of non‐offenders' alibis

The present study was designed to establish the base rate of alibis and supportive evidence for alibis of non‐offenders. That is important because the presence and lack of an alibi are often seen as a clear indicator of innocence and guilt, respectively, of a suspect. A large sample of laypersons (N  = 841) was randomly assigned to one of 32 conditions in which they were asked to generate a true alibi after they were falsely accused of being the perpetrator of a mock robbery. Each condition consisted of either a Tuesday or a Saturday and one of 16 timeframes. In general, the majority of the participants had an alibi (99.5%) and supportive evidence for their alibis (92.4%). The supportive evidence often consisted of a combination of supportive evidence rather than one distinct form of supportive evidence (33.3%). Although it is widely assumed that the alibi believability is determined based on the strength of the supportive evidence, our results show that the type of evidence that can be presented by laypeople depends upon the day and the timeframe wherein the crime has been committed. The results of the study therefore imply that determining alibi believability solely on the strength of the supportive evidence is not a fair measure. We suggest that the believability should also be based on the base rate of alibis and its supportive evidence.     

Taxonomic Examination of ADHD and Conduct Problem Comorbidity in Elementary School Children Using Cluster Analyses

Cluster analysis was used to investigate the classification of comorbid Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) +Conduct Problems (CP). Teachers rated 1394 elementary school children on symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, opposition, and conduct problems using the ADS-IV behavior-rating scale. Results suggested that a seven-cluster solution, including two distinct comorbid clusters, was the most appropriate method of classifying children according to behavioral symptoms. A one-way MANOVA showed that overall cluster profiles differed significantly from each other, whereas one-way ANOVAs indicated that clusters differed on age and symptom scores. Chi-square analyses indicated that clusters differed on gender. Post hoc analyses and effect sizes calculations revealed that the comorbid clusters differed from each other and from their single-disorder counterparts on some variables, but not on all. These results provide support for an additive conceptualisation of ADHD +CP.     

Taxonomy of Psychological and Social Disturbances in Survivors of Group Psychological Abuse

The purpose of this study was to delimit the psychological and social disturbances that individuals who have suffered psychological abuse within a social group on an ongoing basis can experience. A comprehensive classification of these disturbances was developed based on a review of the scientific literature. Its content was revised by an international panel of 38 experts on the topic. Experts also judged the frequency and intensity with which each disturbance is commonly experienced by survivors of abusive groups. The taxonomy, which includes 20 components classified into four main categories, showed adequate content validity. The components considered the most frequent and intense were related to emotional difficulties, followed by those associated with relational and social integration difficulties, cognitive difficulties, and, finally, other specific problematic behaviors. Operationalizing and classifying the specific psychological and social disturbances commonly experienced by survivors of abusive groups contributes to a better delimitation of the phenomenon. Likewise, it contributes to the understanding of the long-term effects of psychological abuse, which is useful in both the academic and clinical settings.     

A taxonomy for financial services selling

The financial services industry accounts for almost half of the country’s nonfarm, commercial profit, making the industry a major driver of the economy. Prior to this study, limited information was available to evaluate financial services sales activities, and a taxonomy of sales activities for individuals in the financial services industry had not previously been conducted. Prior empirically developed sales taxonomies did not include service firms and specifically financial services, while focusing on manufacturing and other product sales. Given that taxonomies are a critical step in scientific inquiry, this is a major limitation in the literature hindering the development of a better understanding of this important industry. Using an established methodology and a seminal sales taxonomy, a financial services sales taxonomy was conducted. Results reflect that financial services sales positions differ from those in other industries. Six sets of sales activities (factors) along with six job positions (clusters) were identified.     

The changing relationship between people and their job – the validity of career information

ABSTRACT

An overview of the evolution of career information in light of the changing nature of the world of work is presented. Owing to the constant fundamental changes in the labour market, the distribution of paid work has been also constantly changing. In this article, a more dynamic and – often temporary – interplay between citizens and their professional context is proposed. The case of Hungary has been used to describe the changing nature between people and their jobs. The historical overview helps explain the development of career information from pre-modernity to post-modernity and justifies the need for a more dynamic model of work adjustment and individual career development.