THE INFLUENCE OF ASSESSEE PERFORMANCE VARIATION ON ASSESSORS'JUDGMENTS

Assessors evaluated assessees'performances in one of three performance conditions in an assessment center simulation: a consistent performance condition, a within-assessee performance variation condition, or a between-assessee performance variation condition. Contrast effects influenced ratings of assessees when there was variation in performance within assessees. For each assessee, the low target performance was rated lower when the assessee's prior performance had been dissimilar (high) than when the assessee's prior performance had been similar (low). Contrast effects also infiuenced assessors'ratings of the target assessee when there was variation in performance among assessees. The low performing target assessee was rated significantly lower when he was evaluated with two high performers than when he was evaluated with two low performers. In addition, ratings obtained when there was performance variation among assessees were more accurate than those obtained when there was no performance variation, suggesting that under some circumstances contrast effects may not lead to inferior judgments.     

Comparing the social support behaviors of violent and nonviolent husbands during discussions of wife personal problems

To compare the social support behaviors of violent and nonviolent husbands, we recruited four groups of couples-violent and distressed (VD); violent/nondistressed (VND); nonviolent/distressed (NVD);and nonviolent/nondistressed (NVND). Two systems were used to code couples’discussions of wives’personal problems. Using the Social Support Interaction Coding System (Bradbury & Pasch, 1994), no violent-nonviolent group differences emerged; however, as listeners, NVND husbands were the most positive and tended to be the least negative. Using a coding system designed for this study (i.e., Social Support Behavior/Affect Rating System), we confirmed the hypothesis that violent husbands would offer less social support than would nonviolent husbands. Relative to nonviolent men, violent husbands were less positive, more belligerent/domineering, more contemptuous/disgusted, and more upset by the wife's problem. Relative to NVND husbands, violent husbands displayed more anger and tension, VND husbands were more critical of their wives’problem, and VD men were more critical of the possible solutions wives offered. We discuss differences in the two coding systems relevant to the detection of violent-nonviolent group differences. Across both systems, few group differences in wife behavior emerged, suggesting that husband behavior better differentiates violent from nonviolent couples when wives are discussing personal problems.     

Behavioral buffers on the effect of negativity on marital satisfaction: A longitudinal study

A 2-year longitudinal study of newlyweds was conducted to explore the connection between negativity and satisfaction as a function of (a) the extent to which spouses create an atmosphere of friendliness (as indexed by the degree to which they are affectionally expressive) and (b) the reported extent to which they try to accommodate to each other's needs and work toward maintaining the quality of their relationship. Data concerning marital behavior (negativity, affectional expression, and maintenance) and marital satisfaction were gathered from 105 pairs of spouses on three occasions spaced approximately a year apart. Hierarchical regressions with the concurrent data revealed that affectional expression and maintenance appear to buffer the impact of husbands' negativity on wives' satisfaction. The buffering hypothesis was not supported, however, when wives' behavior was used to account for husbands' satisfaction. Consistent with the buffering hypothesis, the decline in wives' satisfaction associated with husbands' negativity was less great when husbands exhibited relatively high levels of affectional expression. Declines in husbands' level of satisfaction, in contrast, could not be predicted by wives' initial levels of negativity, considered alone, or in combination with either their level of affectional expression or maintenance behavior.     

Relational peer victimization and psychosocial adjustment: The mediating role of best friendship qualities

With a sample of 414 tenth‐grade students (53% girls) from the Northeastern United States, the unique mediating roles that different dimensions of best friendship quality play in linking relational victimization and psychosocial maladjustment were examined. For both boys and girls, relational victimization was found to predict higher levels of internalizing behaviors directly and through partial mediation by greater conflict and weaker feelings of help within adolescents' best friendships. Increased conflict also partially mediated the association between relational victimization and higher levels of externalizing behaviors. Together, the results provide support for the significance of broader peer group functioning on both dyadic relationships and individual functioning.     

FEELING WITHOUT THINKING: LESSONS FROM THE ANCIENTS ON EMOTION AND VIRTUE-ACQUISITION

Abstract: By briefly sketching some important ancient accounts of the connections between psychology and moral education, I hope to illuminate the significance of the contemporary debate on the nature of emotion and to reveal its stakes. I begin the essay with a brief discussion of intellectualism in Socrates and the Stoics, and Plato's and Posidonius's respective attacks against it. Next, I examine the two current leading philosophical accounts of emotion: the cognitive theory and the noncognitive theory. I maintain that the noncognitive theory better explains human behavior and experience and has more empirical support than the cognitive theory. In the third section of the essay I argue that recent empirical research on emotional contagion and mirroring processes provides important new evidence for the noncognitive theory. In the final section, I draw some preliminary conclusions about moral education and the acquisition of virtue.     

Predicting change in relationship insecurity: The roles of compassionate and self‐image goals

It was hypothesized that self‐image goals to construct, defend, and maintain desired images of the self enhance relationship insecurity, whereas compassionate goals to support others diminish relationship insecurity. Study 1 followed 115 new college roommates for 3 weeks; Study 2 followed 230 new college roommates across a semester. Both studies assessed self‐image and compassionate goals for and anxiety and avoidance in the roommate relationship. Self‐image goals predicted increased relationship anxiety and avoidance across 3 weeks (Study 1) and within weeks, from week to week, and across 3 months (Study 2). Compassionate goals consistently predicted decreased relationship anxiety and avoidance across studies and analyses. These results suggest that through their interpersonal goals, people contribute directly to their own relationship insecurity.     

UNDERSTANDING RESPONSES TO MULTI-SOURCE FEEDBACK: THE ROLE OF CORE SELF-EVALUATIONS

This longitudinal study examines the role of core self-evaluations in responses to multisource feedback. Consistent with past research, feedback recipients were most satisfied when others' ratings were high. Core self-evaluations was not related to satisfaction with feedback, but was positively linked to goal commitment 4 months after feedback. Polynomial regression results reveal a complex pattern of associations among core self-evaluations, ratings, satisfaction, and commitment to developmental goals. Specifically, individuals with high core self-evaluations were most committed to developmental goals when self and others' ratings were discrepant. In contrast, individuals with low core self-evaluations were most committed to developmental goals when self and others' ratings were in agreement. Our results question the notion that satisfaction with feedback affects motivation to improve and highlight the importance of personality in motivation to improve following feedback. We discuss practical and theoretical implications of our findings and provide a theoretical framework for future research.     

Why Do Fools Fall in Love (at Work)? Factors Associated With the Incidence of Workplace Romance1

We conducted 2 Web‐based survey studies to examine factors associated with the incidence of workplace romance. In Study 1, results based on data collected from 197 employees indicate that their degrees of perceived workplace sexualization and task interdependence were related to their observations of workplace romance. In addition, employees were most likely to report participating in a workplace romance when workplace sexualization and male–female social contact were high. In Study 2, results based on data collected from 80 employees indicate that their degrees of perceived workplace sexualization was related to their observations of workplace romance. Taken together, the results of the 2 studies suggest that work context is associated with the incidence of workplace romance.     

Boundless Creativity: Evidence for the Domain Generality of Individual Differences in Creativity

This study investigated correlates of domain‐general and domain‐specific components of creativity. 158 college students completed a questionnaire that assessed their motivational and personality traits (i.e., intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, creative personality, and originality in word association) as well as intellectual abilities (SAT verbal and quantitative scores). Under two different instruction conditions (standard instruction or explicit “be creative” instruction), students also took a battery of multi‐item, product‐based tests of creativity in three domains (artistic, verbal, and mathematical creativity). Factor analyses showed evidence of domain‐generality of creativity. Furthermore, results from structural equation models showed that motivational and personality traits and intellectual abilities were associated with the domain‐general component of creativity. Only one variable (SAT quantitative score) was found to be associated with the domain‐specific component of mathematical creativity under the explicit “be creative” instruction condition. These results affirm the domain‐generality of creativity and challenge researchers to identify correlates of domain‐specific components of creativity.