Permanence and change in memory II. Reproduction of words in sentences

Abstract.— A retroactive interference paradigm was employed for studying qualitative memory changes. Sentences, containing an ambiguous word that was defined differently by succeeding words, were used as stimulus material. Such retroactive definitions of meaning were found to lead to qualitative changes in reproduction. It is suggested that the issue of permanence and change in memory may be related to the choice of lists of independent items or contextual units as stimulus material. A contextual theory of memory, implying the conception of memory in a stream, is advocated.     

How Discrimination Impacts Sociopolitical Behavior: A Multidimensional Perspective

The conventional wisdom regarding the impact of discrimination on political behavior is that the perception of prejudiced treatment motivates individuals to take political action. This study challenges this common conception by demonstrating that the source of discrimination can play a significant role in whether perceived or experienced injustice leads to activism or withdrawal from sociopolitical life. Drawing from political science and social psychology literature, this study provides a new perspective on the potential effects of discrimination on a relatively new marginalized group in the United States. Specifically, an important distinction is drawn between political (systematic) and societal (interpersonal) discrimination in analyzing the sociopolitical behavior of American Muslims in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The results will hopefully encourage scholars to take a deeper look at the nexus between discrimination and democratic engagement, which is an important, complex, multidimensional, and understudied topic.     

Callings and organizational behavior

Current literature on careers, social identity and meaning in work tends to understate the multiplicity, historical significance, and nuances of the concept of calling(s). In this article, we trace the evolution of the concept from its religious roots into secular realms and develop a typology of interpretations using occupation and religious orientation as core dimensions. We offer a definition of calling that emphasizes action, a convergence of selves, and a pro-social intention. Next, we identify a number of key conditions necessary for discovering a calling, explore the relevance of callings to a range of organizational behavior phenomena, and offer suggestions for future research.     

Cross‐sectional study on the relationship between music training and working memory in adults

Learning to play musical instruments has been shown to enhance a wide variety of cognitive domains. The present study investigated the specific aspects of working memory (WM) that differed between adult musicians and non‐musicians. Twenty‐four musicians and 30 non‐musicians matched for age, gender, years of formal education, and verbal intelligence performed several WM tasks. A multivariate analysis of covariance, wherein family income was controlled, revealed that musicians outperformed non‐musicians in tasks related to visual–motor coordination, visual scanning ability, visual processing speed, and spatial memory. However, no significant differences were found in phonological and visual memory capacity. This study supports the view that music training is associated to specific (and not general) WM skills.     

Charting New Terrain in Work Design: A Study of Hybrid Work Characteristics

Research on work design to date has focused on work characteristics associated primarily with one of three domains—task, social, or contextual. The present paper introduces a new concept—hybrid work characteristics—that refer to work characteristics which are not fully captured within any one of the three domains but possess features from more than one domain. We identify boundarylessness, multitasking, non-work-related interruptions, and demand for constant learning as hybrid work characteristics in the modern work environment. Furthermore, we theorise that boundarylessness, multitasking, and demand for constant learning carry both enriching and depleting potential, but non-work-related interruptions have only depleting potential. In our study, we developed instruments to assess the four work characteristics and tested their relationship with jobholders’ job satisfaction, occupational commitment, emotional exhaustion, and somatic health symptoms, through three independent studies (a total of 968 employees across a wide range of jobs). The results demonstrated convergent, predictive, and discriminant validity for the newly developed scales, and showed partial support for the prediction that boundarylessness and multitasking are beneficial as well as detrimental for jobholders and consistent support for the depleting potential inherent in non-work-related interruptions. We conclude with a discussion of how our exploration of hybrid work characteristics contributes to research on work design and management practices.     

Signaling trustworthiness: The effect of leader humor on feedback-seeking behavior

ABSTRACT

Given its capacity to cultivate a range of positive outcomes in the workplace, humor has been recognized as a valuable tool for leadership purposes. However, the theoretical understanding of leader humor remains relatively limited and the mechanism through which it influences follower outcomes has not been clearly identified. Drawing on signaling theory, we developed and empirically tested a model which delineates the relationship between leader humor and a specific follower behavior – proactive feedback seeking. We collected data from 304 employees and their respective leaders working in a large Canadian retail organization. Results of our analyses indicate that leader humor can impact subordinate feedback-seeking behavior via its influence on subordinates’ affect-based and cognition-based trust in the leader.