Dyadic personality effects on family functioning in parents of newly hospitalized children

This study prospectively examined dyadic influences of parental personality on levels and change of family functioning in parents of a newly hospitalized child. A total of 183 couples whose child sought treatment for Type 1 diabetes, cancer, or an unintentional injury were assessed at 1 and 6 months posthospitalization with tests measuring personality, and family functioning. Analyses used structural equation modeling based on the actor–partner interdependence model. Family functioning in both parents showed substantial differential stability and interdependence. Mothers' Neuroticism and Agreeableness and fathers' Openness and Conscientiousness influenced their own family functioning. Fathers' Conscientiousness influenced their spouse's family functioning. Both parents' personalities influenced their family functioning over time, underlining that the parents' perspectives should be studied jointly.     

IMPROVING APPLICANTS' REACTIONS TO REJECTION LETTERS: AN APPLICATION OF FAIRNESS THEORY

Explanations in the context of employment rejection letters were studied from the perspective of fairness theory (Folger & Cropanzano, 1998). In 2 scenario-based studies and 1 field experiment, Would Reducing explanations (i.e., explanations detailing qualifications of the individual who received the job), Should Reducing explanations (i.e., explanations of the appropriateness of the selection process), and Could Reducing explanations (i.e., explanations of external conditions that led to a hiring freeze) were systematically manipulated in communicating negative hiring decisions. Applicants' perceptions of fairness, recommendation intentions, and reapplication behavior were assessed. Results demonstrate strong support for the effectiveness of Would and Could Reducing explanations at reducing perceptions of unfairness and increasing recommendation intentions. In addition, applicants who received the Could Reducing explanation were more than twice as likely to reapply for a future position with the organization than those who received a standard rejection letter. A 3-way interaction among the 3 explanations suggests that 2 explanations may need to be combined in a rejection letter to generate the most positive effects. Findings are discussed from the perspective of fairness theory and practical implications are identified.     

JESUS' LANGUAGE‐GAMES: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NOTION OF LANGUAGE‐GAME FOR A REFORMULATION OF ‘NEW TESTAMENT BIBLICAL THEOLOGY’1

Despite the exciting consequences of the later Wittgenstein's notion of language‐game for theology in general, one discipline centered on language – exegesis and biblical theology – has remained largely unaffected by this advance. I here show that describing biblical language as a language‐game not only enhances our understanding of biblical texts; it also explodes a long‐term impasse separating the interpretation from the ‘actualization’ of sacred texts. Insights taken from the notion of a language‐game may, as with form of life and grammar, emerge as central building blocks for reformulating the postulates of biblical theology. 1     

The Personality Composition of Teams and Creativity: The Moderating Role of Team Creative Confidence

We examined the possibility that teams composed primarily of individuals with personality characteristics conducive to team creativity (e.g., high extraversion, high openness to experience, low conscientiousness, high neuroticism, low agree‐ableness) would show synergistic increases in creativity when they experienced high levels of “team creative confidence”, a shared understanding that the team is more creative than each team member individually. We tested these hypotheses using a sample of 145 three‐student teams that worked on a set of idea generation tasks at Time 1 (T1) and a second set two weeks later at Time 2 (T2). As expected, results of cross‐lagged regression analysis indicated that when team creative confidence at T1 was high, team creativity at T2 increased quadratically as the number of team members who scored high on extraversion, high on openness, or low on conscientiousness increased. However, the number of individuals composing a team who scored high on neuroticism or low on agree‐ableness had no relation to team creativity under conditions of high or low team creative confidence. Implications of these results for the design of creative teams are discussed.     

The Eschatical Perfection of the World in God

This article introduces the distinction between pre‐eschatical and eschatical horizons as the basis for the criteria of Christian ‘future‐talk’. Whereas pre‐eschatic horizons are constituted by everyday experience on the logic of extrapolation, eschatical horizons are constituted by the experience of the self‐disclosure of the triune God as the ultimate, as the eschatoi. Different types of concepts in the tradition to grasp the future have to be valued as pre‐eschatical. However, eternity has to be identified eschatically with the inner‐trinitarian relationships of the love and life of the triune God. The ultimate future of human beings consists in becoming included in the inner‐trinitarian relationships in a direct manner. The natural world will also partake, but to an unknown extent.