Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Social Networking And Individual Performance: Examining Predictors Of Participation, Michael Anthony Brown Sr.

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation addresses relationships between social networking and individual performance. The "act" of social networking is a process and practice by which people and organizations are drawn together by family, work or hobby to interact via websites. The explosion of these new network connections in the workplace suggests the need for an exploration of the various ways organizations can affect and improve performance and productivity.

This dissertation suggests a social networking participation model that may help organizations predict and understand the value proposition that affects acceptance or rejection of participation. Innovation adoption, governing by network and social capital are important …

The Effects Of Ethnic Diversity, Perceived Similarity, And Trust On Collaborative Behavior And Performance, Jessica Wildman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent issues such as global economic crises, terrorism, and conservation efforts are making international collaboration a critical topic. While cultural diversity often brings with it new perspectives and innovative solutions, diversity in collaborative settings can also lead to misunderstandings and interaction problems. Therefore, there is a pressing need to understand the processes and influences of intercultural collaboration and how to manage the collaborative process to result in the most effective outcomes possible. In order to address this need, the current study examines the effect of ethnic diversity, perceived deep-level similarity, trust, and distrust on collaborative behavior and performance in decision-making …

Performance Differences In Diverse Contexts: The Role Of Personality, Daniel Karl Cashmore

Theses Digitization Project

This study seeks to explain performance differences in demographically diverse settings by examing introverted and extraverted individuals and using the Inverted-U-Theory developed by Hans J. Eysenck.

The Effects Of Accountability On Leniency Reduction In Self Ratings, Brettney Smith

All Theses

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of accountability on leniency reduction in self-ratings. It was hypothesized that participants in both the upward and illegitimate accountability condition would have lower levels of leniency in their self-ratings than participants in the no accountability condition. Accountability was operationalized as participants being told that they would have to justify their self-ratings of driving performance to either a professor who specializes in driving research (upward accountability) or to an education graduate student who maintains the driving simulator (illegitimate accountability) via an audiotape. The results showed that accountability had a significant …

Error Management Training: Further Tests Of Mediation And Moderation, Zachary T. Kalinoski

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated an alternative training approach that would improve transfer performance scores above traditional training approaches. Specifically, error-management training was proposed to help trainees learn complex tasks, as opposed to error-avoidant training approaches, which sought to give trainees step-by-step protocols for learning that would minimize the occurrence of errors during training. This study was designed to examine the effects of training type on transfer performance and transfer errors, as well as the effects of meta-cognition, emotion control and cognitive appraisals as mediators of the training type-performance relationship. A third issue of this study investigated the personality-training type interactions from …

Adaptive Performance: An Examination Of Convergent And Predictive Validity, Charlene K. Stokes

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was twofold: 1) to examine the convergent validity of the two foremost measurement methods, subjective and objective, used to assess adaptive performance; and 2) to examine the predictive validity of variables across measurement methods using a path model framework. Specifically, various dispositional traits are posited to influence adaptive performance through the mediating mechanisms of stress appraisals and self-efficacy. Beyond examining the potential causal paths associated with predictors, the study included a commensurate focus on adaptability as an outcome and addressed the measurement issues that surround adaptive performance. Participants (N = 275) in teams of …

The Influence Of Time Pressure And Information Load On Rule-Based Decision-Making Performance, Brooke Browne Schaab

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Performance was evaluated under varying levels of time pressure and information load to determine their influence on simple rule-based decision-making. Consistent errors, biases, and heuristics found in human decision-making have been attributed to attempts to reduce attentional demands and to the limitations of working memory. Do these same mistakes occur when little or no demand is placed on working memory and the decision is made by following a set of simple rules? Using a simulation of a radar operator's task, 96 participants monitored a display for 24 min. Time pressure was manipulated by increasing or decreasing the number of aircraft …

The Effects Of Training And Feedback Format On Reactions To In-Basket Feedback And On In-Basket Performance, Michael G. Fedorko

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of training and feedback format on reactions to in-basket feedback and on in-basket performance. Performance was evaluated with a 2 (Training) x 3 (Feedback) x 2 (In-Basket) x 5 (Dimension) repeated measures factorial design. Reactions were evaluated with a 2 (Training) x 3 (Feedback) x 2 (Questionnaire) repeated measures factorial design. The Training factor was comprised of frame-of-reference training (designed to prepare the recipient to receive the feedback) and a control condition (a lecture on Mintzberg's managerial role classification system). The Feedback factor was comprised of written feedback, oral feedback, …

Comparison Of The Efficacy Of General And Specific Performance Dimensions In An Operational Assessment Center, Wanda J. Campbell

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to compare the effectiveness of three general performance dimensions and 14 specific dimensions on various aspects of rating quality.

The categorization phase of the research tested the hypothesis that categorization accuracy and reliability would be a significantly greater for the general performance dimensions than for the specific dimensions. The results provided partial support for this hypothesis.

The aggregation phase of the research tested the following hypotheses: (1) rating accuracy would be greater when relevant behaviors were displayed with high frequency than when they were displayed with low frequency; (2) rating accuracy would be greater …

A Study Of The Construct Differential Validity Of A Performance Appraisal System, Hughette I. Crumpler

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Demographic Correlates Of Task Difficulty, Ivan Ronald Applebaum

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.