Psychology Commons^™

A Multi-Method Inquiry Into Managerial Coaching, Deborah J. Petricek

Dissertations and Theses

Managerial coaching is a little understood and assessed phenomenon. An exploratory study was conducted in order to describe and examine coaching practices in the work world. Interviews were conducted with a group of managers and direct reports from a single company. Based on the interview discourse and previous research, two scales were developed in order to investigate the coach and coachee domains. Manager and associate survey forms were constructed using these new scales and the Leader /Member Exchange (LMX) in order to investigate the relationship domain of coaching. In addition, the Least-Preferred Co-worker (LPC) scale was included in the manager …

Student Outcomes, Educational Technology, And Assessment In Large Classrooms: Effects On Planned Behavior, Tanya Leigh Ostrogorsky

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this research was to investigate the impact of educational technology and classroom assessment on student outcomes. The research used a pretest post-test matched pairs design to test these effects. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was used as a foundation for the model tested. Differences between the model tested and the TPB include the addition of Perceived Behavioral ControlTime 2 (PBC), and the dropping of Subjective Norms from the model. Participating faculty were trained in the use of educational technology, assessment, and course design. Each faculty taught two sections of a large course: first without the enhancements; …

Expected And Existing Competencies Of External Industry Trainers In The Human Resource Development Field, Julia M. Zachmann

Dissertations and Theses

In the field of Human Resource Development, high standards of professionalism are needed to increase the commitment to training, especially from the side of management. This study focused on external training deliverers, and investigated different perspectives concerning their competencies. The expectations (E) of core competencies of excellent external trainers had been identified and were compared to the actual performance (P) of external trainers in a specific company. Ratings were gathered from four different perspectives, the trainees and clients (supervisors of trainees) of recent training events (consumers) and HRD managers and external trainers (marketers).

The rationale for the study was a …

Korean-American Elders In Independent Living Arrangements, Shinok Lee

Dissertations and Theses

Many Korean-American elders in America are new immigrants who are faced with cultural change and adjustment problems. In recent years, these Korean-American elders have been undergoing a change in their living situation by moving away from their adult children into independent living arrangements. This study draws on a sample of 50 Korean-American elders in subsidized housing who are over the age of sixty and live in the Portland, Oregon Metropolitan area to investigate factors involved in their choice of and their well-being in independent living arrangements. Through interviews, the study specifically gives attention to why the elders moved, whether they …

Predictions Of Intentions Of College Students To Take An Hiv Antibody Test And Their Preferences For A Testing Procedure, Hitoshi Ishimaru

Dissertations and Theses

Intentions to prevent HIV infections are an essential part of HIV prevention. Social science researchers and HIV educators have investigated the roles of intentions to prevent HIV infections mainly in the context of safer sex behaviors. Surprisingly, however, HIV testing intentions have not been extensively studied in light of various forms of HIV tests that are likely soon to be approved for widespread use . The present study evaluated the utility of Ajzen and Fishbein' s (1980) Theory of Reasoned Action in predicting college students' intentions to take an HIV test. Attitudes toward HIV testing and their perceptions of social …

The Effects Of Position Power And Personal Power On The Incidence Of Sexual Harassment In The Workplace, Eva Marie Labonte

Dissertations and Theses

Sexual harassment is an important issue in today's workplace. Employees who have been sexually harassed may experience stress and a hostile, unpleasant work environment. Researchers have suggested that a person's level of power may affect the occurrence of sexual harassment.

The purpose of the present study was to partially test a theoretical model relating power and sexual harassment in order to determine if there is a connection between a victim's level of position and personal power and the incidence of sexual harassment in the workplace. The study attempted to answer the following questions: 1) Do men hold more power than …

Peer Context Influences On School Motivation: A Naturalistic Observation Of Peer And Teacher Contingencies Following On-And Off-Task Behavior In A Fifth Grade Classroom, Nicole Ann Sage

Dissertations and Theses

With regard to school motivation and performance, two questions have been central for both educational and developmental psychologists; Why do some students do well in school whereas others do not and why is it that over time, those students who do well, continue to do well, while those who don't, often get worse? Findings with regard to the first question are conclusive; many factors are associated with doing well in school. With regard to the second question however, the findings are less conclusive.

Parents, teachers and peers have been regarded as contexts in which socialization occurs. However, much of the …

Patient Behaviors And Beliefs : Are Standardized Patients Different?, Colleen Shannon Lewy

Dissertations and Theses

Standardized patients (SP's) are lay people who are trained to evaluate and train clinical skills for medical personnel. It was hypothesized that since SP's have had practice and experience interacting with medical personnel that they would exhibit higher levels of patient interaction with their own health care providers. Surveys were sent to SP's affiliated with two medical schools in the Northwest as well as a control group from a local university. Surveys consisted of the Thompson Decisional Involvement scale, the Ende Autonomy Preference Index, the Krantz Health Opinion Survey: Information Seeking subscale, a Satisfaction Criteria scale, and an Expectations survey. …

Drug Testing And Oregon Workers : Is Perceived Fairness Of Corporate Drug Testing Moderated By Drug Use?, Leslie James Normandy

Dissertations and Theses

This study proposed that two predictors of perceived fairness of organizational drug testing would be moderated by drug use. These two predictors, outcome of a positive drug test and whether respondents were ever previously tested for drug use, had been found to be predictors of perceived fairness of drug testing. It was expected that the theories of organizational justice and cognitive dissonance would explain these relationships. Additionally, it was proposed that drug users would perceive drug testing as less fair than would non-drug users.

Participants were 191 adults randomly selected throughout the state of Oregon. The survey items measuring the …

The Effects Of Parental Involvement, Structure, And Autonomy Support On Children’S Help-Seeking And Problem-Solving Coping In School, Ronald Wayne Yoder

Dissertations and Theses

The effect of parenting on children's coping in school was investigated. Sixhundred and twelve children in grades three to five provided self-reports on four ways of coping, including help-seeking, concealment, strategizing and confusion, and the parenting dimensions of involvement, structure, and autonomy support. Psychometric analyses conducted on each dimension of parenting, resulted in reducing the number of parenting variables to two: involvement and structure/autonomy support. Correlational analyses found the predicted relations between children's experiences of parenting and their ways of coping in school. Multiple regressions indicated that only unique (positive) predictor of the two positive ways of coping (help-seeking and …

The Effects Of Feedback To Raters On Subsequent Performance Ratings, A. Cybelle Lyon

Dissertations and Theses

Performance evaluations are often of critical. importance in an organization's decisions concerning compensation, training, promotion, and termination. Although the area of performance appraisal has been researched extensively, a gap in the literature appears to remain. No published research has explored how the favorability of feedback individuals receive on their own performance will affect the favorability of subsequent ratings they give to others. This gap is critical considering that this type of feedback chain is common in the work place. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of feedback (positive, average, or negative) on the mean rating …

Positive Illusions And Winter Depression: Do Illusions Go The Way Of The Summer Sun?, Shannon M. Carey

Dissertations and Theses

Traditional psychology has held the view that mentally healthy people have a good grasp of reality. However, studies on self-concept, perceived control and optimism have shown that mentally healthy people have a tendency to distort reality in these areas in a positive, self-serving direction. These studies led Shelley Taylor to coin the term "positive illusions" to describe overly positive self-evaluations, exaggerated perceptions of control, and unrealistic optimism. Taylor also theorized that those who were depressed had fewer positive illusions than those who were not depressed. The current study attempted to extend the foundation of basic research on the concept of …

The Relationships Among Coping, Control, And Adjustment To Cancer, Sharon Ann Johnson

Dissertations and Theses

This study proposed that a major function of coping is to regain perceptions of control that are threatened by the cancer experience and that perceived control mediates the relationship between coping and adjustment. Participants were 258 cancer patients, 61 % women and 39% men, aged 29 to 93 years. A variety of cancer sites were represented with breast and prostate cancer the most prevalent. Patterns of coping, perceived control in four areas (symptom-emotion, relationship, medical care, and disease control), and emotional adjustment were measured. It was expected that a sixth pattern of coping, problem-focused, would emerge when additional problem-focused items …

Evaluating The Effects Of A Peer Training System On The Subsequent Performance Of New Employees, Dariush Khaleghi

Dissertations and Theses

Peer training is one of the most recent training methods identified. Some anecdotal studies claim that peer training is successful, however, there is no empirical data to support such claims.

The purpose of this study was to conduct an empirical evaluation of a Peer Training System (PTS) in a manufacturing environment. Effects of the PTS on reaction, behavior, and results criteria described by Kirpatrick (1959) were explored. The PTS group was compared to a control group that did not receive any systematic training. It was hypothesized that the PTS trainees would obtain higher ratings on four dimensions of performance (operation, …

An Examination Of Factors Influencing Self Versus Supervisory Referrals To An Employee Assistance Program, Jeffrey M. Gray

Dissertations and Theses

It is estimated that 20% of American employees have some sort of a personal problem that substantially hinders their work performance. This can result in future consequences for both the employee and employer, such as loss of job by the employee and increased expenses for the employer. Employee Assistance Programs (EAP's) are one of the leading approaches used in an attempt to mitigate problems experienced by distressed workers. EAP's are formal intervention systems that assist employees with a variety of personal problems. Studies have shown that EAP's are effective in treating employee problems, however, most employees do not take advantage …

Perceived Fairness Of A Child-Care Subsidy In A Temporary Agency: An Equity Theory Approach, Pamela Bermudez

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to extend research findings on perceived equity into the context of the contingent workforce by examining employees' perceived fairness of a child-care subsidy (i.e., distributive justice perception) in a temporary employment agency. The variables of interest to the study were perceived fairness, comparison other, input importance, organizational responsibility and family-friendliness. The variables were examined on three levels of subsidy status (i.e., subsidy group, parents/no-subsidy group, and nonparents group). A cover letter and a questionnaire regarding perceived fairness of the child-care subsidy were mailed to all employees who had worked for the temporary agency in …

Social Support As A Buffer Of The Relationship Between Work And Family Involvement And Work-Family Conflict, Tracy Lynn Monzon

Dissertations and Theses

With dual-career couples and single-parent families on the rise, adults may find themselves overloaded with work and family responsibilities, resulting in the experience of work-family conflict (WFC). Further, employers appear to be demanding more from their employees, while giving less. Therefore, it is important to discover ways in which to manage the conflict between the work and family domains. Since level of involvement within a particular domain has been previously demonstrated to have a positive effect on WFC, the present study examined the possible moderating effects of social support on the relationship between work and family involvement and WFC. Surveys …

A Comparison Of High School Student And Adult Expectations Of Leader Behavior, Charles Edward Beyer

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the type of activity or type of role played within an activity influenced expectations of leader behavior. One-hundred forty-five adult leaders, student leaders, and student group members of high school basketball teams, bands, journalism staffs, and student government associations were surveyed regarding their expectations of ideal adult leaders, student leaders, and leaders in general across eight leadership constructs. Multivariate analysis of variance results suggest that the type of activity influences group expectations of adult activity leaders. Results also suggest that women expect more consideration from student leaders and leaders in general …

Intentions To Cooperate With Court Appointed Special Advocates (Casas) In Child Protective Proceedings: The Role Of Perceived Social Pressure In The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Yuko Sato Spofford

Dissertations and Theses

Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior with the addition of Perceived Moral Obligation was used to investigate the behavioral intentions of 65 caseworkers of the Children's Services Division (CSD) to cooperate with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) on cases involving abused or neglected children. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that the subjective norms and perceived moral obligation constructs were significant predictors of the three behavioral intention categories and of all three categories combined. The two constructs, however, seem to have a considerable amount of overlap, suggesting that they may be measuring what is broadly called "social pressure to perform/not to perform" the …

The Health Belief Model As A Predictor Of Gynecological Exams: Does Sexual Orientation Matter?, Lynn Elizabeth Kunkel

Dissertations and Theses

Screening and early detection are essential for the management and control of most diseases. It is important for women to practice routine health care that includes both clinical and self examinations. Today, many women go without health care due to barriers which prevent them from obtaining adequate care. The present study was designed to investigate, using the Health Belief Model, whether there is a difference between heterosexual and lesbian women in obtaining gynecological exams. Responses from 238 participants, 70 heterosexuals and 168 lesbians, indicated that the Health Belief Model was a significant predictor of whether women complied with recommended guidelines …

The Effects Of A Realistic Job Preview On An Applicant's Ability To Self-Select Into Organizations, Melissa Lynn Burton

Dissertations and Theses

In typical selection processes organizations gather information about an applicant. Rarely, however, do applicants collect equal information about the job or organization. This unequal exchange can inhibit an applicant's participation in the selection process. Studies have shown that realistic job previews (RJPs) positively influence applicants' job expectations, job satisfaction, turnover, self-selection, etc. Applicant self-selection can benefit both the organization and the applicant in terms of time, money, and energy required during the selection process and after organizational entry.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the relationship between RJPs and self-selection. The study assessed the influence of a …

The Effect Of Psychological Gender And Self-Monitoring On Leader Emergence And Leader Behavior, Janet Day Goldsmith

Dissertations and Theses

Leadership has traditionally been associated with masculine sex-type characteristics. Feminine characteristics have been undervalued or even viewed as a liability. One result of this is a diminished number of women in leadership roles.

Masculine sex-typed characteristics, such as self-reliance, assertiveness and analysis are associated with task-oriented behavior or a production emphasis. However, organizational research has shown that the most effective leaders engage in not only task-oriented behavior but also relationship-oriented behavior. Consideration for employees, or relationship-oriented behavior, has been associated with feminine sex-type characteristics (e.g., compassionate, loyal, and understanding). Thus research indicates that, contrary to popular belief, an individual who …

The Origins Of Caring: A Study Of The Development Of Coding Categories For Prosocial Behaviors In Very Young Children, Mark W. Schuster

Dissertations and Theses

There has a great deal of research regarding the positive social (prosocial) behaviors of young children. Children have been observed performing a number of different prosocial behaviors, including helping, showing, sharing, and responding to the distress of another. However, most of the previous research was conducted in laboratory settings. In order to describe the first manifestations of prosocial behaviors more accurately, research needs to be conducted in a natural setting. The purpose of the current study was to observe the origins of the prosocial behaviors of young children in a child development center. To accomplish this goal, a research team …

A Comparative Study Of Integrity Tests: The Effect Of Situational And Individual Variables On Response Distortion, Nannette Shayne Searles

Dissertations and Theses

The paper-and-pencil integrity test, which is used in industry as an employee selection device, has been largely developed outside the mainstream of psychological testing. The result has been that some testing programs have inadequately standardized testing conditions and/or other safeguards to ensure valid test results. Studies have shown that response distortion, or faking, is a problem with all types of tests, integrity tests being no exception. A correlation between the construct underlying integrity testing, such as the personality trait of conscientiousness, has yet to be investigated.

The primary purpose of the present study was to determine how response distortion on …

The Effects Of Positive Illusions On Perceived Racism, Miyako Jun-Ko Hayashi

Dissertations and Theses

This study investigated the effects of self-esteem, controllability, and optimism, the constructs inherent in positive illusions, on perceived racism. The perceived racism scale in this study was found to contain two dimensions, Equal Opportunity (EO) racism and Authority (AUT) racism. Thirty-seven African-American, 64 Asian-American and 100 White-American students at Portland States University (101 females, 100 males and mean age of 25 years) served as subjects. The findings revealed that both African- and Asian-American students perceived a racist atmosphere from peer students (EO racism) significantly higher than did the White-American students. However, only African-American students perceived greater racism from faculty members …

Memory Deficit Compensation Among Survivors Of Traumatic Brain Injury, Hugo Maynard

Dissertations and Theses

Memory impairment is an outcome of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and associated with lower levels of post-morbid adjustment. This research isolated the memory impairment of retrieval deficit, and examined the efficacy of cues and mnemonics in remediating the impairment. Thirty-three male and female TBI survivors, 18 to 71 years old, were pre-tested for attention (COPY), short-term memory (SD), long-term memory (LD) and recognition memory (RS) employing the Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (CFT), and Subtest. Sixteen subjects demonstrating a retrieval deficit were administered the post-test, with even random assignment into four treatment conditions: a control group (CONTROL), a group administered …

The Tripartite Model Of Rehabilitation Intervention: Basics, Goals And Rehabilitation Strategies, Hanoch Livneh

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper discusses the tripartite model of rehabilitation as embedded within the broader model of therapeutic interventions. Rehabilitation, or tertiary intervention, can be viewed as addressing specific goals as they relate to diverse functional limitations. The three phases, or components, of rehabilitation intervention discussed include: (a) disability minimization in an effort to reduce its impact upon life activities; (b) skill development, as an attempt to compensate for limitations imposed by permanent losses; and (c) environmental manipulation to promote physical and social-attitudinal accessibility. The paper concludes with discussion of the model's applicability to the field of rehabilitation counseling.

Structuring Skinner: Argument, Structure, And Metaphor In Verbal Behavior, Patrick Hamilton

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

Skinner’s purpose in Verbal Behavior is to make the study of behavior a science and thus to eliminate argument, rhetoric, and metaphor. But clearly Skinner has not completely eliminated argument, rhetoric, and metaphor from his study. This discussion of Skinner’s work demonstrates that these rhetorical and persuasive ways are tied into his "scientific" investigation of language and verbal behavior, and in many ways, it is these very methods that allow Skinner to create and describe his conception of verbal behavior, even as he claims to be eliminating and avoiding the use of these techniques. This analysis of Skinner's Verbal Behavior …

Causal Attributions For Teen Problem Drinking, Barbara J. Seatter

Dissertations and Theses

Teen problem-drinking is a pervasive problem in our society. Teens with drinking problems utilize treatment centers and then return to school attempting to stay sober. However, many return to affiliate with problem drinkers instead of with non-drinkers, and risk for relapse is high. One explanation may be that teens without drinking problems do not accept teen problem drinkers into their peer group due to negative reactions toward problem drinkers. One way to examine their attitudes is to examine differences between teen problem drinkers and non-drinkers regarding causal attributions. Attribution theory proposes that various attributions will elicit different emotional reactions and …

Children's Conception Of The Social And Moral Dilemmas Associated With Drug Use, Nancy Lynn Thayer

Dissertations and Theses

The use and abuse of drugs among adolescents and adults has prompted a renewed national concern about drug abuse. Educational programs have attempted to provided factual information and create negative attitudes about drug use so that students will decide not to use drugs. Studies have revealed, however, that the drug programs have not been effective in reducing drug use.

The present research addresses two primary questions: 1) Are there developmental differences in young persons' perceptions of social and moral dilemmas associated with drug use? and 2) Are gender and race associated with social and moral reasoning about drug use?

Semi-structured …