Industrial and Organizational Psychology Commons^™

The Influence Of Perceptions Of Labor Turnover On Stayers' Organizational Commitment, Ellen Ruth Simmons

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study seeks to explain how perceptions of turnover rate affect the organizational commitment (OC) of stayers in an organization as a function of their beliefs as to why turnover has occurred. It examined the attributions of classified employees at Old Dominion University (ODU) about the causes of turnover. Participants were asked to indicate whether they perceived ODU's turnover to be high or low and which of three possible reasons was the most likely cause of co-worker's turnover (i.e., "People most often leave because they are dissatisfied with their jobs", "People most often leave to take a more attractive job …

The Effects Of Life Stress And Risk-Taking Style On Risk Perception And Driver Performance, Christine B. Philput

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the effects of risk-taking style, stress level, and highway environment on driver performance. In Phase I, 50 subjects were assessed for risk-taking style and stress level. In Phase II, the same subjects were presented with slides of traffic situations that varied in terms of risk of accident. This was a paired comparison task in which they rank-ordered ten highway sites, producing a measure of subjective risk. No significant relationships were identified between these subjective risk judgments and objective data regarding those sites (accidents and fatalities), though this is most likely due to problems with the slide presentation. …

Accuracy Of Performance Measurement: An Investigation Of Training Method And Amount Of Practice, Salvatore J. Cesare

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of training method and amount of practice-and-feedback on the accuracy of performance ratings and behavioral observation. This research was a 3 x 3 factorial ANOVA design. Training method was comprised of frame-of-reference, cognitive modeling, and a no-training control group. Practice-and-feedback consisted of 0, 1, and 3 practice trials. Undergraduates (N = 99) were randomly assigned to one of nine experimental conditions. Each participant viewed and rated 7 videotaped interview simulations. The results for performance ratings indicated that (a) frame-of-reference training produced the most accurate ratings for elevation, differential elevation, and …

Causal Analysis Of Disengagement Among Paid And Volunteer City Employees, Margaret Carson Zimmerman

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This multivariate test of the full Mobley, Griffeth, Hand, and Meglino (1979) model of turnover used 184 volunteer and 202 paid workers employed as firefighters, library workers, and rescue squad workers. It addressed the issue of whether the motives and behaviors of volunteers could be accommodated by the same model that normally would be applied to paid workers. Little research exists on the characteristics of volunteer workers, and their worth and manageability are commonly denigrated. The study of volunteers is similar jobs to paid workers might reveal much about the disengagement process since the need to maintain a source of …

Assessing Soccer Referee Performance Using Work Sample And Conventional Testing Methods, Robert L. Kuhnle

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

A game simulation consisting of game segments filmed from two camera angles, a behavioral event interview (BEI), a written test, and a physical performance test battery were compared for testing college soccer referees as linesmen. A content-oriented strategy (Alba & Dickinson, 1985) was used to prepare the tests. Sixty-one referees from two testing sites were assigned to one of two conditions of physical demand and one of three experience groups. Strong evidence of criterion-related validity was found for the game simulation from the press box camera angle when game simulation scores were compared with peer ratings and assessment scores. Mixed …

The Effects Of Training Strategies On Assessor Behavior And The Accuracy Of Assessment Center Consensus Ratings, Todd A. Baker

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of four training strategies (e.g., part, whole, individual, and team) on the accuracy of performance ratings and the occurrence of interactive behaviors in consensus meetings. The results were analyzed using a 2 x 2 factorial ANOVA design. Part and whole training strategies were directly compared with one another. Team and individual training strategies made up the other direct comparison. Undergraduates (N = 108) were randomly assigned to four training conditions. The subjects were grouped into teams of three assessors. In these teams the assessors needed to exchange information about assessee …

Principles Of Design For Complex Displays: A Comparative Evaluation, Sharolyn Ann Converse

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined the main and interactive effects of information format, information density, principle of information grouping, orientation of the airspeed scale, and task type on response time (RT) and accuracy in a decision making task. Forty-eight college students viewed static displays of primary flight instruments and signaled responses to the displays by pressing keys on the computer keyboard. Three levels of task type were employed. In the current state estimation task, subjects were required to determine whether each individual instrument reading was within prespecified limits. In the future state estimation task, subjects were required to attend to the …

Performance Appraisal Ratings As A Function Of Source Of Ratings And Purpose Of The Appraisal, Richard J. Tannenbaum

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of purpose of appraisal ratings and source of appraisal ratings on four dependent measures: leniency, halo, variability, and construct validity. The purpose factor was comprised of four different levels: merit pay, performance improvement, research only, and no defined appraisal purpose. The rating source factor was comprised of two different levels: incumbent self-ratings, and supervisor ratings. One hundred and nineteen nursing assistants provided the self-ratings, and 39 nurses provided the supervisor ratings. Both sets of ratings were made using a 13-dimension graphic-type rating scale. Analysis of variance procedures were used to test the effects of appraisal …

Preschoolers' And Third Graders' Sorting Preferences And Strategic Knowledge Of Taxonomic Associative And Perceptual Organizational Strategies, Helene Ann Hembrooke

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated strategic use and metamemory concerning taxonomic, associative, and perceptual organizational strategies. Preschool and third grade children were asked to sort stimuli which varied orthogonally along three dimensions; taxonomically, associatively, and perceptually. Free recall was assessed. Each child also completed one of two metamemory tasks; a paired comparison or a peer teaching task. The order of the memory/metamemory tasks was counterbalanced within age groups. The results showed that older children sorted by taxonomic and associative attributes while younger children exhibited no sorting preference. Older children recalled significantly more pictures, although no significant age differences in recall clustering were …

Natural Language Human-Computer Dialogue: Menu-Based Natural Language And Visual Performance, Jeffrey John Hendrickson

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study was conducted to determine design principles for menu-based natural language (MBNL) interfaces and to provide evidence for the nature of visual search processes with menu-based systems. The effects of window size, window activity, and query length were investigated. Window size was manipulated as a between-subjects variable with three levels representing a sixteen-item window size, an eight-item window size, and a four-item window size. Window activity was manipulated as a within-subjects variable with two levels representing single active and multiple active windows. Query length was manipulated as a within-subjects variable with three levels representing one-, two-, and three-item …

Investigation Of Display Issues Relevant To The Presentation Of Aircraft Fault Information, Donald Mark Allen

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study investigated the effects of different display, hypothesis presentation, information presentation, and parameter presentation styles on pilot performance. It was hypothesized that performance would be maximal using picture-based displays, presenting hypothesis information as a composite, showing only out-of-tolerance parameter information, and when parameter information was displayed as a bargraph. The results of the study indicated that pilot performance was best when employing picture- and text-based displays, when fault hypotheses were displayed as composites. There were no differences in response times when picture- and text-based displays were compared. Subjects' performances were best when hypotheses were displayed as composites compared …

Dynamic Allocation Of Responsibility Between Operators With Different Models Of System Information Using Computer-Mediated Communication, Michele Terranova

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This research focused on the effectiveness of two operator teams for dynamic control of a process simulation. The responsibility for system optimization and failure detection was shared by the operators through computer-mediated communication. System information was displayed to both operators by one of three mental models of the systems: an alphanumeric/separable representation, a graphic/integral system representation, or both representations. The following team-display configurations were used: primary operator with graphic display, support operator with alphanumeric (GRAL); primary operator with alphanumeric display, support operator with graphic (ALGR); both operators with alphanumeric displays (BOAL); both operators with graphic displays (BOGR); and both operators …

Job Satisfaction Among Female Employees As Predicted By Work Friendships, Melinda Jan Montgomery

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to predict job satisfaction among female employees using social environment variables which relate to work friendships. The predictor variables used were target persons perceived job satisfaction level, breadth of workplace friendships, frequency of interaction, friendship quality, and the interaction of friendship and quality.

Thirty-seven female faculty members and 88 female staff employees at Old Dominion University served as subjects. The subjects were asked to complete the Communal scale {Clark, 1986), selected sections of the Acquaintance Description Form (Wright, 1969, 1974), and the work-in-general scale from the Job Descriptive Index on a co-worker considered …

The Influence Of Direct Versus Indirect Observation, Candidate Report Format, And Assessor Training On The Accuracy Of Assessor Ratings, Rudolph L. Johnson Jr.

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Within the assessment center method, assessors' preliminary evaluations of candidates' performance are typically based on information obtained through direct observation of the candidate's performance in the situational exercise, or on another assessor's report of that performance. This variation is somewhat disconcerting, however, in that its impact on assessor ratings remains largely unstudied. The primary focus of the present study was to assess the differential effects of observation type (i.e., direct observation, dimension-specific report, narrative report) on various measures of rating accuracy. In addition, the present study investigated cognitive modeling as an assessor training strategy, and its impact on rating accuracy. …

Factors Affecting The Efficacy Of Rater Training: Information Type And Mode Of Presentation, Todd A. Silverhart

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

In order to enhance the quality of performance ratings, researchers have directed their efforts towards training raters to evaluate performance more accurately. The purpose of the present study was to examine two factors that may affect the efficacy of rater training for improving the accuracy of performance ratings. One factor was the type of information that was presented during training (target score information, behavioral rationale for target scores, or a combination of target score and behavioral rationale). The second factor was the mode in which information was presented during training (feedback or feedforward). In addition to assessing the unique contribution …

Socialization For Professionals An Analysis Of The Process, Influencing Elements, And Outcomes, Catherine Via Cauthorne-Lindstrom

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the process of socialization of professionals in their educational setting and in work organizations after graduation from college. The purpose was twofold: to test an expectancy-based process model of socialization for its ability to predict commitment and retention intentions in both environments, and to identify differences in individuals' cognitive structures and value systems manifested at different points in the socialization process. Additionally, points of conflict between professional and organizational socializations were explored.

Subjects were 154 nurses and 190 teachers. For each of these professions, four subgroups were sampled: (I) students entering the professional phase of education; (II) …

The Influence Of Rater Training, Scale Format, And Rating Justification On The Quality Of Performance Ratings By Three Rater Sources, Steven B. Woods

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The primary focus of the present study was to examine systematically the influence of rater training, scale format, and rating justification on the quality (i.e., convergent and discriminant validity, halo, leniency) of ratings exhibited by three rater sources (i.e., self, peer, observer). Ninety-one undergraduate students participated in a videotaped role play exercise and returned at a later time to take part in a three-hour rating session. These individuals provided self- and peer ratings. Forty-five advanced undergraduate students participated in a similar rating session and provided observer ratings. Convergent validity, discriminant validity, and halo were tested with the multitrait-multimethod analysis of …

The Implications Of Varying Levels Of Task Automation On Workload, Micheline Y. Eyraud

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study investigated the effects of the addition of automation on task workload. Utilizing a modified secondary task paradigm, the workload which was imposed by three different levels of automation, selected from the continuum of automation on each of two primary tasks, was assessed by comparing performance on a secondary task which remained unaided in all conditions. The levels of automation under investigation in the present study were manual, intermediate, and total aiding. The primary tasks selected for investigation were a sensory-decision making task and compensatory tracking task. A long-term memory task was chosen as the secondary task. It …

The Development Of A Paper-And-Pencil Measure Of Complex Cognitive-Perceptual Aptitude, Don Michael Mcanulty

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The primary purpose of the present research was a develop a complex aptitude test to assess individual differences in multiple cognitive and perceptual abilities that are required for helicopter pilot training. The paper-and-pencil test was designed to provide measures of both static and dynamic (i.e., learning) ability under different levels of complexity. The secondary research purpose was to develop a battery of eight psychometric tests to assess other abilities that are required for helicopter pilot training. Test prototypes were produced and administered to small samples of subjects. The tests were then revised into an experimental battery that required approximately 7 …

A Multitrait-Multimethod Investigation Of Two Checklist Formats For Rating The In-Basket, Michael G. Fedorko

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The two most commonly identified methods of rating the In-Basket both involve the use of checklists. These checklists differ primarily in the way that the items on them are organized. In one (the Dimension Oriented Format), the items pertaining to the entire In-Basket are grouped under the dimension they represent (Frederiksen, Jensen, & Beaton, 1972). In the other (the Item Oriented Format), items representing all dimensions are grouped under the exercise in which they .might be expected to occur (Jaffee, 1971). This study investigated the construct validity of In-Basket ratings obtained using these two formats.

The results of an analysis …

The Effects Of Environmental Stress On Financial Planning For Retirement, Gerald Lee Gamache

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

During the past several decades vast changes have occurred in the labor market. Unusually high unemployment rates, changes in labor force composition and the migration of workers to new industries, are typical topics of concern. This study deals with the development of a model to explain the consequences of environmental stress and psychological strain on retirement financial planning behaviors, an area of investigation which has received little or no attention in the literature, but in which as much importance portends as the traditional topics of concern. Several measures of environmental stress, psychological strain and measures of coping behaviors are developed …

Job Analysis And Job Evaluation Method Choice: User Qualifications And Implications For Applications And Research, James S. Herndon

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Research interest in the areas of job analysis and job evaluation has been increased recently as a result of attention being given to the comparable worth issue. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of job analysis and job evaluation method choice on the outcome of the salary determination process, and to investigate how user qualifications interact with methods.

Within the context of the JAMES Matrix, two job analysis methods (CIT and FJA) were systematically paired with two job evaluation methods (ranking and point). Three groups of participants, representing distinctly different levels of expertise (method experts, …

Estimating The Utility Of Job Performance The Influence Of The Delphi Technique And Behavioral Examples On Supervisors' Estimates, Scott I. Tannenbaum

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Methods for estimating the standard deviation of performance in dollars (SDy) proposed by Schmidt, Hunter, McKenzie, and Muldrow (1979) (referred to as S & H) and by Burke and Frederick (1984) (referred to as B & F) were compared with a modified procedure which incorporated the Delphi and critical incident methodologies (referred to as Delphi). Sixty-four nursing managers were randomly assigned to one of the three methods. They provided estimates for the jobs of registered nurse and licensed practical nurse. The three methods yielded similar estimates, were equally sensitive to differences between the jobs, and conformed to the assumptions of …

The Relationship Between Response Variability And Interview Contrast Effects, Salvatore John Cesare

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The low reliability and validity of the interview has lead to research aimed at improving its effectiveness. One such strategy is the microanalytic approach developed by Mayfield (1964). This approach centers on the decision—making processes errors made by the interviewer. One type of error is the contrast effect. A contrast effect is that situation where the rating given to an applicant is contingent upon the quality of preceding applicants. This study used a 3 X 3 (Induced Set X Target Applicant) factorial design to assess how different amounts of response variability by an average applicant can influence contrast effects. Subjects …

A Perception Based Integrative Theory Of Individual Behavior In Organizations, John Edward Mathieu

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop an integrative theoretical approach to the study of individuals' behavior in organizations, and to present an application of the approach to understanding the performance of Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets. Individuals' perceptions of the environment were proposed to exist at three levels of analysis: (1) psychological climate (i.e., individual); (2) group climate; and organizational climate. Further, climate perceptions were proposed to result from the simultaneous influence of objective (i.e., actual) situational characteristics, and individuals' needs and characteristics. The underlying dimensions that linked climate perceptions operationalized at the three levels of analysis …

A Comparison And Integration Of Expectancy Theory And Task Dimensions With Rotc Cadets, Steven B. Woods

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Recent reviews of the empirical literature investigating expectancy theory and task design research suggest that little attempt has been made to conduct strong, inferential research in which various theories of this type are compared and/or integrated. The primary focus of the present study was to evaluate systematically and compare expectancy theory and a job characteristic approach. Analyses of 117 Army ROTC cadets offered support for the ability of both the VIE model and task dimensions to predict satisfaction and self-ratings of performance for cadets. Generally, however, the task dimensions and VIE cognitions were unsupportive for predictions of peer and instructor …

The Effects Of Person-Job Environment Congruency On Individual And Organizational Outcomes, Eileen J. Mcdonald

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to ascertain the effects of person-job environment congruency on outcomes important to individuals and organizations, so that new personnel decision making strategies can be developed. To accomplish these aims, the research had two objectives: (1) to develop an operational model of person-job environment congruency based on an integration of available research evidence and (2) to investigate the effectiveness of the concepts and methods proposed by the model on individual and organizational criteria of success.

Within a person-job environment congruency model framework, there are essentially two matching systems. In the first, the work experiences of …

Effects Of Encoding Variety And Concurrent-Task Practice On The Transfer And Retention Of Complex Skill, Peter S. Winne

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study investigated the effects of dual-task practice and the variety of problems solved during practice on (a) the acquisition of procedural and declarative skills and the development of concurrent-task skills, and (b) the utilization and maintenance of two types of strategies. Strategies were defined as the use of different mixes of skills pertaining to procedures and specific declarative solutions. Two tasks--mental arithmetic and trigrams--were used to examine problem-solving skills and strategies both immediately following practice and again under delayed conditions. Eighty subjects were randomly assigned to one of four practice conditions by factorially combining practice mode (single- or …

Facilitating And Hindering Factors In Implementing Managerial Technology: A Socio-Technical System Process, Eduardo Alejandro Salas Garcia

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

In recent years scientists, researchers and practitioners have focused on the application and theory of managerial technologies in developing countries. Evidence suggests that the implementation of these technologies is widely sought in these countries, but that they suffer from several limitations. Among these are: (a) lack of environmental compatibility in the societies and cultures in which attempts are made to apply such organizational theories and practices; (b) differences between economic systems of developing nations and industrialized nations (c) differences in political history, values and practices and (d) differences in organizational functioning and behavior as a result of these three conditions. …

Employee Perceptions Of Performance Appraisal Systems: Causal Determinants Of Fairness, Accuracy, And Acceptability, Michael Dale Secunda

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to develop an initial model of employee perceptions of performance appraisal systems which would integrate available literature and provide a point of departure for future research endeavors. To accomplish these goals, this study had three objectives: (1) integrate the large body of literature to develop constructs that adequately describe employee perceptions of appraisal processes and systems, (2) integrate these constructs into a causal model that is consistent with current literature, and (3) test the model using linear structural modeling.

Seven constructs hypothesized as representing various aspects of employee perceptions were conceptualized and operationalized, and …