Industrial and Organizational Psychology Commons^™

The Effect Of Motive And Coworker Liking On The Intention To Perform Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Caley M. Foster

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) is defined as employee behavior that benefits others yet is not required by the employee’s job description. OCB can be divided into two categories: behavior that is either directed toward individuals (OCBI) or behavior that is directed toward the organization (OCBO). Researchers have posited that there are three different motives behind OCB: impression management, prosocial values, and organizational concern. Additionally, researchers have recognized the importance of coworker relationships within organizations and have suggested that the degree to which one likes his or her coworkers may serve as an additional source of motivation to engage in different …

Hines, Duncan, 1880-1959 (Mss 410), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 410. Materials relating to Duncan Hines and the marketing of the “Duncan Hines” brand of food products. Includes obituary notices for Duncan Hines, ice cream franchise agreement, stock certificate books for related companies, and a study on marketing the brand to consumers, especially women.

Reactions To A Near Fatal Accident: An Investigation Of Emotion And Coping Responses, Devin Matthew Pauly

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A 12-month longitudinal study assessed the emotional reactions of an intercollegiate athletic team to a near fatal bus incident. PANAS-X and the Brief COPE, administered on five occasions, indicated NA declined over time. Most coping strategies showed significant changes in trajectory. Acceptance and Positive Reframing were high across waves.

In October 2010, an intercollegiate athletic team and coaching staff were traveling by sleeper bus to an out-of-state match. The team members and coaches were in the back of the bus when they felt the bus swaying and heard the tires hit the rumble strips. The head coach went forward to …

The Relationship Between Rater Agreement, Behavioral Observability And Overall Impressions, Jennifer N. Scott

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study examined two item characteristics believed to influence rater agreement: observability and difficulty. The first goal of this study was to replicate the findings of Roch, Paquin and Littlejohn (2009), which found that rater agreement was negatively related to item observability (Hypothesis 1) and rating difficulty (Hypothesis 2). The study also explored whether participants had closer item performance ratings to their overall impression when items were less observable (Hypothesis 3) and more difficult to rate (Hypothesis 4). A sample of 254 Undergraduate psychology students viewed a video of a leaderless group discussion and then filled out a rating form …

The Effect Of General Versus Specific Coworker In Directions On Fiedler's Least Preferred Coworker Scale, Derrick Lottes

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study explored the effect of directions on the Least Preferred Coworker (LPC) scale; specifically, this study tested whether thinking of a generalized least preferred coworker (General LPC) would yield lower scores compared to thinking of a specific least preferred coworker (Specific LPC). The data supported this hypothesis as responses to the General LPC yielded more critical LPC scores than did responses to the Specific LPC. The hypothesis that thinking of a generalized least preferred coworker would yield more stable result than would thinking of a specific least preferred coworker was not supported. Finally, the hypothesis that LPC scores would …

Organizational Citizenship Behavior- Individual Or Organizational Citizenship Behavior- Organization: Does The Underlying Motive Matter?, Sarah J. Newland

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) is considered behavior that benefits others, but is not a part of the employee’s job description. Research has indicated that OCB can be divided into two categories, behavior that is directed towards other individuals (OCBI) and behavior that is directed towards the organization (OCBO). Research has also suggested that there are three different motives behind OCB, impression management, prosocial values, and organizational concern. This study examines the relationship between the motives and the type of OCB that is performed. The results failed to indicate that motives matter in determining which type of OCB is performed. Additionally, …

Minor Incidents With Major Impacts: The Effects Of Bottom-Up Incivility On Supervisor Targets, Abby Meador

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Incivility within organizations is a rampant problem with dire consequences,including adverse effects on both job satisfaction and psychological states. This study was conducted to address the gap in the current literature that looks at incivility within organizations. To date, no studies have assessed the impact of bottom-up incivility (i.e., incivility that is directed from subordinates to supervisors) on supervisor targets. Thus, this study investigated the impact of bottom-up forms of incivility of supervisors’ mental and physical states, as well as their levels of job satisfaction. However, due to small sample sizes, the current research was expanded to address the effects …

Situational Assessment On Leadership - Student Assessment (Salsa©): An Evaluation Of The Convergent Validity With Multi-Source Feedback In Division I Intercollegiate Athletics, David Normansell

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study assessed the convergent validity of the Situational Assessment of Leadership – Student Assessment (SALSA©) and multi-source ratings in Division I intercollegiate athletic teams. Identified student-athlete team leaders were asked to complete the SALSA©, which assesses eight dimensions of leadership. By assessing the relationship between SALSA© scores and multi-source ratings (i.e., self, teammate, and coach), of the same eight leadership dimensions, a unique multi-dimensional perspective of leadership is revealed. Results indicated a significant positive relationship between overall SALSA© scores and overall self and coach performance ratings. Overall SALSA© scores also were significantly correlated with Overall Leadership Effectiveness peer-ratings. …

Gender Differences In Perceived Costs And Benefits Of Workplace Mistreatment, Lindsey Greco

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Workplace mistreatment, in the form of both incivility and aggression, can have a major impact on personal and organizational outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the mental judgments that individuals make before engaging in either uncivil or aggressive behavior. Data was analyzed in terms of both the potential costs and the potential benefits that an instigator could expect from engaging in such behavior, with specific emphasis on gender differences in cost/benefit expectations. There were no significant gender differences in either the perceived costs or the perceived benefits of engaging in incivility. The hypothesis that individuals with a …

The Effects Of Rater Training On The Relationship Between Item Observability And Rater Agreement, Keaton Edwin Montgomery

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study was an extension of a study conducted by Roch, Paquin, and Littlejohn (2009). They investigated the relationship between rater agreement and the observability of items on a rating form. The current study found similar results in that, as items became less observable, interrater agreement increased. The purpose of this study was to introduce frame of reference training as an extension to the Roch et al. study in order to reverse their findings. In other words, trained raters would be less likely to default to a general impression on less observable items and thus would demonstrate higher rater agreement …

The Validation Of A Structured Situational Interview For Registered And Licensed Practical Nurses, Nicholas L. Simmons

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The profession of nursing is experiencing a shortage of qualified nursing professionals. Hospitals understaffed with nurses are likely to experience several negative consequences including low quality care, which places the health and safety of patients at risk. In order to ensure an effective selection process for hospital nurses, a structured situational interview, developed using a content validation approach, was validated using a criterion-related approach.

Interviews that have a high degree of structure consistently demonstrate higher predictive validities with job performance than do interviews with less structure. The structured situational interview in this study had a high degree of structure and …

A Situational Assessment Of Student Leadership: An Evaluation Of Alternate Forms Reliability And Convergent Validity, Patricia Slack

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Situational Assessment of Leadership: Student Assessment (SALSA©) was developed in the spring of 2009 to be used as a measure of student leadership. Study 1 assessed alternate forms reliability of the SALSA using scores from 178 students. The overall scores on SALSA Form A and SALSA Form B showed a significant correlation (rAB = .906, p < .01). Dimension scores on the two forms ranged from rAB = .475 to rAB = .804. Study 2 evaluated the convergent validity between the SALSA and the Western Kentucky University Center for Leadership Excellence assessment center. SALSA scores as well as assessment scores from 53 students were analyzed. The overall scores on the SALSA and CLE assessment center had a significant yet moderate correlation (r = .513). Dimension correlations were significant but low, ranging from r = .310 to r = .392. The strong correlations in Study 1 indicate the two forms of the SALSA may be used as alternate measures such as in a pre and post-test of leadership. The convergent validities in Study 2 demonstrate that both the SALSA and assessment center may be used to assess leadership. However, the low convergent validities across dimensions indicate overall scores likely should be used rather than dimension scores.

Population Cross-Validity Estimation And Adjustment For Direct Range Restriction: A Monte Carlo Investigation Of Procedural Sequences To Achieve Optimal Cross-Validity, David Matthew Goins

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study employs Monte Carlo analyses to evaluate the effectiveness of various statistical procedures for determining specific values of interest within a population of 1,000,000 cases. Specifically, the proper procedures for addressing the opposing effects of direct range restriction and validity overestimation were assessed through a comparison of multiple correlation coefficients derived using various sequences of procedures in randomly drawn samples. A comparison of the average bias associated with these methods indicated that correction for range restriction prior to the application of a validity overestimation adjustment formula yielded the best estimate of population parameters over a number of conditions. …

Potential Factors That Influence Team Identification: A Desire To Be Similar Or Different?, Courtney A. Clippert

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of the current study is to determine whether eliciting the need for assimilation or the need for differentiation influences individuals’ identification with a given team. Team identification is defined as a fan’s psychological connection to a team; that is, the extent to which the fan views the team as an extension of him or herself (Wann, Melnick, Russell, & Pease, 2001). It is important to understand potential factors that may motivate and potentially increase one’s identification with a particular team.

The sample consisted of 106 participants attending Western Kentucky University. The participants completed the Sport Fandom Questionnaire (SFQ) …

The Content Validation Of An Employment Selection Process For Vehicle Mechanics, Michael Heighway

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study is a significant portion of a content validation study conducted to evaluate new selection tools developed by an organization. In it I assessed the content validity of a structured interview through the following steps: conducting a literature review to establish best practices, reviewing the data gathering process, conducting data analyses, recommending item weights, evaluating the validity of the interview, suggesting standardized materials, creating a plan for training for interview use, and ensuring documentation is kept as required by law.

The data were collected internally by the organization and were provided for analyses. Analyses included one-way ANOVAs, and …

An Evaluation Of The Convergent Validity Of Multi-Source Feedback With Situational Assessment Of Leadership - Student Assessment (Salsa©), Heather Stroupe

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study assessed the convergent validity of the Situational Assessment of Leadership – Student Assessment (SALSA©), a situational judgment test (SJT), with multi-source ratings. The SALSA© was administered to ROTC cadets via Blackboard; multi-source ratings, which paralleled the leadership dimensions of the SALSA©, were administered via paper. Each cadet completed the SALSA© and was rated by 10 peers, his/herself, and at least one cadre (superior). SALSA© scores were not correlated with any of the corresponding dimensions on multi-source ratings, with one exception. Cadre ratings of Consideration/Team Skills were positively correlated with SALSA© scores on the same dimension. This finding …

A Content Validity Study Of The Water Training Institute Curriculum, Alicia Turner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Content validity methods, such as matching matrices, have been used to assist in the design and evaluation of training programs. In the present study, the Water Training Institute (WTI) curriculum was evaluated using a content validation approach. The purpose of the study was to identify topics that were being under-emphasized, over-emphasized, or receiving the correct amount of emphasis in the curriculum. A Job Knowledge Survey was developed and administered to subject matter experts to determine the importance of topics to the jobs that WTI graduates would most likely enter after graduation; the importance ratings were used as the criterion for …

Benevolent Vs. Hostile Sexism Impact On Work Performance For Women In Turkey, Crystal M. Bonneau-Kaya

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

All studies to date that have assessed the direct impact of benevolent vs. hostile sexism on performance outcomes have done so in the context of a Western society. Because of this void in the literature, it remained unknown how living in a low egalitarian and/or non-Western society may impact women's experiences of sexism. The purpose of this study is to address this gap in the literature. This study investigates the impact of benevolent vs. hostile sexism on women in four Turkish textile factories. 210 Turkish female textile factory workers were randomly assigned to the benevolent sexism, hostile sexism, or control …

An Evaluation Of The Impact Of A Thesis Colloquium On Self-Regulated Motivation Toward Thesis Completion, Frank Nicholas Reding

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

What motivates one to write a thesis? This study assessed whether presenting one’s master’s thesis proposal at a thesis colloquium increased the probability of Industrial/Organizational I/O) Psychology graduate students completing their thesis on time (i.e., finishing their thesis as they finished their graduate coursework). This study also examined the relationship between presenting one’s thesis proposal at a thesis colloquium and different forms of motivated regulation and three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness).

Participants included 94 master’s level I/O Psychology alumni from four universities. As expected, students who presented at a thesis colloquium had a higher rate of on-time …

The Validation Of A Situational Judgment Test To Measure Leadership Behavior, Kaci Lyn Grant

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Assessment centers, although useful for assessing behaviors and competencies associated with a targeted construct, can be low in economic utility. The current study sought to validate a situational judgment test (SJT) that was developed as an alternate form of assessment for a leadership development program. The first study examined the content validity of the SJT by performing retranslation on item stems and calibration of the item responses. The second study examined alternate forms reliability between the two forms of the leadership SJT that were developed. The third and final study evaluated the relationship between assessment center performance scores and SJT …

Facilitation Of Social Cognitive Constructs In An Employee Wellness Exercise Intervention Program, Juliana D. Middleton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study examined the influence of social cognitive variables on physical activity and proposed an intervention for an 8-week physical activity promotion program. Four specific components were examined: implementation intentions, goal commitment, barrier self-efficacy, and value. Participants included faculty and staff enrolled in a university Employee Wellness Program. Participants in the treatment group received goal-setting prompts focused on developing implementation intentions, identifying the value of outcome expectancies, and overcoming self-efficacy barriers. Participants in the control group did not receive goal-setting prompts. The use of goal-setting prompts did not result in significantly more minutes spent exercising. Overall, participants who received …

Fan Perception Of Justice In Team Disciplinary Decisions, Lauren Cathryn Gruchala

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The present study examined procedural and distributive justice outcomes of discipline in an athletic team setting. A 2 (Consistency of Punishment: consistent vs. conditional) x 2 (Violation Severity: moderate vs. severe) x 2 (Punishment Severity: moderate vs. severe) x 2 (Decision Maker: head coach vs. team captains) factorial design was used. Participants responded to four of the 16 hypothetical scenarios resulting from the design. Participants included 354 fans in attendance at a several university athletic events and students in psychology courses. The results indicated that consistent punishment was perceived as more fair to the punished athlete, teammates, and fans than …

Self-Assessments By U.S. Army Officers: Effects Of Skill Level And Item Ambiguity On Accuracy, John T. Breidert

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Organizations benefit from the use of training and performance assessments. Self-assessment is a way for trainees to monitor their progress throughout training and on the job. The literature indicates that ambiguity and skill level are factors that impact the accuracy of self-assessments. Previously, the effect of the interaction of ambiguity and skill level on self-assessment accuracy had not been investigated. The present study assessed the effect of skill level and item ambiguity on the accuracy of self-assessments made by Lieutenants and Captains in the U. S. Army. The results indicated that increased skill level resulted in increased accuracy of self-assessments …

Is Conscientiousness Related To Performance Rating Accuracy And Perceived Difficulty In Rating?, Jeremy Alexander

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Inaccurate ratings of job performance can have severe consequences for many organizations and the individuals in them. The present study examined conscientiousness and its relationship to performance rating accuracy and perceived difficulty in providing a rating. Rating accuracy was assessed by calculating deviations from true scores, while personality and perceptions of difficulty were acquired via self-report. Additionally, the relationship between perceptions of rating difficulty and the amount of information available for rating instrument items was investigated. The first two hypotheses were not supported, but as hypothesized, the relationship between rating difficulty and information available was negative and significant. Implications for …

Pay Increases Subsequent To Fmla Leave: The Role Of Organizational Justice, Douglas Berry

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Research indicates the importance of studying organizational justice and its impact. Further, research has indicated a relationship between perceptions of organizational justice and pay increase decisions. However, the present research is the first to incorporate the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave into the equation. In short, this research addressed whether an employee's absence for FMLA-covered reasons impacts the perceived justice of subsequent pay increases for that employee. Specifically, it was hypothesized that the employee's length of absence, tenure, performance, and/or pay increase would impact justice perceptions. Participants evaluated vignettes manipulating these factors, then rated the fairness of pay …

Characteristics Of Faculty Evaluation Formats For Promotion, Tenure, And Annual Review, Angelette Gardner

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The present study attempted to identify common and unique characteristics of faculty performance appraisal formats and procedures by analyzing characteristics of formats and procedures from the psychology departments of 28 universities, including Kentucky Council on Post-secondary Education (CPE) benchmark schools for Western Kentucky University as well as schools that have Industrial/Organizational psychology master’s degree programs. It was hypothesized that schools with Industrial/-Organizational Psychology programs would have better formats as defined by eight legal factors. However, this hypothesis was not supported. The hypothesis that graphic rating scales would be the most common method for collecting appraisal data was supported. It was …

Creating Conflict: Antecedents Of Workplace Incivility, Megan Preston

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Incivility is defined as rude and discourteous behavior or displaying a lack of regard for others. As indicated by prior research (e.g., Pearson, Andersson, & Porath. 2000), the frequency and conscquences of uncivil behavior may result in a decline in psychological well-being, reduced job satisfaction, decreased organizational commitment, and increased turnover. However, much of the research to date has examined the relationship between personally experienced incivility and an assortment of job outcomes (Andersson & Pearson, 1999; Cortina et al., 2001; Pearson et al., 2000). The current study is distinct in that it addressed some of the potential factors that are …

Detecting Malingering On The Mmpi-2: An Examination Of The Utility Of Combining The Validity Scales In A Non-Compensatory Model, Thomas James Burke

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The MMPI-2 is the most commonly used self-report measure for the assessment of psychopathology in forensic and psychiatric disability assessments (Bacchiochi & Bagby, 2006; Bagby, Marshall, & Bacchiochi, 2005). The MMPI-2 includes a variety of validity scales designed to detect content responsive faking (e.g., faking good or faking bad) as well as content nonresponsivity (randomly responding). The present study was conducted to determine whether a combination of validity scales to detect malingering of a psychotic disorder in a non-compensatory model would be more or less effective than using only a select few of the validity scales in a compensatory model. …

Dishonorable Treatment: Workplace Incivility, Cultures Of Honor, And Work Outcomes, Scott Kelley

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Workplace incivility is defined as rude and discourteous behavior that takes place in a work setting. Research shows that this type of behavior can negatively affect the well-being of employees who are the targets. However, the impact of workplace incivility may differ from person to person. One variable that may play a role in how workplace incivility affects an individual is U.S. region and whether or not they are located in a culture of honor. In cultures of honor, such as the Southern U.S. region, individuals are theorized to be especially sensitive to insults or challenges to their reputation. Using …

Detecting Intentional, Realistic Response Distortion On The Mmpi-2 Using Multiple Validity Scales, Andrew Minton

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) is a 567-item questionnaire used by psychologists to help diagnose mental disorders. The effectiveness of the MMPI-2 validity scales (F, Fp, F-K, and Ds-r2) were evaluated by asking college students to respond honestly or fake bad on the MMPI-2. Each scale was scored in the usual manner, but as a group they were evaluated in a noncompensatory fashion. That is, failing even one scale was interpreted as a faked response. MMPI-2 protocols of all participants were analyzed to determine if the validity scales were able to accurately identify which subjects faked and which answered …