Industrial and Organizational Psychology Commons^™

The Effects Of Transformational And Transactional Leadership On Job Satisfaction Affective Commitment And Turnover Intentions Among Teleworkers, Janet L. Bryant

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study is among the first to examine the influence of leadership among teleworkers. Effects of transformational and transactional leadership on job satisfaction, affective commitment, and turnover intentions were examined in a secondary data analysis of 128 teleworkers. Hierarchical linear regression results support the influence of both forms of leadership on these outcomes, although an augmentation effect for transformational leadership was observed only for affective commitment and turnover intentions. Findings from moderated regression analyses indicate that the effect of transformational leadership degrades with increasing telework frequency. This study shows that leadership is important in telework arrangements, although the manner in …

Self-Management And Telework: Assessing The Performance Of A Remote Workforce, Michael C. Mihalecz

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The role of self-management practices in task and citizenship performance was examined with data from 127 participants employed as teleworkers by eight public and private organizations. A self-management practices instrument was validated. The instrument was then used to investigate the effect of self-management on task and citizenship performance. The use of two self-management practices, goal setting and external aids, successfully predicted both task and citizenship performance, Results of the study provide evidence that the use of self-management may impact several performance domains. Discussion focused on the implications of the results for managing remote workers.

An Examination Of Personality As A Predictor Of Guard Behavior In A Virtual Environment, Jean M. Catanzaro

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Military personnel need access to realistic training tools that can provide a safe environment in which to acquire skills that will generalize to real world tasks. A virtual environment (VE) is one such tool. The focus of the present study was to evaluate a VE as a training tool for military guards. The first goal was to examine the potential of VE technology to provide effective training for standing watch at a military checkpoint. The second goal was to study a set of personality traits that might predict performance. Participants completed the NEO Personality Inventory and were trained to perform …

Proactive Personality And The Big Five As Predictors Of Motivation To Learn, Jonathan E. Turner

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

In an environment of changing psychological contracts, corporate downsizing, and increases in alternative self-paced training delivery channels, motivation to learn is believed to represent a key variable in employee self-development that distinguishes employees who will thrive from those who will not. Predicting this variable, then, becomes an important step in managing workforce development and helping employees help themselves. Therefore, the efficacy of relevant personality characteristics as predictors of motivation to learn was investigated. Proactive personality and the Big Five factors of personality were hypothesized to be predictive of motivation to learn. These personality variables are relevant because they have been …

Examining The Equivalence Of Rater Groups In 360-Degree Feedback For Use In Leadership Development, Amy Fitzgibbons

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study assessed the seldom-considered aspect of measurement equivalence across the three most common rater groups in 360-degree feedback systems. The graded response model for polytomous items was used to assess differential functioning of items and tests and applied to an archival data set of 664 ratees to determine the equivalence of peer, subordinate, and supervisor ratings of four leadership competencies. The results indicate that the leadership competencies were invariant across the three rater groups. The results and conclusions produced are discussed with practical implications in mind.

Predicting Team Performance Over Time: A Secondary Data Analysis, Hope S. Hanner

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Teams occupy a strong presence in the modern workplace. However, few studies have tracked the evolution of team behavior over time. The use of cross-sectional team research fails to appreciate the stages that teams pass through as they evolve and mature. The present study had three goals in mind. The first goal was to arrive at a causal model of team performance via a secondary statistical analysis on the research conducted by Cunningham (2001) and Strobel (2001). Strobe1 and Cunningham tracked the performance of eleven student-learning teams over the course of a semester. A team training intervention was administered after …

The Effects Of Communication Modality On Teamwork Processes, Thomas D. Fletcher

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Since the onset of the digital age, organizations have been able to make use of teams of individuals distributed geographically to remain competitive. While strides have been made to understand the effectiveness of collocated teams, research has yet to sufficiently explore the effects of emerging technologies on team processes and effectiveness. A laboratory study, where dyads were asked to create a spreadsheet by following a set of explicit instructions (i.e., a psychomotor task), was conducted to manipulate the communication modalities most commonly used between collaborators (i.e., face-to-face vs. audio) and compare the effects of adding a shared workspace application. The …

Breastfeeding And The Supportive Workplace: Integration Of Women's Productive And Reproductive Lives, Rebekah A. Cardenas

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Although authorities advocate breastfeeding for at least six months as the ideal form of infant nutrition, employed mothers may experience barriers to breastfeeding. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, this study examined the relationship between maternal employment, workplace support, and breastfeeding duration. In general, it was predicted that paid employment following childbirth would have a negative impact on breastfeeding duration. In addition, existence of workplace support such as flexibility, childcare, and/or healthcare benefits was predicted to positively impact breastfeeding durations as well as job satisfaction upon returning to work. Hierarchical linear regression analysis offered support for some …

Creating Inclusive Organizations: Its Meaning And Measurement, Bryan Christopher Hayes

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

There is growing interest in the concept of inclusion by both scientists and practitioners. The goal of the current study was to bring empirical support to the organizational inclusion literature. Inclusion was defined as a psychosocial need and a model was developed specifying its relationship to antecedent and consequence variables. The measurement model was explored with a sample of responses from 418 undergraduate students (Study 1). The measurement model was confirmed and the structural model was assessed with a sample of responses from 609 employees of a medical center (Study 2). Results of structural equation modeling provided limited support for …

Time-Based Work-Family Conflict: Myth Or Reality?, Karyn H. Bernas

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined a time-based model of work-family conflict for a sample of 176 working women with childcare responsibilities. Building on the work of Edwards and Rothbard (2000) and role theory, a model was proposed to test the specific variables that define time-based work-family conflict. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to test the proposed hypotheses. Contrary to assumptions about time-based conflict, the results suggest that role time has a very limited impact on work-family conflict. Variables that were related to role performance and satisfaction included traditional gender role expectations, family involvement, family instrumental support, leader-member exchange, role overload, and …

An Examination Of Individual Differences In Monitoring For Automation Failures, Holly Devries

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Automation-induced complacency has been documented as a cause or contributing factor in many airplane accidents throughout the last two decades. It is surmised that the condition results when a crew is working in highly reliable automated environments in which they serve as supervisory controllers monitoring system states for occasional automation failures. Although many reports have discussed the dangers of complacency, little empirical research has been produced to substantiate its harmful effects on performance as well as what factors produce complacency. There have been some suggestions, however, that individual characteristics could serve as possible predictors of performance in automated systems.

The …

The Influence Of Affective State And Social Loafing On Teams Over Time, Amy N. Cunningham

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Teams are a growing force in the workplace today. An interesting aspect of team research in recent years involves the maturation of teams over time and the processes teams go through as a novice team to a fully accomplished performing team. One impediment to team maturation and performance is social loafing. There were two goals in the present research and are presented in the following questions. First, do team members' effective states influence social loafing? Second, does team training affect affective state of team members, social loafing, and performance? These variables were investigated, using an interrupted time series design, as …

The Effects Of Cultural Values On Acceptance Of Human Resource Management Decisions, Ying Liu

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined the effects of six culture values, including Hofstede's (1984, 1991) power distance, individualism/collectivism, long-term and short-term orientation, Trompenaars'1994) achievement/ascription, universalism/particularism, and relationship to nature, on reactions to human resource management decisions. Data were collected from 110 Chinese students in China and 82 American students in the U.S. A questionnaire containing vignettes depicting different human resource management practices was used to measure the impact of cultural values. Omnibus multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant differences between Chinese and Americans on the cultural values of power distance, collectivism/individualism, long-term and short term orientation, ascription/achievement, and the relationship to …

Longitudinal Analysis Of Cohesion In Student Work Teams: The Efficacy Of Teamwork Skills Training, Kari Rachel Strobel

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study was a longitudinal examination of the effects of teamwork skills training on team cohesion and team performance. Participants were 11 teams, made up of three-to-five undergraduate students who enrolled in a team-based Industrial/Organizational psychology course. For 16 weeks, each team completed three graded assignments per week and was tracked with regard to levels of task and social cohesion. During the seventh week, teams received theory-based training on basic teamwork processes. Results indicate that the training intervention had a significant positive impact on team cohesion. However, training did not affect team performance levels as expected. Discussion centered on the …

Methods Of Detecting Differential Item Functioning: A Comparison Of Item Response Theory And Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Ratchaneewan Wanichtanom

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Differential item functioning (DIF) occurs when an item performs statistically differently for a reference group than for a focal group. DIF is a threat to the validity of a test, and it can lead to illegal usage of a test in situations such as employee selection. Thus, DIF has important implications for test construction and practice. This research is a Monte Carlo study that compares Item Response Theory (IRT) and three Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) methods for detecting DIF. The three CFA methods were Model Comparison (MC), Modification Indexes (MI), and Modification Indexes-Divided sample (MI-Divided).

The research compared the detection …

The Effects Of Equal Opportunity Fairness And Diversity On Work Group Efficacy, Job Satisfaction, And Organizational Commitment In The Military: A Test Of Structural Invariance, Nancy P. Emery

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to test the invariance of a structural equation model of equal opportunity fairness (EOF) in the U.S. military across ethnic and gender groups. Military Equal Opportunity Climate Survey (MEOCS) data drawn from four distinct sociocultural groups in the military were tested on a model that fit the MEOCS data drawn from a sample of White men. A series of multi-group analyses was conducted on the established structural model using LISREL 8 (Joreskog & Sorbom, 1996) to determine whether data from sociocultural groups other than White males would fit a White male model. Further …

The Relationship Between Workplace Absenteeism And Alcohol Use: A Day-To-Day Examination, Susan Kay Mcfarlin

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This investigation examined the conditional day-to-day relationship between alcohol use and workplace absenteeism among participants (N = 302) employed full-time in one of three large companies located in the northeastern U.S. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather information from employees on their daily use of alcohol and other drugs during a 1-month period. Employees' absenteeism and work injury data during the same target time period were gathered from personnel files residing in the companies' human resources departments. The presence of a current alcohol use disorder also was determined. The following primary hypotheses were tested: (a) there would be a …

Effects Of Organizational Climate, Feedback-Seeking Environment And Innovation Characteristics On The Implementation Of A 360-Degree Feedback System, Simon Alan Bartle

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study examined the effects of organizational climate, feedback seeking environment and innovation characteristics on the implementation of a 360-degree feedback system within a large financial holdings company. The effect of user attitudes toward the 360-degree feedback system was also assessed. A sample of responses from 255 360-degree feedback system users was collected over a 14-month time period. LISREL was used to test the hypothesized structural model. Overall goodness of fit for the model was poor (using generalized least squares estimates: the Non-Normed Fit Index (NNFI) = .95, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = .96; Root Mean Square Error of …

Perceptual Cues And Subjective Organization In A Virtual Information Workspace, Todd M. Eischeid

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The key to effectively using the immense body of data on the Internet is an efficient method of organizing relevant information. Researchers and designers are beginning to promote the advantages of three-dimensional (3D) models of information storage and retrieval; however, the potential benefits of perceptual depth cues have not been systematically studied.

The present study used a computer task to examine the effectiveness of three types of virtual desktops. A two-dimensional (2D) virtual desktop display, lacking in the cues that give the illusion of depth, was compared to two different 3D virtual desktops, both of which used perceptual cues to …

Toward A Model Of Team Situation Awareness, Alexis Anne Fink

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Situation Awareness (SA) is a construct that is considered important to safety in dynamic, risky, time-constrained and complex environments, such as military aviation, nuclear reactors and emergency management. Research consideration of SA is complicated by the fact that there is no clearly superior methodology for SA measurement. Typically, SA is considered at the individual level; however, the nature of the SA context often requires more than one individual for safe and effective operations. Team SA is a qualitatively different phenomenon than individual SA. Few models of team SA have been proposed. The primary purpose of this paper was to develop …

Work-Life Role Integration: A Construct Validation Study, Tonya Alicia Miller

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two studies were conducted to define and validate the theoretical construct, role integration. Study 1 focused on producing a theoretical definition and a psychometrically sound measure. Content, convergent, and discriminant validity evidence was collected. Study 2 provided further validity evidence for the role integration construct by testing a conceptual model and refining the role integration measure. Study 1 and Study 2 established a psychometrically sound 12-item, two-factor role integration measure. The first factor focused on knowledge, skills, and experiences (KSE). The second factor focused on values, beliefs, and attitudes (VBA).

The conceptual model in Study 2 added the role integration …

Behavioral And Subjective Measures Of Mental Fatigue And Workload: Examining Allocation Of Effort During Extended Multiple Task Performance, Julie Michele Stark

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The goal of the present study was to gain a better understanding of behavioral and subjective indicators of mental fatigue. Moreover, the effect of workload and mental fatigue on allocation of effort during prolonged multiple task performance was examined. Workload was manipulated between subjects and time was a within-subjects variable assessed over three consecutive 30-min periods.

A behavioral measure was provided by the Multi - Attribute Task Battery {MAT; Comstock & Arnegard, 1992) that was revised to include a new task. This new task was modeled after Holding's (1983) choice of probability/ effort {COPE) paradigm and was developed to investigate …

Fairness In Chinese Organizations, Kai-Guang Liang

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study examined the roles of organizational justice and individual cultural characteristics in affecting employees' work attitudes and behaviors, in particular, the contextual aspect of job performance in Chinese organizations. Data were collected from 232 employee-supervisor dyads in three Sino-western joint ventures in the People's Republic of China. Results indicated that distributive justice had a significant impact on one dimension of contextual job performance, i.e., interpersonal facilitation, and various attitudinal outcomes, such as job satisfaction, pay satisfaction, affective commitment and turnover intention. Among the three procedural justice variables (participation at company level, participation at job level, and appeal mechanism) examined, …

The Relationship Between Workplace Aggression And Alcohol Use: A National Survey, Susan Kay Mcfarlin

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine the relationship between alcohol use and workplace aggression. A nationally representative sample of civilian employees (N = 300) was interviewed with psychometrically sound measures of workplace aggression and alcohol use frequency. It was hypothesized that increased alcohol use would be associated with victimization from and perpetration of workplace aggression during the year before assessment and during the respondents' lifetimes. For the I-year time period prior to assessment, increased days of any drinking were significantly associated with increased verbal victimization from and verbal perpetration of workplace aggression. In addition, increased days of …

The Application Of Role Theory To The Sexual Harassment Paradigm: A Policy Capturing Approach, Lora L. Jacobi

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This research utilized policy capturing techniques to analyze the different factors individuals use when determining sexual harassment. The importance of level of power, verbal behavior, and invasiveness of touch were examined. Additionally, role theory was applied to the sexual harassment paradigm in order to understand how context factors within an organization affect the perception of sexual harassment. Profile analysis was used to determine how the perception of what constitutes harassing behavior is mitigated by one's role in the organization.

Participants were one hundred and five males and one hundred and fifteen females who were either currently employed or employed within …

Does Personality Indicate A Proclivity Toward Negative Job Behaviors?, Victoria Leigh Cole

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study endeavored to show that negative job behaviors can be predicted from measures of personality. It was hypothesized that the measures of extroversion and neuroticism would be positively correlated with negative job behaviors. It was further hypothesized that the measures of agreeableness and conscientiousness would be negatively correlated with negative job behaviors. Participants responded to anonymous surveys. These surveys consisted of measures of personality, job behaviors and attitudes, a social desirability scale, and demographic questions. It was found that agreeableness and conscientiousness were both negatively related to negative job behaviors and that neuroticism was positively related to some negative …

Analyzing The Effects Of Display Characteristics And Cognitive Variables On Performance Using Keystroke And Eye Movement Data, Orhan E. Beckman

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Information about how operators use their eyes while interacting with visual displays is often an overlooked aspect of human-computer interaction. Such information is fundamental to assessing the quality of software interfaces and understanding the cognitive processes that underlie operator behavior. Other research evaluating information displays evolved from using reaction time and subjective data as dependent variables to using oculometric measures. In the current research conventional performance measures are coupled with oculometric measures to evaluate the influence display characteristics and cognitive variables have on performance.

Twelve subjects used a software program to complete a series of specified tasks. Subjects were asked …

The Influence Of Model Features On Goodness-Of-Fit Indices: Choosing Indices To Evaluate Your Model, Andrea E. Berndt

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Two studies were conducted to examine the performance of eight goodness-of-fit indices (i.e., the chi-square statistic, Comparative fit index, Critical N; Goodness-of-fit index, Normed fit index, Nonnormed fit index, Root mean square error of approximation, and Relative noncentrality index) used in structural equation applications. Study 1 consisted of (a) an empirical review in four journals (1986-1996) to determine the "typical" application, (b) a "recreation" of the goodness-of-fit indices from the published research, (c) a multiple regression analysis of the "recreated" indices to determine if values were predicted based on model and sample features, and (d) the development of a representative …

A Psychophysiological Assessment Of The Efficacy Of Event-Related Potentials And Electroencephalogram For Adaptive Task Allocation, Lawrence J. Prinzel Iii

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The present study was designed to test the efficacy of using Electroencephalogram (EEG) and Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) for making task allocations decisions. Thirty-six participants were randomly assigned to an experimental, yoked, or control group condition. Under the experimental condition, a compensatory tracking task was switched between manual and automatic task modes based upon the participant's EEG. ERPs were also gathered to an auditory, oddball task. Participants in the yoked condition performed the same tasks under the exact sequence of task allocations that participants in the experimental group experienced. The control condition consisted of a random sequence of task allocations that …

Effects Of An Interview Guide On The Accuracy Of Ratings For Applicants With Disabilities, Catherine Quinn Greenwald Mergen

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The problem of bias in the employment interview for applicants with disabilities was addressed with research to identify if a decision aid can increase the decision making accuracy of interviewers. A survey designed to allow participants to rate applicants with five disabilities for three jobs (with three essential functions listed for each job) was used to assess rating accuracy of two groups. Participants who received the decision aid in the form of a Guide to Interviewing People with Selected Disabilities were expected to have more rating accuracy than those participants without access to the Guide. Accuracy was assessed by comparing …