The social psychology of aging in industry.

In 3 previous studies, H. Meltzer (see PA, Vols 33:4955, 38:4107, and 39:1533) investigated the relationship between work attitudes and mental health. Results show that as workers got older, attitudes toward place of employment increased favorably, satisfaction increased, and work took on more significance. In a 4th study, content analysis of life and work stories was used to investigate the relationship between positive mental health and age of workers. 143 workers were divided into 5 groups according to age: 20–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, and 60+ yrs. Mental health indices were adapted and condensed from M. Jahoda's (1958) 6 categories of criteria for total positive mental health. Results suggest that the stereotype of decreasing cognitive capacity and ineffectual role execution was largely false. Older Ss seemed more satisfied and less prone to change jobs but when compared with 30–39 yr old Ss, they scored lower on signs of mental health. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cohort differences in attitudes toward mental health services among older persons.

In order to investigate historical shifts in attitudes toward mental health and mental health services, two independent samples of older adults separated by a 14-year time interval were administered questionnaires. There were 91 in the 1977 sample (mean age 69.91 yrs) and 116 in the 1991 sample (mean age 71.94 yrs). Four newly created, internally consistent scales assessed multiple dimensions of their mental health attitudes (breadth of conceptions, bias, openness to help, range of problems). Analyses suggested that the younger cohorts of older adults held more positive attitudes toward mental health and mental health services than the older cohorts. These cohort differences remained when controlled for age, level of education, self-reported health, and income. These data indicate a positive cohort shift in attitudes toward mental health, a finding with numerous implications for the design and implementation of mental health services for future cohorts of older persons. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of differences in subordinate and supervisor age on attitudes and performance.

In a study of the influence of differences in employee age and the age of the employee's immediate supervisor, an age-difference variable was created and used to test 4 competing sets of predictions for performance and attitudinal outcomes within a sample of 292 high school teachers. Analyses revealed that employees who were older than their supervisors (1) reported better working relations with their supervisors, (2) evaluated their supervisors more favorably, and (3) received ratings from their supervisors that were not less favorable than other employees. The results suggest that bias does not necessarily operate against employees who are older than their supervisors and that a relational approach that is based on attribute similarity–dissimilarity offers an additional source of systematic variance that can aid in explaining individual responses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Do people do what they say? Further studies on the situational interview.

In Study 1, an interview consisting of 20 situational questions plus 5 past-experience questions was administered to 29 female clerical workers who had worked for the company an average of 6 yrs, and responses were correlated to the observations of supervisors and peers collected by means of an on-the-job appraisal instrument. S responses and appraisals correlated significantly; however, no relationship was found between what Ss said they had done in the past and current appraisals. In Study 2, the predictive validity of the situational interview with 157 entry-level employees (mean age 28.51 yrs) was tested by comparing interview ratings with performance appraisals 3 yrs later. Results show a significant relationship but, since hired Ss performed no differently than the 192 Ss (mean age 29.76 yrs) who were not hired on the situational interview, it had no practical significance. A follow-up study with 29 of the hired Ss who were reinterviewed showed that the original interviewers had not used the situational interview correctly. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attitudes toward persons with a disability: An examination of demographic factors, social context, and specific disability.

Attempted to replicate the findings of S. A. Grand et al (see record 1983-08199-001) concerning the multidimensional nature of attitudes toward persons with a disability, and examined the relationship between attitudes toward persons with a disability and salient demographic and contact variables. 214 university faculty and staff (aged 19–73 yrs) completed a disability social relationship scale that examined attitudes about members of specific disability groups (people with cerebral palsy, epileptics, amputees, and blind people) in various situations (work, dating, marriage), and a demographic data form assessing age, education level, SES, gender, and religion. Results support the multidimensionality hypothesis, and a hierarchical regression analysis revealed that increased contact with persons with a disability, younger age, and higher levels of education were the best predictors of more favorable scores. However, demographic variables accounted for limited variance in attitudes. (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal conflict at work and psychological outcomes: Testing a model among young workers.

On the basis of A. P. Fiske's (1992) general theory of social relations, a model of interpersonal conflict at work was developed and tested in a sample of young workers. The model predicts that conflict with supervisors is predictive of organizationally relevant psychological outcomes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions), whereas conflict with coworkers is predictive of personally relevant psychological outcomes (depression, self-esteem, and somatic symptoms). Data were obtained from a sample of 319 individuals ages 16–19 yrs. Structural equation modeling results supported the hypothesized relations. Secondary regression analysis of 2 data sets from M. A. Donovan, F. Drasgow, and L. J. Munson (1998) provides initial support for the generalizability of the hypothesized model to older employees. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical psychologists' religious and spiritual orientations and their practice of psychotherapy.

Examined the nature of 107 female and 299 male clinical psychologists' (aged 29–88 yrs) religiousness and spirituality, attitudes toward religiousness, use of interventions of a religious nature in psychotherapy, and training regarding religious and spiritual issues. Findings suggest that religious and spiritual orientation affects clinical psychologists' attitudes as well as their therapeutic interventions, which may in turn impact on the process and outcome of psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adult age differences in cued recall.

Examined the relative effectiveness of semantic and structural retrieval cues in 72 male college graduates of 3 age groups: Group 1 (aged 20–39 yrs), Group 2 (aged 40–59 yrs), and Group 3 (aged 60–80 yrs). The Ss had been administered 2 subtests of the WAIS to insure the compatibility of the Ss. Results of the recall tests show that there was significantly poorer recall by the older Ss in the noncued conditions (free recall) and in the cued condition when structural cues were used. When category labels were used as semantic cues, however, the age deficit in recall was eliminated. Results are discussed in terms of both a retrieval hypothesis and a processing-deficit hypothesis. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A study of rehabilitation counselors: Locus of control and attitudes toward the poor.

Studied the interrelationships among locus of control, attitudes toward the poor, attitudes toward the supervisor, job satisfaction, and the performance ratings of 90 practicing rehabilitation counselors (mean age 36 yrs). Ss were surveyed with a battery of attitude questionnaires, including Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale and the MacDonald Poverty Scale. Results indicate that Ss with an internal orientation had more positive attitudes toward the poor than Ss with an external orientation. It was further observed that internally oriented Ss received higher performance ratings than the externally oriented. Internal orientation was associated with higher job morale, greater job satisfaction, and more positive attitudes toward supervisors. Implications of the findings are discussed in the context of client-counselor relationships and of the consequence that these data may have in counselor preservice and inservice training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The assessment of competence in families with a retarded child.

60 families with retarded children were divided into 3 groups, based on age of the retarded child (6–8, 12–24, and 18–21 yrs). The families were observed by trained raters and compared with nonclinical families without handicapped children. Family reports from 45-min interviews were collected regarding feelings about the family's adaptation to the child and available support systems. Results indicate that most families were functioning well overall, despite speculations in older clinical literature about chronic family dysfunction. The older the retarded child, the more competent the family pattern; families with retarded children aged 6–8 yrs (school-entry age) and male retarded children were more dysfunctional. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Using demographic data in a primary prevention substance abuse program for teenagers and parents.

Collected demographic data by 2 questionnaire surveys from 402 high school students (aged 16–19 yrs) and 266 parents to plan a low-cost, community-based adolescent substance abuse program. Information about teens' drug use, attitudes, alternative activities, and preferred helping resources was compared to parents' knowledge of and attitudes toward their children's drug use. Two programs were planned. The teen program emphasized peer support, drug education before age 16 yrs, the school's drug milieu, sex differences in drug attitudes and use, and the role of religious institutions in prevention. Since parents were almost totally unaware of their children's drug use, the parent program focused on drug information and development of communication skills with teens. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The child's conception of food: The development of contamination sensitivity to "disgusting" substances.

A previous study by the 1st 2 authors and P. Pliner (see record 1984-20070-001) of 3.5–12 yr old children and adults showed that trace contamination responses do not appear in most children until the age of 7 yrs or older and that associational contamination is rare before 12 yrs of age. However, these conclusions were based on responses to stories. In the present study, acceptability was measured by the child's behavior toward objects (cookie, comb, and juice) that were actually contaminated with insects or human hair. Ss were 29 children from an upper-middle-class suburb of Philadelphia and 38 children from an inner-city Italian neighborhood; all Ss were aged between 3.5 and 12.5 yrs. Results confirm the prior findings as to the age of onset of both types of contamination and extend the range of contaminating substances studied to include human residues (in this case, hair). The onset of contamination responses may be influenced both by the achievement of a requisite level of cognitive development (e.g., appreciation of the particulate nature of matter) and by the prior establishment of a category of disgust. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting union attitudes in student part-time workers.

Examined the predictors of general union attitudes in a sample of 84 high school and 42 first year university students (aged 15–21 yrs) who were employed part-time. In addition to two aspects of family socialization towards unions (parents' perceived union attitudes and perceived union activities), Ss' job quality and satisfaction with both co-workers and supervisors were also assessed as predictors of their own general union attitudes. Results show that only Ss' perception of their parents' general union attitudes was significantly associated with their own general union attitudes. Thus, family socialization contributed the greatest amount of variance to general union attitudes. Neither job quality, nor supervisory or co-worker satisfaction were associated with Ss' union attitudes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

L'impact de la force numérique des femmes cadres: illusion ou réalité?

Studied the relationship between the number of women managers in an organization and attitudes toward women managers to test the hypothesis that attitudes toward female managers become more favorable as their numbers increase. 354 public service managers (aged 28–71 yrs) were divided into 4 groups based on the actual or fictitious proportions of women managers in an organization and asked to complete a series of questionnaires assessing their attitudes toward women as managers. Interactions between the proportion of women managers and attitudes were determined; and results were analyzed in relation to gender, age, educational level, college major, and seniority. Several instruments were used, including the Women as Managers Scale by L. H. Peters et al (1974). (English abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An examination of the applicability of the Substance Abuse Proclivity Scale to young adult males.

The substance abuse proclivity (SAP) scale, which was derived from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) for use with young (16–21 yr old) males, was applied to samples of 69 young adult male substance abusers, 51 college students, 26 psychiatric outpatients, and 1,298 medical outpatients (all Ss aged 20–29 yrs). Analyses demonstrated that the validity shrinkage was very modest when the scale was applied to Ss of this older age range. The correlation between age and SAP scale score was both significant and negative for 363 independently identified substance abusers (aged 13–26 yrs), which suggests that the scale taps something more basic than the accumulated consequences of the chronic use of substances. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Work values of the chronically unemployed.

Constructed and administered a scale of specific work values, the Work Requirements Rating Scale, to 23 supervisors employed for over 10 yrs, 52 hourly wage workers employed for over 2 yrs, and 50 chronically unemployed individuals. Ss also completed a social access questionnaire measuring components of the sociocultural environment and personality which has been shown to be predictive of vocational adjustment. Supervisors differed from the other 2 groups in the high value they placed on basic work behaviors. Chronically unemployed Ss and wage workers did not differ on work values. Results suggest that the scale has considerable promise in the assessment of work values. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relation of career attitudes to age and career progress during college.

Examined the relation of career attitudes as measured by the Attitude scale of the Career Maturity Inventory to age and various indexes of career progress for 103 female and 55 male liberal arts majors, aged 18–30 yrs. Path analysis suggested that career attitudes matured with age and directly affected months employed during college and GPA. Through the mediation of GPA, career attitudes affected the occupational level of the Ss' jobs. Discussion points out how the model clarifies the operation of career attitudes and supports targeting career development interventions at maturation of career attitudes. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential memory changes with age: Exact retrieval versus plausible inference.

Conducted 2 experiments on the use of direct retrieval and plausibility memory strategies in elderly and college-age adults. In Exp I, which used an episodic memory task, data were obtained from 49 65–80 yr old college alumni and from 58 college students who had served in a previous study by the 1st author (see record 1983-02731-001). Findings indicate that older Ss effectively used the plausibility strategy but performed more poorly than younger Ss when the direct retrieval strategy was required. Results of Exp II, using 18 college alumni (8 Ss aged 20–31 yrs, 10 Ss aged 64–75 yrs) with a semantic memory task, show that older Ss' accuracy was essentially undistinguishable from that of younger Ss as long as a plausibility judgment process produced the correct response. It is argued that careful inspection is a much more costly process for older adults than it is for young adults but that plausibility judgments and feature overlap processes are equally easy for both age groups. (44 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Further testing of limits of cognitive plasticity: Negative age differences in a mnemonic skill are robust.

Extended earlier testing-the-limits research on age differences in cognitive plasticity of a memory skill by 18 additional assessment and training sessions to explore whether older adults were able to catch up with additional practice and improved training conditions. The focus was on the method of loci, which requires mental imagination to encode and retrieve lists of words from memory in serial order. Of the original 37 Ss, 35 (16 young, aged 20–30 yrs, and 19 older adults, aged 66–80 yrs) participated in the follow-up study. Older adults showed sizable performance deficits when compared with young adults and tested for limits of reserve capacity. The negative age difference was substantial, resistant to extensive practice, and applied to all Ss studied. The primary origin for this negative age difference may be a loss in the production and use of mental imagination for operations of the mind. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)