Effect of work sample test upon self-selection and turnover of job applicants.

Hypothesized that job applicants who were administered a pre-employment work sample test and who, consequently, had a more accurate expectancy about task requirements would have a higher job refusal rate and a lower voluntary turnover rate than applicants not administered the work sample test. Ss were 67 white and 93 black female applicants for the job of sewing machine operator. Some support for the hypotheses was found for white Ss but not for black Ss. Racial differences are explained in terms of the differential importance of factors in the work situation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dispositional effects on job and life satisfaction: The role of core evaluations.

Past research has suggested that dispositional sources of job satisfaction can be traced to measures of affective temperament. The present research focused on another concept, core self-evaluations, which were hypothesized to comprise self-esteem, generalized self-efficacy, locus of control, and nonneuroticism. A model hypothesized that core self-evaluations would have direct effects on job and life satisfaction. It also was hypothesized that core self-evaluations would have indirect effects on job satisfaction. Data were collected from 3 independent samples in 2 countries, using dual source methodology. Results indicated that core self-evaluations had direct and indirect effects on job and life satisfaction. The statistical and logical relationship among core evaluations, affective disposition, and satisfaction was explored. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Categorical and contextual bases of person memory and stereotyping.

In 3 studies, a total of 207 White university summer school students observed slide and type portrayals of interacting small groups that were of mixed sex or mixed race. Hypotheses were that (a) social perceivers encode person information by race and sex; (b) this fact leads to minimizing within-group and exaggerating between-group differences; (c) perceivers stereotype accordingly; (d) within-group attributes, both stereotyped and nonstereotyped, are exaggerated in inverse proportion to the size of the minority subgroup; (e) better discriminations are made within smaller subgroups; (f) imputations of attributes to groups as a whole are also sensitive to the makeup of the group; and (g) all these behaviors are attenuated when the perceiver is a member of the subgroup evaluated. All but the last hypothesis received at least partial support. Results are discussed in terms of categorization processes and suggest that normal cognitive processes explain the process of stereotyping quite well. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Sweet smell of success"? The impact of pleasant artificial scents on evaluations of job applicants.

19 male and 26 female undergraduates interviewed male or female applicants for an entry-level management position. Applicants were actually confederates of the researcher who wore or did not wear a measured amount of a popular perfume or cologne. Following the interview, Ss rated each applicant on a number of job-related dimensions and personal characteristics. Results indicate that both sex of S and the presence or absence of scent affected the ratings of the applicants. Males assigned lower ratings to these persons when they wore perfume or cologne than when they did not; females showed the opposite pattern. Moreover, this was true both for job-related and personal characteristics. Results may reflect greater difficulty on the part of males than females in ignoring extraneous aspects of job applicants' appearance or grooming. (10 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Combining dispositions and evaluations of vocation and job to account for counterproductive work behavior in adolescent job apprentices.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 12(3) of Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (see record 2007-10372-007). The following errors were committed: (1) In Table 1, item 7 in the variable column is mislabeled. (2) On page 171, in the paragraph before the Discussion section, the sentence beginning on line 14 reads incorrectly. (3) The caption for Figure 1 reads incorrectly. (4) On page 166, left column, 4th line from the bottom, the sentence reads incorrectly. The corrected information is presented in the erratum.] In the present research, we investigated the joint impact of selected antecedents of counterproductive work behavior (CWB). A sample of German apprentices reported on their CWB and completed measures of situational evaluations (vocational preference, level and constructiveness of job satisfaction) believed to trigger CWB and of dispositional motivators (measured by integrity test subscales) and controls (self-control and another subset of integrity scales) of CWB. All predictors investigated showed the expected bivariate relationships with CWB. Multivariate analyses revealed that the triggering effect of an unfavorable vocational choice on CWB was fully mediated by job satisfaction. When predictors were aggregated, a composite of dispositional control variables had the largest effect on CWB and moderated the effects of motivational dispositions and situational evaluations. These results extend the knowledge on antecedents of CWB by investigating previously overlooked variables and samples and partially replicate recent findings on the joint impact of dispositions and work-related evaluations on CWB. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal, job, and individual factors related to helping processes at work.

Nurses and support staff (N?=?465; mostly women) participated in a survey study examining the relationships among helping, help seeking, quality of work relationships, and job and individual factors. The results were consistent with a model that linked relationship quality and helping behavior and linked 1 person's help seeking and the other's helping. The results were also consistent with a model that linked relationship quality and an individual's judgments about the costs of seeking help. Finally, there was support for relationships between help seeking and job demands and task interdependence, suggesting indirect relationships with helping. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Eclecticism at work: Approaches to job design.

Explores a particular aspect of work-job design-and emphasizes the range of alternatives available. Job enlargement and modified work weeks are briefly examined. It is suggested that the orientation of the problem solver and the issue of problem formulation are vital, but usually neglected aspects of job design. Some approaches to job design which capitalize on the existence of individual differences in the work force are considered. (32 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of disability, gender, and job level on ratings of job applicants.

Objective: To examine the effects of applicant disability, gender, and job level on ratings of job applicants. Design and Participants: Full-time workers (n?=?88) and undergraduates (n?=?98) provided ratings of hypothetical job applicants who differed on the 3 factors of interest. Measures: Job applicants were evaluated on the basis of competence, overall recommendation, potency, activity, and starting salary. Results: Applicants with disabilities were generally rated significantly higher in activity and potency than the applicant without a disability. Additional analyses revealed a significant Gender X Job Level interaction for applicants with a disability. Conclusions: Consistent with D. T. Wegener and R. E. Petty's (1997) flexible correction model, the results of this study suggest that evaluations of job applicants with disabilities may depend on the amount of cognitive resources raters have available at the time the evaluations are made. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting flow at work: Investigating the activities and job characteristics that predict flow states at work.

Flow (a state of consciousness where people become totally immersed in an activity and enjoy it intensely) has been identified as a desirable state with positive effects for employee well-being and innovation at work. Flow has been studied using both questionnaires and Experience Sampling Method (ESM). In this study, we used a newly developed 9-item flow scale in an ESM study combined with a questionnaire to examine the predictors of flow at two levels: the activities (brainstorming, planning, problem solving and evaluation) associated with transient flow states and the more stable job characteristics (role clarity, influence and cognitive demands). Participants were 58 line managers from two companies in Denmark; a private accountancy firm and a public elder care organization. We found that line managers in elder care experienced flow more often than accountancy line managers, and activities such as planning, problem solving, and evaluation predicted transient flow states. The more stable job characteristics included in this study were not, however, found to predict flow at work. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Patterns of discrimination in hiring job applicants with disabilities: The role of disability type, job complexity, and public contact.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of disability type, job complexity, and public contact on hiring decisions. Design and Participants: An Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA; 1990) fact sheet and matched resumes with vocational and medical histories including chronic mental illness, developmental disability, closed head injury, and back injury were provided to 295 undergraduate business-related majors, who rated the applicants' suitability for 2 job positions and work shifts. Results: Findings indicated disparities in ratings of employability as a function of disability type. Paired comparisons yielded complementary findings, with effects of disability type and Disability Type × Job Complexity, but no effects of public contact. Conclusions: Stereotyping and discrimination in employment decisions apparently persist, more than 10 years after the ADA. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Core self-evaluations and job performance: The role of the perceived work environment.

Using trait activation theory as a framework, the authors examined the moderating role of two situational variables—perceptions of organizational politics and perceptions of leader effectiveness—on the relationship between core self-evaluations and job performance. Results from two samples (N = 137 and N = 226) indicate that employee perceptions of their work environment moderated the relationship between their core self-evaluations and supervisor ratings of their performance. In particular, those with higher core self-evaluations received higher performance ratings in environments perceived as favorable than in environments perceived as unfavorable. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Combining dispositions and evaluations of vocation and job to account for counterproductive work behavior in adolescent job apprentices": Correction.

Reports an error in "Combining dispositions and evaluations of vocation and job to account for counterproductive work behavior in adolescent job apprentices" by Bernd Marcus and Uwe Wagner (Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 2007[Apr], Vol 12[2], 161-176). The following errors were committed: (1) In Table 1, item 7 in the variable column is mislabeled. (2) On page 171, in the paragraph before the Discussion section, the sentence beginning on line 14 reads incorrectly. (3) The caption for Figure 1 reads incorrectly. (4) On page 166, left column, 4th line from the bottom, the sentence reads incorrectly. The corrected information is provided. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2007-05780-007.) In the present research, we investigated the joint impact of selected antecedents of counterproductive work behavior (CWB). A sample of German apprentices reported on their CWB and completed measures of situational evaluations (vocational preference, level and constructiveness of job satisfaction) believed to trigger CWB and of dispositional motivators (measured by integrity test subscales) and controls (self-control and another subset of integrity scales) of CWB. All predictors investigated showed the expected bivariate relationships with CWB. Multivariate analyses revealed that the triggering effect of an unfavorable vocational choice on CWB was fully mediated by job satisfaction. When predictors were aggregated, a composite of dispositional control variables had the largest effect on CWB and moderated the effects of motivational dispositions and situational evaluations. These results extend the knowledge on antecedents of CWB by investigating previously overlooked variables and samples and partially replicate recent findings on the joint impact of dispositions and work-related evaluations on CWB. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Bridging the wage gap: Pay equity and job evaluations.

Addresses arguments of pay equity opponents and discusses ongoing and proposed solutions to close the gap between the wages of men and women. It is argued that occupational segregation and sex-based wage discrimination continue to depress women's wages vis-à-vis those of men. Major strides have been made in remedying wage discrimination through negotiation, collective bargaining, and litigation, and the use of job evaluation studies has figured prominently in achieving pay equity. The need for increased activity and research to perfect job evaluation as a pay equity tool so that the wage gap between men and women may be bridged is emphasized. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of contextual and personal factors in children's risk taking.

The primary aims of the present studies were to (a) add to the sparse developmental database on risk taking and (b) conduct initial tests of a self-regulation model (SRM) of risk taking. According to the SRM, inappropriate risk taking is associated with overconfidence, falling prey to dysregulating influences (e.g., impulsivity, peer presence, etc.), and an insensitivity to outcomes. Experiment I tested these proposals by assessing the effects of peer presence and 4 personal factors on the risk taking of 3rd, 5th, and 7th graders. Results generally supported the predictions of the SRM. In Experiment 2, the SRM gained further support from the finding that 5 variables correlated with risk taking in 4th, 6th, and 8th graders: ability beliefs, a preference for thrill seeking, peer nomination, competitiveness, and interest. The discussion focuses on the meaning of age and gender differences in risk-taking as well as the interventional implications of the SRM. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Performance in relation to job skill importance: A consideration of rater source.

Investigated relationships between the performance levels of incumbents on job skills and the importance attributed to those job skills. Supervisors and job incumbents rated both the performance of skill dimensions and the importance of those skills for respective incumbents' positions. Results indicate that the ratings of performance and importance on matched skill areas correlated positively, although relationships were somewhat stronger for incumbent data as compared with data provided by supervisors. Supervisors and incumbents agreed moderately on which skill areas were important for various positions, but the interrater agreement was much lower for performance ratings of the skill areas. For some skill areas, incumbent-rated importance and supervisor-rated performance, as well as incumbent-rated performance and supervisor-rated importance, were significantly correlated. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Managing AIDS at work: Psychology's role.

Programs and policies for dealing with the AIDS health crisis in American workplaces are being developed by many employers, with assistance from labor unions and other organizations. Psychologists can help with these activities in a number of ways, such as providing expertise for creating program content and helping workers and employers cope with the many changes AIDS requires. A number of successful worksite programs already have been implemented, both in the public and private sectors. Challenges to effective program development include the stigma of AIDS, financial considerations, and increasing legal liabilities. Strategic planning, as used by employers such as Transamerica Life Companies, has significant potential for helping employers meet these challenges. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Children's moral evaluations of reporting the transgressions of peers: Age differences in evaluations of tattling.

The way children evaluate the reporting of peers' transgressions to authority figures was investigated. Participants, ages 6–11 years (N = 60), were presented with a series of vignettes, each of which depicted a child who committed either a minor transgression (such as not finishing the vegetables at lunch) or a more serious transgression (such as stealing from a classmate). Participants were asked to evaluate the decision of a child observer who either did or did not report the transgression to a teacher. Younger children considered reporting to be appropriate for both types of transgressions, but older children considered reporting to be appropriate for major transgressions only. Results are interpreted with reference to (a) a changing peer culture in which the social cost of reporting transgressions increases and (b) a developmental change in children's cognitive capabilities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social judgment toward job applicants with disabilities: Perception of personal qualities and competences.

Objective: Building on D. Stone and A. Colella's (1996) model, this article examines how job applicants with or without a physical disability are evaluated in relation to the nature of the job. Design: Data from 284 management undergraduates were collected through 2 experimental studies based on the same paradigm: Participants had to evaluate individuals with or without a disability applying for jobs that did or did not involve a great deal of interpersonal contact (Study 1) and for jobs typically reserved for men or for women (Study 2). Results: Job applicants with disability were rated more negatively than applicants without disability in poor-fit conditions (job involving a great deal of interpersonal contact, or male job). This devaluation was particularly marked in issues reflecting competence. By way of contrast, individuals with disabilities received higher ratings on personal qualities. Conclusions: To promote the employment of persons with disabilities, it is important not only to improve the level of qualification of people with disabilities but also to attempt to change the nature of perception of these individuals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Reactions of workers to male and female mental patient job applicants.

48 female department store workers in Exp I evaluated a female confederate unfavorably when she was tense, but whether or not she had been mentally ill made no difference to them. In Exp II 48 male hospital employees rejected a male confederate both when he was tense and when he had a history of mental illness. In Exp III 44 female hospital workers met another female confederate, and the results were virtually identical to those of Exp I. It is concluded that either the sex of the Ss and/or of the patient seems to be an important variable in the acceptance granted previous mental patients. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)