Interpersonal engagement in social perception: The consequences of getting into the action.

Examined the effects on person perception of varying levels of observer-actor engagement using 60 undergraduates. Ss observed a male actor (confederate) responding to interview questions on a prerecorded videotape under 3 conditions of interpersonal engagement: Ss in a detachment condition knew that they were simply observing a tape; Ss in an anticipated-interaction condition knew that they were observing a tape but expected to interact subsequently with the actor; Ss in an actual-interaction condition thought that they were interacting with the actor over a video hook-up. Half of the Ss observed the actor preface his responses with a positive comment regarding the interviewer's question (positive actor); the other half observed the actor preface his responses with a negative comment (negative actor). It was predicted that anticipated-interaction Ss would demonstrate hopefulness by attributing the positive actor's behavior dispositionally and the negative actor's behavior situationally but that actual-interaction Ss would show the opposite causal attribution pattern in an attempt to protect or enhance their own self-esteem. Results confirm these predictions. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job enrichment versus social cues: A comparison and competitive test.

41 part-time student employees were randomly assigned in a 2–2 factorial design (2 types of social cues and 2 levels of job enrichment) to investigate the effects of the independent variables on perceptions of job enrichment, job ambiguity, job satisfaction, and productivity. All Ss worked in a simulated organizational setting involving a routine clerical task. Results show that both the cues given by co-workers as well as the physical properties of the task had an effect on employee perceptions of job enrichment and job ambiguity. In addition, Ss receiving positive social cues from co-workers were more satisfied and more productive than Ss receiving negative social cues from co-workers. Results are discussed in terms of their relevance for current theories of job motivation. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychological and physical benefits of circuit weight training in law enforcement personnel.

The effects of circuit weight training on mood, perceived stress, job satisfaction, and physical symptoms were investigated in a sample of state law enforcement officers. 43 male officers who were not regularly exercising were assigned to either 4 mo of circuit weight training or a wait-list control condition. Four months of circuit weight training led to a significant increase in strength on cardiovascular fitness. Ss also demonstrated significant improvements in mood, including decreases in somatization, anxiety, depression, and hostility. Circuit weight training also resulted in a decrease in reports of physical symptoms and in improvements in job satisfaction. Results indicate that Ss who dropped out of the exercise training program evidenced significantly greater anxiety, depression, and hostility at pretreatment than Ss who completed the program. These findings suggest that circuit weight training programs may contribute to important psychological benefits. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Job offer acceptance behavior and reinforcement.

Investigated the effects of a positive reinforcement program on a hypothesized indicator of dissonance (college seniors rescinding a job offer acceptance after previously accepting) in 2 companies. 196 Ss were provided reinforcement from the firm they decided to join, while another 196 Ss received no reinforcement. Ss receiving reinforcement rescinded job offers at a significantly lower rate than Ss not receiving reinforcement. (20 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Peer models: Influence on children's self-efficacy and achievement.

Investigated how the self-efficacy and achievement of 72 children (aged 8 yrs 6 mo to 10 yrs 10 mo) were influenced by their observing peer models learn a cognitive skill. Within this context, the effects of modeled mastery and coping behaviors were explored. Ss were children who had experienced difficulties learning subtraction with regrouping operations in their classes. Ss were pre- and posttested on measures of subtraction self-efficacy, skill, and persistence. Ss observed a same-sex peer demonstrate either rapid (mastery model) or gradual (coping model) acquisition of subtraction skills, observed a teacher model demonstrate subtraction operations, or did not observe a model. Ss then judged self-efficacy for learning to subtract and received subtraction training. Observing a peer model led to higher self-efficacy for learning, posttest self-efficacy, and achievement than did observing the teacher model or not observing a model. Ss who observed the teacher model scored higher than no-model Ss on these measures. No significant differences due to type of peer modeled behavior (mastery/coping) were obtained on any measure. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluation of outcome improvement resulting from threats and appeals.

In a simulated industrial setting 90 college students performed a clerical task, believing that their pay was being determined by a peer allocator. After being treated inequitably, Ss were able either to threaten the (fictitious) allocator or appeal to fairness principles, or they had no say ("mute" condition). During a 2nd series of pay periods, Ss' pay either remained constant, improved such that they and the allocator received equal shares, or improved such that Ss received more than the allocator ("comprehension" condition). The total pay was identical in all conditions and created a context of overall inequity. Increased satisfaction and perceived fairness were observed with improved outcomes in both the mute and the threat conditions. In the appeal conditions, satisfaction and perceived fairness were highest in the equality cell. Results are interpreted in terms of relative deprivation. Implications for responses of recipients in ameliorative social programs are presented. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal test of the investment model: The impact on job satisfaction, job commitment, and turnover of variations in rewards, costs, alternatives, and investments.

A 12-mo longitudinal study of 88 newly hired nurses and junior accountants (mean age of all Ss 24 yrs) tested a series of assumptions from the authors' (see record 1981-31481-001) investment model concerning the determinants of job satisfaction, job commitment, and turnover. In general, greater job satisfaction resulted from high job rewards and low job costs; whereas strong job commitment was produced by high rewards, low costs, poor alternative quality, and large investment size. Whereas the impact of job rewards on satisfaction and commitment remained relatively constant, job costs seemed to exert an increasingly powerful influence over time. Investment size also exerted greater impact on job commitment with the passage of time. Just prior to their leaving, the job commitment of Ss who left was best predicted by a combination of rewards, costs, and alternatives. Ss who stayed and those who left differed from one another with regard to changes over time in each investment model factor—those who left experienced greater decline in rewards, increase in costs, increase in alternative quality, and decrease in investment size than those who stayed. Turnover appeared to be mediated by a decline over time in degree of job commitment. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of varying performance-pay instrumentalities on the relationship between performance and satisfaction: A test of the Lawler and Porter model.

Predicted that a high-instrumentality pay system should result in positive relationships between performance and satisfaction with pay, and that a low-instrumentality system should result in zero correlations. The pay system (hourly or piece rates) and amount of pay were varied in 2 studies, and measures of performance and job satisfaction (Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Job Satisfaction Questionnaire) were taken. Ss were 106 male undergraduates in Study 1 and 60 male and female high school and college students in Study 2. Results indicate that performance-satisfaction correlations under incentive systems were not generally positive and were not larger than correlations under the hourly systems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impacts of Stressors and Stress on the Injury Incidents of Construction Workers in Hong Kong

Construction workers (CWs) are the key and indispensable contributors to every construction project. Their psychological feelings greatly influence their behaviors and safety performance. To improve CWs’ safety performance in dangerous working environment, the current research aims to identify the various stressors affecting two types of stress of CWs (i.e., job stress and emotional stress) and to explore the impacts of the two types of stress on CW injury incidents in Hong Kong. Eleven stressors were identified through factor analysis: work overload, role ambiguity, lack of autonomy, unfair reward and treatment, appropriate safety equipment, optimism, interrole conflict, poor workgroup relationship, lack of feedback, poor physical environment, and unsafe environment. The results of correlation and regression analyses reveal that (1) among the two types of stress identified, injury incident of CWs was found to be affected by emotional stress only, (2) emotional stress is predicted by work overload, interrole conflict, poor physical environment, unfair reward and treatment, and appropriate safety equipments, and (3) poor workgroup relationship, work overload, and interrole conflict predict job stress of CWs. Based on the result, various recommendations are suggested to employers on how to minimize CW injury incidents.     

Cognitive sets, attribution, and social interaction.

Examined relationships among cognitive set variables, attribution, and behavior using 135 female undergraduates. Ss were given either positive-, negative-, or no-set information about the emotional health of a stimulus person prior to observing a videotaped social encounter. After viewing the tape, Ss were administered a free-response attribution measure or a distraction task. All Ss then engaged in actual social interaction with the stimulus person. Results indicate that (a) Ss receiving positive-set information wrote more positively valenced attributions and displayed more positive behavioral responses than did Ss receiving negative- and no-set information. (b) Ss who made attributions exhibited more pronounced behavioral responses as a function of the set manipulation than did those who did not make attributions. It is argued that the latter data reveal the important role of attribution in mediating the effects of set on behavior. Overall data are discussed as reflecting a control motivation in the production of attribution and behavior. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The shortened workweek: A field experiment.

Examined the effects of the 4-day, 40-hr workweek by comparing 2 experimental groups (n?=?97, n?=?111) and a comparison group (n?=?94) of operating employees in a medium-sized manufacturing company. Comparisons were made on dimensions of self-actualization, autonomy, personal worth, social affiliation, job security, pay and overall job satisfaction, anxiety-stress, absenteeism, and performance over a 13- and a 25-mo period. Analysis of 13-mo data indicated that Ss in the 4-day, 40-hr groups were (a) more satisfied with autonomy, personal worth, job security, and pay; (b) experienced less anxiety-stress; and (c) performed better with regard to productivity than did the comparison group. However, these improvements were not found with the 25-mo data. It is suggested that uncontrolled variables may account for the differences in the short- and long-term effects of the shortened workweek. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of hourly overpay and underpay inequity when tested with a new induction procedure.

Tested J. S. Adams' (see PA, Vol. 40:8736) inequity theory with an induction which did not challenge the workers' job qualifications, eliminating devalued self-esteem as a confounding variable. 31 workers were hired for an hourly pay clerical task in a real job situation and assigned to 1 of 3 groups overpay, underpay, and control in a before-after design. Contrary to inequity theory predictions and to previous inequity theory experiments, there were no significant work performance differences among the 3 groups, but 3 of 11 underpay Ss quit the job while no other Ss quit. It is concluded that the results of this experiment combined with the results of other experiments strongly suggest that inequity effects previously reported are probably due to the self-esteem variable. It is suggested that research on wage inequity should focus more on variables, e.g., turnover, satisfaction, and recruitment rather than solely on work performance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Status, job satisfaction, and factors of job satisfaction of state institution and clinic psychologists.

"In this report we will compare psychologists with other mental hygiene professionals—psychologists in state schools and hospitals with psychologists in clinics." Ss were 80 psychiatrists, 80 psychologists, 80 social workers, 80 teachers, 80 nurses (40 of each group in state institutions and 40 in nonstate institutions) and, in addition, 59 upper middle class and 51 lower middle class Ss. There is "limited support for the hypothesis which states that status and job satisfaction are related." The hypothesis that "the status of state institution psychologists is lower than that of clinic psychologists, is generally substantiated." The hypothesis that "there are differences in the job satisfaction of the two groups of psychologists finds some support." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of the shorter workweek on selected satisfaction and performance measures.

Studied effects of the 4-day, 40-hr workweek by comparing 104 experimental and 106 control Ss (members of the steelworkers' union) on measures of job satisfaction, anxiety-stress, and performance over a 13-mo period. The analysis indicated that the workers in the 4-day, 40-hr division were more satisfied with personal worth, social affiliation, job security, and pay; experienced less anxiety-stress; and performed better with regard to productivity than their control group (5-day, 40-hr) counterparts. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of need for achievement on the job performance-job attitude relationship.

Studied the effect of employee need for achievement (n Ach) on the job performance-job attitude relationship among 1st-level supervisors. Ss were 133 females with a mean age of 42 yrs employed in a large public utility. Before need strength variations were considered, overall performance was found to be somewhat related to job satisfaction but not to job involvement. However, when Ss were split into high and low n Ach groups, performance was significantly related to both satisfaction and involvement for high n Ach Ss but not for low n Ach Ss. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Biased reporting of therapist–patient sexual intimacy.

To investigate bias in reports of therapist–patient sexual intimacy, information about 559 patients who were sexually intimate with their previous therapists was collected via questionnaire from 318 psychologists who subsequently saw these patients in therapy. Psychologists, the experimental Ss in the present study, were predominantly aged 40–49 yrs, and 64% were male. It was found that Ss who reported that no harm occurred to patients as a result of therapist–patient sexual intimacy (SI) admitted twice the prevalence of SI between patients and themselves than did Ss in general. Those Ss who had experienced SI with patients were less likely to report adverse effects of SI either for patients or for therapy. Fewer Ss with a history of SI than those without reported anger toward offending therapists, and fewer recommended punishment. A higher percentage of female than male Ss reported anger toward offenders and recommended punishment, yet women did not rate the effects of SI as more harmful than did men. In general, anger toward offending therapists and recommendations for punishment were associated with the degree to which patients were thought to have been harmed. Ss who had been consultants to a greater number of other therapists about sexual contact with patients reported relatively more cases in which therapy ended soon after SI began than did Ss who were consulted by fewer therapists. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)