Effects of multisource feedback and a feedback facilitator on the influence behavior of managers toward subordinates.

The authors compared a feedback workshop with both a no-feedback control group and a comparison group of managers who received a feedback report but no feedback workshop. The multisource feedback was based on ratings of a manager's influence behavior by subordinates, peers, and bosses. Managers in the feedback workshop increased their use of some core influence tactics with subordinates, whereas there was no change in behavior for the control group or for the comparison group. The feedback was perceived to be more useful by managers who received it in a workshop with a facilitator than by managers who received only a printed feedback report. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of information feedback and self-administered consequences on self-monitoring study behavior.

Self-monitoring involves systematic self-observation followed by self-recording. Three hypotheses were tested in this experiment: (a) the previous finding that that self-monitoring changes study behavior would be replicated; (b) information feedback accounts for some of this behavior change; and (c) this behavior change can be enhanced by manipulating the quantity and quality of information feedback and self-administered consequences associated with self-monitoring. 87 volunteer college students concerned about their study habits were randomly assigned to a no-treatment control group, a study skills advice group, or 1 of 6 self-monitoring plus study skills advice groups. The design included a no-contact control group of 9 nonvolunteers. Grade, questionnaire, and self-monitoring data clearly support the 1st 2 hypotheses, but not the 3rd. The 2nd hypothesis was supported by the finding that students lacking accurate information about the extent (i.e., amount) of their study behavior benefited more from self-monitoring than those who were already knowledgeable about their study behavior. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of competition with outcome feedback on children's helping behavior.

80 2nd- and 5th-grade boys played a bowling game within either a competitive or noncompetitive atmosphere. Within the competition conditions, the children were randomly assigned outcomes (win, tie, or lose) and were given feedback accordingly. Each child was subsequently given the opportunity to donate to a charity. While competition with feedback was found to decrease altruism, one important limiting factor was found to be the individual's outcome within the situation. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of feedback delay on eye-hand synchronism in steering behavior.

Used real-time computer methods of controlling feedback factors in eye tracking to compare accuracy in tracking environmentally-generated and hand-generated visual targets in steering behavior of 5 undergraduates. Feedback delays of .1 and .2 sec. between hand and target movement produced a time lag of eye motion with respect to the hand-produced target action. Results confirm the assumption that steering and stimulus tracking represent different modes of response and are subject to different conditions of delay and displacement of action feedback of body movements. The main effect of feedback delays on eye tracking in steering was to restrict the normal capability of the eye to predict the course of self-generated stimulus movements by reducing the interval of time between hand action and eye response beyond the magnitude of the actual delay interval. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of task and experimenter feedback on the self-reinforcement behavior of internals and externals.

Tested 24 internal and 24 external locus of control Ss on 3 verbal recognition memory tasks. Ss administered self-reinforcement for correct responses on the 1st and 3rd tasks, which had the same difficulty level. The 2nd task was either more or less difficult than the other 2 and was accompanied by E reinforcement. All Ss thus received external evaluation that had variable relevance to their self-evaluation. There were no differences in self-reinforcement base rate (reinforcement rate on the 1st task), but there were several significant and contrasting changes on the 3rd task. Internals attended to both task differences and external evaluation. Externals responded only to evaluation, apparently not attending to task factors. Results are discussed in terms of locus of control and in terms of self-reinforcement behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality and situational determinants of leader behavior.

Tested hypotheses derived from F. Fiedler's (see record 1973-20908-001) motivational hierarchy interpretation of least preferred co-worker (LPC) by observing the behavior of high- and low-LPC leaders of 32 3-man laboratory groups. High-LPC leaders showed greater variability in their behavior as a function of situational differences than did low-LPC leaders. Leader behavior differed as a function of leader attributes (LPC), situational factors (leader-member relations and task structure), and LPC * Task Structure interactions. Results do not clearly support motivational hierarchy predictions. U. Foa, T. Mitchell, and F. Fiedler's (1971) cognitive analysis of the LPC, suggesting that the greater flexibility in behavior of high-LPC leaders is a consequent of a more complex cognitive structure, appeared more capable of accounting for these data. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Organizational determinants of leader behavior and authority.

We examined the effects of technology, the organization's dependence on a section or unit to attain its mission, labor union strength in the workplace, and managerial pressure for close, strict supervision on four dimensions of leader behavior and leader authority to direct work. Data on leadership came from 160 first-line supervisors in 12 sections of a manufacturing plant. Regression analyses showed that technology, union strength, and management pressure contributed significantly to responsive leader behavior. Supervisors in long-linked technologies spent more time on work-group maintenance; supervisors in intensive technologies spent more time on developing and maintaining links with other administrative units; supervisors in heavily unionized sections interacted with subordinates more according to written rules and regulations; and supervisors whose upper level managers favored close, strict supervision responded by pushing subordinates to work in a punitive manner. Technology dominated the prediction equation for authority. Supervisors in intensive technologies had more authority than supervisors in long-linked technologies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Situational differences in leader behavior.

Two types of leaders have been contrasted in the child study literature since the early 1930's, one group-oriented, the other, self-oriented. In the present research, systematic observations of boys of each type are made on the school playground, where these patterns have been observed in the past, and in the more intimate, less competitive situation of the back yard. Six group-oriented leaders and six self-oriented leaders were selected from the third grades of four New England public schools on the basis of a teacher's rating and ratings by two previous observers of the boys. During the winter and spring of 1954 these twelve nine-year-old boys were observed on the playground during a free play period and in the neighborhood, using the set of categories for interaction process analysis developed by Bales. The clinical judgments of teachers and social scientists are not entirely validated since boys of both leader types show the same amount of aggression on the school playground, although the self-oriented leader is more aggressive in the neighborhood. Other expected differences appear since the self-oriented leader gives fewer suggestions and shows more tension in both situations. The major finding of this research is that there are more differences between situations than between the two leader styles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Organizational independence, leader behavior, and managerial practices: A replicated study.

Examined the moderating effects of organizational independence. Survey data were collected from 211 quasi-professional employees in 1 firm and from 111 hourly employees in another. Many findings were contrary to the hypothesized relationships. Specifically, job scope and leader hierarchical influence were more positively related to satisfaction for Ss who perceived organizational independence than for Ss with no such perceptions. Also, leader consideration and leader technical competence were more positively related to performance for Ss perceiving organizational independence. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of member and leader expectations on group outcome.

Effects of members' and leaders' expectations on group members' self-actualization and self-esteem gain were studied. The changes in self-actualization and self-esteem between experimental groups and a no-treatment comparison group also were assessed. Ss for experimental groups were 42 university students enrolled in an introductory group counseling course. All students participated twice weekly as members of a growth group (3 hrs/wk) for 25 sessions. 31 students from a different class served as a no-treatment group. Leaders for the experimental groups were 6 advanced graduate students in counseling psychology. Members and leaders were assigned randomly to groups on the basis of an expectation scale, with three types of member groups (high, moderate, low) being facilitated by high- and low-expectation leaders. Varying the level of group expectations did not significantly affect self-actualization gain but did affect self-esteem change. Significant differences were found also between the experimental and control groups on the dependent variables. Results are discussed, and future research on group leaders' expectations are recommended. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Expectations for success on effort-determined tasks as a function of incentive and performance feedback.

Conducted 2 experiments to investigate an attributional analysis of the consequences of perceiving one's effort as stable, as opposed to unstable, on future performance expectancies. In Exp I, 32 male undergraduates were told that performance on the experimental tasks was purely effort determined; they expected a monetary incentive for good performance on half the tasks and received preprogrammed feedback that their performance was either variable or consistent. In Exp II, both 45 male and 51 female Ss believed the tasks were either effort or ability determined and received variable or consistent feedback; incentive was operationalized as the level of task interestingness. As predicted, Ss who believed performance was effort determined and received variable feedback had higher expectations for performance on a later task when its incentive value was high than when it was low. Ss receiving consistent feedback did not differ in their expectations, regardless of the incentive value of the task. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of member and leader expectations on group outcome.

Studied the effects of members' and leaders' expectations on group members' self-actualization and self-esteem gain. Changes in self-actualization and self-esteem between experimental groups and a no-treatment comparison group also were assessed. 42 undergraduates participated twice weekly as members of a growth group for 25 sessions, and 31 undergraduates served as a no-treatment group. Leaders were 6 graduate students in counseling psychology. A 3?×?2 factorial design with a single control group was utilized. Members and leaders were assigned randomly to groups on the basis of an expectation scale, with 3 types of member groups (high, moderate, low) being facilitated by high- and low-expectation leaders. Varying the level of group expectations did not significantly affect self-actualization gain but did affect self-esteem change. Significant differences were found also between the experimental and control groups on the dependent variables. (13 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived leader behavior, individual characteristics, and injury occurrence in hazardous work environments.

Examined relationships between perceptions of leader behavior and accident occurrence in hazardous work environments. Responses from 776 US Navy enlisted personnel indicated that individual characteristic measures could be used to describe the composition of high-risk accident groups and that certain aspects of leader structure were important under less hazardous work conditions. Results are discussed in terms of the current leadership literature and potential differences due to individual characteristics. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of a monetary incentive on the accuracy of post-training self-reinforcement behavior.

96 paid undergraduates classified as high or low self-reinforcers during a baseline phase were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 criterion groups and trained to a 40 or an 80% criterion on a 4-choice discrimination task. Ss' self-reinforcement behavior was assessed during a posttraining phase, and a rating scale evaluating confidence in the accuracy of their choice during the posttraining phase was given. The higher training level was associated with a higher self-reinforcement (SR) accuracy, while high baserate was associated with a greater SR frequency and more indiscriminate SR behavior. Incentive did not improve SR accuracy. Confidence ratings of females were related to training level, baseline grouping, and incentive, while in males the ratings were related to training level and baseline grouping. (French summary) (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of counselors' smoking behavior and the intimacy level of clients' presenting concerns on nonsmokers' perceptions of counselors.

Counselor smoking and the interaction between the extent of counselor smoking and the level of intimacy of clients' presenting concerns were hypothesized to influence perceptions of counselors and expectancies for counseling. Nonsmoking female participants (N?=?270) observed a videotaped interview in a design that crossed 3 levels of intensity of counselor smoking, 3 levels of client presenting problem intimacy, and 2 female counselors. No interactions were observed, but counselor smoking exerted a negative impact on participants' impressions of counselors' characteristics and counselors' competence. Fewer differences were related to intimacy levels of clients' presenting problems. The impact of counselor smoking was discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Consequences of individual feedback on behavior in organizations.

The literature on feedback to individuals has previously been reviewed with respect to its effect on the behavior of individuals in performance-oriented organizations. Although contemporary views of individual behavior in organizations stress that feedback is necessary for effective role performance, little attention is given to the psychological processes affected by it. This review focuses on the multidimensional nature of feedback as a stimulus and addresses the process by which feedback influences behavior. Emphasis is placed on those aspects of feedback that influence (a) the way it is perceived, (b) its acceptance by the recipient, and (c) the willingness of the recipient to respond to the feedback. (3 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)