Evaluating multiepisode events: Boundary conditions for the peak-end rule.

This study advances our understanding of how people arrive at retrospective evaluations of multiepisode experiences. Large samples from the United States, France, and Denmark (810, 820, and 805 participants, respectively) reported their feelings during each episode of the previous day using the Day Reconstruction Method. The duration-weighted average of these feelings represented the normative approach to evaluation, and, contrary to the predictions of the peak-end rule, the average was the best predictor of retrospective evaluations of the day. To capture participants' heuristic evaluation, they also reported having a wonderful (peak) and/or awful (low) moment during the previous day. The results indicate that retrospective evaluations of multiepisode events rely on the averaged ratings of emotions, ignore ends, and also consider the presence of lows, and occasionally peaks, as subjectively defined by those experiencing them. Peaks and lows contribute more to comparative, rather than absolute evaluations. Future research should examine whether these findings extend to other multiepisode events that, unlike days, form cohesive units in terms of their content, goal, and emotionality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Newcomer adjustment during organizational socialization: A meta-analytic review of antecedents, outcomes, and methods.

The authors tested a model of antecedents and outcomes of newcomer adjustment using 70 unique samples of newcomers with meta-analytic and path modeling techniques. Specifically, they proposed and tested a model in which adjustment (role clarity, self-efficacy, and social acceptance) mediated the effects of organizational socialization tactics and information seeking on socialization outcomes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job performance, intentions to remain, and turnover). The results generally supported this model. In addition, the authors examined the moderating effects of methodology on these relationships by coding for 3 methodological issues: data collection type (longitudinal vs. cross-sectional), sample characteristics (school-to-work vs. work-to-work transitions), and measurement of the antecedents (facet vs. composite measurement). Discussion focuses on the implications of the findings and suggestions for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of fluid property variations on the effectiveness of a cryogenic heat exchanger

Cryogenic heat exchangers are commonly used for industrial processes, such as air separation and natural gas liquefaction. Generally, the performance of heat exchangers is analyzed adopting constant properties for the working fluid. But, in cryogenic heat exchangers, fluids reach their critical states with significant variations in their properties. The current work is based on the effect of fluid property variations in the performance analysis of a two-fluid countercurrent cryogenic heat exchanger subject to ambient heat in a leak. Finite element method–subdomain method is used to conduct the performance analysis. The effect of fluid property variations is analyzed considering effectiveness, ∈, as the performance parameter. The percentage deviation in the effectiveness value on considering fluid property variation is determined. The relationship between effectiveness ∈ and the number of transfer units (NTUs) is obtained by plotting the ∈-NTU curve by varying the mass flow rate of the fluid flow. A maximum deviation of 16.108% in the effectiveness and 58.734% in the hot fluid exit temperature is obtained by considering fluid property variation.     

Testing the combined effects of newcomer information seeking and manager behavior on socialization.

Both the newcomer and an important organizational insider, the manager, are predicted to influence the socialization process. Previously, these socialization mechanisms have been discussed or studied in the literature in isolation from one another. Data from 205 newcomers, 364 of their coworkers, and 112 of their managers were used to test the proposed model of newcomer socialization using a longitudinal, 3-wave data collection research design. In general, task-oriented manager behavior predicted task accommodation and relationship-oriented manager behavior predicted relational accommodation. Newcomer proaction, in the form of information seeking, was not a potent predictor of newcomer socialization. Only accommodation variables predicted performance, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Thus, it appears that different socialization behaviors tend to serve specialized roles in the socialization process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal study of the moderating role of extraversion: Leader-member exchange, performance, and turnover during new executive development.

Identifying factors that help or hinder new executives in "getting up to speed" quickly and remaining with an organization is vital to maximizing the effectiveness of executive development. The current study extends past research by examining extraversion as a moderator of relationships between leader-member exchange (LMX) and performance, turnover intentions, and actual turnover for an executive sample. The sample consisted of 116 new executives who were surveyed prior to starting their employment and at 3 months postentry. A total of 67 senior executives rated these new executives in terms of overall performance at 6 months postentry. Turnover data were gathered from company records 3 1/2 years later. Hierarchical regression results showed that LMX was not related to performance or turnover intentions for those high in extraversion; but for individuals low in extraversion, there was a relation between LMX, performance, and turnover intentions. Furthermore, survival analyses showed that LMX was only related to turnover-hazard rate for individuals low in extraversion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The sulfide electrode in bacterial studies

The applicability of a glass/Ag, Ag₂S (silver sulfide coated silver) electrode, which is capable of selectively detecting the H₂S fraction of total reduced inorganic sulfur (S_tot) concentration in biological systems is demonstrated. This electrode was used to monitor photosynthetic sulfide oxidation by Chlorobium phaeobacteroides. The electrode was resistant to Pfennig's medium and bacterial attack and after five months of use showed a potential drift within ±2 mV corresponding to ±13% maximum. The results obtained in a batch type experiment of growth of Chlorobium at different pH values suggest that Chlorobium cells preferentially take up the HS⁻ ion rather than H₂S.     

Memories of yesterday’s emotions: Does the valence of experience affect the memory-experience gap?

Intense pain is often exaggerated in retrospective evaluations, indicating a possible divergence between experience and memory. However, little is known regarding how people retrospectively evaluate experiences with both pleasant and unpleasant aspects. The Day Reconstruction Method (DRM; Kahneman. Krueger, Schkade, Schwarz, & Stone, 2004b) provides a unique opportunity to examine memory-experience gaps in recollections of individual days, which elicit a wide gamut of emotions. We asked female participants (N = 810, Study 1, and N = 615, Study 2) to reconstruct episodes of the previous day using the DRM and demonstrated that memory and experience diverge for both pleasant and unpleasant emotions. When they rated their day overall in a retrospectively evaluative frame of mind, the participants recalled more unpleasant and pleasant emotions than they reported feeling during the individual episodes, with a larger gap for unpleasant emotions than for pleasant emotions. The findings suggest that separate processes are used for committing positive and negative events to memory and that, especially when unpleasant emotions are involved, prudence is favored over accuracy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Temp-to-permanent employees: A longitudinal study of stress and selection success.

Temp-to-permanent employees are temporary workers who have the opportunity to become permanent employees after a specific amount of time (e.g., generally after a 3- to 12-month period of trial work). The authors predicted that temporary worker individual differences, self-monitoring, tolerance for ambiguity, and role adjustment are related to temporary worker physiological stress and to whether temporary employees are offered permanent employment. Longitudinal data collection (pre- and postentry) resulted in data from 136 temp-to-permanent employees. Tolerance for ambiguity and role adjustment were found to be related to temporary worker stress and selection success. Self-monitoring was related to selection success for workers in an extended probationary period. These results suggest the need for further exploration and application of models of stress in understanding factors related to temporary worker success. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Applicant reactions to test scores banding in entry-level and promotional contexts.

This series of field studies used a fairness framework to investigate applicant reactions to test score banding in 3 police selection contexts. Studies 1 (N?=?85) and 2 (N?=?369) involved applicants for entry-level positions, and Study 3 (N?=?39) involved applicants for promotion. Across all 3 studies, race interacted with applicants' belief that banding is associated with affirmative action to affect measures of fairness and organizational outcomes such as attractiveness and perceived employee relations. Reactions were also related to applicants' perceived outcomes as a result of banding. Results are explained in terms of self-interest and suggest that reactions to banding are largely a function of the association of banding with affirmative action. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The TORGO database of acoustic and articulatory speech from speakers with dysarthria

This paper describes the acquisition of a new database of dysarthric speech in terms of aligned acoustics and articulatory data. This database currently includes data from seven individuals with speech impediments caused by cerebral palsy or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and age- and gender-matched control subjects. Each of the individuals with speech impediments are given standardized assessments of speech-motor function by a speech-language pathologist. Acoustic data is obtained by one head-mounted and one directional microphone. Articulatory data is obtained by electromagnetic articulography, which allows the measurement of the tongue and other articulators during speech, and by 3D reconstruction from binocular video sequences. The stimuli are obtained from a variety of sources including the TIMIT database, lists of identified phonetic contrasts, and assessments of speech intelligibility. This paper also includes some analysis as to how dysarthric speech differs from non-dysarthric speech according to features such as length of phonemes, and pronunciation errors.