A meta-analysis of ratee race effects in performance ratings.

Conducted a meta-analysis of how the race of the ratee affects performance ratings by examining 74 studies with a total sample of 17,159 ratees for White raters and 14 studies with 2,428 ratees for Black raters. The 5 moderators examined were the study setting, rater training, type of rating, rating purpose, and the racial composition of the work group. Results show that the corrected mean correlations between ratee race and ratings for White and Black raters were .183 and –.220, with 95% confidence intervals that excluded zero for both rater groups. Substantial moderating effects were found for study setting and for the saliency of Blacks in the sample. Race effects were more likely in field settings when Blacks composed a small percentage of the work force. Both Black and White raters gave significantly higher ratings to members of their own race. It is suggested that future research should focus on understanding the process underlying race effects. References for the studies included are appended. (47 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Study of race effects in objective indices and subjective evaluations of performance: A meta-analysis of performance criteria.

Used meta-analytic techniques to examine the race effect for objective measures of performance and to compare the relative effect sizes for objective indices and subjective ratings. 53 samples from both published and unpublished studies were located that included at least 1 objective index of actual performance, absenteeism, or cognitive test performance and 1 subjective measure of performance for the same group of Black and White employees. Ss were firefighters, police officers, bank tellers, skilled technicians, production workers, nurses, or clerical workers. The corrected average effect sizes across the 53 samples were low but similar for the objective ad subjective criteria. Moderating effects for the objective criteria were found, as race effects were much higher for cognitive than for performance criteria. Subjective ratings had a lower effect size than objective cognitive test scores but were higher than comparable objective performance indices. Implications for personnel research practices are discussed, and the need for a better understanding of the constructs underlying criterion measures is emphasized. (61 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MR temperature monitoring applying the proton resonance frequency method in liver and kidney at 0.2 and 1.5 T: segment-specific attainable precision and breathing influence

OBJECT: The objective of this study was to evaluate breathing influence on precision in temperature determination by using the proton resonance frequency (PRF) shift method depending on the location in abdominal organs at 0.2 and 1.5 T. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Phase images were acquired with gradient echo sequences in a total of 12 volunteers at 1.5 and 0.2 T. Different examination protocols were performed (each 8 measurements with (1) in-/expiration, (2) free breathing, (3) under breathhold, (4) with breathing belt triggering, and (5) with navigator triggering (integrated in MR signal acquisition). Regions of interest were placed on liver and kidneys, and the resulting phase differences between the measurements were transformed into corresponding temperature differences. RESULTS: Precision significantly varied depending on the liver segment or location in the kidney. Gating techniques were found better than breathhold techniques and clearly better than non-gated examinations. The most precise approach reached a standard deviation of 2.0 degrees C under continuous breathing when navigator gating was used at 1.5 T. CONCLUSION: PRF temperature measurement is feasible even for moving organs in the abdomen at 0.2 and 1.5 T. The location of the target region and the required precision of the measurements should direct the choice of examination mode.     

Investigating Linear and Interactive Effects of Shared Mental Models on Safety and Efficiency in a Field Setting.

Linkages between 2 types of shared mental models (SMMs)--that is, positional-goal interdependencies and cue-strategy associations--and effectiveness in an air traffic control environment were investigated. Two types of SMMs were expected to contribute uniquely, as well as interact, to predict tower safety and efficiency. Using SMM data from 306 air traffic controllers, and corresponding archival efficiency and safety measures for 47 airports, the authors found no significant linear relationships between SMMs and either outcome measure. However, the 2 SMMs interacted with one another to predict both outcomes. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of measuring multiple types of SMMs, the examination of complex relationships, and the importance of indexing decisions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Application of cognitive, skill-based, and affective theories of learning outcomes to new methods of training evaluation.

Although training evaluation is recognized as an important component of the instructional design model, there are no theoretically based models of training evaluation. This article attempts to move toward such a model by developing a classification scheme for evaluating learning outcomes. Learning constructs are derived from a variety of research domains, such as cognitive, social, and instructional psychology and human factors. Drawing from this research, the authors propose cognitive, skill-based, and affective learning outcomes (relevant to training) and recommend potential evaluation measures. The learning outcomes and associated evaluation measures are organized into a classification scheme. Requirements for providing construct-oriented evidence of validity for the scheme are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)