bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Development and Validation of a Multidimensional Scale for Assessment of Teachers' Attitudes Toward Small-Group Teaching
Authors: Darom Efraim , Sharan Shlomo , Hertz-Lazarowitz Rachel
Published: March 2007

A scale measuring attitudes toward small-group teaching was administered to 442 teachers from 28 elementary and secondary schools in Israel. At least two dimensions of attitudes were identified: control over class and efficiency of the method. Each has been shown to have internal consistency and incremental validity with respect to a set of external variables.
"Big Jiffy": a More Sophisticated Factor Analysis and Rotation Program
Authors: Gorsuch Richard L. , Dreger Ralph Mason
Published: March 2007

A program is described that answers the intermediate need for a computer procedure that can provide a reasonably sophisticated factor analysis for as many as 500 variables—a program to cover the vast majority of factor analytic requirements with nearly the same degree of ease as that afforded by use of the "little jiffy" programs.
A Chi-Square Program for a Microcomputer Using a Tape Unit
Authors: Dreger Ralph Mason
Published: March 2007

A program utilizing a microcomputer and tape drive is described which requires only the entering of the number of rows and number of columns, plus one-time entry of cell frequencies. Despite some limitations, the usefulness of the program for problems difficult to handle on a calculator and not fully suitable for a large-scale computer has been demonstrated.
Correlation of the Quick Word Test and Wide Range Vocabulary Test with the Shipley-Institute of Living Scale
Authors: Martin John D. , Blair Garland E. , Vickers Dorothy M.
Published: March 2007

The purposes of the present project were to determine the validity of the Quick Word Test (QWT) and the Wide Range Vocabulary Test Form B (WRVT-B) relative to the Shipley-Institute of Living Scale (SILS) serving as a criterion measure and to ascertain in light of the statistical outcomes whether the QWT and the WRVT-B can be used as effective instruments in assessing the intellectual ability of college students.

The selection of the criterion instrument—the Shipley-Institute of Living Scale—was based on its reliability and validity as well as on its rather wide usage in educational and institutional settings.

The correlation coefficients obtained in the present study between the QWT and the SILS and between the WRVT-B and the SILS were .68 and .73, respectively. These coefficients attained significance beyond the .01 level.

In light of these relatively high and significant coefficients, it was concluded that the QWT and the WRVT-B are valid measures of intellectual functioning that may be used in a population of college students.
Comparison of Measures of Moral Reasoning and Development of a New Objective Measure
Authors: Page Roger , Bode James
Published: March 2007

An objective instrument for assessing moral reasoning, the Ethical Reasoning Inventory (ERI), was derived from Kohlberg's Scoring Manual and compared with two other objective measures. Kohlberg's interview was administered to a group of college freshmen and sophomores along with the objective instruments. The ERI showed a higher correlation with the Kohlberg interview and demonstrated a higher internal consistency than either of the other two objective measures. Data obtained from a second sample showed the ERI to have a test-retest reliability which compared favorably with published data on the other objective instruments and showed an expected negative correlation with the California F-scale.
The Distribution of Guilford's Average Rank-Order Correlation Coefficient
Authors: Willson Victor L.
Published: March 2007

Guilford's average interrater correlation coefficient is shown to be related to the Friedman Rank Sum statistic. Under the null hypothesis of zero correlation the resultant distribution is known and the hypothesis can be tested. Large sample and tied score cases are also considered. An example from Guilford (1954) is presented.
Validity of a Configural Interpretation of the Intellectual Screening and Achievement Scales of the Personality Inventory for Children
Authors: Bennett Thomas S. , Cay Welsh M.
Published: March 2007

One hundred children (61 males, 39 females), ages six to fifteen (M = nine years, seven months), were given a WISC-R and Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT), as part of a standard assessment battery (when they were evaluated at a university psychological teaching clinic for a variety of educational and/or emotional problems) for screening relative to programs for bright and gifted children, or as non-clinical clients. A parent of each child completed the Personality Inventory for Children (PIC). PIC Achievement and Intellectual Screening scales were related to IQ scores on the WISC-R and to standard scores on the WRAT by using correlational and multiple regression analyses. The Achievement scale was found to be a more powerful predictor of every WISC-R IQ score and of every WRAT standard score than was the Intellectual Screening score. Implications for interpretation are discussed.
The Development and Validation of a Revised Version of the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale
Authors: Plake Barbara S. , Parker Claire S.
Published: March 2007

A 24-item shortened version of the 98-item Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) was developed to provide a more efficient index of statistics or mathematics course-related anxiety. The revised scale, which yielded a coefficient alpha reliability estimated at .98, was correlated .97 with a full scale MARS. It shows a pattern of relationships with state, trait, and test anxiety parallel to that of full scale MARS. Further, the relationship with mathematics achievement was consistent for both the revised and full scale MARS. A principal axes factor analysis of revised MARS identified two clear factors, labeled "Learning Mathematics Anxiety" and "Mathematics Evaluation Anxiety." Revised MARS appears to be an attractive substitute for full scale MARS for statistical or mathematical course-related uses.
An Empirical Comparison of Three Strategies Used in Extreme Group Designs
Authors: Garg Rashmi
Published: March 2007

The relationship between variables in experimental research is often investigated through the use of extreme group designs. Alf and Abrahams (1975) have described three statistical strategies and their merits for estimating the relationships in such designs. This Monte Carlo study is designed to investigate empirically the efficacy of these procedures in terms of their power and mean square error. Alf and Abrahams' "covariance information statistic" (Strategy 2) proved to be the best in terms of estimation of correlation, power and mean square error for the correlation.
Not Correcting for Restriction of Range can be Advantageous
Authors: Gross Alan L. , Kagen Edward
Published: March 2007

In validating a selection test (x), complete test-criterion (y) scores are typically not available for all cases. Given this incomplete xy data set, one can estimate the population correlation using either the uncorrected correlation (computed using the data only from the selected group) or the so-called corrected correlation. Although the uncorrected value is always more biased than the corrected value, the former can have a substantially smaller expected mean square error when sample sizes are small, selection is extreme, and the population correlation is low.
The Factorial Validity of the Affective Work Competencies Inventory
Authors: Brauchle Paul E. , Petty Gregory C. , Morgan Kevin R.
Published: March 2007

This study sought to determine for a sample of industrial workers, supervisors, and vocational educators the factorial dimensions of the Affective Work Competencies Inventory (AWCI), and to estimate the reliability of scales which describe its factorial dimensions. The AWCI is a self-report Likert-type questionnaire designed to measure work attitudes, values, and habits desired by industry and educators.

Responses of 1,485 industrial workers, supervisors, and vocational educators to the AWCI were subjected to an exploratory factor analysis. The factors which emerged were analyzed in terms of their continuity, reliability, and meaningfulness as contributors to the instrument. The factor analysis procedure yielded five factors which accounted for most of the test variance while only using about half the number of items in the original instrument. Results suggested that the items describing the factors may be the basis of useful subscales for the instrument.
SCP: A FORTRAN Program for Computing Scheffé Planned or Post Hoc Comparisons
Authors: Schmitt John F.
Published: March 2007

The Scheffd Computation Program (SCP) was designed for computing the conservative Schefft procedure for comparing means following a significant F in an analysis of variance. Written in FORTRAN IV, the SCP is easy to use. It performs Scheffd comparisons in situations in which they cannot be computed by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences or the BMDP Statistical Software package. The program also has a number of debugging features.
The Tendency to Omit Items: Another Deviant Response Characteristic
Authors: Hattie John
Published: March 2007

It is argued that the tendency to omit items is a deviant response characteristic. Three studies are outlined and it is concluded that persons who omitted items on an inventory purporting to measure self-actualization did so because of fatigue, confusion with some items, because they were not prepared to disclose information, and/or because they may not have trusted the researcher with certain information.
Agreement among 2 × 2 Agreement Indices
Authors: Conger Anthony J. , Ward David G.
Published: March 2007

A variety of measures of reliability for two-category nominal scales are reviewed and compared. It is shown that upon correcting these indices for chance agreement, there are only five distinct indices: Fleiss's modification of A1, the φ coefficient, Cohen's kappa, and two intraclass coefficients. Additional derivations indicate that when marginals are held constant, all but one of the measures are linear functions of agreement and, thus, of one another. In particular, they are equal once the maximum obtainable values for a given data set are equated. The single exception is an intraclass correlation that explicitly includes variation due to observer mean differences as part of the error variance. This index is dependent on sample size; moreover, as the number of subjects increases, this index approaches the kappa coefficient as a limit. Recommendations for choosing an index of agreement are made based on definitions, magnitude, convenience, and consistency.
Can Relevant Grammatical Cues Result in Invalid Test Items?
Authors: Plake Barbara S. , Huntley Renee M.
Published: March 2007

This series of studies examined the effect of adhering to the universally endorsed item-writing practice of making the correct answer of a multiple-choice item grammatically consistent with the stem. Formats were designed to investigate whether the practice of providing relevant grammatical cues in itself created a sensitivity for item performance. ACT Assessment experimental social studies items were constructed to investigate grammatical compliance in two particular situations: plural-singular and vowel-consonant agreement. In no instance were grammatically inappropriate situations created. Results suggest some subject sensitivity to these cues. Rephrasing into neutral, but still precise and grammatically correct, language may eliminate this sensitivity.
Three Coefficients for Analyzing the Reliability and Validity of Ratings
Authors: Aiken Lewis R.
Published: March 2007

Three numerical coefficients (V, R, and H) for analyzing the validity and reliability of ratings are described. Each coefficient, which ranges in value from 0 to 1, is computed as the ratio of an obtained to a maximum sum of differences in ratings, or as 1 minus that ratio. Computer programs for calculating the coefficients, their associated individual and cumulative right-tail probabilities, and the population mean and standard deviation of each coefficient are available. Tables of the individual and right-tail probabilities for selected values of the three coefficients are included for 2 to 7 rating categories and 2 to 25 items or raters. More complete probability tables can be generated for any value of c, m, or n with one of the computer programs provided. When the number of items or raters is large (>25), the right-tail probability associated with any value of a coefficient may be estimated by a z-score procedure. The three coefficients are applicable not only to validity and reliability (test-retest and internal consistency) determinations but also to the item analysis, agreement analysis, and cluster or factor analysis of rating-scale data.
RELIA: A Pascal Program to Examine the Reliability of a Set of Items
Authors: Kingma Johannes , Reuvekamp Johan
Published: March 2007

A computer program is described which computes Kuder Richard-son's reliability coefficient of a set of items, item difficulties, inter item correlations, item-corrected total-correlations and the inter item variance-covariance matrix. The program is written in PASCAL for CPM operating systems.
A Basic Program to Compute Fisher's Exact Test
Authors: Graf Richard G. , Alf Edward F.
Published: March 2007

This paper describes a BASIC computer program which performs Fisher's exact test for significance of association in 2 by 2 tables. Computations are ordered to avoid overflow, even in samples of one thousand observations or more.
The Snake Anxiety Questionnaire as a Measure of Ophidophobia
Authors: Klieger Douglas M.
Published: March 2007

The validity of the Snake Anxiety Questionnaire (SNAQ) was examined by creating four fear groups based on SNAQ quartiles. The high cognitive fear group was significantly different from all other groups for women. No differences were found for men. The dependent measure in these tests was a Behavioral Avoidance Test (BAT). The SNAQ was also found not to be particularly sensitive to a brief experience that should reduce fear levels. The percentage of extremely fearful individuals was found to be 2 to 3 percent. Evidence was also presented demonstrating that the SNAQ produces a large number of false positives, that is, individuals who state that they are afraid of snakes but are perfectly able to approach a caged snake.
Tests of Significance for Differences in Counts of Rare Events in Two Treatment Groups
Authors: Holden Kritina L. , Overall John E.
Published: March 2007

Counts of rare events tend to have Poisson or J-shaped distributions that render parametric assumptions questionable. Six different methods for testing the significance of the difference between location parameters for two such distributions are evaluated in this article. A binomial test for the difference between means is known to be the most powerful unbiased test when population distributions are truly Poisson; however, it appears extremely non-robust against departures from the distributional assumption. Robust enough to provide appropriate protection against Type I error, Student's t test was among the most powerful of the tests when applied to counts of rare events in two treatment groups. The Mann-Whitney sum of ranks test also provided superior alpha protection and power even where a large number of tied ranks occurred in the zero-count category of a J-shaped distribution. Finally, a 1 df chi-square test for linear shift in proportional representation across frequency categories of one group as opposed to the other was the most powerful of three chi-square tests that were evaluated.
Contrasting Part Correlations in Regression Models
Authors: Malgady Robert G.
Published: March 2007

Common applications of the part correlation coefficient are in causal regression models and estimation of suppressor variable effects. However, there is no statistical test of the significance of the difference between a zero-order correlation and a part correlation, nor between a pair of part correlations. This note uses Hotelling's (1940) t for contrasting dependent rs for contrasting a zero-order and first order part correlation, and for contrasting first- order part correlations based on different predictors and different covariates, the same predictor but different covariates, and different predictors and the same covariate.
Tests of Variance Equality When Distributions Differ in Form and Location
Authors: Olejnik Stephen F. , Algina James
Published: March 2007

Type I error rates and power were estimated for ten tests of variance equality under various combinations of the following factors: similar and dissimilar distributional forms, equal and unequal means, and equal and unequal sample sizes. The results indicated that four tests had appropriate Type I error rates for most of the distribution combinations. Of these tests, O'Brien's test tended to be most powerful with equal-sized samples and with an indirect relationship between sample sizes and population variances. Using the Welch-James statistic with O'Brien's r(.5) statistic as the dependent variable tended to lead to the most powerful test when the sample sizes and population variances had a direct relationship.
The Problem of Error Rate Inflation in Covariance Structure Models
Authors: Kaplan David
Published: March 2007

This paper addresses the problem of error rate inflation when conducting a sequence of model modifications. The problem is identified as increasing the probability of a Type II error. It is argued that the most effective way of controlling the inflation of the Type II error in the covariance structure modeling context is to choose modifications that have maximum power. Further, it is argued that methodology based on expected parameter change allows researchers to modify models in accordance with substantive considerations as well as minimize the inflation of the Type II error rate.
Computer Anxiety and Computer Attitudes: An Investigation of Construct and Predictive Validity Issues
Authors: Kernan Mary C. , Howard Geoffry S.
Published: March 2007

Factor analysis of several computer attitude and anxiety scales suggested that computer anxiety and attitude toward computers should be treated as separate constructs. Some evidence of the convergent validity of the computer anxiety construct was demonstrated. However, the predictive validity of computer anxiety and various computer attitudes was low.
Suppressor Variables in Multiple Regression/Correlation
Authors: Smith Richard L. , Ager Joel W. , Williams David L.
Published: March 2007

Since Horst (1941) first discussed and defined the suppressor variable in multiple regression/correlation, a number of more nearly precise definitions has been offered (Cohen and Cohen, 1975; Conger, 1974; Darlington, 1968; Velicer, 1978). This paper compares the different approaches to defining suppression, and illustrates the differences among them. Velicer's definition, which is based on the semi-partial correlation coefficient or usefulness and which is perhaps the least well known of the definitions, is shown to have several important practical advantages relative to the other definitions. The paper extends Velicer's usefulness definition to the general multiple predictor case and to analysis of variance (ANOVA) applications of multiple regression. A test for determining the significance of a suppressor effect is suggested, which is based on Velicer's definition of suppression.
Some Measures of Interpersonal Attraction and Group Cohesiveness
Authors: Aiken Lewis R.
Published: March 2007

The computation and determination of the statistical significance of three coefficients of interpersonal attractiveness or cohesiveness in task-oriented or social groups are described. The approach is based on ratings made by each member of a group by all other members of the group. Tests of the significance of the difference between coefficients computed on the same group over time or in different groups, and experience in using this approach in various types of academic and therapy groups, are also considered.
Discriminant Validity of NEO-PIR Facet Scales
Authors: McCrae Robert R. , Costa Paul T.
Published: March 2007

Two analyses were conducted to examine the discriminant validity of 30 facet scales from the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PIR). To examine cross-observer validity of specific variance in the facet scales, partial correlations between self-reports and peer (N = 250) and spouse (N = 68) ratings on the facets were calculated, controlling for the five common factors. All 60 convergent partial correlations were positive, and 48 (80%) were significant. In the second analysis, Adjective Check List (Gough and Heilbrun, 1983) correlates of the facet scales were identified in a sample of 305 adults. Judges correctly matched scales to correlates in most cases, providing additional evidence for discriminant validity.
An Examination of the Construct Validity of Personality-Based and Overt Measures of Integrity
Authors: Woolley Ross M. , Hakstian A. Ralph
Published: March 2007

Interest in integrity testing has grown extensively in recent years. A number of tests have been published designed to measure aspects of what has been variously termed honesty, delinquency, conscientiousness, and reliability. Many of these measures bear very close resemblance to one another and to mainstream personality scales whose publication dates stretch back some 40 years. In the present study, the authors examined the construct validity of four integrity tests. These four tests, along with selected scales from three large-scale personality inventories, were administered to 289 university undergraduate students. Statistically significant convergence among the so-called personality-based integrity scales was found. Coefficients ranged from .33 to .70. Although significant correlation was obtained between the overt and the personality-based measures, results of a factor analysis suggested a single factor unifying the personality-based integrity tests, as distinct from that accounting for the overt measure.
Measurement Issues Concerning the Use of Inventories of Job Satisfaction
Authors: Buckley M. Ronald , Carraher Shawn M. , Cote Joseph A.
Published: March 2007

In spite of the fact that the JDI is one of the most widely used measures in the organizational sciences, there has been relatively little validation work done since Smith, Kendall, and Hulin's (1969) development of the JDI. This paper is an examination of the psychometric characteristics of the JDI and other inventories of job satisfaction across a sample of validation studies. Like most other measures in the behavioral sciences, the construct validity of these inventories is modest. Although this problem may minimize the applicability of certain statistical techniques with job satisfaction data, the problem can be corrected through the proper application of structural equation models. Although this problem may be corrected statistically, the need for collateral work on the further conceptual development of the job satisfaction construct is suggested.
The Multidimensional Anger Inventory: Reliability and Factor Structure in an Inmate Sample
Authors: Kroner Daryl G. , Reddon John R. , Serin Ralph C.
Published: March 2007

The present study examined the item factor structure and reliability of the Multidimensional Anger Inventory (MAI) with 372 male inmates referred for assessment. Examination of the first rotated principal component and item-remainder correlations suggested that five items were not measuring the same content as the other 32 items. After deletion of these five items, a two-factor solution was rotated to a varimax criterion. These two factors reflect anger arousal/experience and range of anger-eliciting interpersonal situations, with coefficient alpha reliabilities of .90 and .85, respectively. The full scale summary score had a coefficient alpha reliability of .93. Rotated factor solutions beyond two were poorly defined perhaps because the MAI items were not sufficiently representative for an offender population.
Analysis of Covariance: A Proposed Algorithm
Authors: Frigon Jean-Yves , Laurencelle Louis
Published: March 2007

Many researchers erroneously think that analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) should be performed only when there are pre-existing significant differences between the groups on the potential covariate. It has been shown however that, when correctly applied, ANCOVA offers two major advantages over simple analysis of variance (ANOVA): (a) greater statistical power due to a reduction in error variance; and (b) a reduction in bias in experiments where differences between groups exist at the beginning of an experiment. An algorithm has been proposed where the use of ANCOVA is conditional upon (a) a test of homogeneity of within-group regression slopes; (b) a Pearson correlation coefficient 2 0.3 between the covariate (X) and the dependent variable (1) in the case of a randomized study; in a non-randomized study (e.g. intact groups), the use of ANCOVA is not conditional on r5? 0.3 because, in this case, critical adjustments can be obtained with correlation lower than 0.3; and (c) a linear relationship between X and Y
Validity of the Quality of School Life Scale: A Primary and Second-Order Factor Analysis
Authors: Johnson William L. , Johnson Annabel M.
Published: March 2007

A primary and second-order principal components analysis was performed on the Quality of School Life Scale (QSL), a popular measure of elementary school climate. The scale was administered to 141 fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students in an elementary school in the Southwestern United States. The findings of this study, like the information reported in the Administration and Technical Manual for the QSL scale, suggest that there are three general factors for the instrument. However, the item composition of the instrument's subscales differ somewhat from those proposed by the scale's developers. Possible reasons for this outcome are examined and discussed.
Observing Young Children in Action to Assess their Development: The High/Scope Child Observation Record Study
Authors: Schweinhart Lawrence J. , Mcnair Shannan , Barnes Helen , Larner And Mary
Published: March 2007

The High/Scope Child Observation Record (COR) measures the developmental status of young children 21/2 to 6 years old as affected by early childhood education. A study of COR ratings of children's behavior by 64 teams of COR-trained Head Start teachers and assistant teachers in southeastern Michigan demonstrated the COR's reliability and concurrent validity. COR ratings by teachers had alpha reliability coefficients of .66 to .93 and Pearson product-moment correlations of .57 to .76 with COR ratings of the same children by assistant teachers. The COR study demonstrated the concurrent validity of COR ratings by teachers by Pearson product-moment correlations of .37 to .53 with similar scores on the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities; .51 to .61 with children's ages; .00 to .07 with children's sex; and .00 to .28 with mothers' and fathers' schooling and employment status, respectively.
Development and Validation of Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectancy Scales for Job-Related Applications
Authors: Riggs Matt L. , Warka Jette , Babasa Bernadette , Betancourt Renee , Hooker Stephenie
Published: March 2007

This study describes the development of general scales to measure self-efficacy and outcome expectancy at both the individual and group level. Factor analysis of an initial application of these scales in work settings was used for scale revision. Results from a second work sample provide evidence of the revised scales' factorial validity, reliability, and criterion validity in reference to work satisfaction, organizational commitment, and work performance based on peer evaluations. These scales are proposed as tools to enhance the use of these constructs in job-related research.
Further Investigation of Nonfunctioning Options in Multiple-Choice Test Items
Authors: Cizek Gregory J. , O'Day Denis M.
Published: March 2007

This study addressed the hypothesis that, after the systematic elimination of nonfunctioning options, four-option test items would perform as well as five-option test items having one or more dysfunctional distracters. The study consisted of two investigations involving an examination administered to 700 candidates for certification in a medical specialty. In the first investigation, it was found that content experts exhibited a high degree of accuracy in identifying nonfunctioning options where the criterion was empirical item analysis data. The second phase of the study compared five-option versions of multiple-choice items with four-option versions in which a nonfunctioning option had been removed. Results indicated that (a) removal of a nonfunctioning option resulted in a slight, non significant overall increase in item difficulty and no significant differences in item discrimination, (b) a test consisting of items with a nonfunctioning option removed was nearly equally reliable compared with a set of the same items in a five-option format, and (c) the use of empirical or judgmental methods of identifying nonfunctioning options was not related to changes in item performance. Implications, cautions, and suggestions for future research are provided.
Approximating Pearson Product-Moment Correlations from Kendall's Tau and Spearman's Rho
Authors: Rupinski Melvin T. , Dunlap William P.
Published: March 2007

This article used Monte Carlo methods to investigate the accuracy of formulas presented by Kendall for estimating Pearson's r from X and by Pearson for estimating Pearson's r from rs. Results indicated that the formula for approximating r from r is somewhat more accurate than the formula for approximating r from rs. However, both formulas were found to be quite accurate. The largest asymptotic difference between a converted and actual r was -.005. In addition, the standard errors of the transformed X and rs coefficients were compared to the standard error of r, and the empirically derived percentage increase in standard error was compared to theoretically derived estimates. Implications of these findings for meta-analyses of correlations are discussed.
Using the Leadership Practices Inventory to Measure Transformational and Transactional Leadership
Authors: Fields Dail L. , Herold David M.
Published: March 2007

The present study investigated whether the broader dimensions of transformational and transactional leadership can be inferred from subordinate reports of leadership behaviors collected using instruments not specifically designed for this purpose. The leadership measurement instrument used was the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). Alternative second-order factor models were evaluated using LISREL 7, and results suggested that subordinate assessments made using the LPI also can be used to measure transformational and transactional leadership. This suggests that transformational and transactional leadership approaches may be thought of as underlying dimensions, with more particularistic leadership behaviors, such as those described by the five LPI dimensions, being related to them.
Reactions to Overt Integrity Test Items
Authors: Dwight Stephen A. , Alliger George M.
Published: March 2007

A total of 102 participants rated overt integrity test items on three dimensions (invasion of privacy, ease of faking, job relatedness). Integrity test items were grouped into seven categories. Participants identified items that required direct admissions of counterproductive behaviors as being the most invasive but also the easiest to fake. Job relatedness and invasion of privacy were both found to be correlated with ease of faking perceptions. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Psychological Empowerment as a Multidimensional Construct: A Test of Construct Validity
Authors: Kraimer Maria L. , Seibert Scott E. , Liden Robert C.
Published: March 2007

The construct validity of scores on Spreitzer’s Psychological Empowerment scale was examined. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of data from a sample of 160 nurses showed substantial support for Spreitzer’s four empowerment dimensions: meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. In contrast to Spreitzer’s findings, the results of this study indicated that self-determination is a precursor of impact. This finding was cross-validated with data from a subset of the same sample 1 year later, after implementation of a job redesign program. In addition, results from structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrated job characteristics to relate differentially to the empowerment dimensions, providing evidence for both convergent and discriminant validity of scores on the four empowerment dimensions. Finally, this study found that the four empowerment dimensions differentially related to organizational commitment and career intentions, providing evidence for the predictive validity of the Empowerment scale scores.
Room Flexibility and Space Use in a Dormitory
Authors: High Thomas , Sundstrom Eric
Published: March 2007

Room-flexibility was defined as the extent to which furniture in a room could be moved. In a 2 x 2 design, ten flexible rooms and ten comparable, nonflexible rooms were selected in college dormitories. Each room housed two students, either male or female. Residents were interviewed, and room-use was unobtrusively observed. So-called flexible rooms were rated as more flexible; males gave higher flexibility ratings than did females. Residents of flexible rooms reported more frequent interpersonal recreational activities than residents of nonflexible rooms. Females in nonflexible rooms reported relatively infrequent use of rooms for interpersonal task activities. Observations of room-use indicated the greatest number of visitors in the female-flexible condition, and fewest in the female-nonflexible condition. In a marginally significant effect, residents of flexible rooms spent more time in their rooms than residents of nonflexible rooms. Results suggested that room flexibility enhances interpersonal activities, especially among females.
Social Environments of University Student Living Groups
Authors: Moos Rudolf H.
Published: March 2007

The relationships among architectural characteristics (e.g., proportion of single rooms, presence of snack bar or vending machine), organizational structure and functioning (e.g., student activities and student decision-making power), and the social environments of 87 university student living groups were investigated. The social environment may be an important mediator of the effects of architectural and organizational characteristics of student living groups. For example, living groups with a greater proportion of single rooms had more emphasis on academic achievement, and less emphasis on social interactions and a feeling of friendship, on concern for others in the house, on open and honest communication, on spontaneity, and on the number and variety of new activities. Architectural, organizational, and social environmental measures must be used together if one wishes to construct accurate and complete descriptions of the overall environments of university student living groups.
Social Assessment Indicators in Water Resource Development
Authors: Andrews Wade H. , Hardin Clay W. , Madsen Gary E.
Published: March 2007

At present, the field of social impact assessment for water resources development contains a proliferation of often divergent listings of indicators for social well-being. One of the major reasons for this is that underlying assumptions concerning the nature of social well-being and its measurement are usually left implicit. This article identifies seven issues and problems relating to SIAs that have contributed to these differing approaches. The seven issues and problems covered are: (1) levels of causation; (2) objective versus subjective conceptualization and measurement; (3) projective versus evaluative assessment; (4) economic versus social and psychological models of motivation; (5) equating microlevel components with macrolevel data; (6) homogeneous versus pluralistic views of American society; and (7) specific phasing. Priorities for future research are also suggested with respect to these issues.
Editor's Introduction
Authors: Stokols Daniel
Published: March 2007

The articles in this issue offer fundamentally new conceptions of environment and behavior. Taken together, they provide a partial but provocative glimpse of certain general, theoretical directions of the environment and behavior field. The first portion of this article focuses on the unique contributions of the analyses contained in the present volume. Subsequently, seven general themes or directions suggested by these analyses are identified, namely, (1) a concern with molar units of environment and behavior, and with spatially and temporally extended patterns of person-environment transaction; (2) a tendency toward paradigm-merging, or the integration of concepts and methods from multiple research areas; (3) an emphasis on taxonomic, descriptive theory as a basis for identifying previously neglected facets of person-environment transaction; (4) increasing concern for the ecological validity of environment-behavior research; (5) increasing attention to the behavioral and health impacts of technological change; (6) a recognition of the limitations of personal-control formulations of environment, behavior, and well-being; and (7) increasing emphasis on the temporal context of environment and behavior and the ways in which people subjectively represent their past and anticipated environmental experiences.
Environmental Programming and Action Research
Authors: Weisman Gerald D.
Published: March 2007

A range of techniques have emerged in recent years for the conduct of environmental programming. Such programming techniques are meant to facilitate the systematic application of environment-behavior research to the design process. However, despite the efforts of both researchers and practitioners, the success of environmental programming in bringing about effective research application remains quite limited. This article reviews several reasons for these difficulties in research application, and concludes that the problem is rooted in quite basic conceptions of the nature and goals of behavioral research. An alternative "action research" approach to the conduct of environment-behavior studies is then presented. Some of the benefits of viewing environmental research and programming as interrelated phases within a larger "action" framework are considered.
Environmental Learning without Being There
Authors: Hunt Michael E.
Published: March 2007

This study seeks to determine how effectively a simulated site visit could provide an older person with a working knowledge of an unknown building. The need for such research is related to the relocation of older people. The simulation technique, based on mental image research, was composed of a model of the building and a series of sequential slides. The model provided information concerning spatial relationships, and the slides provided identification information and the sequential experience of walking through the building. To evaluate the simulation technique, a field experiment was conducted. The sample was divided randomly into three groups: simulation group; site visit group; and control group. A person's working knowledge was defined operationally by assessing the following: confidence in way-finding ability; the mental image of the building; and way-finding ability in the building. The evaluation demonstrated that the working knowledge provided by the simulation technique was actually more useful than that provided by actual visits to the building.
State of the Art in Social Impact Assessment
Authors: Finsterbusch Kurt
Published: March 2007

This article reviews the state of the art in social impact assessment (SIA). SIA is distinguished from problem analysis, policy development research, and evaluation research. Five sub-fields in SIA are identified. The general methodology for SIA is outlined, and a sophisticated methodology for assessing the social impacts of constructing major facilities is explained in detail. Several innovative research techniques or methodologies have been adapted to SIA requirements and are reviewed. New directions in SIA are identified including cumulative impact analysis, accounting of positive social impacts, monetizing stress factors, and new public involvement techniques.
Mobility Impairment and Pharmacy Accessibility
Authors: Foote Kenneth E.
Published: March 2007

Architectural and environmental barriers have gained increasing attention in recent years as part of efforts to improve the accessibility of the environment for mobility-impaired people of all ages. The issue of equity is of significant concern in many of these situations because a choice must be made about the cost that people, businesses, and governments must bear to eliminate barriers and improve access. Equitable solutions can be achieved in some situations, but in others difficult long-term conflicts can arise naturally when intrinsically incompatible demands are placed on a single environment by two or more groups. This is shown to be true of the commercial pharmacy environment of Austin, Texas, where effective marketing techniques sometimes create barriers that limit access. This conflict cannot be readily resolved because although these commercial barriers can be eliminated, their removal could affect the long-term profitability of the pharmacies. In these situations, it may be important to accept the irresolvable nature of the conflicts and attempt, instead, to alleviate the isolation faced by mobility-impaired populations if they withdraw from commercial built environments due to barriers.
Interpreting the Language of Environmental Sounds
Authors: Ballas James A. , Howard James H.
Published: March 2007

Comparisons are made between the perception of environmental sound and the perception of speech. With both, two types of processing are involved, bottom-up and top-down, and with both, the detailed form of the processing is, in several respects, similar. Recognition of isolated speech and environmental sounds produces similar patterns of semantic interpretations. Environmental sound "homonyms" are ambiguous in much the same manner as speech homonyms. Environmental sounds become integrated on the basis of cognitive processes similar to those used to perceive speech. The general conclusion is that environmental sound is usefully thought of as a form of language.
Enhancement and Masking of Loudness by Environmental Factors
Authors: Mulligan B. E. , Lewis S. A. , Faupel M. L. , Goodman L. S. , Anderson L. M.
Published: March 2007

The effect of sound, especially noise, on the behavior of people in various environments has been of long-standing interest to researchers. However, the reverse effect, that is, the influence of environmental features on the perception of sound, appears to have received comparatively little attention. One aspect of this problem is addressed in the present work, namely, the dependence of loudness on visually prominent characteristics of outdoor environments, such as vegetation. Three experiments were conducted to assess the effects of visibility of vegetation in outdoor sites on the loudness of neutral sounds (500 Hz tones) ranging between 50 and 80 dB. It was found that, when the ambient noise level was held approximately constant across sites, loudness increased as the percentage of visible vegetation increased. It is argued that expected noise levels are keyed to the extensiveness of visible vegetation and that discrepancies between actual and expected noise levels in outdoor environments result in enhancements of the loudness of the sounds heard there.
Symbolic Meanings of House Styles
Authors: Nasar Jack L.
Published: March 2007

For Post-Modern architects and others with an interest in architecture that communicates desirable meanings to the public, empirical study of the meaning inferred from styles can be helpful. This research examined the connotative meanings laypersons infer from various home-styles, the variability of those meanings with sociodemographic characteristics and region, and whether architects share or know public meanings. Adiverse sample of 118 adults in Columbus, Ohio, and 102 adults in Los Angeles rated six styles of homes in terms of desirability, and the friendliness and status of assumed residents. In total, 65 architects in Columbus answered the same questions and tried to guess how the Columbus public responded. Laypersons in Columbus and L.A. displayed remarkably similar patterns of response. Significant effects of style revealed that both groups rated Farm and Tudor as most desirable, Mediterranean and Saltbox and least desirable, Farm as most friendly, Colonial as unfriendly, Colonial and Tudor as highest in status, and Saltbox and Mediterranean as lowest in status. Differences in meaning emerged in relation to sociodemographic characteristics, and the architects responded differently from and misgauged the public responses.
Spatial Orientation and the Angularity of Urban Routes
Authors: Montello Daniel R.
Published: March 2007

The influence of route angularity on the spatial orientation of pedestrians navigating in an urban field setting was examined. Sixty pedestrians were stopped at one of three locations in the same neighborhood, one on a street orthogonal to the local grid pattern and two on streets oblique to the local grid pattern. They were asked to point to several nonvisible targets, both local features and cardinal directions. Pointing error on four of the five targets was greater on both oblique streets than on the orthogonal street, especially for the cardinal directions; response time was greater only on the second oblique street, a secondary street that is connected to the local grid system via the first oblique street. Length of residency was related to both accuracy and response speed. Results demonstrate that environmental orientation depends in part on the angularity of route structure, the disorienting effect of oblique routes being due to memory distortion or imprecision associated with oblique routes.
Creation and Validation of a Scale Measuring Perceived Control Over the Institutional Environment
Authors: Schutte Nicola , Malouff John , Lawrence Eleanor , Glazer Kim , Cabrales Evelyn
Published: March 2007

This article describes the development and validation of a 14-item, self-report measure of residents' perception of control over the institutional environment. Two studies of residents from a variety of institutional settings provided evidence of reliability and validity. Evidence of scale construct validity included the finding that residents living in a less restricted setting had higher Perceived Control Scale scores than residents of a more restricted setting. Another set of validity findings showed that the Perceived Control Scale was significantly associated in the expected direction with measures of locus of control, self-esteem, fatigue, vigor, and depression. The prediction that nurses' ratings of hospital patients' health would be related to the patients' scale scores was not confirmed. An intervention study showed that after participating in a workshop designed to increase perceived control over the institutional environment, residents of a retirement facility had significantly higher Perceived Control Scale scores than residents in a control group. The individuals participating in the workshop also had significantly better scores on theoretically related measures of well-being such as depression, vigor, and life satisfaction.