title: Flexibility, Impulsivity, and Relational Responding: A study of the relationship between experiential avoidance, delaying of aversive outcomes, and brief immediate relational responding

authors: Graddy, Joseph Patrick

subjects: IRAP

abstract: Abstract
The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) is a relatively new tool for assessing verbal behaviour, and shows promise in measuring verbal behaviour that participants may be unable to report otherwise. In this exploratory study, I sought to determine the relationship between responding as measured using the IRAP, a clinical measure of experiential avoidance, and impulsiveness. The first experiment was a first attempt to validate the use of the IRAP in a New Zealand sample by administering three IRAP tasks to undergraduate students. Results in the first experiment were consistent with past research and supported the validity of the IRAP in a New Zealand sample. In the second experiment, participants completed two IRAPs, the Action and Acceptance Questionnaire II, and an aversive delay discounting task. The first IRAP measured relational flexibility around gender roles, while the second measured relational flexibility around accepting and avoiding emotions. The results showed that more relational flexibility around gender chores predicted more self-control on the delay discounting task, and more experiential avoidance while more relational flexibility around emotions predicted more impulsiveness. My results from the second experiment represent one of the first attempts at linking the concepts of experiential avoidance, impulsiveness, and relational flexibility and as such my study is an important first step in understanding the relationship between these concepts.

text: Flexibility, Impulsivity, and Relational Responding: A study of the relationship between experiential avoidance, delaying of aversive outcomes, and brief immediate relational responding Abstract
The Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) is a relatively new tool for assessing verbal behaviour, and shows promise in measuring verbal behaviour that participants may be unable to report otherwise. In this exploratory study, I sought to determine the relationship between responding as measured using the IRAP, a clinical measure of experiential avoidance, and impulsiveness. The first experiment was a first attempt to validate the use of the IRAP in a New Zealand sample by administering three IRAP tasks to undergraduate students. Results in the first experiment were consistent with past research and supported the validity of the IRAP in a New Zealand sample. In the second experiment, participants completed two IRAPs, the Action and Acceptance Questionnaire II, and an aversive delay discounting task. The first IRAP measured relational flexibility around gender roles, while the second measured relational flexibility around accepting and avoiding emotions. The results showed that more relational flexibility around gender chores predicted more self-control on the delay discounting task, and more experiential avoidance while more relational flexibility around emotions predicted more impulsiveness. My results from the second experiment represent one of the first attempts at linking the concepts of experiential avoidance, impulsiveness, and relational flexibility and as such my study is an important first step in understanding the relationship between these concepts.

year: 2015

title: Faultlines, fairness, and fighting: A justice perspective on conflict in diverse groups

authors: Spell, Chester S.

subjects: conflict

abstract: Most people can recall instances at work where thankless tasks get in the way of tasks that lead to big rewards. This typically leads people in a group to a struggle with others over how to approach their work and set priorities. Inspired by such conversations with many employees, we develop a theory to understand how task conflict can be linked to distributive injustice. Using a survey from 42 workgroups, we found that the effect of distributive injustice on task conflict was mediated via role conflict. Group faultlines moderated this mediated relationship such as it was weaker when faultlines were stronger.

text: Faultlines, fairness, and fighting: A justice perspective on conflict in diverse groups Most people can recall instances at work where thankless tasks get in the way of tasks that lead to big rewards. This typically leads people in a group to a struggle with others over how to approach their work and set priorities. Inspired by such conversations with many employees, we develop a theory to understand how task conflict can be linked to distributive injustice. Using a survey from 42 workgroups, we found that the effect of distributive injustice on task conflict was mediated via role conflict. Group faultlines moderated this mediated relationship such as it was weaker when faultlines were stronger.

year: 2011

title: The general cognitive ability of Maori and European subjects: a comparative study of Queensland test performances and psychometric properties

authors: St George, Ross

abstract: Research was undertaken into the performances of New Zealand Maori and European children on the Queensland Test of Cognitive Abilities. In addition to studying the comparative performances of the two ethnic groups at six age levels, major psychometric properties of the instrument were investigated. Such data have an important bearing upon the issue of psychological equivalence across ethnic or culture group samples.
Seven hundred children (303 Maori and 397 European) aged between eight and a half and fourteen and a half years were tested with the Queensland Test. A small statistically significant ethnic group difference was found favouring the European children. Subsequent analyses indicated that the small difference was of little practical significance. Queensland Test subtest data were also analysed, This indicated that subtest performances were likely to be influenced by subject variables in a manner not necessarily evident in the overall test results. Gender differences in performance on the Pattern Matching Subtest were found and are consistent with other data. 
Queensland Test reliability, validity and item characteristics were researched for the two ethnic groups. 
To obtain test-retest reliability estimates and data on criterion related validity longitudinal studies were undertaken with four ethnically mixed class groups Standard 3 to Form 2). 
The Queensland Test was found to be equally reliable with both ethnic groups although the levels of reliability obtained were not considered entirely satisfactory. 
Validity data indicated that the same general intelligence construct could be employed in the interpretation of Queensland Test results with both European and Maori subjects. Content validity issues were considered and it was argued that in terms of both test content and measurement procedures the Queensland Test should provide an equally valid measure of general intelligence with both groups. 
The criterion related validity coefficients were of approximately the same order for each ethnic group although doubts were expressed about the adequacy of the criteria. Construct validity was investigated by considering the relationship of test performance to age and through factor analytic evidence. The analyses supported the view that the Queensland Test was primarily a measure of the same underlying construct within each ethnic group. In terms of prevailing psychological theories on human intelligence this construct was interpreted as being of a general intelligence nature.
Comparative data on item characteristics did not indicate any marked ethnic group differences. More apparent was the need to restructure particular subtests where items failed to discriminate adequately within both ethnic groups. It was concluded that the weight of evidence was in favour of the psychological equivalence of this ability measure with Maori and European children. 
Data for combined ethnic group samples have been reported, Pooled data were employed in some factor analyses and these supported a general intelligence interpretation of Queensland Test results. Preliminary norms were also derived from combined ethnic group data. 
Findings are discussed in relation to the concept of intelligence and its cross-cultural measurement, other Queensland Test research and recent cross-cultural studies on cognitive abilities in New Zealand.

text: The general cognitive ability of Maori and European subjects: a comparative study of Queensland test performances and psychometric properties Research was undertaken into the performances of New Zealand Maori and European children on the Queensland Test of Cognitive Abilities. In addition to studying the comparative performances of the two ethnic groups at six age levels, major psychometric properties of the instrument were investigated. Such data have an important bearing upon the issue of psychological equivalence across ethnic or culture group samples.
Seven hundred children (303 Maori and 397 European) aged between eight and a half and fourteen and a half years were tested with the Queensland Test. A small statistically significant ethnic group difference was found favouring the European children. Subsequent analyses indicated that the small difference was of little practical significance. Queensland Test subtest data were also analysed, This indicated that subtest performances were likely to be influenced by subject variables in a manner not necessarily evident in the overall test results. Gender differences in performance on the Pattern Matching Subtest were found and are consistent with other data. 
Queensland Test reliability, validity and item characteristics were researched for the two ethnic groups. 
To obtain test-retest reliability estimates and data on criterion related validity longitudinal studies were undertaken with four ethnically mixed class groups Standard 3 to Form 2). 
The Queensland Test was found to be equally reliable with both ethnic groups although the levels of reliability obtained were not considered entirely satisfactory. 
Validity data indicated that the same general intelligence construct could be employed in the interpretation of Queensland Test results with both European and Maori subjects. Content validity issues were considered and it was argued that in terms of both test content and measurement procedures the Queensland Test should provide an equally valid measure of general intelligence with both groups. 
The criterion related validity coefficients were of approximately the same order for each ethnic group although doubts were expressed about the adequacy of the criteria. Construct validity was investigated by considering the relationship of test performance to age and through factor analytic evidence. The analyses supported the view that the Queensland Test was primarily a measure of the same underlying construct within each ethnic group. In terms of prevailing psychological theories on human intelligence this construct was interpreted as being of a general intelligence nature.
Comparative data on item characteristics did not indicate any marked ethnic group differences. More apparent was the need to restructure particular subtests where items failed to discriminate adequately within both ethnic groups. It was concluded that the weight of evidence was in favour of the psychological equivalence of this ability measure with Maori and European children. 
Data for combined ethnic group samples have been reported, Pooled data were employed in some factor analyses and these supported a general intelligence interpretation of Queensland Test results. Preliminary norms were also derived from combined ethnic group data. 
Findings are discussed in relation to the concept of intelligence and its cross-cultural measurement, other Queensland Test research and recent cross-cultural studies on cognitive abilities in New Zealand.

year: 1977