Showing papers in "Applied Psychology in 1997"

Immigration, Acculturation, and Adaptation

Abstract: La psychologie interculturelle a montre qu'il existait des rapports etroits entre le contexte culturel et le developpement comportemental de l'individu. Cette relation etablie, l'effort des recherches interculturelles a de plus en plus porte sur ce qu'il advenait des individus quand ils tentaient de refaire leur vie dans une culture differente de leur culture d'origine. Les consequences psychologiques a long terme de ce processus d'acculturation sont tres variables, dependant de variables sociales et personnelles qui renvoient a la societe de depart, a la societe d'accueil et a des phenomenes qui existent avant, mais qui emergent pendant la periode d'acculturation. Cet article esquisse un schema conceptuel a partir duquel acculturation et adaptation peuvent ětre etudiees, puis presente quelques conclusions et resultats generaux tires d'un echantillon de travaux empiriques. On envisage des applications possibles a la politique et aux programmes d'insertion en prenant en consideration les couts et les benefices sociaux et psychologiques emanant de l'adoprion d'une orientation pluraliste et integrationniste. Cross-cultural psychology has demonstrated important links between cultural context and individual behavioural development. Given this relationship, cross-cultural research has increasingly investigated what happens to individuals who have developed in one cultural context when they attempt to re-establish their lives in another one. The long-term psychological consequences of this process of acculturation are highly variable, depending on social and personal variables that reside in the society of origin, the society of settlement. and phenomena that both exist prior to, and arise during, the course of acculturation. This article outlines a conceptual framework within which acculturation and adaptation can be investigated, and then presents some general findings and conclusions based on a sample of empirical studies. Applications to public policy and programmes are proposed. along with a consideration of the social and psychological costs and benefits of adopting a pluralist and integrationist orientation to these issues.

The assessment of optimistic self-beliefs : Comparison of the German, Spanish, and Chinese versions of the general self-efficacy scale

Abstract: L'auto-efficacite generale est mesuree grâce a une courte echelle composee de dix items. Son usage est tres repandu et elle a ete adaptee a plusieurs cultures. Cet article compare des versions qui ont ete proposees a des etudiants: 430 Allemands, 952 Costariciens et 293 Chinois. lies validites internes sont respectivement de.84,.81 et.91. L'unidimensionnalite de l'echelle est reapparue dans tous les echantillons. L'equivalence items-modele interlinguistique ne fut que moderement approuve par des analyses factorielles de confirmation. On a trouve des differences au niveau des moyennes des scores totaux entre les langues. De plus, une interaction entre sexe et langue s'est manifestee. Des correlations avec la depression, l'anxiete' et l'optimisme ont fourni des elements complementaires en faveur de la validite de construction. General self-efficacy is measured by a widely used parsimonious ten-item scale that was developed for use in several cultures. The present paper compares the verions that were examined in samples of 430 German, 959 Costa Rican, and 293 Chinese university students. The internal consistencies were.84,.81, and.91, respectively. The unidimensional nature of the scale was replicated in all samples. Multilingual item-pattern equivalence was only moderately supported by confirmatory factor analyses. Mean differences of sum scores between languages were found. Moreover, an interaction between gender and language emerged. Correlations with depression, anxiety, and optimism provided some further evidence for construct validity.

Lead Article Immigration, Acculturation, and Adaptation

Abstract: La psychologie interculturelle a montrt qu’il existait des rapports ttroits entre le contexte culture1 et le dkveloppement comportemental de I’individu. Cette relation Ctablie, I’effort des recherches interculturelles a de plus en plus portt sur ce qu’il advenait des individus quand ils tentaient de refaire leur vie dans une culture diffirente de leur culture d’origine. Les consCquences psychologiques A long terme de ce processus d’acculturation sont tres variables, dependant de variables sociales et personnelles qui renvoient a la socittC de dCpart, i la sociite d’accueil et a des phCnomtnes qui existent avant, mais qui Cmergent pendant la periode d’acculturation. Cet article esquisse un schema conceptuel a partir duquel acculturation et adaptation peuvent Ctre Ctudites, puis presente quelques conclusions et resultats genCraux tires d’un Cchantillon de travaux empiriques. On envisage des applications possibles a la politique et aux programmes d’insertion en prenant en considthation les coih et les bCnCfices sociaux et psychologiques Cmanant de I’adoprion d’une orientation pluraliste et intkgrationniste. Cross-cultural psychology has demonstrated important links between cultural context and individual behavioural development. Given this relationship, cross-cultural research has increasingly investigated what happens to individuals who have developed in one cultural context when they attempt to re-establish their lives in another one. The long-term psychological consequences of this process of acculturation are highly variable, depending on social and personal variables that reside in the society of origin, the society of settlement. and phenomena that both exist prior to, and arise during, the course of acculturation. This article outlines a conceptual framework within which acculturation and adaptation can be investigated, and then presents some general findings and conclusions based on a sample of empirical studies.

Observed vehicle speed and drivers' perceived speed of others

Abstract: Attempts to model driver behaviour have traditionally included three basic elements; the driver, the vehicle, and the traffic environment. No account has been taken of a fourth element, the social ...

The Role of Personality and Attitudes in Traffic Accident Risk

Abstract: This paper describes a study examining the personality and attitude correlates of self-reported fast driving and accident rates. A total of 406 drivers completed a questionnaire containing an Attitude to Driving Violations Scale (ADVS), the Social Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ) yielding a score of social deviance, and the speed subscale of the Driving Style Questionnaire (DSQ). Respondents also indicated how many accidents they had had over the past three years, broken down into several categories. The results indicated that drivers with a more positive attitude to driving violations and higher level of social deviance drove faster and reported more accidents, with mileage controlled for. The association with accidents was primarily with those in which the driver could reasonably have been held to play a causal role (eg hitting another vehicle from behind). The results indicate the value of the ADVS as a marker of accident liability and replicate a previous finding of an association between social deviance and accident rates. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD E101100.

Immigrants' perceptions of host attitudes and their reconstruction of cultural groups.

Abstract: The acculturation of immigrants does not take place in a social vacuum; it occurs and unfolds itself within the context of intragroup and intergroup relations that provide at times the support and at times the challenge for the reconstruction of selves and identities. In his comprehensive and integrative review, John Berry points to the importance of contextual “societal” factors (subsumed under the “group-level” category in his acculturation framework) and their effects on individual adaptation. It is on an important component of this category of factors, namely the attitudes of the host (or majority) society towards immigrants and immigration, that I would like to elaborate in the first part of this commentary.

Acculturation Isn't Everything

Abstract: I was very pleased to see Professor Berry's ambitious examination of how to approach the adaptational problems encountered by immigrants. Given their magnitude and importance, the problems of uprooting, dislocation, or relocation, which are some of the terms often used instead of immigration and acculturation, have not been given their proper place in the social sciences. Indeed, these problems seem to have grown much worse in modern times.

Immigration, acculturation, and adaptation. Commentaries

Abstract: La psychologie interculturelle a montre qu'il existait des rapports etroits entre le contexte culturel et le developpement comportemental de l'individu. Cette relation etablie, l'effort des recherches interculturelles a de plus en plus porte sur ce qu'il advenait des individus quand ils tentaient de refaire leur vie dans une culture differente de leur culture d'origine. Les consequences psychologiques a long terme de ce processus d'acculturation sont tres variables, dependant de variables sociales et personnelles qui renvoient a la societe de depart, a la societe d'accueil et a des phenomenes qui existent avant, mais qui emergent pendant la periode d'acculturation. Cet article esquisse un schema conceptuel a partir duquel acculturation et adaptation peuvent etre etudiees, puis presente quelques conclusions et resultats generaux tires d'un echantillon de travaux empiriques. On envisage des applications possibles a la politique et aux programmes d'insertion en prenant en consideration les couts et les benefices sociaux et psychologiques emanant de l'adoption d'une orientation pluraliste et integrationniste.

Psychological aspects of road user behaviour

Abstract: The behaviour of road users is an important factor in accident causation. Traffic psychology, defined as ''the study of the behaviour of road users and the psychological processes underlying that behaviour'', attempts to identify the determinants of road user behaviour with the aim of developing effective accident countermeasures. Models of road user behaviour involve driver task analyses, functional control models, and motivational models focused on risk taking and risk acceptance. The relation between accident occurrence and the preceding behaviour is largely unclear; performance aspects as well as motivational aspects, individual differences and momentary state variables all appear to be relevant. Attempts to modify road user behaviour involve driver training, enforcement, and rehabilitation. Given the impact of the transport system on the environment in terms of pollution and land use, mobility, and the possibilities of influencing transport mode choice and travel behaviour, will be a major challenge in the future.

Commuting Stress: Problems of Definition and Variable Identification

Abstract: Bien que les chercheurs reconnaisssent l'experience du changement comme source potentielle de stress, les resultats concernant son impact sur des conduites variees individuelles ou organisationnelles ont ete peu concluants. Dans le present article, une revue des etudes qui examinerent l'influence potentielle du stress de changement sur des mesures de contraintes psychologiques, physiologiques et comportementales, est proposee et releve des contradictions. Un modele est decrit, liant des mesures objectives et subjectives de l'agent de stress, directement ou indirectement aux conduites. Il est suggere qu'en incluant plusieurs moderateurs critiques, par exemple le controle, la predictibilite et l'urgence dans le temps, des predictions emanant de stimuli de stress de changement pourraient etre mises en avant.

Organisational, Job, and Personal Predictors of Employee Participation in Training and Development

Abstract: Predictors of participation in training and development were examined. A sample of 2452 female and 2832 male fulltime Australian employees responded to a mail-out questionnaire and a year later 1592 women and 1852 men responded to a repeated data collection. Contemporaneous and longitudinal analyses showed that participation in training and development was predicted more by employee personal level factors of masculinity and use of career strategies and job level factors of managerial level and occupational level, than by perceived organizational level factors of training policies and promotion ladders. However, career encouragement was an important organizational level predictor, whereas personal factors of human capital had little effect and family factors were unimportant. The explanation of men's and women's training and development was similar, although job level factors indirectly disadvantaged women's participation in training and development compared to men's. The impact of processes by which employees come to participate in training and development was discussed, including skill requirements of jobs, instrumental behaviors of employees, and career cultures of organizations.

Leader Direction and Employee Participation in Decision Making: Contradictory or Compatible Practices?

Abstract: C'est une assertion largement repandue dans de precedentes recherches que la direction autocratique et les pratiques participatives comme la participation des employes a la prise de decision (ou a la recherche de projets) s'excluent mutuellement. Dans le present article, les travaux theoriques et empiriques traitant de ce fait sont passes en revue. Majoritairement, la litterature indique que direction et participation peuvent coincider. La pratique combinee, appelee loose/tight (lâche/serre) dans le cadre de la litterature concernee, est le coeur du modele a multiples niveaux propose ici. La notion de loose/tight implique que les leaders et les membres puissent de meme simultanement etre actifs et influencer le cours des trois phases du processus de travail: choix de strategie, prise de decision tactique et execution. Le modele presente des mediateurs cognitifs et motivationnels de l'effet de la combinaison loose/tight pratique directionnelle sur la performance de la tâche et les attitudes au travail des employes. De plus, sont identifiees les variables moderatrices agissant a quatre differents niveaux: dyade, groupe, organisation et environnement. Les moderateurs soulignent, neutralisent ou remplacent l'effet loose/tight. Enfin, des implications du developpement de la theorie du leadership sont discutees et des suggestions sont faites en vue de recherches prochaines.

Constructing and Expanding a Framework: Opportunities for Developing Acculturation Research

Abstract: Reading the seven commentaries has provided me with an opportunity to reflect further on many of the issues confronting researchers and practioners in the field of migration studies. Because the area is so complex, it is not surprising that there is great diversity in coverage and in perspectives. However, many of the points made are similar in that they all suggest emphasis, elaboration, or addition to the text and figures that I presented. My reply is that no text (no matter how generous the word allocation), nor figure (no matter how complicated), can represent every aspect of the realities of the acculturation process. I (and others) have previously written on many of the points made, and I will take this opportunity to refer to them, and to link them to what I presented in the lead article.

Leader direction and employee participation in decision making : Contradictory or compatible practices. Commentaries. Author's reply

Abstract: C'est une assertion largement repandue dans de precedentes recherches que la direction autocratique et les pratiques participatives comme la participation des employes a la prise de decision (ou a la recherche de projets) s'excluent mutuellement. Dans le present article, les travaux theoriques et empiriques traitant de ce fait sont passes en revue. Majoritairement, la litterature indique que direction et participation peuvent coincider. La pratique combinee, appelee loose/tight (lâche/serre) dans le cadre de la litterature concernee, est le coeur du modele a multiples niveaux propose ici. La notion de loose/tight implique que les leaders et les membres puissent de meme simultanement etre actifs et influencer le cours des trois phases du processus de travail: choix de strategie, prise de decision tactique et execution. Le modele presente des mediateurs cognitifs et motivationnels de l'effet de la combinaison loose/tight pratique directionnelle sur la performance de la tâche et les attitudes au travail des employes. De plus, sont identifiees les variables moderatrices agissant a quatre differents niveaux: dyade, groupe, organisation et environnement. Les moderateurs soulignent, neutralisent ou remplacent l'effet loose/tight. Enfin, des implications du developpement de la theorie du leadership sont discutees et des suggestions sont faites en vue de recherches prochaines.

Culture Learning, Acculturative Stress, and Psychopathology: Three Perspectives on Acculturation

Abstract: John Berry has offered a comprehensive conceptual model for the study of immigration, acculturation, and adaptation that has evolved over more than 20 years of systematic and innovative work in the field. Elaborating and refining this amalgamated framework. Professor Berry has largely demystified the acculturative process by showing that the process and product of changing cultures can be understood in familiar terms and be interpreted in the light of existing theories in mainstream psychology. These theories are referred to as “points of view” and identified as a culture learning/social skills acquisition approach, a psychological model of stress, and a psychopathology or mental disease perspective.

Risk: perception, acceptance and homeostasis

Abstract: Comme aucun comportement humain n'est parfaitement assure d'atteindre son objectif, tout comportement peut etre interprete comme relevant d'une prise de risque. Des notions telles que la perception du risque et la tolerance au risque sont par suite fondamentales dans l'approche du comportement, en particulier dans l'analyse des comportements sur la route et des facteurs d'accidents. Dans cet article, on presente les dimensions fondamentales de la theorie de l'homeostasie du risque (RHT) en montrant que cette theorie peut aider a rendre compte de la frequence des accidents et etre exploitee dans le cadre d'une strategie efficace de prevention. Des exemples empiriques prouvent le manque d'efficacite des solutions actuelles (techniques, educatives et judiciaires) dans la reduction du taux des accidents. Par contre, des campagnes motivantes bien concues en faveur de la securite peuvent reussir (et sont parvenues) a prevenir des accidents.

Where is Culture in the Acculturation Model

Abstract: The lead article provides a useful overview of the broad literature concerned with immigration and acculturation. Much of the paper concerns the terminology that might be used to study these phenomena. Thus, it is appropriate to ask if the proposed terminology is optimal. In addition, the paper presents a broad model of the factors that lead to adaptation. It is appropriate, then, to ask if the model is sufficiently complete.

Acculturation: Adaptation or Development?

Abstract: Schonpflug. W. (1993). Applied psychology: Newcomer with a long tradition. Applied Psychology: An lnrernarional Review. 42. 5-66. Wagner, F.. L6pez. A.. Castillo. V.. Aldaz. E.. Collado. M.E.. Diaz. B.. Oviedo, M., Garcia. M., & Gallegos. R. (1991) Consumo de drogas en el medio rural [Drug consumption in the rural environment]. Project financed by Consejo Asesor en Epidemiologia, Centros de lntegraci6n Juvenil. Mexico City.

Effect of Students' Self-esteem on Later Employment Status: Interactions of Self-esteem with Gender and Race

Abstract: Cette etude utilise des donnees du panel de l'Enquete Longitudinale Nationale sur la Jeunesse pour savoir si l'etat psychologique anterieur est susceptible de predire le comportement ulterieur au travail chez des jeunes gens ne frequentant pas le premier cycle de l'enseignement superieur. La mesure de l'estime de soi en 1980, alors que les repondants etaient encore au lycee, fut exploitee pour predire d'une part la situation d'emploi en 1987 et d'autre part les periodes de chomage au cours des annees separant 1987 du depart de l'ecole. Il est apparu que les lyceens presentant une faible estime de soi risquaient plus de rester chomeurs, mais que cette relation etait plus nette pour les garcons et pour les blancs (par rapport aux noirs). On a interprete ces resultats en considerant l'estime de soi comme un atout psychologique pour obtenir et conserver un emploi. Les differences dues au sexe et a la race dans l'utilite de cet atout sont rapportees a la repression sociale (sexisme et racisme) et au fait que les origines et les significations de l'estime de soi varient selon le sexe et les groupes ethniques.

Relationships Among Satisfaction, Commitment, and Performance: A Group‐level Analysis

Abstract: Ostroff (1992) a constate, sur un echantillon d'ecoles secondaires, que la satisfaction professionnelle des enseignants presentait une correlation avec les resultats scolaires bien plus forte que celle habituellement obtenue entre la satisfaction et la performance. De plus, il s'est apercu que l'investissement dans l'organisation etait moins correle avec la performance que ne l'etait la satisfaction. Ces observations ont ete verifiees et confirmees dans un environnement tourne vers le profit avec plusieurs operationalisations de l'efficacite organisationnelle, et cela dans une autre culture. Dans 26 magasins d'une chaine de vente au detail de Hong Kong, si la satisfaction due au travail etait liee a l'augmentation du chiffre d'affaires (une mesure objective de l'efficacite) plus nettement que dans l'echantillon d'Ostroff, ce n'etait pas le cas de l'implication. Neanmoins, la satisfaction et l'implication etaient toutes deux fortement correlees avec l'auto-evaluation de la performance. La taille de la boutique n'avait aucun impact sur les resultats. On reflechit enfin aux consequences pour les recherches a venir.

Whither Multiculturalism?2

Abstract: The ideal of multiculturalism has been upheld as a solution to intolerance, prejudice, and intergroup conflict. “Integration”, rather than “assimilation”, is in turn proposed to be the social-psychological (as well as political) mechanism leading to multiculturalism. Berry is one of the foremost proponents of this view, as elaborated in the lead article. He notes that host society attitudes (towards immigrants) should be taken into consideration but nevertheless claims that integration is the best acculturation strategy even in assimilationist contexts. Although this view is supported by some research, quoted by Berry, it may be positing the necessary but not the sufficient conditions for attaining intergroup harmony. Indeed, if other crucial measures are not taken, unexpected opposite results may ensue, as evidenced by recent ethnic/religious conflict all over the world, including the industrialised West.

Berry in Legoland

Abstract: In the lead article, the author suggests a ground-breaking theoretical model for studying and explaining the processes of acculturation and adaptation experienced by immigrants in receptor countries. Through this model the author brings much needed attention to a growing worldwide phenomenon.

Role stress-mental health relations in Japanese bank workers : A moderating effect of social support

Abstract: On a etudie dans un echantillon de salaries japonais du secteur bancaire la relation existant entre le stress professionnel et la sante mentale ainsi que l'effet moderateur du soutien social. Des analyses hierarchiques de regression multiple ont montre que la surcharge de travail presentait la liaison la plus forte avec la sante mentale et que son interaction avec le soutien des collegues etait egalement significativement liee a la sante mentale. Une analyse visuelle suggera que cette interaction devait etre concue comme etant une relation convergente, c'est-a-dire qu'un soutien eleve des collegues serait efficace pour maintenir la sante mentale des bas niveaux aux niveaux moyens de surcharge de travail, mais perdrait de sa force pour les niveaux eleves. Cette relation s'est retrouvee chez les employes masculins, plus ou moins chez les employees et pas de facon significative chez leurs superieurs masculins, ce qui pourrait signifier que les contradictions dans les effets moderateurs du soutien social mentionnees dans la litterature passee provenant des pays occidentaux pourraient, au moins en partie, etre expliquees par des differences dans les types de stress, de tension et de soutien social, aussi bien que par l'environnement des echantillons.

Normative influences on decisions to offend

Abstract: This paper summarises the results of a number of decision-making studies which attempted to understand why normative information about the incidence of speeding reduces speed limit violation. All tests took place in AIDE, an Animated Interactive Driving Environment, which allows drivers' decision making and tendencies to violate the traffic law to be conveniently studied. Drivers "drove" a predetermined route in the presence of other traffic, encountering on some occasions Variable Message Signs (VMS) which carried information about the percentage of drivers who were not speeding or tailgating. Such VMS information was found to be effective in reducing speeding and tailgating violations, but only where the majority of other drivers present were complying with the traffic law specified on the sign. These results are discussed in terms of the differential effects of normative information, contagion models of speeding, and social comparison. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD E101100.