Showing papers in "Human Relations in 1976"
850Â citations
TL;DR: In this article, an attempt is made to construct a new scale which will predict authoritarian behavior, and the new scale (in behavior inventory format) correlated.54 compared to a correlation with the same criterion by an attitude scale of.19.
Abstract: It is pointed out that there is little evidence that authoritarian attitudes and authoritarian behavior are associated. An attempt is made to construct a new scale which will predict authoritarian behavior. Against a peer-rating validity criterion, the new scale (in behavior inventory format) correlated .54, compared to a correlation with the same criterion by an attitude scale of .19.
204Â citations
TL;DR: In this article, an Emotionality Survey was developed to assess sex differences in three dimensions of emotion: covert responding, interpersonal expression, and attitudes toward responses and expressions, and the findings suggest a sex difference in the functional significance of emotion, and support a multidimensional approach to investigate the differences in emotionality.
Abstract: An Emotionality Survey was developed to assess sex differences in three dimensions of emotion: covert responding, interpersonal expression, and attitudes toward responses and expressions. Situational determinants of responses were also investigated. Within each of these areas, four types of emotion were distinguished: anger, fear, joy, and sadness. In general, females exceeded males in reported emotionality, but sex differences varied as a function of dimension and type of emotion. Differences were greatest for interpersonal expression, and for fear and sadness. Females also reported more of an interpersonal basis for their emotional responses. The findings suggest a sex difference in the functional significance of emotion, and support a multidimensional approach to the investigation of sex differences in emotionality.
202Â citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an exploratory examination of the social perception of a rape victim was conducted by having subjects respond to a standardized videotape of an interview with a presumed victim, which revealed two consistent findings: males viewed the victim as contributing to the rape to a greater degree than females.
Abstract: An exploratory examination of the social perception of a rape victim was conducted. Sex of respondent, victim's history of rape, number of rapes in the area, and victim acquaintance with the rapist were investigated by having subjects respond to a standardized videotape of an interview with a presumed victim. Results revealed two consistent findings: Males viewed the victim as contributing to the rape to a greater degree than females. The victim was seen as provoking the episode to a greater degree when she had been raped before than when she had not been raped before. Several interactions were also obtained.
177Â citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the relationship between the internal work motivation of employees and their job performance, and the moderating effect of individual growth need strength, co-worker satisfaction, and supervisory satisfaction on the relationships between several job characteristics and internal motivation.
Abstract: This research examined: (a) the relationship between the internal work motivation of employees and their job performance; and (b) the moderating effect of individual growth need strength, co-worker satisfaction, and supervisory satisfaction on the relationships between several job characteristics and internal motivation. Results showed positive, significant relationships between the measure of internal motivation and employees' rated work quality, quantity, and effort. In addition, significant relationships between the job characteristics and internal motivation were obtained for employees who were desirous of growth satisfactions and who experienced high satisfaction with their supervisors and co-workers. Implications of the results for future research on job design were discussed.
138Â citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors define an epistemology of process as a basis for the development of expressive and creative action, and identify five conditions of process: action, change, projectability, situation, abstract field, and their behavioral implications.
Abstract: The paper attempts to define an epistemology of process as a basis for the development of expressive and creative action. Five conditions of process are identified-unstructured action, change, projectability, the situation, the abstract field-and their behavioral implications are discussed. Finally, a methodology for the personal use of process is presented.
92Â citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors suggest that participation will be more meaningful to workers when those to be affected participate in decisions concerning the practices to be adopted in their own workplace and conclude that higher level forms of participation may be inappropriate where the climate of the organization denies employees suitable op...
Abstract: Britain 's entry to the European Economic Community has addedfuel to the frequently fiery debates amongst politicians, managements, trade unions, and social scientists on the merits of existing member countries' current participative practices. These discussions seem to carry an underlying assumption that the furtherance of such systems as Employee Directors and Works Councils will be reflected in an improved quality of working life for employees. This paper suggests that participation will be more meaningful to workers when those to be affected participate in decisions concerning the practices to be adopted in their own workplace. The authors' studies, in organizations ranging from a coal mine to a number of hospitals, reveal considerable individual and organizational differences in the manner and extent of desiredparticipation. It is concluded that the higher level forms of participation, though of commendable ideal, may be inappropriate where the climate of the organization denies employees suitable op...
78Â citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the degree and maintenance of idealized images in the marriage relationship and provided evidence that idealization is maintained through a pattern of biased causal attributions, such that one's spouse is credited with responsibility for good behaviors whereas bad behaviors are regarded as situationally caused.
Abstract: Three studies investigated the degree and maintenance of idealized images in the marriage relationship. The first study provided strong evidence that one's image of one's spouse is highly idealized vis-a-vis relevant comparison persons. Studies two and three provided evidence that idealization is maintained through a pattern of biased causal attributions, such that one's spouse is credited with responsibility for good behaviors whereas bad behaviors are regarded as situationally caused. The role that idealization serves in perpetuating marital constructions of reality (Berger & Kellner, 1964) is discussed.
71Â citations
TL;DR: The authors found that self-esteem was not related to perceptions of personal or environmental responsibility for the group's performance, however, an interaction was obtained between selfesteem and group performance feedback on how much subjects felt that their prior behaviors were influenced by the other group members.
Abstract: Forty-eight male subjects who had previously completed Berger's selfacceptance (self-esteem) scale worked on problem-solving tasks in four person groups. After completion of the tasks, bogus feedback was provided which indicated that the group as a whole had done very well, very poorly, or average. No feedback was provided about the quality of individual performances. As predicted, perceptions of personal responsibility for the group's performance were found to be directly related to the quality of the bogus feedback; subjects in the success conditions felt more responsible than did subjects in the failure conditions, with the average feedback conditions falling intermediate. Contrary to predictions, self-esteem was not related to perceptions of personal or environmental responsibility for the group's performance. However, an interaction was obtained between selfesteem and group performance feedback on how much subjects felt that their prior behaviors were influenced by the other group members. High self-...
56Â citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors define a theoretical basis for using the organization set to study the way that organizations adapt their environments to their own needs, rather than responding to situational demands, and demonstrate the character-defining consequences of the combination of strategies an organization uses.
Abstract: The organization set is a basic concept for analyzing the relations between an organization and its environment. This article pro vides a theoretical basis for using it to study the way that organizations adapt their environments to their own needs, rather than responding to situational demands. First, the network of interorganizational relations is conceptualized in terms of dimensions of social integration. Subsequently, organizational strategies appropriate for dealing with problematical aspects of organization set integration are identified. The character-defining consequences of the combination of strategies an organization uses are illustrated from an empirical study of the National Economic Development Office.
52Â citations
TL;DR: Action Research as mentioned in this paper is a more effective method of organizational decision-making involving the whole organization in identifying needs, solving problems, laying out plans, and implementing decisions, and its principal components are an Action Research Group, composed of organizational members, and an Action Researcher-an outside consultant skilled in directing group decisionmaking and coordinating responsive action.
Abstract: Action Research seeks a more effective method of organizational decision-making involving the whole organization in identifying needs, solving problems, laying out plans, and implementing decisions. Its principal components are an Action Research Group, composed of organizational members, and an Action Researcher-an outside consultant skilled in directing group decision-making and coordinating responsive action. This paper defines the theoretical characteristics of Action Research and the underlying processes by which it is applied.
TL;DR: This article found boundary-spanning activity unrelated to role conflict or ambiguity and positively related to job satisfac-tion for the total sample of 192 managers, engineers, and supervisors in a large manufacturing company.
Abstract: Boundary-spanning activity was studied in a large manufacturing company through a sample of 192 managers, engineers, and supervisors. Contrary to prior theory and research, this study found boundary-spanning activity unrelated to role conflict or ambiguity and positively related to job satisfac-tion for the total sample. Boundary-spanning activity was also positively related to a number of job characteristics for the total sample. Marked dif-ferences in boundary-spanning activity and its relationships with other variables, however, were found across occupational levels. While managers and engineers generally had boundary-spanning activity related to high levels of job satisfaction and job characteristics, first-level supervisors had boundary-spanning activity related to higher role conflict and lower job satisfaction with opportunities for promotion.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report the effects of a sudden clampdown of management sanctions on the absence behavior of a female workforce, which showed a conversion of short to longer spells and uncertificated to certificated absence.
Abstract: The effect of deterrent measures on employee absence is a neglected topic and what little research there has been has not produced consistent findings. The present paper reports the effects of a sudden clamp-down of management sanctions on the absence behavior of a female workforce. The prediction that this action would not significantly alter the level of absence, but would affect the form absences took, was confirmed by the results, which showed a conversion of short to longer spells and uncertificated to certificated absence. The implications for control systems and their reliance on medical certification as a principal legitimizing criterion are discussed.
TL;DR: The authors assesses two different approaches to measuring beliefs about work as a human activity, one is a whole systems approach that asks for a response to five different concepts of work expressed in paragraphs on a questionnaire and the second approach involves responses to individual belief statements that are then factor analyzed to form the same five dimensions expressed in the paragraphs.
Abstract: This study assesses two different approaches to measuring beliefs about work as a human activity. The first approach is a whole systems approach that asks for a response to five different concepts of work expressed in paragraphs on a questionnaire. The second approach involves responses to individual belief statements that are then factor analyzed to form the same five dimensions expressed in the paragraphs. The computation of results shows a significant difference in scores between the two methods of measuring beliefs, thus making the question of which method measures "true" belief a crucial one for future research.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors proposed and tested a framework that combines the social or psychological approach to analyze the nature of and the parameters influencing the phenomenon of interorganizational relationships, and analyzed four most common types of interagency relationships-cooperation, conflict, competition, and merger.
Abstract: Earlier theories on interorganizational relationships have adopted either the social or psychological approach, resulting in incomplete analysis of the nature of and the parameters influencing the phenomenon. This study proposed and tested a framework that combines the two approaches. It analyzed four most common types of interagency relationships-cooperation, conflict, competition, and merger-among three agricultural institutions, and the organizational and personality factors determining their occurrence. Findings show that a limited number and degree of cooperative relationships existed, whereas competition and conflicts were more prevalent. Cooperation was facilitated by dynamic and democratic leadership, while competition and conflicts were attributed to change in leadership style and centralized administrative practices.
TL;DR: In this article, the advance of the Welfare State is seen as the material foundation making possible the present change in work values and expectations, calling for increased worker influence on different levels in the production system and for an increased quality of working life.
Abstract: Traditional ways of organizing work in industrialized societies are in conflict with basic human needs related to creativity, influence, and growth. This conflict seems to affect adversely not only work satisfaction and job and labor-market behavior, but also participation in and rewardsfrom nonwork activities such as participation in organized cultural, political, and educational activities. Evidence is also given for adverse effects on selfesteem and mental health. The advance of the Welfare State is seen as the materialfoundation making possible the present change in work values and expectations, calling for increased worker influence on different levels in the production system and for an increased quality of working life. At the same time, however, increased expectations are made toward the quality of nonwork activities and toward greater equality between sexes and generations, e.g., in relation tofamily duties, education, and labor-market opportunities. These value changes callfor a broader approach...
TL;DR: The Industrial Democracy Program (IDP) as discussed by the authors is an action research project which was started in Norwegian industry in 1962 with the joint sponsorship of the Norwegian Trade Union Confederation and the Confederation of Employers.
Abstract: The paper describes certain parts of "The Industrial Democracy Program, " (IDP), an action research project which was started in Norwegian industry in 1962 with the joint sponsorship of the Norwegian Trade Union Confederation and the Confederation of Employers. Although the emphasis is on the practical application of a strategy for social change, some background information and description of the content of this program is also given. Under the assumption that changes in the concrete work situation might be the key to a process whereby employees could improve their conditions for taking part in decisions, a series of experiments have been staged in companies representing different technologies. Some results from the program are discussed. One conclusion is that it is possible within existing companies and under the existing economic system to make changes in work organization, job design, etc., so that workers experience a more meaningful and rewarding situation, become more committed to their work, and t...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors demonstrate the theoretical relevance and validity of using utility models and scaling techniques as an approach to operationalizing the concepts of goals and goal incompatibilities, and test the propositions that structural differentiation in organizations is associated with goal-competitiveness and conflict in organizations.
Abstract: This paper demonstrates the theoretical relevance and validity of using utility models and scaling techniques as an approach to operationalizing the concepts of goals and goal incompatibilities. The approach was used, with empirical data from municipal government officials in 380 cities, to test the propositions that (1) structural differentiation in organizations is associated with goal incompatibilities, and (2) goal incompatibilities are correlated with conflict in organizations. Both propositions were supported. On the basis of a literature review, it was concluded that (1) the concepts of goals and goal incompatibilities play important, but controversial, roles in organization behavior, and (2) there has been very little empirical research directed toward operationalizing these concepts. On the basis of the empirical research, it was suggested that the approach generates valid operationalizations of goals and goal incompatibilities. Goals which were shared across units tend to be of moderate importan...
TL;DR: In this paper, the season's records of a Canadian ice hockey league provided the data for an investigation of aggression in relation to crowd size and competition, and the results are generally discussed within a frustration-aggression framework.
Abstract: The season's records of a Canadian ice hockey league provided the data for an investigation of aggression in relation to crowd size and competition. Crowd size was positively related to aggression in one season but not in the preceding year. Aggression increased over the three periods of game play but not across the season. League standing and the score existing during play were both significantly related to aggression. However, the aggression displayed by a team in a match was unrelated to their league standing vis a vis that of their opponents. The results are generally discussed within a frustration-aggression framework.
TL;DR: In this article, an evaluation study of one such program, a work internship program in Philadelphia, indicated that student participants had experienced significant positive changes in feelings of per-sonal and social efficacy.
Abstract: Undergraduates' transitions to adult working roles can befacilitated by off-campus field education programs. An evaluation study of one such program, a work internship program in Philadelphia, indicated that student participants had experienced significant positive changes in feelings of per-sonal and social efficacy. Participation in the program had apparently in-creased their self-confidence and willingness to enter novel social situations as well as decreased their tendencies to be self-abasing.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the relationship between individual, organizational, and interpersonal variables on the acquisition of beliefs about a new organizational reward system and found that managers' beliefs about this new Plan are more affected by individual level variables (e.g., educational level), while beliefs of blue-collar workers seem more affect by organizational or interpersonal variables.
Abstract: This paper examines the relationships between individual, organizational, and interpersonal variables on the acquisition of beliefs about a new organizational reward system. The setting for the research is the introduc-tion of a companywide incentive plan (Scanlon Plan) into a manufacturing plant. Two types of beliefs are analyzed: (1) the belief that suggestion-making behavior leads to a reward (system expectancy); and (2) the belief that, given the effort, the individual can make productivity-related sugges-tions (self-expectancy). After the introduction of the reward system, managers' beliefs about this new Plan are more affected by individual level variables (e.g., educational level), while beliefs of blue-collar workers seem more affected by organizational (e.g., nature of task) or interpersonal variables. A measurement 6 months after the Scanlon Plan had been in operation seemed to indicate that the beliefs remained relatively stable. However, despite frequent bonuses from and participation in the n...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discussed the differences between the theories of participation and power equalization based upon the amount and distribution of influence within an organizational system. But they did not discuss the differences among the theories.
Abstract: The theories of participation and power equalization are discussed in terms of their philosophy, objectives, and techniques. A clarification of the differences between the theories is presented based upon the amount and distribution of influence within an organizational system. The participation and power-equalization hypotheses are tested using attitude data collected from three levels of management in 12 plants of a large manufacturing organization and a multivariate ANOVA design. The major finding is the identification of a consistent interaction pattern involving participation and power equalization which enhances prediction of satisfaction and effectiveness over that offered by the variables singularly. This finding suggests the integration of the theories of participation and power equalization.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used Partial Order Scalogram Analysis (POSA) to find four sources of worries experienced by the employees of accounting departments: job security, job stability, job proficiency, and job interest.
Abstract: The introduction of a major change in an organization, like computerization, may be expected to raise some worries on the part of affected employees. Four sources of worries experienced by the employees of accounting departments are discussed: job security, job stability, job proficiency, and job interest. An empirical structure of these worries, based on scalogram technique, was found, and an interpretation for it is proposed. By the use of Partial Order Scalogram Analysis, a parsimonious description of the contents behind the variables was obtained. Empirical profiles can be characterized by two scores, rather than the original four, by means of two scales: the joint scale represents the "amount" of worry and the lateral scale measures the composition or the "quality" of worry. The findings confirm our hypothesis concerning the content underlying the lateral ("quality-of-worries') scale, namely that it reflects the degree of "intrinsicality" versus "extrinsicality" of the job reward the loss of which is...
TL;DR: In this paper, an analysis of important changes in the ward social system, including staff role relationships, distribution of power, and communication styles, were generated by the physical changes and mediated the effects on patient behavior.
Abstract: The extensive physical remodeling of a psychiatric admissions ward was conducted to investigate the relationship between ward design and patient behavior. This paper presents an analysis of important changes in the ward social system, including staff role relationships, distribution of power, and communication styles, which were generated by the physical changes and mediated the effects on patient behavior. The social system impacts are conceptualized as operating through a time-ordered process of environmental change involving four phases-petrification, unfreezing, resistance, and personalization. Psychological issues underlying the translation of environmental change into change at the level of the ward social system are discussed. Finally, comparisons are drawn between interventions based on environmental strategies and those based on organizational development techniques.
TL;DR: In this paper, a random sample of about 2,500 self-employed taxpayers was chosen to investigate the conformity of taxpayers to income tax regulations, and two sets of hypotheses were formulated and tested, based on the proposition that a person's compliance with norms is a function of his basic orientations toward these norms and of the control system related to norm compliance.
Abstract: A random sample of about 2,500 self-employed taxpayers was chosen to investigate the conformity of taxpayers to income tax regulations. The indices of conformity are based on data derived from the taxpayers' files in the Income Tax Division. Two sets of hypotheses were formulated and tested, based on the proposition that a person's compliance with norms is a function of his basic orientations toward these norms on the one hand, and of the control system related to norm compliance on the other hand. In general, the findings support the basic proposition and the specific hypotheses derived from it. They also indicate that the basic orientation tends to be a major determinant of compliance in regard to the norms which determine the general terms of contact of the public with the organization, while the impact of the control structure is more complex and pervasive.
TL;DR: In this article, the removal of group members and the recruiting of new ones are central processes in the maintenance of a group, yet they receive little study and are not considered in the literature.
Abstract: The removal of group members and the recruiting of new ones are central processes in the maintenance of a group, yet they receive little study. Bases for determining who will be expelled and who initiated are stated in the form of propositions. A number of hypotheses are then offered concerning conditions that may cause events to run counter to these propositions.
TL;DR: The authors examines cultural, institutional, and motivational factors which have produced acceptance of the human relations approach in industrial organizations and analyzes the unique relationship existing between the postwar emergence of human relations and academic sociology for its simultaneous impacts on the ideology and on the development and institutionalization of sociology itself.
Abstract: This paper examines cultural, institutional, and motivationalfactors which have produced acceptance of the human relations approach in industrial organizations. The unique relationship existing between the postwar emergence of human relations and academic sociology is analyzed for its simultaneous impacts on the ideology and on the development and institutionalization of sociology itself.
TL;DR: A survey questionnaire, the OD Survey Questionnaire, was developed to ascertain the evaluative problems of OD practitioners as discussed by the authors, which was used by the OD Network serving as the survey population.
Abstract: Several authors have written about the problems of conducting organizational development (OD) evaluations, but two inadequacies still remain. First, many of these problems are quite likely indigenous to the situations experienced by the writer in his evaluations, and they may not be widely applicable or generalizable to a large number of practitioners. Thus, one may be concerned as to whether these are the problems that OD practitioners can expect to experience in their OD evaluations. The second inadequacy is that the problems reportedly experienced by OD practitioners are rarely found in the literature on OD evaluations. In fact, only one or two problems are generally discussed, and these problems have been experienced by the researcher in a specific evaluation. Due to these inadequacies, a survey questionnaire, the OD Survey Questionnaire, was developed to ascertain the evaluative problems of OD practitioners. With the members of the OD Network serving as the survey population, questionnaires were mail...
TL;DR: It appears that the combined impact of general environment conditions (socioeconomic development and occupational mix) and reliance on external units forms a basis for measuring environmental complexity.
Abstract: Contingency organization theory suggests that the match between environmental complexity and formal structure is an important determinant of organizational performance. However, there are a number of different interpretations of environmental complexity which may or may not be related. The purpose of this paper is to outline several different views of environmental complexity and empirically test the extent to which they predict the performance of 26 mechanistically structured antipoverty agencies. Statistical analysis is based on multiple linear regression. Measures for complexity include the general level of socioeconomic development, the occupational mix in the surrounding area, the uncertainty in the immediate environment of the agency, and the reliance of the agency on outside units. The performance criteria are based on an analysis of the degree of goal attainment of the sample units. Results suggest that there are considerable differences in different interpretations of environmental complexity in ...
TL;DR: In this article, an empirical research study was conducted to determine the relationships between the personality needs and identification models of organizational personnel and also examined the effects of managerial position upon such relationships.
Abstract: An empirical research study was conducted to determine the relationships between the personality needs and identification models of organizational personnel. Also examined were the effects of managerial position upon such relationships. Variables under investigation included n Affiliation, n Achievement, organizational identification, work group identification, occupational identification, and external group identification. To reflect the impacts of differing occupations and organizational philosophies, data was collected and analyzed from a geographically diverse sample of 187 U.S. industrial employees. Significant findings of the study showed that (a) among managers, both n Affiliation and n Achievement were directly associated with each of the identification models, whereas (b) among nonmanagers, n Affiliation was related directly to occupational identification and work group identification, with n Achievement being directly associated only with occupational identification.