The frame-of-reference (FOR) effect refers to the finding that validities for personality measures can be improved by asking respondents to consider how they behave in a particular context (e.g., "at work"). Recently, Lievens, De Corte, and Schollaert (2008) demonstrated that a FOR serves to reduce within-person inconsistencies in responding, which then improves the reliability and validity of personality measures. Despite this important step forward in FOR research, Lievens et al. note that there is still very little known with regard to how respondents complete non-contextualized personality inventories (i.e., inventories where no FOR is provided). The present studies sought to fill this significant gap in the literature by addressing the question: Do people think of themselves in particular situations or contexts when responding to non-contextualized personality inventories and, if so, what are these contexts? In addition, does the use of context vary by the personality dimension being studied? Two studies were conducted in order to fully address these Research Questions. The first of these studies was a qualitative study which examined the number and types of contexts spontaneously generated by test-takers for non-contextualized personality items. Twenty-eight interviews were conducted with college students who held a variety of life roles (e.g., student, employee, parent, spouse). Interview data demonstrated that participants considered themselves in general, at school, at work, with friends, with family, at home, and in other more specific situations (e.g., driving a car) when responding to non-contextualized inventories. Data for Study 2 were collected from 463 college students using a self-report methodology that asked participants to indicate which FORs they were using in responding to the same non-contextualized inventory used in Study 1. Results indicated significant differences in FOR endorsement across factors, such that participants endorsed the highest number of FORs for agreeableness items and the lowest number of FORs for openness to experience items. In addition, there were significant differences in the use of FORs within factors such that, for example, the "With Family" FOR was used most frequently for agreeableness but the "At School" FOR was used most frequently for openness to experience. Finally, results of Study 2 indicated that while the using more FORs in responding may increase error variances, it does not have a substantial impact on the factor structure of the Big 5. The present studies contribute to the literature by being the first to examine the role that situations play in responding to a non-contextualized inventory, and they do so using both qualitative and quantitative methods. In addition, the present studies represent a person-centric approach to the study of I/O psychology in that they focus on the individual experience as the basis for research.

We evaluated behavior exhibited by individuals with developmental disabilities using progressive ratio schedules. High- and low-preferred stimuli were determined based on the results of a paired-stimulus preference assessment and were evaluated in subsequent reinforcer and progressive ratio assessments using concurrent- and single-operant schedules of presentation in a modified reversal design. Results showed that for two participants, stimuli determined to be low-preferred via a preference assessment functioned as reinforcers when evaluated independently of high-preferred stimuli and under gradually increasing response requirements. The results suggest that for cases in which a high-preferred stimulus is unavailable or unfeasible, the contingent delivery of relatively less-preferred stimuli may maintain appropriate behavior, even as response effort is increased. In addition, results of the progressive ratio evaluation are suggestive of stimulus value.

This study investigated the relative effectiveness of (1) modeling, (2) modeling plus behavior rehearsal, and (3) modeling, behavior rehearsal,_ and videotaped feedback in assertive training.. Twelve psychiatric outpatients were randomly assigned to three treatment groups, ,each of which received 5 hours of training. Four additional subjects served as a waiting .list control group. The dependent measures used were the Assertive Behavior Situation Test (ABST), a behavioral role-play test, and two additional paper and pencil measures (Constriction Scale and Fear of Negative Evaluation). Each of these measures was administered at pre- and post-test sessions. Split-plot 4.2 analyses of variance (Kirk, 1968) yielded a significant trial effect on both of the pencil and paper measures but not on the ABST. There were no significant group effects on any of the measures, nor were there any group X trial interactions. The implications of these results on previously reported assertive training research were briefly discussed.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(情報学) / 甲第20098号 / 情博第630号 / 新制||情||109(附属図書館) / 33214 / 京都大学大学院情報学研究科システム科学専攻 / (主査)教授 石井 信, 教授 松田 哲也, 教授 加納 学 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Informatics / Kyoto University / DFAM

Because involvement is believed to influence or determine individua1s' behavioral intentions, the objective of this research was to examine the relationship between involvement and behavioral intentions. But because there is confusion over what precisely involvement is, personal relevance, which is identified by most consumer behaviorists and social psychologists as an important dimension of the involvement construct, served as its surrogate to achieve the objective of this research. The research method used was a mail questionnaire. Virginia Tech engineering alumni residing in the state of Virginia and its vicinity were asked a series of personal relevance questions, which were then followed by two questions regarding their intentions toward enrolling in the Virginia Cooperative Graduate Engineering Program. In this research, correlation analyses of the answers to the two different series of questions were performed to identify the strength of the relationship between personal relevance and behavioral intentions. The results from the correlation analyses provide empirical evidence to support that there exists a positive linear relationship between involvement and behavioral intentions.Because involvement is believed to influence or determine individua1s' behavioral intentions, the objective of this research was to examine the relationship between involvement and behavioral intentions. But because there is confusion over what precisely involvement is, personal relevance, which is identified by most consumer behaviorists and social psychologists as an important dimension of the involvement construct, served as its surrogate to achieve the objective of this research. The research method used was a mail questionnaire. Virginia Tech engineering alumni residing in the state of Virginia and its vicinity were asked a series of personal relevance questions, which were then followed by two questions regarding their intentions toward enrolling in the Virginia Cooperative Graduate Engineering Program. In this research, correlation analyses of the answers to the two different series of questions were performed to identify the strength of the relationship between personal relevance and behavioral intentions. The results from the correlation analyses provide empirical evidence to support that there exists a positive linear relationship between involvement and behavioral intentions. / Master of Science

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