Compensation costs are among the most significant expenses incurred by organizations. To date, the theory and research on the effectiveness of financial compensation has been limited and has largely been based on subhuman species and on nonrepresentative subjects acting in simulated environments. There have been few tests of the theory in operating organizations. Management approaches to compensation have not been evaluated in terms of higher need satisfaction, need desire, general satisfaction, feelings of equity, job involvement, nor intrinsic motivation. This exploratory study investigated these relationships and examined the interrelationship of factors proposed by E.E. Lawler in a model of the determinants of pay satisfaction. Data was gathered by questionnaire from 15 junior management and supervisory level employees in one organization. Salary satisfaction was significantly correlated with opportunities for personal growth and development and with self-fulfillment. Satisfaction with salary was not significantly correlated with general satisfaction. The results indicated that if a salary administration program is to be effective, it must be manageable and understandable to the employees. Employees expect to receive feedback and when they do not they are critical of their supervisors. Similarly, employees expect that when they receive praise from their supervisors for performance well done, it will be translated into salary increases. Where this does not occur, employees are dissatisfied. In evaluating the equitability of their salaries, participants considered not only their absolute pay levels, but also the relative levels of input and outcome of comparison persons. The results did not support Lawler's hypothesis that female employees would be more satisfied with their salaries than male employees. Data on general satisfaction contradicted Herzberg's dual-theory constructs. Job involvement factors were found to be highly intercorrelated supporting Lawler's conception of a job involvement factor. The data did not, however, support the existence of an intrinsic motivation factor. Data on need fulfillment and need desire were inconclusive. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

The feature integration theory of object perception (Treisman & Gelade, 1980) suggests that the perception of multidimensional stimuli requires that attention be serially directed to the items in a visual display in order to correctly conjoin features into objects, while the perception of features does not require serial attention. Under conditions in which the serial focusing of attention is disrupted by reducing display duration, available information about conjunctions of two features should not exceed the independent information available about the constituent features. Three experiments using a partial report paradigm employing a location cue were conducted in order to test this prediction. Subjects viewed colored letter displays that varied in cue-display stimulus onset asynchrony. The dependent measure was accuracy of response. Results suggest that a small amount of information from a separate representation of conjunctions of features may be accessible. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

The effects of cortical arousal on state complexity and evaluative importance were examined. Arousal was manipulated using two levels of white noise. In Study 1, a three-dimensional social domain was created using behavioral descriptions of eight fictitious people. In Study 2, subjects memorized these descriptions, and later, from memory, made similarity judgments among these eight targets while being exposed to either loud or soft white noise. The first hypothesis was that loud noise would effect an increase in the relative importance of the evaluation dimension. The second hypothesis was that this increased use of evaluation would be a result of a reduction in state complexity-evidenced by the other dimensions becoming less important. The results fully supported the first hypothesis and partially supported the second. There was also some support for the hypothesis that trait complex compared to trait simple individuals would be more affected by loud noise. However, the prediction that sensitizers would be more affected by the loud noise than repressors was not supported. The limitations of the second stud-y and new directions for research are discussed. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to develop a model of investigating anxiety in human-computer interactions. The model was constructed from three components. Firstly, precursor conditions of anxiety were identified by assimilating several of the accepted theoretical viewpoints of the anxiety concept. Secondly, the computer-human interaction process was examined and typical events in this process were identified. Finally, a connection between the computer-human interaction process and anxiety was proposed by identifying a subset of specific interaction events that were representative of the anxiety inducing conditions. These were termed Computer-Interaction Anxiety (CIA) events. To test the validity of the model an experiment was carried out in which state anxiety data was collected while 31 subjects were engaged in an interactive computer programming session. There was a significant increase in the subjects' state-anxiety level immediately after experiencing typical CIA events. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

The objective of this thesis is to initiate development of a valid and reliable measurement process to assess a viewer's emotional response to television advertising. The development of this measure is based on current psychological theories about the emotional process, and takes advantage of current methods available to measure emotional response. The goals for the measurement process are to provide information on emotional response to television advertising from two diverse sources, automatic real-time response, and cognitive after-the-fact responses. The selection of instruments to meet these goals first involved a review of the psychological literature on emotional theory to provide direction on defining what is an emotional response, and how the emotional subcomponents relate. This provides direction for evaluating the instruments available for measuring emotional response, and selecting two that will satisfy the above goal. The use of these measurement instruments in a pretest is then outlined, and the thesis concludes with directions for future research. The construct of emotion is complex and multidimensional, including interactions among neural hormonal systems, conscious and unconscious cognition, physiological adjustments, affective response, and expressive behavior. These dimensions suggest four categories that emotional response measurement instruments can be grouped into; cognitive, affective, psychological and behavioral. Measurement instruments in each of the four above categories have problems in their applicability as stand alone measures of emotional response to television advertisements. Of all the measurement instruments reviewed, the Beaumont Emotion Battery and the Facial Action Coding System appear to be compatible with the construct of emotion and each other. These measures can provide similar data, and capture virtually the same categories of emotional response. The usefulness of combining these two measures should be explored through a pretest. In designing the pretest, the success in capturing specific emotional responses attributable to the advertisement will depend on the setting used, the selection of advertisements and the program these advertisements are embedded in. The setting should copy a normal viewing environment to encourage normal behavior in subjects. The advertisements used should maximize the variability in emotional response, while being new to the subjects to avoid frequency biases. The program should be carefully selected to avoid content effects. When subjects proceed through the pretest procedure of watching a television program while having their facial expressions videotaped, and then responding to the Beaumont Emotion Battery after the program ends, careful attention to the environment, advertisements, and program will reduce the potential for error and bias in the pretest. To structure and delineate areas for new research, emotional response to television advertising can be approached from the viewpoint of what could impact or influence the response. This leads to the definition of the following areas of influence: the advertisement; the group of advertisements the advertisement is placed in; the program; the viewing environment; and the viewer. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

Cognitive processes have recently received considerable attention in studies of pain. Belief systems, coping mechanisms, perceptions of control and self-efficacy, and other cognitive systems appear to play a central role in determining individual differences to painful events (Rollman, 1983; Turk, Meichenbaum & Genest, 1983; Weisenberg, 1984). The present investigation sought to examine the cognitive and behavioural relationships that are associated with individual differences in responses to painful stimuli. Sixty female undergraduate psychology students participated in the experimental pain induction procedure which used the cold pressor test as the noxious stimulation. To gain a broad assessment of the different factors that may be characteristic of differences in response to pain, tolerant subjects were contrasted with less tolerant subjects on a variety of self-report, cognitive and behavioural - facial expression - measures. As part of the assessment procedure, subjects completed measures of state anxiety, self-efficacy to withstand pain, and a questionnaire involving a retrospective analysis of cognitive techniques. Half of the subjects were interviewed regarding their cognitions concerning the cold pressor task both pre and post their immersion, and the other half were interviewed post only. Transcriptions were coded independently of pain tolerance status. Subjects' facial expressions were videotaped during the cold pressor task and coded using the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) developed by Ekman and Friesen (1978). It was hypothesized that dysfunctional cognitions, lack of effective coping activity, amplification of sensory intensity and affective discomfort and high levels of facial activity would characterize subjects who were less tolerant of the induced pain. The distribution of the endurance times to the cold pressor task confirmed past observations that subjects cluster into two major groups of high and low tolerance (Turk et al. 1983). The results confirmed the major hypotheses that there are cognitive and self-report differences between pain tolerance groups. In comparison to tolerant subjects, less tolerant subjects had lower scores of perceived self-efficacy to withstand pain, higher scores for both sensation and discomfort ratings, retrospectively reported having experienced more pain, and made more accurate estimates of their duration in the cold water. Less tolerant subjects also reported more dysfunctional cognitions during the cold pressor task and reported using effective coping techniques to a lesser extent than tolerant subjects. Major differences between the tolerance groups also appeared in the length of post-test interviews. Tolerant subjects had much lengthier interviews at the post-test than less tolerant subjects. A discriminant analysis revealed that self-efficacy beliefs during the experimental task and the length of the post-test interviews were the most important discriminators between the groups. These results highlight the role of cognition in individual differences in pain tolerance. These results also suggest that low pain tolerance subjects may be better conceptualized as being ineffective and overwhelmed in their attempts to cope with pain which supports the current notion that cognitive based therapies may be the key in managing and alleviating pain states. No support was found for the hypothesis that subjects of differing pain tolerance thresholds would be characterized by differences in facial activity. Facial actions associated with pain in the present study were similar with facial expressions in previous studies (cf. Craig & Patrick, 1985; Hyde, 1986; Swalm, 1987). Contrary to previous results (Craig & Patrick, 1985), measures of facial expression increased over exposure time similarly to self-report. High levels of facial expression were associated with low levels of self-report of coping cognitions assessed at the post-test and with shorter post-test interviews. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

This research study sought to respond to the question; what is the meaning of the experience of the companion to a grieving person? This was accomplished through using a phenomenological method of research. The researcher was guided by dramatic form in creating a common story of the experience and its structural meanings. This study included three co-researchers, who were selected on the basis that they had each been a companion to a mother who had grieved the loss of her child through death. The co-researchers were Interviewed and asked to give detailed descriptions of their experience, which were taperecorded and transcribed, and the transcripts or protocols were analyzed by the researcher. A Phenomenological protocol analysis was used to extract meaning units and common themes from the three protocols. The themes were woven into an integrated narrative description, which was condensed into the essential structure or meaning of the experience. At each stage of the analysis, the researcher and co-researchers cooperated so that all the results were validated by the final interview. The results of the study included a list of twenty-four themes, a narrative description of the experience being investigated, and the essential structure, which presented the meaning of the experience as concisely as possible. It was posited in the discussion that the study had particular implications for practice. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

This qualitative study was undertaken for the purpose of answering the following two research questions: (a) What is the personal meaning and experience of mothering for women who feel they are actively resisting the Western dominant discourse on mothering?, and (b) How are these personal meanings and experiences grounded in the participants' personal contexts as well as in dominant and alternative discourses and discursive practices? Fifteen women ranging in age from 23 to 46 years, who self identified as actively resisting the dominant discourse, were interviewed about their mothering experiences. Their interviews were transcribed and analyzed following a critical interpretive approach (Cushman, 1995; Packer & Addison, 1989). In answering the first research question three themes were identified: (a) resisting is rewarding and liberating, (b) resisting entails juggling and balancing, (c) resisting entails cognitive work, refraining, and reconciling. Although acknowledging the pragmatic and cognitive challenges inherent in so doing, the women in the study experienced a sense of empowerment and pride in their choice to resist. In answering the second question, participants' identified concrete structural barriers to their efforts to mother differently and acknowledged the importance of supportive partners, friends, extended family members, education, financial resources, and flexible employment as critical in their efforts to resist having their own needs completely subjugated to those of their children. Participants drew on the discourses of feminism, achievement, individualism, collectivity, self-care, science, attachment, and alternative medicine in supporting their efforts to resist. They positioned themselves as caring responsible mothers, independent women, educated/professionals, critical thinkers, and activists. The findings suggest that in positioning themselves in opposition to the dominant, 'selfless mother' discourse, the participants were faced with negotiating between multiple and often contradictory discourses. In particular, the women in the study struggled to negotiate between the selfless mother and the individual rights/self actualization discourses. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the perception of resistance may be as important in engendering a sense of agency for women who mother, as the actual manifestation of resistance in their mothering practices. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for research, theory, and clinical practice. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

An exploratory case study using multiple cases investigated the question "What is the meaning of stealing in eating disordered women?" Seven women diagnosed with bulimia nervosa participated in in-depth interviews about this experience. The findings of these interviews revealed commonalities and variations in the patterns and dynamics of both stealing and bulimia. Important information emerged about this experience regarding restrictive family patterns, participants' reactions to these restrictions through stealing and the parallel restrictions and reactions of the bulimic behaviours they later imposed upon themselves. These results add new and in-depth information to the few existing quantitative studies and clinical knowledge addressing stealing in bulimic women. Recommendations for future research and implications for clinical practice were presented. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

This essay is a discussion of two related topics in contemporary aesthetics: the notion of aesthetic sensitivity, and the question of the objectivity of aesthetic judgements. Its point of departure is the work of Frank Sibley on "aesthetic concepts". In Chapter I intuitionism is rejected both as providing an answer to the question, "Are aesthetic judgements objective?" and as providing the basis for an account of aesthetic sensitivity. In Chapter II an account of aesthetic sensitivity based on the seeing-as notion is explored and ultimately abandoned. In Chapter III the issue of objectivity for aesthetic judgements is developed in detail, as turning on the availability of some decision procedure or other for the resolution of disputes. It is argued that relativism, the position that no such decision procedures for aesthetic judgements are available, cannot be adequately defended. An analogy between aesthetic judgement and color attribution emerges as basic to a promising strategy for a defense of aesthetic objectivism. The strategy involves the demand for an articulation of decision procedures relevant to color attribution. The promise of the strategy is defended when it is argued that standard anti-intuitionist criticisms need not undermine it. Finally, the theses and arguments of one relativist, Isabel C. Hungerland, are criticized. Part of her defense of relativism is traced to her acceptance of an analogy between aesthetic judgement and seeing-as. The results of Chapter II, in which the limits of that analogy are exposed, are employed against her. Chapter IV is an outline of a set of decision procedures for color attribution. Color decision procedures involve the selection of a reference group of observers, whose visual experiences are taken to be authoritative. Members of the reference group are selected on the basis of two principles of selection: one which selects statistically normal observers, and one which selects observers of demonstrably higher discriminatory capacity. A system of subsidiary principles, which operates when the two main are at odds in their selections, is illustrated. In Chapter V the plausibility of an aesthetic analogue of the theory of color objectivity developed in Chapter IV is defended against two major objections. The first objection is based on a point of disanalogy between colors and aesthetic features: the V-emergence" of aesthetic features, It is argued, in effect, that this is not a relevant point of disanalogy. The second objection is based on the view that the meanings of terms used to express aesthetic judgements are never twice the same. This view is criticized, and a more plausible one, which does not pose difficulties for the colors/aesthetics analogy, is considered. / Arts, Faculty of / Philosophy, Department of / Graduate