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The flow experience refers to a state characterized by complete involvement in a task. According to flow theory, the flow state is preceded by three antecedents, skill-task match, goals, and feedback. These antecedents lead to a flow state, which is exemplified by six components, merging of action and awareness, centering of attention, loss of self-consciousness, temporal distortion, sense of control, and autotelic nature. In a flow state, individuals persist on a task without regard or awareness of themselves or their surroundings. Currently, flow is a two-stage model in which the three antecedents lead to a flow state. Flow theory is severely limited as no mediating processes have been specified between flow antecedents and the flow state. The missing mediating processes in flow theory do not allow for empirically examining testable a priori predictions. Further, failure to specify a mediator brings into question the current flow antecedents and components. The aim of this study was to recast flow theory within a self-regulation framework to ameliorate these issues. I borrow from the self-regulation literature and propose that “feeling right” mediates the relationship between flow antecedents and components. Feeling right is a positive cognitive experience that arises from successful regulatory fit. I further posit that the antecedents of flow are the antecedents of feeling right, motivational orientation and goal pursuit strategies. Finally, I propose that the flow state only be characterized by four components, merging of action and awareness, centering of attention, loss of self-consciousness, and temporal distortion. Thus, in my revised model of flow, alignment between motivational orientation and goal pursuit will lead to feeling right, which will then lead to a flow state, characterized by the four aforementioned components. A secondary goal of this study was to examine the relationship between flow and task performance. I hypothesized that individuals in a state of regulatory fit would experience flow, operationalized by intense concentration, time distortion, and loss of self-consciousness. I further hypothesized that flow would mediate the relationship between regulatory fit and performance and that type of fit would influence performance quality or quantity. I utilized an experiment design to test this revised flow model in the context of a computer game. A path model was conducted to test these predictions. Results revealed that individuals in a state of regulatory fit exhibited greater time distortion and loss of self-consciousness. However, flow did not mediate the relationship between fit and performance. Based on these results, flow can successfully be applied to a self-regulatory framework. There is initial evidence that motivational orientation and goal pursuit, i.e., regulatory fit, are causal antecedents to a flow state. There was stronger evidence for the relationship between regulatory fit and flow when behavioral flow indicators were used. Future research should focus on identifying behavioral flow indicators and continue to explore the flow construct within a self-regulatory framework. / Ph. D.

Job seekers and employers frequently make application and selection decisions based on how well they believe there is a ‘fit’ with the organization and job. The personenvironment fit literature has strongly supported this practice demonstrating that fit is an antecedent to attraction, selection, and attrition. What has been lacking, however, is evidence that once individuals enter the organization their fit relates to performance. Using a social network analytical lens, I develop a framework that integrates PE fit and social networks to explore antecedents to employee performance. Using this framework, I explore how informal workplace relationships may act as catalysts through which fit either enhances or detracts from individual performance, how fit might directly influence performance once the social context is taken into account, and how fit might make an individual an attractive exchange partner benefiting performance. Results suggest that PE fit is related to individual performance (both in- and extra-role) but that this relationship differs depending on how well embedded the employee is in the informal social networks of the organization. It is only when accounting for the ‘who you know’ element of organizational life that we can see how ‘who you are’ relates to performance.

In this study, a comparison was made between the various levels of group cognitive complexity and its relationship to task performance and task satisfaction. The goal of this research is to answer the general question, "Should decision-making groups consist of individuals who are similar in the way they differentiate and/or integrate various stimuli in order to increase performance and satisfaction?" The preceding research problem was analyzed in a laboratory setting using a 2 X 2 factorial design blocked on the variable, cognitive complexity. The Repertory Grid was used to measure the cognitive complexity of 228 student subjects. These subjects were stratified into groups of three based on their cognitive complexity score on the Repertory Grid (Kelly, 1955). Each group was treated randomly with one of two levels of task complexity (complex or not complex). Moreover, the groups received an imposedgroup structure that incorporated centralized or decentralized decision-making. Results indicated that groups consisting of cognitively complex members outperformed groups consisting of noncomplex members. No support was obtained for the two-way interaction between group cognitive complexity and either task complexity or group structure. Support was obtained for the interaction between task complexity and group structure on both task satisfaction measures. The highest satisfaction levels occurred with a complex task in a decentralized structure. In addition, the three-way interaction effect on the task satisfaction scale between group structure, task complexity, and group cognitive complexity was significant. The means, however, were not in the predicted direction. For cognitively simple groups, a complex task with a decentralized structure lead to the highest task satisfaction level; whereas, a less complex task with a decentralized group structure lead to the lowest task satisfaction score for noncomplex members. There were no significant differences for cognitively complex groups when analyzing the three-way interaction between group cognitive complexity, task complexity, and group structure.

Few studies in the sporting realm have been conducted to verify the findings from industrial or organizational settings regarding the strong positive motivational effects of goal setting (Locke et al., 1981). Therefore, the purpose of the present investigation was to determine the effects of three levels of goal difficulty and two levels of feedback on the performance of males undertaking an endurance task. Performance results were analyzed using a 2 x 3 x 2 (feedback x goal difficulty x trials) ANOVA with repeated measures on the last factor. Results indicated a significant goal by trials interaction with both specific difficult goal groups improving from trial one to trial two. The "do best" group showed no significant improvements. It was also found that only the difficult, but not the extremely difficult goal group performed significantly better than the "do best" goal group. No significant differences were found between the two feedback groups. The results are discussed in terms of Locke's (1968) original theory of goal setting.

We are entering an era of business intelligence and big data where simple tables and other traditional means of data display cannot deal with the vast amounts of data required to meet the decision-making needs of businesses and their clients. Graphical figures constructed with modern visualization software can convey more information than a table because there is a limit to the table size that is visually usable. Contemporary decision performance is influenced by the task domain, the user experience, and the visualizations themselves. Utilizing data visualization in task performance to aid in decision making is a complex process. We develop and test a decision-making framework to examine task performance in a visual and non-visual aided decision-making by using three experiments to test this framework. Studies 1 and 2 investigate DV formats and how complexity and design affects the proposed visual decision making framework. The studies also examine how DV formats affect task performance, as measured by accuracy and timeliness, and format preference. Additionally, these studies examine how DV formats influence the constructs in the proposed decision making framework which include information usefulness, decision confidence, cognitive load, visual aesthetics, information seeking intention, and emotion. Preliminary findings indicate that graphical DV allows individuals to respond faster and more accurately, resulting in improved task fit and performance. Anticipated implications of this research are as follows. Visualizations are independent of the size of the data set but can be increasingly complex as the data complexity increases. Furthermore, well designed visualizations let you see through the complexity and simultaneously mine the complexity with drill down technologies such as OLAP.

Contextualização: Os testes de sensibilidade tátil da mão existentes não permitem considerar diferentes receptores, detectar variações na faixa de normalidade ou caracterizar o processo de desenvolvimento e envelhecimento. Objetivo: Elaborar um conjunto de atividades-testes para avaliar sensibilidade tátil da mão que forneça escore e tempo de execução das tarefas, com rotina de aplicação e coleta de dados detalhada em manual. Método: Para elaboração do teste foi realizada revisão da literatura e reuniões de grupo para criação de atividades-testes, seleção de materiais e elaboração do manual. Teste e manual foram submetidos à avaliação de 30 pareceristas, em 3 fases, cada uma com 10 examinadores. Resultado: O Teste de sensibilidade tátil da mão, denominado THPH (do inglês, test of haptic perception of hand) desenvolvido tem por objetivo graduar a sensibilidade tátil manual, considerando diferentes domínios sensoriais: depressão, elevação, textura, densidade, barognosia e reconhecimento de formas planas, tridimensionais de pequena e grande elevação. Cada atividade-teste possui um material específico. O escore pode variar de 0 a 57, sendo 0 a pior nota. Na primeira etapa foram sugeridas 12 modificações e aceitas 9 delas. As estruturas de teste de depressão, elevação, barognosia e reconhecimento de formas foram consideradas adequadas. Na segunda etapa foram sugeridas 3 modificações e aceita uma. As estruturas do teste de depressão foram modificadas novamente. Na terceira etapa foram dadas sugestões de continuidade do estudo. Conclusão: O processo metodológico escolhido permitiu a elaboração de um manual descritivo de atividades-testes específicas para avaliar seis diferentes domínios da sensibilidade tátil a partir da organização de grupo de trabalho e direcionamento fornecido por 30 pareceristas / Background: The tests of tactile sensitivity of hand do not allow considering different receptors, to detect variations in the range of normality or characterize the process of development and aging. Objective: To develop a set of activities-tests to assess tactile sensitivity of the hand to provide score and runtime, routine of application and collection of data. Method: It was performed a literature review, group meetings for test creation and materials testing and preparation of the manual. Test and its manual were submitted to 30 reviewers in 3 stages, each one with 10 examiners. Result: The Test of Haptic Perception of Hand (THPH) developed aims to graduate tactile sensitivity of hand according to the different sensory domains: depression, elevation, texture, density, weight perception and shape recognition, each one with the respective material. The score may range from 0 to 57, with 0 being the worst rating. In the first stage with participation of 10 examiners it was suggested 12 changes, of which 9 were accepted. The structures of the test domain depression, elevation, and shape recognition barognosis were considered adequate. In the second stage the structures of the depression were changed again. In the third step suggestions were given to continuity of the study. Conclusion: The chosen methodological process allowed the preparation of a manual illustrative and specific material to evaluate six different domains of tactile manual with the group organization and direction provided by 30 examiners in three phases