Kirton's adaption-innovation theory suggests adaptors and innovators have different approaches to decision-making. The relationship between thinking styles in conjunction with decriminalization has not been investigated thoroughly, and this study addressed the relationship based on thinking styles and 6 demographics (race, age, gender, religion, education, and geographical location). The main research question examined whether innovators and adaptors have different attitudes about decriminalization. The hypotheses were tested with: (a) t tests to compare responses, (b) analysis of variance for comparing multiple groups and investigating moderator effects, and (c) correlation tests to determine whether Kirton's adaption-innovation inventory scores are associated with decriminalization attitudes. A correlational research design and 4 research questions were used to understand the relationships utilizing 123 participants. Results found that innovators are more open to the support of drug use and prostitution decriminalization while adaptors perceived danger and social threat of this step. Out of 6 variables analyzed, 3 (age, gender, and religion) significantly moderated the relationships between adaptor and innovator attitudes to decriminalization of prostitution, drug use, and drug possession. Race, education, and geographical location were found to be insignificant factors. The body of work is important, as there is a lack of empirical data on how thinking styles may affect people's perceptions of the legal status of certain activities. The findings of this study are relevant to the process of developing legal policies through legislative actions, as public opinions are considered for specific policy issues. More importantly, it highlights that people's perceptions regarding ambiguous social issues are complex and formed under the influence of numerous factors.

The purpose of this embedded sequential explanatory case study with a quantitative→qualitative two-strand design of inquiry was to explain how the quality of teacher-student relationships and the gap of cognitive styles between teachers and students impact student achievement. The population for the quantitative strand of research was comprised of 11 career and technical education (CTE) teachers and 210 CTE students, representing six disciplines within CTE. The study occurred in a suburban high school in western North Carolina. Leader-member Exchange (LMX) theory and Adaption-innovation theory guided the research. In the quantitative strand, the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory was used to measure the cognitive style of teachers and students, a researcher developed survey was used to measure dyadic intensity, the Leader-Member Excellence—Shared-Leadership Exchange instrument was used to measure the perceived quality of dyadic relationships between teachers and students, and the North Carolina CTE end of course tests were used to measure student achievement in CTE classes. Additionally, demographic information was collected from teacher and student participants. In the qualitative strand, four teachers and eight students were interviewed. The purpose of the qualitative strand was to investigate how teachers and students describe their dyadic relationships. Data from both the quantitative and qualitative strands were mixed to allow for a stronger interpretation and explanation of the quantitative and qualitative results. Statistically significant relationships were identified among the various dimensions of teacher-student relationships. There was a weak, positive relationship between dyadic intensity and student GPA. A weak, positive relationship was found between dyadic intensity and teacher LMX. There was a weak, positive relationship between dyadic intensity and student LMX. There was a weak, positive relationship between student GPA and teacher LMX. A moderate, positive relationship was found between student GPA and student LMX. A moderate, positive relationship was found between student GPA and student achievement. Additionally, there was a moderate, positive relationship between teacher LMX and student LMX. A path analysis of quantitative data indicated that student GPA had a significant effect on teacher LMX. Teacher LMX and student GPA had a significant effect on student LMX. Lastly, student GPA had a significant effect on student achievement. Qualitative data validated the quantitative findings. Further, five themes surfaced from the qualitative data providing support for additional findings. The researcher recommended future investigation of the impacts of leader-member exchange and cognitive style on student achievement using alternative indicators of student achievement, an exploration of how involvement in a career and technical student organization (CTSO) interacts with teacher-student relationships and student achievement through the lens of leader-member exchange, and an examination of the impacts of leader-member exchange and cognitive style on student achievement outside of the context of CTE. The quality of teacher-student relationships from both the teacher's perspective and the student's perspective are affected by a student's grade point average. Student grade point average has a significant effect on student achievement. Much remains unknown about the antecedents of teacher-student relationships and how the relationships between teachers and students may interact with student achievement. / Ph. D.

Tyrimo tikslas - nustatyti ryšius tarp valstybės tarnautojų subjektyviai suvokiamo atitikimo darbui, pasitenkinimo darbu ir kognityvinių stilių (darbuotojų, darbo aplinkos ir šių stilių atitikimo) bei empiriškai patikrinti teorinį šių ryšių modelį. Tyrime dalyvavo 168 darbuotojai, dirbantys valstybės tarnyboje. Vadovaujantis Kirton adaptyvaus – novatoriško kognityvinio stiliaus teorija, šiame tyrime analizuojamas valstybės tarnautojų kognityvinis stilius ir kognityvinis stilius, kurio reikalauja darbo aplinka valstybės tarnyboje. Asmens - aplinkos atitikimo teorijos pagrindu, analizuojamas šių kognityvinių stilių atitikimas bei subjektyviai suvokiamas atitikimas darbui. Taip pat analizuojami šių dviejų atitikimo tipų ryšiai su pasitenkinimu darbu. Vadovaujantis teorinėmis žiniomis sudarytas modelis, kuris buvo patikrintas empiriškai. Siekiant nustatyti, kaip kognityviniai stiliai (asmens, darbo aplinkos bei jų sąveika) susiję su subjektyviai suvokiamu atitikimu darbui ir pasitenkinimu darbu, sudarytos dvi regresijos lygtys. Abiem atvejais reikšmingos prognozinės vertės turėjo darbuotojams būdingas kognityvinis stilius bei darbuotojo – darbo aplinkos kognityvinių stilių sąveika. Regresinė analizė atskleidė, kad subjektyviai suvokiamo atitikimo darbui prognozei yra svarbesnė šių kognityvinių stilių sąveika, o pasitenkinimo darbu prognozei – darbuotojams būdingas kognityvinis stilius. Šio tyrimo rezultatai rodo, kad valstybės tarnautojai, kuriems būdingas adaptyvus... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of the study was to assess the relationships between civil servants’ subjectively perceived person – job fit, job satisfaction and cognitive styles (employees’, job environment’s and their fit) as well as to test empirically the theoretical model of these relationships. The subjects of the study were 168 public service employees. Based on Kirton’s adaption – innovation cognitive style theory, this study examines civil servants’ cognitive style and their perceptions of cognitive style required by the job environment. Using person – environment fit theory as the theoretical framework, this study examines the fit between these two styles as well as subjectively perceived person – job fit. Also, we explore relations of these two types of fit with job satisfaction. According to theoretical knowledge, a special model was developed and tested empirically. In order to test how cognitive styles (person’s, job environment’s and interaction of them) are related to subjectively perceived person – job fit and job satisfaction, two regression equations were formed. In both cases, the employees’ cognitive style and the interaction of employee – job environment cognitive style were of significant predictable value. Regression analysis showed that interaction of cognitive styles is the most important predictor for subjectively perceived person – job fit, while employees’ cognitive style is the most important predictor for job satisfaction. The results of this study suggest that those... [to full text]