Prior investigation of a new rater training paradigm, rater variability training (RVT), found no clear empirical distinction between RVT and the more established frame-of-reference training (FOR), (Hauenstein, Facteau, & Schmidt, 1999). The purpose of the present study was to expand upon this previous investigation by including a purpose manipulation, alternative operationalizations of Cronbach's accuracy components, finer-grained distinctions in the rating stimuli, and a second control group receiving quantitative accuracy feedback void of a substantive training lecture. Results indicate that finer-grained distinctions in the rating stimuli result in the best differential elevation accuracy for RVT trainees. Furthermore, RVT may be best suited for improving raters' abilities to accurately evaluate average performing ratees when the performance appraisal is used for an administrative purpose. Evidence also suggests that in many cases, the use of Cronbach's accuracy components obscures underlying patterns of rating accuracy. Finally, there is evidence to suggest that accuracy feedback without a training lecture improves some types of rating accuracy. / Master of Science

This study investigated the effects of accountability and purpose of appraisal on rating and behavioral accuracy. Subjects viewed a videotape of a lecture and were asked to rate the lecturer's performance. Accountability to the ratee (the GTA on the videotape) was held constant. Accountability to a supervisor (a faculty representative) was manipulated such that subjects in the no (supervisor) accountability condition anticipated a meeting with the GTA only; subjects in the weak (supervisor) accountability condition anticipated a meeting with the GTA as well as a supervisory review of the ratings; while subjects in the strong (supervisor) accountability condition were led to believe that they would have to meet with both the GTA and the faculty representative to explain their ratings. Additionally, participants were led to believe that the purpose of this appraisal was either to provide feedback for development or to make administrative decisions. Two-way ANOVAs were used to assess the effects of accountability and purpose of appraisal on rating accuracy (elevation accuracy, dimensional accuracy, leniency) and behavioral accuracy. Results indicated that (a) increased accountability to a supervisor led to greater elevation accuracy, (b) raters in the administrative purpose condition provided more lenient ratings than did raters in the developmental purpose condition , (c) behavioral accuracy increased with level of accountability (none, weak, strong) to a supervisor, (d) raters who believed that the purpose of appraisal was for development exhibited greater behavioral accuracy than did raters who believed that the purpose was to make administrative decisions. / Master of Science

S’il est admis que notre attention est préférentiellement orientée vers les stimuli émotionnels, les dimensions du stimulus qui sont responsables d’un tel biais font toujours l’objet d’un débat. Contrairement aux conceptions classiques qui proposent que l’attention émotionnelle (i.e., l’amélioration du traitement de l’information émotionnelle) est guidée de façon bottom-up par la valence ou l’arousal, le Modèle des Processus Composants propose que l’attention émotionnelle est guidée de façon plutôt top-down par la pertinence des stimuli. Dans cette perspective, l’attention émotionnelle serait un mécanisme à part entière qui serait responsable d’une capture attentionnelle valence non-spécifique et automatique par les stimuli pertinents pour les buts et besoins de l’individu. De plus, un tel mécanisme serait guidé par l’appraisal de l’individu plutôt que par les caractéristiques intrinsèques du stimulus. Dans la première partie expérimentale de cette thèse, nous présentons plusieurs études qui ont été conduites afin de tester l’existence de ce mécanisme. Tout d’abord, les résultats de ces études ont révélé des effets de capture et d’interférence attentionnelles par des stimuli pertinents positifs et négatifs, ce qui est cohérent avec l’idée que l’attention émotionnelle est valence non-spécifique. Ensuite, ces études ont mis en évidence une modulation du biais attentionnel provoqué par un unique stimulus en fonction de sa pertinence, ce qui suggère que l’attention émotionnelle est guidée par l’appraisal de l’individu et non par les caractéristiques intrinsèques du stimulus. Enfin, les données soutiennent aussi l’hypothèse selon laquelle l’attention émotionnelle est automatique, puisque les stimuli pertinents ont provoqué une interférence alors même qu’il était explicitement demandé aux participants de ne pas les traiter. La seconde partie expérimentale de cette thèse s’intéressait à l’effet de la pertinence sur le comportement non-émotionnel subséquent à l’apparition d’un stimulus pertinent. Les résultats de l’étude présentée montrent que la pertinence influence le comportement de façon valence spécifique, en interaction avec les tendances à l’action. Ces données soutiennent aussi un modèle d’organisation des émotions selon deux systèmes motivationnels qui se déploient de l’orientation de l’attention vers la préparation à l’action. Enfin, la troisième partie expérimentale s’intéressait au traitement attentionnel de la pertinence chez une patiente ayant une lésion amygdalienne unilatérale. Les données ont montré une amplification du traitement des stimuli positifs pertinents, interprétée en termes d’effet de contre-régulation affective due à une sensibilité exacerbée de la patiente aux stimuli négatifs. Plus généralement, ce travail de thèse souligne l’importance de la notion d’appraisal, en particulier l’appraisal de pertinence, dans le guidage de l’attention émotionnelle, et dans la mise en œuvre du comportement. / If it is admitted that our attention is preferentially oriented toward emotional stimuli, there is no consensus on which stimulus dimension is responsible for such a bias. Contrary to classical conceptions that propose that emotional attention (i.e., the boosting of the processing of emotional information) is guided in a bottom-up way by negative valence or arousal, the Component Process Model posits that emotional attention is rather guided in a top-down way by the relevance of the stimulus. In that perspective, emotional attention would be a mechanism that can be reduced neither to exogenous nor to endogenous attention that would be responsible for an automatic and valence non-specific attention capture by stimuli that have and important place in the hierarchy of the goals and needs of an individual. Moreover, such a mechanism would be driven by the appraisal of the individual rather than by the intrinsic characteristics of the stimulus. In the first experimental part of this thesis, several studies were conducted in order to test the existence of such a mechanism. First, the results of these studies revealed both attentional captures and interferences by positive and negative relevant stimuli, which is consistent with the idea that emotional attention is valence non-specific. Second, these studies also showed a modulation of the attentional bias produced by a unique stimulus, as a function of its relevance, which suggests that emotional attention is driven by the appraisal of the individual rather than by the intrinsic characteristics of the stimulus. Third, the data also support the hypothesis that emotional attention is automatic, i.e., that it escapes voluntary control, because relevant stimuli provoked an attentional interference even if the participants were explicitly told not to process them. The second experimental part of the thesis focused on the effect of relevance on the non-emotional behaviour following the onset of a relevant stimulus. In this framework, the results of the study presented showed that relevance influences behaviour in a valence specific way, in interaction with action tendencies. The data also provide support to the organization of emotions in two motivational systems that evolve from attention orientation to action preparation. Eventually, the third experimental part dealt with the attentional processing of relevance in a patient with unilateral amygdala lesion. The presented study revealed an amplified processing of positive relevant stimuli that was interpreted in terms of an affective counter-regulation effect that could be caused by an exacerbated sensitivity of the patient to negative stimuli. On the whole this thesis points out the critical role played by the appraisal, particularly the appraisal of relevance, in the guidance of emotional attention, and in the implementation of behaviour.

The primary aim of this thesis is to detail and evaluate the appraisal frameworks and techniques employed on river restoration projects in the UK. This research evaluates the extent to which restoration projects have implemented the appraisal frameworks and techniques proposed in the practical restoration literature, and examines barriers to the incorporation of appraisal into river restoration projects. An ideal type appraisal framework is developed in this thesis and is used as a tool against which to evaluate the nature and extent of UK river restoration project appraisal. This research was undertaken through a national and a regional investigation of appraisal procedures. The national investigation is designed to be extensive and aims to draw out the basic dimensions of river restoration projects and appraisal. The regional investigation, in contrast, intensive adopting a case study approach which examines in detail how appraisal has and has not been implemented. The national investigation involved a questionnaire survey, sent to 161 people involved in 440 river restoration projects (80% response rate achieved). The regional investigation of the Thames region of the Environment Agency (EA) focused in detail on three case study sites (River Ravensbourne, River Cole and Upper River Kennet) undertaking twenty-five in-depth interviews with restoration practitioners. This enabled the appraisal and decision-making structures of these three projects to be evaluated. This thesis argues that it is not only the structure of a project's appraisal which influences a project's trajectory but also the nature and composition of the decision-making structure. The influence of scientific and lay knowledge in decision making is also explored. This thesis concludes by drawing together key empirical, theoretical and practical findings from these investigations. The results of this research are discussed and evaluated against how effectively UK river restoration projects incorporate the ideal type appraisal framework proposed in Chapter 2. The results of this research are further evaluated in the light of a workshop on river restoration appraisal (undertaken in November 2002) where appraisal frameworks are discussed and ways of including appraisals in river restoration projects are put forward.

The program of research reported here was concerned with what makes difficult face-to-face communication in work settings difficult. A framework for analysing this problem was developed by bringing together the disparate literatures of communications theory and cognitive appraisal theory. The framework identified the outcome of an instance of face-to-face communication at work as a function of features of the situation, the appraisal that the worker makes in the situation, and the response strategies selected for dealing with the situation. The research program was directed to operationalising these constructs and studying their interrelationship. The first two studies reported in the thesis (Studies 1 and 2) revealed the types of communication encounters that are most difficult to manage at work, and offered insight into why these situations are difficult. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered and the quantitative data analysed using multidimensional scaling techniques. The results provided a taxonomy of difficult communication situations in the workplace. The next two studies (Studies 3 and 4) focused on the development of measures of primary and secondary appraisal, and on a taxonomy of response strategies applicable to work settings. A new measure of primary appraisal was developed from qualitative data pertaining specifically to the domain of difficult communication contexts. Principal components analysis was used in the development of the response strategies instrument. Study 5, the final study, reported the results of the application of cognitive appraisal theory to the context of difficult communication at work. In this study, the theory was applied to four difficult communication situations identified in Study 1, and the relationships among appraisal, response strategy, and outcome were investigated using principal components analysis and, subsequently, hierarchical regression analysis. The results indicated that, as the appraisal of the context varies, so too does the choice of response strategy, lending support to the transactional model. Appraisal contributes significantly to response strategy choice and to the outcome of the situation over and above that offered by response strategies alone. In addition, the findings revealed that appraisal of the situation differ across situations and according to the status of the other person in the encounter. The findings of the series of studies reported here point to the value of viewing difficult communication situations in the workplace in terms of the interrelated constructs of situations, appraisals, strategies rather than, as more commonly, in terms of characteristics of ‘difficult’ persons. Some situations are inherently more difficult than others, appraisals alter the difficulty level of situations, and the availability of response strategies influence outcome. Appraisal is, however, a construct of central importance, in much the same way it is in the research context from which it was appropriated, viz stress research. Appraisal contributes significantly to choice of response strategy and directly to outcome over an above the contribution of response strategy. The research program was not without its shortcomings, among them the reliance on retrospective reports of participants about their behaviour, and these need to be addressed in future research. The findings as they stand do, however, point to more useful ways of conceptualising difficult situations at work and devising methods of intervention that will ensure better outcomes, in a significant area of life in the modern workplace.

To assist hotel manager better human-resources practices implement and enhance organization performance, the purpose of this study is to identify the key factors of performance appraisal for restaurant employee in the hotel industry. Starting from reviewing related references and interviewing industry experts to collect information both in theory & actual practice, an indicators list has developed in consensus as result of the first phase. Main factors and sub-factors have identified through AHP process and the weightings as well. Analysis is based on expert questionnaire, which 100 delivered to managers or supervisors of restaurant in hotel, and 26 are valid. The conclusions of the study are listed as below, 1. Established indicators list by reviewing related references, theories and experts interview which consisting 21 key indicators as most suitable indicators for restaurant employee in hotel industry. 2. Personal characteristic indicator is the main factor of performance appraisal in hotel industry identified by the study, followed are result oriented factor and behavioral factor. 3. Established assessment weighting system for the main and sub-indicators by using AHP. 4. Developed a new performance appraisal form for hotel management as a reference, which each indicator consist different weighting of assessment.

Ce travail de thèse s'inscrit dans le cadre des théories de l'appraisal (i.e., évaluation cognitive) et notamment du Modèle des Processus Composants qui postule que la pertinence d’un évènement (i.e., l'importance de cet évènement à un instant donné dans la hiérarchie des buts et des besoins de l’organisme) serait capable de moduler le traitement attentionnel de stimuli émotionnels (i.e., l'attention émotionnelle), et ce, de façon automatique. Ce modèle a l'avantage de replacer l'individu au centre des émotions. Lui seul peut déterminer si un évènement est susceptible d'attirer son attention et, à court terme de déclencher une émotion spécifique. Ce projet de recherche a pour but de tester l'hypothèse d'une attention émotionnelle qui serait guidée par l'appraisal de pertinence de l'individu et ce, quelles que soient les caractéristiques intrinsèques du stimulus. Le mécanisme d'appraisal de pertinence serait très précoce et pourrait se produire à des niveaux de traitements automatiques et non conscients permettant ainsi à l'organisme de s'ajuster rapidement à son environnement. Nous avons conduit quatre études expérimentales afin d'étudier l'influence du traitement non conscient de l'appraisal de pertinence sur l'attention émotionnelle. Pour ce faire, nous avons utilisé un paradigme innovant, la Continuous Flash Suppression, qui permet une présentation non consciente et de longue durée d'une information visuelle. Les résultats de nos études suggèrent qu'il est possible de manipuler la pertinence de stimuli initialement neutres et non pertinents afin de moduler leur capacité à provoquer des biais attentionnels en générant non consciemment un but temporaire chez nos participants. En effet, les résultats ont révélé des effets de capture attentionnelle par des stimuli devenus pertinents suite à une induction émotionnelle (i.e., dégoût) non consciente. De plus, nos données montrent que nous serions capables de détecter la présence d'un stimulus pertinent que nous ne percevons pas consciemment. En effet, après une induction émotionnelle consciente, des effets d'interférence attentionnelle ont été mis en évidence par des stimuli devenus pertinents, même si ceux-ci n'étaient pas perçus consciemment. Enfin, nos résultats suggèrent que l'appraisal de pertinence est efficient, que les stimuli pertinents utilisés soient des stimuli symboliques ou non (i.e., mots ou images). Plus largement, ce travail de thèse défend l'idée que l'appraisal de pertinence est un bon déterminant de l'attention émotionnelle et que ce mécanisme peut se déployer de façon automatique, en dehors de tout contrôle volontaire et même en condition de perception non consciente. / This thesis focuses on appraisal theories (i.e., cognitive evaluation) and more particularly on the Component Process Model. This model postulates that the relevance of an event (i.e., the importance of the event at a given time in the hierarchy of the goals and needs of the organism) is able to modulate the attentional processing of emotional stimuli (i.e., emotional attention) in an automatic way. This model has the advantage to place the individual at the center of his own emotions. The individual can determine if an event is likely to attract his attention and to trigger a specific emotion. The present research project aimed to test the hypothesis of an emotional attention that would be guided by the individual's appraisal of relevance, regardless of the intrinsic characteristics of the stimulus. The appraisal of relevance seems to occur very early in the appraisal sequence and could be deployed at different levels of processing, that is, in an automatic and non-conscious way, in order to allow the organism to adapt quickly to its environment. In order to test this hypothesis, we conducted four experiments in which we investigated the influence of non-conscious appraisal of relevance on emotional attention. To do so, we used an innovative paradigm, the Continuous Flash Suppression paradigm, allowing the non-conscious and long-term presentation of visual information. The results of our studies suggest that it is possible to manipulate the relevance of initially neutral and non-relevant stimuli, in order to generate non-consciously a temporary goal for our participants, which modulates the ability of stimuli to provoke attentional biases. Indeed, the results revealed attentional capture effects, as stimuli became relevant following a non-conscious emotional induction (i.e., disgust). In addition, our data support the idea that we are able to detect the presence of a relevant stimulus that we do not perceive consciously. Indeed, after a conscious emotional induction, attentional interference effects have been observed, generated by stimuli that became relevant, even if they were not perceived consciously. Finally, our results suggest that the appraisal of relevance is efficient both for symbolic relevant stimuli and non-symbolic relevant ones (i.e., words or pictures). In this thesis, we argue that the appraisal of relevance is a good determinant of emotional attention and that this mechanism can be deployed automatically, without any voluntary control and even in non-conscious perception conditions.

No description available.

Yes / This study examines the relationships between performance appraisal (PA) purposes and immediate and ultimate outcomes. Drawing upon expectancy theory and Greenberg's taxonomy, we explore the roles of multiple mediators as sets of person- and organization-referenced ratee reactions and reveal the multiple why-related aspects of the relationships between PA purposes and PA effectiveness. Our research is based on a questionnaire survey of 563 employees from the telecommunications sector of Pakistan. The results of structural equation modeling analysis suggest that individual-focused PA better serves the employee perspective, whereas position- and organization-focused PA better serves the organizational perspective. These findings indicate that inclusion of role definition and strategic purposes in the PA system is likely to render PA more effective and practical. The findings also corroborate that ratee reactions mediate the relationship between PA purposes and PA effectiveness, albeit to varying degrees. Our findings have theoretical and practical implications.

Participatory appraisal (PA) is a methodology for problem description and analysis that has been widely used in less developed countries (LDCs) since the 1980s. The use of PA by veterinarians in LDCs has been restricted to mainly small-scale community-based animal health projects. Adoption of PA by veterinarians, particularly those working for government, was limited because of concerns about the reliability and validity of the methods. Three studies were conducted with pastoralist and agropastoralist communities in East Africa to vaiidate PA, by comparison of data derived from PA with conventional veterinary investigation and epidemiological information. In southern Sudan, research was conducted on a chronic wasting syndrome in adult cattle in Dinka and Nuer communities; in Kenya, research was conducted on bovine trypanosomiasis in Orma communities; and in Tanzania research was conducted on possible association between a chronic heat intolerance syndrome (HI) and foot and mouth disease (FMD). Participatory appraisal methods, called matrix scoring, seasonal calendars and proportional piling, were standardised and repeated to generate quantitative data. The level of agreement between informant groups was assessed using the Kendal coefficient of concordance (Jf). Matrix scoring was adapted for use by veterinarians to enable comparison of veterinarian's perceptions of disease signs and causes, with those of pastoralist informants. The data were compared using direct visual assessment, hierarchical cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling. Matrix scoring, seasonal calendars and proportional piling were judged to have good validity and reliability. In Tanzania, adaptation of proportional piling enabled calculation of the relative risk of HI cases being observed in cattle herds with previous history of FMD, and demonstrated significant association between HI and FMD. This finding was confirmed by detection of antibody to non-structural proteins to FMP in herds with and without HI. It was concluded that PA methods were reliable and valid methods for veterinary epidemiology when used by trained PA practitioners in agropastoral and pastoral settings. The methods were valuable for data collection and analysis, and for enabling greater involvement of livestock keepers in veterinary service development and research. Participatory appraisal could be further adapted to improve the design of primary veterinary services and disease surveillance systems. In veterinary research, PA was considered to be particularly useful during the exploratory phase of research and for generating research hypotheses. It was also concluded that institutional changes were required for the widespread adoption of PA by veterinarians in Africa.