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Any discussion of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) cannot proceed very far without first examining the issue of programmed instruction (PI). CAI is a relatively recent development in the area of education and training, whereas PI enjoys a somewhat longer history. Nonetheless, PI lies at the very heart of CAI and forms the base on which CAI exists. CAI then, may be viewed as a mode or type of PI. B. F. Skinner's work in the 1940's with the principles of operant conditioning laid the groundwork for the concept of PI (Garner, 1966). Operant conditioning is a type of conditioning whereby an emitted response is reinforced. The reinforcement should increase the strength of the response and presumably increase the chances that the response will occur again (Munn, Fernald, & Fernald, 1972). Operant conditioning, in which an individual is conditioned to behave in the direction of a predetermined goal, is achieved through the contingent reinforcement of a series of steps. These steps of action are linked together in a chain of successive approximations. Each link of the chain approximates the end goal slightly more than the previous link. This chain of successive approximations is followed until the end behavior is achieved (Garner, 1966). In this respect, PI makes use of the sequencing of small successive steps and contingent reinforcement to achieve some desired end goal, namely, achieving the lesson objective. This "Skinnerian" or linear form of PI requires the student to proceed through a forward moving chain in a step-by-step fashion until the end behavior is achieved. The step-by-step sequence, as it pertains to PI, refers to the individual segments or frames of a PI lesson. Each frame might be considered one step of the entire PI lesson. These frames, which should flow logically from one to the next, should build upon each other and approximate the lesson objective. Periodically, progress should be monitored in order to assure that the student is comprehending the lesson material (Wilson & Tosti, 1972). Typically, this is accomplished by incorporating multiple choice or true/false questions within the PI lesson itself. By so doing, student performances can be checked and appropriate actions taken within the concept of reinforcement. Deterline (1962) argues that all learned behavior is based on, reinforcement. Individuals learn by acting on their environment and, in turn, are influenced by the consequences of their actions (Deterline, 1962). Then consequences strengthen behavior, reinforcement is said to have taken place.

This thesis examines the constructs of organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and work stress, and the extent to which they are affected by perceptions of organizational justice and leadership styles. Much of the literature related to these topics focuses on exploring the relationship between either justice and commitment or leadership and commitment, with very little research investigating the way that justice and leadership combine to affect outcome variables such as commitment, satisfaction, and stress. This study reviewed the literature that details these topics in order to facilitate the understanding necessary to then focus on the relationship between commitment, organizational justice, and leadership style, as well as job satisfaction and work stress. It is important to understand how these three concepts affect one another, as increasing employee commitment is a goal of many, if not all organizations, and understanding how to better influence and facilitate it could be very valuable information.

Health and wellness programs are being utilized by organizations at growing rates. Research on health and wellness programs is typically confined to the program of a single organization and the employees participating in that specific program. Typically, this research examines the outcomes of health and wellness programs in organizations, such as return on investment in terms of medical costs, as well as improvements in the health of the employees. However, little information is known about those who choose to participate in health and wellness programs and the characteristics that may influence their participation. This study examined the relationship between demographic characteristics and likelihood of participation in health and wellness programs, as well as the relationship between program characteristics and likelihood of participation. Differences in likelihood of participation were found between different program types. Women were found to be more likely to participate than men, in most cases. Likelihood of participation increased as the incentive amount increased and decreased if the program incentive had a loss frame. Likelihood of participation was also higher for participation-based incentives compared to outcome-based incentives.

This review is an extension of a study by Shoenfelt and Pedigo (2005). The purpose of this review is to help form an understanding of how the courts handle cases where an organization has used a cognitive ability test to select employees and consequently faced charges. Cognitive ability testing is the best known predictor of job performance for a wide range of jobs. However, cognitive ability testing also is known to lead organizations to select fewer members of protected groups, such as African Americans, Hispanics, and women. The cases that were reviewed were identified in the LexisNexis database. In order to review the cases, pertinent information was coded by four Industrial-Organizational Psychology graduate students then used the information as categorical data to make comparisons based on the outcome of each case and the conditions that may have led to the outcome. Findings were similar to the Shoenfelt and Pedigo (2005), which is likely due to the low number of new cases that were added to the review. Cases in which the defendant had used a validated test often ruled in favor of the defendant. However, in the six new cases that were discovered, issues such as arbitrary cutoff scores and the presentation of equally valid alternatives played a role in rulings in favor of the plaintiff even in cases with a validated test. The case claims were all race based and all involved tests that were professionally developed.

Engagement is an increasingly important construct in organizational and educational settings. Research indicates that engagement is positively related to satisfaction, commitment, and performance in the workplace. This study investigated the relationship of Total Engagement to complete a thesis with Self-Determination Theory individual motivational constructs, the personality constructs of Psychological Capital and Core Self-Evaluations, and the experiential construct of Flow Propensity. The results indicated significant relationships between all constructs and engagement. Further, Psychological Capital and Flow Propensity explained 55% of the variance in Total Engagement to complete a thesis.

Organizations that employ physically demanding jobs want to ensure their selection procedures distinguish qualified applicants from unqualified applicants. However, such selection tools typically result in adverse impact against various protected groups and often lead to litigation. Various factors influence the court’s decision to rule in favor of the plaintiff or the defendant. The purpose of the present study is to identify those factors. The ADA (1990) created strict guidelines for plaintiffs and defendants to follow to be credible in a discrimination case. This study will specifically determine the impact of the ADA guidelines and three additional factors that influence court decisions including job analysis and test validation procedures, and whether the job involves public safety. Organizations can benefit from knowing factors they can control to decrease legal liability. Cases filed from 1992 to the present were reviewed and coded based on each factor. Z-tests for proportions were conducted to determine the proportions of rulings in favor of the plaintiff and defendant based on each factor of interest. Public safety influences the court decisions in favor of the defendant, such that for jobs in which public safety is of concern, the court is more likely to rule in favor of the defendant. Additional factors were not significantly influential. However, some trends are apparent and discussed in the paper. Implications and limitations also are discussed.

It has been argued (Greer, 2013) that supervisors are a critical component in organizational effectiveness. Supervisors are required to hold many roles within the organization (Evans, 1965). Specifically, employees often see supervisors as representatives of the organization, while the organization depends on supervisors to maintain production (Greer, 2013). Many supervisors also fill a variety of other organizational roles such as mentor, trainer, motivator, disciplinarian, evaluator, and leader (Evans, 1965). For these reasons, effective supervisors are crucial to organizational success. The present study developed a behaviorally based training program for supervisors for a poultry processing organization. The training program content included displaying supervisor citizenship behavior and providing effective feedback. Examples of actual situations in the form of critical incidents were collected from incumbents serving as subject matter experts (SMEs). The critical incidents were then edited, retranslated, calibrated, and used to provide specific behavioral examples in the training program.