François Servaas De Kock

The World at 7:00: Comparing the Experience of Situations Across 20 Countries

The purpose of this research is to quantitatively compare everyday situational experience around the world. Local collaborators recruited 5,447 members of college communities in 20 countries, who provided data via a Web site in 14 languages. Using the 89 items of the Riverside Situational Q-sort (RSQ), participants described the situation they experienced the previous evening at 7:00 p.m. Correlations among the average situational profiles of each country ranged from r = .73 to r = .95; the typical situation was described as largely pleasant. Most similar were the United States/Canada; least similar were South Korea/Denmark. Japan had the most homogenous situational experience; South Korea, the least. The 15 RSQ items varying the most across countries described relatively negative aspects of situational experience; the 15 least varying items were more positive. Further analyses correlated RSQ items with national scores on six value dimensions, the Big Five traits, economic output, and population. Individualism, Neuroticism, Openness, and Gross Domestic Product yielded more significant correlations than expected by chance. Psychological research traditionally has paid more attention to the assessment of persons than of situations, a discrepancy that extends to cross-cultural psychology. The present study demonstrates how cultures vary in situational experience in psychologically meaningful ways.

A confirmatory factor analysis of the General Health Questionnaire–28 in a Black South African sample:

This study examined the latent factor structure of the General Health Questionnaire–28 (GHQ-28) in a Black South African sample (N = 523). Results of the single-group confirmatory factor analysis support the universal four-factor structure of general psychological health observed in Western samples. However, multigroup confirmatory factor analyses (i.e. split-sample cross-validation approach, conducted with invariance analyses) for a three-factor structure suggest that psychological health could have a less differentiated dimensional structure in some African populations. Theoretical and practical implications of the study results are discussed.

Firm-level diversity management competencies: development and initial validation of a measure

Abstract The present study addresses the need for a conceptual model and empirical measure of diversity management at the firm level. Whereas earlier diversity management studies focused mainly on manager-employee interactions, we develop a firm-level framework and measuring instrument to diagnose firms’ diversity management competencies. We interviewed managers and content analysed interview transcripts to identify 11 broad firm-level diversity management competencies. To assess the reliability, construct- and criterion-related validity of our measure, we surveyed 157 respondents from 61 different companies. Results of this exploratory study showed that overall firm-level diversity management competencies predicted firm-level perceptions of both proximal and distal diversity management outcomes. In sum, the study develops a useful framework and measurement instrument to support diversity management efforts.

Graduate Applicant Intentions and Behavioral Beliefs: The Role of Protected Group Status

Laws promoting equal employment opportunity (EEO) in favor of applicants from “protected groups” are commonplace in many countries. The present study compared graduate applicants from protected vs. unprotected groups. Drawing on the theory of planned behavior and on social cognitive theory we explored how intentions to apply for jobs are shaped by behavioral beliefs (internal factors) and protection status (external factor). Results from structural invariance analysis showed that, overall, beliefs influenced applicant intentions similarly in both groups. However, relative weights analysis revealed notable differences in the relative influence of attitude and norm beliefs. The findings suggest that recruitment practitioners and scholars may better understand how applicant intentions are formed if the role of protection status is considered in conjunction with applicant beliefs.

Comparisons of daily behavior across 21 countries

While a large body of research has investigated cultural differences in behavior, this typical study assesses a single behavioral outcome, in a single context, compared across two countries. The current study compared a broad array of behaviors across 21 countries (N = 5,522). Participants described their behavior at 7:00 p.m. the previous evening using the 68 items of the Riverside Behavioral Q-sort (RBQ). Correlations between average patterns of behavior in each country ranged from r = .69 to r = .97 and, in general, described a positive and relaxed activity. The most similar patterns were United States/Canada and least similar were Japan/United Arab Emirates (UAE). Similarities in behavior within countries were largest in Spain and smallest in the UAE. Further analyses correlated average RBQ item placements in each country with, among others, country-level value dimensions, personality traits, self-esteem levels, economic output, and population. Extroversion, openness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, self-esteem, happiness, and tolerant attitudes yielded more significant correlations than expected by chance.