Jinyan Fan

Testing the Efficacy of a New Procedure for Reducing Faking on Personality Tests Within Selection Contexts

The authors propose a new procedure for reducing faking on personality tests within selection contexts. This computer-based procedure attempts to identify and warn potential fakers early on during the testing process and then give them a chance for recourse. Two field studies were conducted to test the efficacy of the proposed procedure. Study 1 participants were 157 applicants competing for 10 staff positions at a large university located in a southern city in the Peoples Republic of China. In Study 1, potential fakers received a warning message, whereas nonfakers received a nonwarning (control) message. Study 2 participants were 386 Chinese college students applying for membership of a popular student organization at the same university where Study 1 was conducted. In Study 2, the warning and control messages were randomly assigned to all applicants. Results showed some promise for the proposed procedure, but several practical issues need to be considered.

Newcomers’ Trait Positive Affectivity and Social Assimilation in Organizations: Testing the Mediating Role of Proactive Relationship Building Behaviors

Becoming assimilated into the social environment at an organization is critical and challenging to newcomers. The present study examined whether newcomers’ trait positive affectivity (PA) could predict social assimilation through proactive relationship building behaviors including general socializing, relationship building with boss, and networking. Participants in this three-wave survey study were 323 new employees in three organizations in China. Results based on structural equation modeling showed that newcomers’ trait PA at T1 (within 2 weeks postentry) was positively related to all three dimensions of relationship building behaviors at T2 (8 weeks postentry); however, only general socialization was found to mediate the relationships between PA and two social assimilation outcomes at T3 (14 weeks postentry), that is, social integration and affective organizational commitment. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.