Joeri Hofmans

Self-Determination Theory as a Framework for Exploring the Impact of the Organizational Context on Volunteer Motivation: A Study of Romanian Volunteers

In the present study, we use the self-determination theory (SDT) as a framework to explore the mediating role of needs satisfaction (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness) on the relationship between the volunteers’ motivation and two aspects of the organizational context (i.e., social network and autonomous vs. controlled work climate). Data from 349 Romanian volunteers provided general support for SDT and emphasized the effect of an autonomy-supportive climate initiated by the coordinator in volunteers’ autonomous motivation. The results showed that needs satisfaction acts as a partial mediator of the relationship between work climate and volunteers autonomous motivation. The social network size was positively related to needs satisfaction but has no direct impact on autonomous motivation. Practical implications and future research are discussed.

Talent management and organisational justice: employee reactions to high potential identification

We examined how perceived distributive and procedural justice affected the relationship between an employees identification as a high potential (drawn from archival data), job satisfaction and work effort. A questionnaire was distributed within one large company among employees who were and employees who were not identified as a high potential (n = 203). The results indicated that perceptions of distributive justice were significantly higher for employees identified as a high potential. Moreover, perceived distributive justice fully mediated the relationship between an employees identification and his or her level of job satisfaction. The results also revealed that perceptions of procedural justice moderated the relationship between perceived distributive justice and work effort. Theoretical and practical consequences of these findings are discussed.

Personality Disorder Dysfunction Versus Traits: Structural and Conceptual Issues

As it stands now, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, in press) will maintain the categorical model and criteria distinguishing the 10 personality disorders (PDs) described in the fourth edition of the manual (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 1994). An alternative diagnostic proposal based on two criteria, being impaired personality functioning and the presence of maladaptive traits, will be referred to a special section for further research and clinical evaluation. Two issues pertaining to this alternative diagnostic approach need further clarification. First, more insight is required in the specific nature of personality dysfunction, its underlying structure, and optimal operationalization. Second, confusion still exists about how personality dysfunction and traits are interconnected and how they both contribute to the PD diagnosis. The current study addresses both issues empirically in a sample of 159 psychiatric patients by (a) investigating the structure of personality functioning as assessed by the Severity Indices of Personality Problems (SIPP-118), and (b) determining the incremental validity of the resulting dysfunction factors vis-à-vis trait domains (measured by the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised [NEO-PI-R]) in explaining DSM-IV PD variance. Trait and dysfunction dimensions were strongly correlated but showed significant, though limited, incremental validity above each other. Implications for the conceptualization of personality pathology are discussed.

Impact of the Number of Response Categories on Linearity and Sensitivity of Self-Anchoring Scales

Abstract. In this research, the relationship between the number of response categories and the linearity and sensitivity of self-anchoring scales is tested. According to the functional measurement paradigm, people integrate their impressions of stimuli using simple algebraic models. Then the integrated stimulus is transformed into an overt response on a rating scale. The combination of a particular algebraic integration rule along with a linear rating scale predicts specific patterns in a factorial plot. In two functional measurement experiments we manipulated the number of categories of different self-anchoring scales and attempted to replicate a specific pattern based on the integration rules found in previous research. For both experiments, the predicted pattern was observed for all scales. This indicates that the number of response categories does not impact on the linearity of the scale. Moreover, there is no relationship between the number of response categories and the sensitivity of the scale as m...

HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF MALADAPTIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS IN OLDER ADULTS: JOINT FACTOR ANALYSIS OF THE PID-5 AND THE DAPP-BQ

In DSM-5, the categorical model and criteria for the 10 personality disorders included in DSM-IV will be reprinted in Section II. Moreover, an alternative dimensional classification model will appear in Section III. This alternative DSM-5 proposal for the diagnosis of a personality disorder is based on two fundamental criteria: impairments in personality functioning (Criterion A) and the presence of pathological personality traits (Criterion B). In the maladaptive trait model that has been developed to operationalize Criterion B, 25 pathological traits are organized according to five higher order dimensions. The current study focuses on the convergence of the proposed DSM-5 trait model (as measured by the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 [PID-5]) with the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology (DAPP) model (as measured by the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Basic Questionnaire [DAPP-BQ]) in a sample of older people. A joint hierarchical factor analysis showed clear convergence between four PID-5 dimensions (Negative Affect, Detachment, Antagonism, Disinhibition) and conceptually similar DAPP-BQ components. Moreover, the PID-5 and the DAPP-BQ showed meaningful associations on different levels of their joint hierarchical factor structure. Methodological and theoretical implications of these initial results for the conceptualization of personality pathology are discussed.

On the linearity of predefined and self-anchoring Visual Analogue Scales

Two functional measurement studies were conducted to test the effect of two types of end anchors on the linearity of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) data. With the first type of end anchors, participants responded to the stimuli using a VAS with predefined end anchors. With the second type, respondents defined the end anchors in terms of their own assumptions, perceptions, goals and values. The results show that VASs can be considered as linear scales and that the type of end anchors used has no effect on the linearity of the VAS data.

Pay-Level Satisfaction and Psychological Reward Satisfaction as Mediators of the Organizational Justice-Turnover Intention Relationship

In this study, we examine whether satisfaction with two reward types (i.e., pay level and psychological rewards from the supervisor) mediates the relationships between organizational justice dimensions and turnover intention. Data collected from 322 teachers revealed that pay-level satisfaction does not mediate any of the relationships between organizational justice dimensions and turnover intention, whereas satisfaction with psychological reward from the supervisor does. Furthermore, only the direct relationship between the second-order factor procedural-interactional justice and turnover intention turned out to be significant. Study limitations and future research directions are discussed.

Factorial validity and measurement invariance across intelligence levels and gender of the overexcitabilities questionnaire-II (OEQ-II).

The concept of overexcitability, derived from Dabrowskis theory of personality development, offers a promising approach for the study of the developmental dynamics of giftedness. The present study aimed at (a) examining the factorial structure of the Overexcitabilities Questionnaire-II scores (OEQ-II) and (b) testing measurement invariance of these scores across intelligence and gender. A sample of 641 Dutch-speaking adolescents from 11 to 15 years old, 363 girls and 278 boys, participated in this study. Results showed that a model without cross-loadings did not fit the data well (using confirmatory factor analysis), whereas a factor model in which all cross-loadings were included yielded fit statistics that were in support of the factorial structure of the OEQ-II scores (using exploratory structural equation modeling). Furthermore, our findings supported the assumption of (partial) strict measurement invariance of the OEQ-II scores across intelligence levels and across gender. Such levels of measurement invariance allow valid comparisons between factor means and factor relationships across groups. In particular, the gifted group scored significantly higher on intellectual and sensual overexcitability (OE) than the nongifted group, girls scored higher on emotional and sensual OE than boys, and boys scored higher on intellectual and psychomotor OE than girls.

TwoMP: A MATLAB graphical user interface for two-mode partitioning

Two-way two-mode data occur in almost every domain of scientific psychology. The information present in such data, however, may be hard to grasp because of the dimensions of one or both modes. Two-mode partitioning addresses this problem by breaking down both modes into a number of mutually exclusive and exhaustive subsets. Although such a technique may be very useful, up to now, software—and consequently, two-mode partitioning—has been available only to a handful of specialists in the field. In this article, we present a free, easy-to-use MATLAB graphical user interface (TwoMP) for two-mode partitioning models, specifically developed for nonspecialist users. A short formal introduction is given on the statistics of the method, and the basic use of TwoMP is demonstrated with an example.

How reward satisfaction affects employees’ turnover intentions and performance: an individual differences approach

We challenge the assumption that satisfaction with rewards has the same effect on the behaviour and attitudes of every employee, and hypothesise that there are individual differences in the effects of (satisfaction with) financial, material and psychological rewards on turnover intentions and task performance. Survey data from 179 employees are combined with supervisor-rated task performance data and analysed with cluster-wise regression analysis. As for task performance, no employee types or individual differences were found. However, we identified three different employee types revealing a unique relationship pattern between satisfaction with financial, material and psychological rewards and turnover intentions. These employee types also differed in socio-demographic characteristics and work values. Our findings illustrate that to be able to fully understand the underlying relationship between rewards and employee outcomes, scholars need to adopt an individual difference perspective and methodology. Implications for practice, limitations and opportunities for future studies are discussed.