Kathryn A. Morris

When Comparisons Arise

People acquire information about their abilities by comparison, and research suggests that people restrict such comparisons to those whom they consider sources of diagnostic information. We suggest that diagnosticity is often considered only after comparisons are made and that people do not fail to make nondiagnostic comparisons so much as they mentally undo them. In 2 studies, participants made nondiagnostic comparisons even when they knew they should not, and quickly unmade them when they were able. These results suggest that social comparisons may be relatively spontaneous, effortless, and unintentional reactions to the performances of others and that they may occur even when people consider such reactions logically inappropriate.

The Confronting Prejudiced Responses (CPR) Model: Applying CPR in Organizations

Despite increased diversity efforts, stigmatized targets report frequent experiences with discrimination, particularly in its subtle, everyday forms. We argue that confrontation provides targets an...

Keeping It "All in the Family:" Does Nepotism in the Hiring Process Really Benefit the Beneficiary?

The purpose of this research was to examine the consequences of being perceived as having benefited from a family connection during the hiring process. One hundred and ninety-seven upper-level undergraduate students reviewed materials describing three candidates for a managerial position. Selection method (merit vs. nepotism) and gender of the person who received the position were manipulated in the materials. Results revealed that not only was nepotism perceived as being less fair than merit-based hiring, but individuals believed to have benefited from a family connection during the hiring process were viewed less favorably than individuals believed to have been hired based on merit.

HOMER as an Acronym for the Scientific Method

Mnemonic strategies, such as acronyms, effectively increase student retention of course material. We present an acronym based on a popular television character to help students remember the basic steps in the scientific method. Our empirical evaluation of the acronym revealed that students found it to be enjoyable, useful, and worthy of use in future courses.

Teaching Students about Classic Findings on the Detection of Deception

I describe a classroom exercise that demonstrates peoples inability to detect deception better than chance. In the exercise, students worked in pairs and took turns asking each other a series of questions. Students lied to their partners some of the time, and they in turn attempted to determine when their partners lied to them. Students also reported their degree of confidence in their lie detection abilities. The results consistently replicated classic findings in this area of research. In addition, students who participated in this exercise retained the knowledge gained from their participation for 6 to 30 months. I discuss the courses in which this exercise might be useful.