Martin M. Chemers

Dispositional Affect and Leadership Effectiveness: A Comparison of Self-Esteem, Optimism, and Efficacy

A two-part study examined the effects of leadership efficacy and optimism on the evaluation and performance of military cadet leaders. Cadets at several universities responded to measures of leadership confidence and optimism. In Part 1, the cadets (n = 96) were rated for leadership potential by their military science professors. Both leadership efficacy and optimism were associated with rated leadership potential. Part 2 followed most of the same cadets (n = 64) to U.S. Army summer leadership training. Leadership efficacy, but not optimism, was strongly related to performance evaluations by objective observers in a leadership simulation and to leadership ratings by peers and superiors. A measure of general self-esteem was not an independent predictor of leadership performance ratings, and neither leadership efficacy nor optimism predicted nonleadership performance measures. These findings suggest that self-rated leadership efficacy has concurrent, predictive, and discriminant validity as a contributor to leadership evaluations.

Collective Efficacy: A Multilevel Analysis

A full understanding of how efficacy beliefs influence collective action requires considering the social nature of groups. The authors focus on collective efficacy, a shared belief that individuals hold about the group. Collective efficacy can be influenced by both individual- and group-level variables. A multilevel framework is employed to analyze the antecedents and consequences of collective efficacy in college basketball teams. Individual-level influences on collective efficacy included self-efficacy, optimism, perceptions of leader effectiveness, and perceptions of recent team performance. Group-level influences included group size, past team performance, and confident leadership. The authors also found support for collective efficacy as a shared belief. This support came from showing within-team agreement and the interdependence of team members’ collective efficacy beliefs. Collective efficacy beliefs were persistent and affected group performance. Finally, the role of leadership in the creation, maintenance, and enhancement of collective efficacy was analyzed.

Diversity in organizations : new perspectives for a changing workplace

An Introduction to Diversity in Organizations - Martin M Chemers, Mark A Constanzo and Stuart Oskamp PART ONE: INDIVIDUAL REACTIONS TO DIVERSITY A Theoretical Framework for the Study of Diversity - Harry C Triandis Cultural Identity and Diversity in Organizations - Bernardo M Ferdman Bridging the Gap between Group Differences and Individual Uniqueness An Analysis of Work Specialization and Organization Level as Dimensions of Workforce Diversity - Taylor H Cox Jr and Jocelyn A Finley PART TWO: DIVERSITY EFFECTS ON GROUPS AND TEAMS Diversity, Power and Mentorship in Organizations - Belle Rose Ragins A Cultural, Structural and Behavioral Perspective Diversity in Decision-Making Teams - Valerie I Sessa and Susan E Jackson All Differences Are Not Created Equal Leadership and Diversity in Groups and Organizations - Martin M Chemers and Susan E Murphy PART THREE: ORGANIZATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON DIVERSITY Diversity in Organizations - Anne S Tsui, Terri D Egan and Katherine R Xin Lessons from Demography Research Organizational Implications of Diversity in Higher Education - Daryl G Smith A Diversity Framework - R Roosevelt Thomas Jr

Type A Behavior, Perceived Stress, and Illness A Person-Situation Analysis

Fifty-one university administrators (categorized as Type A or Type B by the Jenkins Activity Survey) completed a series of questionnaires that assessed their degree of perceived job stress, extent of recent life changes, physical health, and psychological well-being. Multivariate analyses of variance showed that work stress and life change interacted with the Type A behavior pattern in predicting symptomatology. Type A administrators under high stress reported more psychological impairment and cardiovascular-related health problems than high stress Type Bs or low stress As and Bs. The results attest to the importance of situational factors when studying Type As and lend support to a diathesis-stress model of Type A and heart disease.

Effects of group social structure on the success of basketball teams.

Abstract Twenty-one university, intramural, basketball teams completed a pretournament questionnaire designed to measure the group structural variables, status consensus and cohesion. Won-lost percents were correlated with multiple measures of each variable. The won-lost percents of teams ranked highest and lowest on each of the structural variables were also statistically compared. The results showed that team performance was not significantly related to either status consensus or cohesion. Several methodological problems that face the small group researcher interested in the relationship between group social structure and group success were discussed.

Expectancy theory analysis of migration

An Expectancy Theory analysis was used to explain patterns of migration in Iran. Fifty-four Iranian males and females were interviewed about their perception of the probability of attaining certain life outcomes in an urban or rural environment and the importance of each outcome. The subjects were divided into three samples: migrants to the capital city villagers and migrants who had returned to the village. Expectancy patterns successfully postdicted their location choices. Results indicated that differences in traditional vs. modern value choices accounted for most of the variance in expectancies. The role of Expectancy Theory in the prediction of migration in cross-cultural research is discussed. (excerpt)

Leadership Orientation as a Moderator of the Relationship between Job Performance and Job Satisfaction of Mexican Managers

A survey of 82 Mexican managers in nine Mexican organizations was conducted. Managers completed measures of leadership style (LPC) and reported job satisfaction on the Job Description Index. Managerial performance on the individual and group level was rated by each managers supervisor. Consistent with predictions based on the contingency model of leadership, task-motivated leaders evidenced much stronger relationships between job performance and job satisfaction than did relationship-motivated leaders.

Task Performance and Satisfaction Least Preferred Coworker (LPC) as a Moderator

The hypothesized role of Least Preferred Coworker (LPC) as a moderator was tested in a laboratory study of 49 university students (24 low LPC and 25 high LPC). Each student was the leader of a three-person mixed-sex group. The number of cryptograms correctly solved by the group was the criterion of task performance. A posttask questionnaire provided five measures of satisfaction with the task and the task context. Both subgroup correlational analyses and moderated regression analyses supported the prediction that the relationship between task performance and satisfaction is stronger for low LPC (task-oriented) subjects than for high LPC (relationship-oriented) subjects.