Randall B. Dunham

Single-Item Versus Multiple-Item Measurement Scales: An Empirical Comparison

Common methods variance often is a problem with psychological measures that require respondent self-reports of attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, and the like. The present study examined this problem by comparing multiple-item, Likert-type measures of psychological constructs to single-item, non-Likert-type measures of the same constructs. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the alternative forms were compared on criteria of methods variance and construct validity. Neither method appeared to be empirically better than the other. Unusual situations in which well-developed single-item measures might be appropriate are discussed.

The impact of personal control on performance and satisfaction

Abstract Two separate longitudinal field studies were conducted to assess the relationship between personal control and job satisfaction and performance. In the first study, a sample of nursing service personnel from a variety of functional and hierarchical levels who were working in a hospital were utilized; in the second study, clerical workers in two regional offices of an insurance company were employed. After statistically controlling for locus of control, it was found that personal control significantly predicted job satisfaction and performance. Time lag analyses suggest that control may also be an outcome of these variables. The implications of these results for theories of motivation are discussed.

Organizational Commitment: Pre-Employment Propensity and Initial Work Experiences

This study tracked the development of organizational commitment from a pre-employment period through the first three months of employment. All major linkages in the Mowday, Porter and Steers (1982) model of the determinants of organizational commitment were tested and supported. Commitment had a strong association with behavioral intentions to turnover, which in turn were significantly associated with subsequent turnover behavior.

Dimensionality Of Task Design As Measured By The Job Diagnostic Survey

Twenty, widely-varied samples of workers (n=5,945) responded to the core characteristics items from the Job Diagnostic Survey. Factor analyses identified two, three, four, and five-factor solutions...

Validation of the Index of Organizational Reactions with the JDI, the MSQ, and Faces Scales

Factor analytic analyses of the Index of Organizational Reactions strongly confirm the a priori satisfaction scales. In addition, the scales are shown to have good convergent and discriminant valid...

The Measurement of Perceived Job Characteristics: The Job Diagnostic Survey Versus The Job Characteristics Inventory

The article compares the job diagnostic survey and the job characteristics inventory as a measure of perceived job characteristics. The four a priori dimensions of the job characteristics inventory...

Calories and sweet taste: Effects on sucrose preference in the obese and nonobese ☆

Abstract The effects of two very sweet solutions, one noncaloric (cyclamate) and one caloric (glucose, 25%), ingested orally, on preference for 2.5%–40% sucrose taste samples were studied using obese and nonobese subjects. Glucose and cyclamate were equally effective in reducing preference for sucrose samples of 10% or above, one hr after ingestion. Glucose was slightly more effective than cyclamate in reducing preference for 20% sucrose around 30 min after ingestion. The findings challenge the validity of the alliesthesia phenomenon and, therefore disconfirm the ponderostat theory of Cabanac, Duclaux, and associates.

Reactions to Job Characteristics: Moderating Effects of the Organization

Canonical analysis established a significant relationship between task design and affective response measures for 784 middle-level executives. Functional specialty moderated the relationship. It wa...

Social Systems Structure, Job Design, and Growth Need Strength: A Test of a Congruency Model

An eight cell congruency framework for social system structure (mechanistic-organic), job design (simple-complex), and employee growth need strength (low-high) was used to predict employee satisfac...

Sources of environmental structuring and participant responses

Abstract This study investigated the effects of four sources of environmental structuring on employee responses. These sources are job, technology, work unit, and leader behavior. Main, joint, and interactive effects were examined. Job structure had the strongest effect. It was demonstrated that technology, job, and work unit structure were found to be substitutes for leader structure. Leader structure had little unique association with employee reactions except when the other sources of environmental structure were weak. Two alternative theoretical interpretations of the findings are offered: reactivity and “closeness.”