Richard M. Rozelle

Use of Free Responses and Cluster Analysis to Determine Stereotypes of Eight Groups

A two-part study contrasted the utility of free-response and checklist methodologies for ascertaining ethnic and gender stereotypes. Descriptions of data collection, organization, and cluster and entropy analyses are provided. Results indicate that important differences emerge between data resulting from free-response methodology and those obtained with traditionally employed adjective checklists. These differences include the generation of a large percentage of physical descriptors and within-ethnic-group gender differences in stereotype content. A major finding is the generation of a large number of distinct responses coupled with low-frequency use of any particular response. Study 2 specifically examined whether free-response data are more schematic than checklist data. Results indicate that free-response data have a greater dependency and may thus be indicative of schematic response. This schematic response may, in turn, indicate more automatic processing than is evident with data from checklist methodologies.

Influences of supervisor liking of a subordinate and the reward context on the treatment and evaluation of that subordinate

Previous research suggests that a supervisors liking of a subordinate biases evaluations of that subordinates performance. Other research suggests that supervisor liking influences the treatment of the subordinate, which may in turn influence the subordinates performance. The present study investigated these influences in a laboratory simulation. Subjects (N=140) worked on their own tasks and supervised an alleged subordinate during a 30-min work period. Supervisor liking of a subordinate was manipulated by altering the personality characteristics and the attitude similarity of the subordinate. Reward context was manipulated by rewarding supervisors for either the total performance of both the supervisors and subordinates or for the individual performance of each supervisor only. Supervisor liking positively influenced the expected leader-member exchange, treatment of the subordinate, and evaluations of subordinate performance. The reward context influenced supervisor treatment of the subordinate and the number of problems the supervisor solved.

The Effects of Co-Worker Simiilarity on the Emergence of Affect in Work Teams

The present study examined the impact of various types of co-worker similarity (demographic, value, and behavioral style preference) on the evolution of co-worker affect Data were collected in conjunction with a 4-week training program designed to provide executive training and development to senior-level executives. Study participants were 43 senior-level managers enrolled in the program. These managers were assigned to five- or six-person case study teams as a part of the training. At three times during the 4-week program, team members rated each other on social liking, co-worker preference, and behavioral attributions (190 dyadic pairs were used in the analyses). Similarity in demographic characteristics and in behavioral style preferences contributed significantly to the prediction of liking and co-worker preference. All three types of similarity predicted various attributions and perceptions, although the pattern of prediction changed over time. The results and possibilities for future research are discussed.

New measure of effects of persuasive communications: a chemical indicator of toothbrushing behavior.

The purpose of the present investigation was to develop a behavioral measure of attitude change and examine its utility for large-scale field research efforts. Three groups were formed from 68 junior and senior high school students and each was presented with a different form (positive, fear, neutral) of a communication within the context of a public school systems ongoing dental hygiene program. Cleanliness of their teeth was measured by a chemical in tablet form called a “disclosing tablet” which, when chewed, stains red the areas of concentration of bacterial placque on the teeth. This study involved taking a 35-mm. color slide of each Ss mouth before and 2 wk. after the experimental communication. Preliminary results lend support to the effectiveness and utility of this procedure in assessing behavioral change within a natural setting.

The Relationship between Absenteeism and Grades

PREVIOUS studies investigating the relationship between absenteeism and grades have produced conflicting results. A number of investigators have found a definite relationship between absenteeism and grades. Sandon (1938) examined academic marks of 406 male secondary students in the term following recorded absences. He found that the quality of work was definitely affected by the number of absences during the previous term. Significant relationships among absences and grades recorded within the

Training University Police in Black-American Nonverbal Behaviors

Summary Empirically derived differences in nonverbal behavior and personal space arrangements between Black- and Anglo-Americans were incorporated into two interview procedures in order to study their effects in the context of a standing police interview. Ss were 30 black male undergraduates. One interview involved the use of several specified nonverbal behaviors and personal space arrangements typical of Black-Americans, the other included behaviors and spatial arrangements typical of Anglo-Americans. The interviews were conducted by two uniformed, Anglo-American university police officers who had been trained and rehearsed in the enactment of both the Black- and Anglo-American styles of interview. Following the interviews, each S was asked to report his preferences for the police officer performing in either the Black- or Anglo-American interview within a personal, social, and professional context. As predicted, black Ss showed a significant preference in all contexts for those interviews in which the p...

Impression Formation and Danger Recognition in Experienced Police Officers

Summary Police officers of varying seniority were interviewed to investigate cue preferences utilized in interpreting citizen behavior. Cues were generally classified as being either dispositional or situational in origin. Attributional processes were recorded and compared across two types of interaction situations, one involving personal danger, the other being relatively nondangerous. It was found that for all officers, contextual-situational cues were utilized significantly more than dispositional characteristics to infer the presence of danger, with the opposite being true of danger-free settings. Implications for research on attribution processes and nonverbal communication are discussed. Various effects of experience upon impression formation processes are also discussed.

Role playing vs laboratory deception: A comparison of methods in the study of compromising behavior

A comparison of role-playing vs laboratory deception methods was conducted in the context of varying pressures to compromise one’s religious beliefs in an anticipated negotiation session. Results revealed a subtle interaction effect produced in the laboratory deception condition which was not obtained for the role-playing condition. Other results are discussed, and caution is advised in interchangeably employing both methods.

Meaning Established by Classical Conditioning: Failure to Replicate

A classical conditioning procedure was used in which CS nonsense syllables were paired with UCS words of either positive, negative, or neutral evaluative meaning. Information presented to S concerning the nature of the task was designed to prevent awareness. of the 240 Ss serving in the experiment, 16 Ss revealed an awareness of the CS-UCS word pairings. These Ss were not included in the data analysis but were replaced by 16 other Ss who did not reveal awareness. Results indicated that there was no significant conditioning effect for any of the unaware Ss. Although the number of aware Ss was not large enough for meaningful statistical evaluation, it was noted that in many of the cases, the conditioned response was in the direction predicted for their respective experimental groups.

Maning and Value in Conceptualizing the City

Abstract Fifty-two residents of Houston, Texas, were interviewed to determine how they assigned meaning and value to elements of their city; specifically, how they saw the city, how they remembered it, and what they regarded as important about it. Distinctively different patterns of responses were produced by each of the three approaches. Questions about what is seen produced references to structural landmarks, general visual impressions and transportation routes, while questions about what is important elicited references to social, economic, and cultural elements of the city. In remembering the city, respondents mentioned a synthesis of these characteristics. Methodological implications of the findings are discussed in relation to their utility for urban planning.