Ronaldo Pilati

Modelos de equações estruturais em psicologia: conceitos e aplicações

The debate concerning procedures and techniques of data treatment is relevant in the context of production and progress of knowledge in a broad range of subject areas. In the past decade, a framework of data treatment methods denominated Structural Equation Modeling received a great deal of attention from researchers. This data treatment procedure has its historical origins related to different areas of knowledge like biometrics, econometrics and psychometrics. As a consequence of its unique characteristics, scientific report in Structural Equation Modeling should consider various relevant aspects, like the theoretical definition of the model to be tested, the specification and identification of the model, as well as estimation and measurement aspects of the adequation indices. Several of these elements are presented and discussed in the present article, focusing on the possibilities of practical application in the field of Psychology and related sciences. In addition, future perspectives and limitations of Structural Equation Modeling are also discussed.

Anàlise fatorial confirmatória da escala de impacto do treinamento no trabalho

Training impact at work is the main indicator of training effectiveness at the individual level. In the training evaluation models, impact is a measure of behavior change on the job. The conceptual delimitation of similar constructs, as transfer of learning, is important to research. The main objective of this study were to test the empirical structure of the training impact at works scale with a confirmatory factor analysis and the adequacy of the construct. In this study, participated 2.966 workers of seven organizations, divided in three sub-samples. The results indicated model modifications, and the analysis was corroborated on the three sub-samples. Thus, the measurement should be improved. However, the conceptual proposition of training impact at work was corroborated.

Percepção de suporte organizacional : desenvolvimento e validação de um questionário

The organizational behavior specialized literature has been considering the importance of the organizational support concept for the understanding of performance at work and of commitment, citizenship and turnover. However the research in the area needs reliable measures of the perception of support. This work reports the experience in developing a Brazilian questionnaire for support, based on Eisenberger et al. (1986) theoretical proposal and on private and public organizations workers surveyed aspects. These aspects were qualitatively analyzed and semantically validated and the resulting items were transformed in a questionnaire, that have been responded by a sample of 1384 workers. Their responses were submitted to a factorial analysis (PAF), with oblique rotation, and produced two types of empirical structures: one unifactorial - perception of organizational support and another with four sub-scales - performance management, work load, material support to performance and ascension, promotion and salaries. They all have high reliability scores (Cronbachs alphas). The use of this questionnaire in organizational behavior research is here discussed and more studies are suggested; they may insure a broader generalized utilization.

Unraveling the Mystery of Brazilian Jeitinho A Cultural Exploration of Social Norms

Two studies explore the structure and psychological makeup of jeitinho, a Brazilian indigenous construct associated with problem-solving strategies in strong hierarchies. Study 1 used a scenario approach with nonstudent participants and demonstrated that jeitinho can be described by a three-dimensional structure: corruption, creativity, and social norm breaking. Study 2 used individual and social norm scenarios in nonstudent samples and demonstrated that moral leniency is associated with more corruption and social norm breaking. Furthermore, only in the personal but not the social norm condition was greater social dominance orientation associated with more corruption and social norm breaking. Jeitinho is not a monolitical construct, but it is a complex sociocultural strategy that has distinct functional components at the personal and normative levels. Theoretical advances in the understanding of social norms and indigenous psychology by examining both culture-specific and general social-psychological processes are outlined.

Estratégias para Aplicação no Trabalho do Aprendido em Treinamento: Proposição Conceitual e Desenvolvimento de uma Medida

The role of the ex-trainee in the post training environment is not enough studied, while several evaluation models of training impact highlight the role of contextual variables at the post training environment. This work intends to investigate that role. The objectives are to propose a concept for studying the phenomenon and to validate a questionnaire for its measurement. A conceptual analysis of the construct has been done and a scale has been developed. This scale was applied in a sample of workers and the data was analyzed by using a latent structure technique. The results corroborate the theoretical presuppositions of the conceptual analysis, but more studies need to be done to a) better describe the construct characteristics; and b) relate it with indicators of training results at work.

Estudo empírico dos antecedentes de medidas de impacto do treinamento no trabalho

The focus of researchers in the Training and Development (T&D) field is behavior change at work. The objective of the present study is to compare two predictive models for this change, called here, training impact at work. The research participants were 426 ex-trainees from four organizations. Validated scales were used to measure the variables in this study and the collected data have been treated by multivariate analytical procedures. The main results have shown a difference in prediction between training impact in depth and impact in breadth. Furthermore, a distal situational variable showed a predictive relationship with these two impacts, mediated by a proximal situational variable. Based on these results, it is argued that training impacts in depth and in breadth have different predictors, being different facets of the behavior change at work resulting from T&D.

Comprometimento atitudinal e comportamental: relações com suporte e imagem nas organizações

The organizational commitment research tradition has furnished important clues for the formulation of policies, which look for quality, through the invigoration of the worker and work linkages. By providing continuity to the Brazilian research, the present report intends to contribute for the understanding of these phenomena, within different organizational contexts. The study involved an evaluation of the commitment level and the identification of its predictors, among variables related to organizational image and support. It has been accomplished with more than 1.400 workers from different organizations. Organizational commitment, support and image measurement scales were applied and the obtained data were submitted to regression analysis. The results have indicated that organizational support does not seem to be a good predictor of behavioral commitment. However, performance management, an organizational support factor, is a strong predictor of attitudinal commitment, no matter the type of perceived image at the organizations. Furthermore, attitudinal commitment occurs in higher levels, when the organizations are perceived as dynamic and with a strategic vision.

Escala revisada de Valores relativos ao Trabalho - EVT-R

Os valores do trabalho sao os principios que guiam a vida do individuo no trabalho. No Brasil, uma escala que ja foi amplamente utilizada em pesquisas e a Escala de Valores relativos ao Trabalho (EVT). O objetivo do primeiro estudo foi realizar o teste confirmatorio da estrutura empirica da escala. Uma amostra de 790 profissionais respondeu ao instrumento. Os resultados apontaram a adequacao do modelo, mas a representacao dos tipos motivacionais foi limitada. Para suprir esta lacuna, a escala foi revisada e validada no segundo estudo. A nova escala foi aplicada em uma amostra de 412 trabalhadores. Os resultados da analise fatorial e do escalonamento multidimensional apontam que houve melhoras significativas na estrutura empirica da escala. As implicacoes sao discutidas.

No Effect of Weight on Judgments of Importance in the Moral Domain and Evidence of Publication Bias from a Meta-Analysis

In different cultures, people use the concept of weight to refer to important matters. Recent studies in grounded cognition suggested that experiences of weight affect unrelated judgments of importance in metaphor-congruent ways. Theories in grounded cognition and prime-to-behavior effects state that sensations of weight activate concepts of importance, which may affect morality-related variables that are influenced by judgments of importance. The present research aimed to test the effect of carrying a heavy (or light) clipboard on the perceived importance of helping and on the judged severity of moral transgressions. After finding no significant effects in two experiments, a third study explored whether these results were due to a specific lack of effect of weight on morality-related variables or to the concept of importance not being grounded in sensations of weight in Brazilian samples. Specifically, in Study 3 we attempted to replicate two seminal studies but found no significant effects. Together with evidence of publication bias in a meta-analysis of published studies, the current results suggest that the concept of importance may not be as universally grounded in sensations of weight as previously assumed. We discuss the implications of these results for grounded cognition theories and methodological and statistical aspects of priming studies.

Desenvolvimento e validação preliminar da Escala Situacional de Satisfação Corporal - ESSC

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi desenvolver e validar um instrumento de satisfacao corporal situacional numa amostra de estudantes universitarios brasileiros. A escala inclui itens de avaliacao de partes e do corpo como um todo. Analises fatoriais exploratorias revelaram uma estrutura com quatro fatores; “partes inferiores” (α=0,72), “satisfacao e musculo” (α=0,82), “partes externas” (α=0,65) e “insatisfacao e gordura” (α=0,82). Seus 28 itens obtiveram cargas fatoriais variando entre 0,32 e 0,82. Analises adicionais indicaram que a escala foi sensivel a caracteristicas da amostra, como Indice de Massa Corporal e genero, corroborando a literatura atual da area. Palavras-chave : Imagem corporal, Escala de imagem corporal, Satisfacao corporal, Insatisfacao corporal, Genero. Development and preliminary validation of the Body Satisfaction Situational Scale – ESSC