Perceptions of leader behavior of selected women physical education administrators

The purpose of this study was to investigate selected physical educators' perceptions of leader behavior of the woman administrator in physical education. In addition the study was concerned with the influence of the sex of the respondents in regard to their perceptions of the leader behavior of such an administrator. A total of 129 respondents from eight selected colleges and universities participated in the study. A 64-item Q-sort was administered to the respondents. Respondents sorted the statements along a continuum from "most like" to "least like" the woman administrator according to their perception of her leader behavior. Statement content represented Stogdill's concept of leader behavior dimensions: Initiating Structure with its subcategories of initiation of structure and production emphasis; and Consideration with its subcategories of consideration and tolerance of uncertainty. The structured Q-sort was composed of statements representing positive and negative orientation

Improving Reading Performance in a High Poverty Elementary School: A Case Study

The purpose of this study is to examine a high poverty elementary school's improvement model for increasing student reading performance. The model at Martin Elementary School was designed to use interactive balanced literacy, the building of positive relationships, and class size reduction to improve the reading performance of upper elementary students from families living in poverty. The questions that will be answered are: 1. What effect does the incorporation of balance literacy supplemented with other effective teaching strategies have on the reading performance of students who are living in high poverty? The strategies include interactive teaching and the building of positive relationships. 2. How does reduced classroom size affect the incorporation of balanced literacy when it is augmented by interactive strategies and the creation of positive relationships? 3. What effects does the incorporation of balanced literacy involving interactive strategies, the building of positive relationships and class size reduction have on classroom teacher practice? The school where this case study took place was Martin Elementary. It is a high poverty, urban, elementary school located in the Piedmont area of North Carolina. A qualitative approach was used to examine the effects of the improvement model on the reading performance of students of poverty. Data collection for the study took place through one-on-one interviews, focus group discussions, surveys, observations, and North Carolina End-of-Grade reading test proficiency scores. Six upper elementary classroom teachers were interviewed, observed and surveyed and thirteen fifth grade students were organized into a focus group

Individual Learning In Team Training: Self-Regulation And Team Context Effects

Although many analysts recognize that team-level learning is reliant on the acquisition of learning content by individuals, very little research has examined individual-level learning during team training. In a sample of 70 teams (N = 380) that participated in a simulation-based team training setting designed to teach strategic decision-making, we examined how self-regulation during team training influenced the extent to which team members subsequently demonstrated individual mastery of the team training content. We also investigated the extent to which team characteristics moderated the relationships between self-regulation and learning outcomes. Multilevel mediation results indicated that self-efficacy fully mediated the effects of metacognition, or self-monitoring of learning, on individual declarative and procedural knowledge of team training content. The results also revealed that these individual-level relationships were moderated by the team context. In particular, a team’s overall performance and quality of cooperation amplified the positive effects of individual self-regulation. Implications for team training research and practice are discussed

Associations among the triarchic psychopathic constructs, five-factor model of personality, narcissism, disinhibition, and substance use in college students

The term “psychopathy” has had a controversial past with varying conceptualizations and definitions. Presently, psychopathy is “considered to entail persistent behavioral deviancy in the company of emotional-interpersonal detachment” (Patrick, 2010, p. 2). To explain psychopathy,Patrick (2010) formed the Triarchic Model of psychopathy, which divides psychopathy into three phenotypic constructs: disinhibition, boldness, and meanness. Disinhibition is explained by having a lack of impulse control, being irresponsible, and a dysregulation of emotions. Boldness is explained by social dominance, “high social efficacy, emotional resilience, [and] low stress reactivity” (p.3). Lastly, meanness is explained by deficiencies in empathy, being callous, and lack of attachment to others (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009). In addition, the triarchic model of psychopathy has been conceptualized using the FFM in hopes to elicit the distinction between normal personality and psychopathy. Moreover, certain psychopathic (i.e., disinhibition and meanness) and personality traits (i.e., Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness) are related to substance misuse. This is of particular relevance to the present study, especially in lieu of the fact that substance use on college campuses is prevalent, and on the rise. College students could engage in substance use due to sensation-seeking tendencies, or personality characteristics associated with disinhibition (Magid, MacLean, & Colder, 2007; Patrick et al., 2009). For example, the combination of certain psychopathic traits (i.e., elevated disinhibition and meanness) may predict more adverse substance use consequences (Patrick et al., 2009), but this link has not received much attention in non-clinical or non-incarcerated samples, thus it warrants further study. Furthermore, the extent to which pathological narcissism and psychopathy represent different constructs has been widely debated. Specifically, psychopathy and narcissism share several behavioral indicators and are often viewed on the same personality continuum, but at different points of severity (Fossati, Pincus, Borroni, Munteanu, & Maffei, 2014). These similarities include characteristics of grandiosity, lack of empathy, callousness, and interpersonal relationship difficulties. It has been suggested, however, that psychopathy is more problematic than narcissism due to higher antagonism, impulsivity, and moral disengagement (Fossati et al.,2014). Given the limitations of the current literature, the call for studies that examine associations between dimensional traits and clinical issues (e.g., substance abuse), and the potential for psychopathy contributing to maladjustment in college students, the associations among psychopathy, personality traits, and substance use needs to be further evaluated.Participants consisted of 127 undergraduate students from Western Carolina University.Participants completed a series of self-report measures examining psychopathy, normal personality, narcissism, substance use, and substance use consequences. In addition, participants completed an anti-saccade task as a physiological measure of disinhibition. Results indicated, as expected, psychopathy can be explained in terms of the five-factor model of personality, especially in terms of Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. Moreover, results support previous findings that psychopathy and narcissism are highly interrelated; however, psychopathy demonstrates more characteristics related to disinhibition. Psychopathy and specific normal personality traits (i.e., Extraversion, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness) predict negative substance use consequences. Lastly, the anti-saccade task was not an accurate measure of disinhibition and impulsivity. Implications and limitations will be discussed

The Performance Appraisal Milieu: A Multilevel Analysis Of Context Effects In Performance Ratings

The purpose of this study was to take an inductive approach in examining the extent to which organizational contexts represent significant sources of variance in supervisor performance ratings, and to explore various factors that may explain contextual rating variability. Using archival field performance rating data from a large state law enforcement organization, we used a multilevel modeling approach to partition the variance in ratings due to ratees, raters, as well as rating contexts. Results suggest that much of what may often be interpreted as idiosyncratic rater variance, may actually reflect systematic rating variability across contexts. In addition, performance-related and non-performance factors including contextual rating tendencies accounted for significant rating variability. Supervisor ratings represent the most common approach for measuring job performance, and understanding the nature and sources of rating variability is important for research and practice. Given the many uses of performance rating data, our findings suggest that continuing to identify contextual sources of variability is particularly important for addressing criterion problems, and improving ratings as a form of performance measurement

It’s The Nature Of The Work: Examining Behavior-Based Sources Of Work–Family Conflict Across Occupations

The consequences of work–family conflict for both individuals and organizations have been well documented, and the various sources of such conflict have received substantial attention. However, the vast majority of extant research has focused on only time- and strain-based sources, largely neglecting behavior-based sources. Integrating two nationally representative databases, the authors examine 3 behavior-based antecedents of work–family conflict linked specifically to occupational work role requirements (interdependence, responsibility for others, and interpersonal conflict). Results from multilevel analysis indicate that significant variance in work–family conflict is attributable to the occupation in which someone works. Interdependence and responsibility for others predict work–family conflict, even after controlling for several time- and strain-based sources

Exploring Qualitative Training Reactions: Individual And Contextual Influences On Trainee Commenting

Training reactions are the most common criteria used for training evaluation, and reaction measures often include opportunities for trainees to provide qualitative responses. Despite being widely used, qualitative training reactions are poorly understood. Recent trends suggest commenting is ubiquitous (e.g., tweets, texting, Facebook posts) and points to a currently untapped resource for understanding training reactions. In order to enhance the interpretation and use of this rich data source, this study explored commenting behavior and investigated 3 broad questions: who comments, under what conditions, and how do trainees comment? We explore both individual difference and contextual influences on commenting and characteristics of comments in 3 studies. Using multilevel modeling, we identified significant class-level variance in commenting in each of the 3 samples of trainees. Because commenting has only been considered at the individual level, our findings provide an important contribution to the literature. The shared experience of being in the same class appears to influence commenting in addition to individual differences, such as interest in the topic (Studies 1 and 2), satisfaction (Studies 2 and 3), and entity beliefs (Study 3). Furthermore, we demonstrated that item wording may have an impact on commenting (Study 3) and should be considered as a potential lever for training professionals to influence commenting behavior from trainees. Training professionals, particularly those who regularly administer training evaluation surveys, should be aware of nonresponse to open-ended items and how that may impact the information they collect, use, and present within their organizations

An Investigation Of Elementary Guidance In Pickens County

It was the purpose of this study (1) to investigate the status of elementary guidance as it exists today through historical research; (2) to survey the members of the elementary faculty of Pickens County, Georgia, with regard to their opinion of the value of the various guidance and counseling activities conducted under a pilot study; and (3) to reach a conclusion regarding the organization and administration of an elementary guidance program that would meet the needs of the students and the community

Members Matter In Team Training: Multilevel And Longitudinal Relationships Between Goal Orientation, Self-Regulation, And Team Outcomes

Longitudinal data from 338 individuals across 64 teams in a simulation-based team-training context were used to examine the effects of dispositional goal orientation on self-regulated learning (self-efficacy and metacognition). Team goal orientation compositions, as reflected by average goal orientations of team members, were examined for moderating effects on these individual-level relationships. Finally, individual-level self-regulation was investigated for its influence on multiple team-level outcomes across time. Results showed generally positive effects of learning goal orientation and negative effects of avoid performance and prove performance goal orientations on rates of self-regulation during team training. However, several of these individual-level relationships were moderated by team goal orientation composition. The importance of self-regulation in teams was displayed by results showing the average level of self-regulation among a team’s members over time was positively associated with team efficacy, team cooperation quality, and team decision making

Foreign Language Training Transfer: Individual And Contextual Predictors Of Skill Maintenance And Generalization

Foreign language proficiency is a critical skill in which many U.S. military personnel receive extensive training. However, very little research has examined the factors associated with the successful transfer of this training.This study therefore investigates the impact of individual and contextual variables on two different types of foreign language skill transfer measures in a military context. Archival data were analyzed from 133 U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) teams, including 919 Soldiers who had completed job-required foreign language training. Results indicate that initial skill acquisition had a positive impact on both the maintenance and generalization of language skills. The posttraining time interval between training and transfer measurement was negatively associated with skill maintenance, suggesting significant skill decay over time. The team context also accounted for significant variability in skill transfer, and the team mean skill level moderated the relationship between individual initial skill and subsequent generalization to job performance