Influence of social and work exchange relationships on organizational citizenship behavior, The

Previous studies explain situational antecedents of OCB using social exchange theory. However, the effects of factors such as perceptions of job characteristics on OCB seem to require a different explanatory mechanism. We propose that these effects can be explained through a new exchange relationship that we call work exchange. We develop a theory for the situational antecedents of OCB that includes economic, work, and social exchange relationships. The theory is tested using structural equations.exchange relationship; organizational citizenship behavior; organizational commitment; perceived organizational support; job characteristics;

Corporate Audit Committees and Director’s Liability

This thesis covers the creation and function of audit committees and its increasing utilization by companies that consequently increase their dependence on outside directors and the subsequent liability of non-committee board members. The first part of this article gives a general overview of the audit committee with a focus on the scope of its duties, its composition, its way of working, and the possible benefits and hazards for the corporation resulting from the establishment of such a committee. The second part will examine the impact of an audit committee on director’s liability under the federal securities law and state corporation law. This second section focuses on the standards of liability faced by a director of the audit committee compared to those of other board members and the liabilities of non-committee board members when they rely for their business decisions on audit committees\u27 information which later turns out to be wrong

A scaled difference chi-square test statistic for moment structure analysis

A family of scaling corrections aimed to improve the chi-square approximation of goodness-of-fit test statistics in small samples, large models, and nonnormal data was proposed in Satorra and Bentler (1994). For structural equations models, Satorra-Bentler's (SB) scaling corrections are available in standard computer software. Often, however, the interest is not on the overall fit of a model, but on a test of the restrictions that a null model say ${\cal M}_0$ implies on a less restricted one ${\cal M}_1$. If $T_0$ and $T_1$ denote the goodness-of-fit test statistics associated to ${\cal M}_0$ and ${\cal M}_1$, respectively, then typically the difference $T_d = T_0 - T_1$ is used as a chi-square test statistic with degrees of freedom equal to the difference on the number of independent parameters estimated under the models ${\cal M}_0$ and ${\cal M}_1$. As in the case of the goodness-of-fit test, it is of interest to scale the statistic $T_d$ in order to improve its chi-square approximation in realistic, i.e., nonasymptotic and nonnormal, applications. In a recent paper, Satorra (1999) shows that the difference between two Satorra- Bentler scaled test statistics for overall model fit does not yield the correct SB scaled difference test statistic. Satorra developed an expression that permits scaling the difference test statistic, but his formula has some practical limitations, since it requires heavy computations that are not available in standard computer software. The purpose of the present paper is to provide an easy way to compute the scaled difference chi-square statistic from the scaled goodness-of-fit test statistics of models ${\cal M}_0$ and ${\cal M}_1$. A Monte Carlo study is provided to illustrate the performance of the competing statistics.Moment-structures, goodness-of-fit test, chi-square difference test statisitc, chi-square distribution, non-normality

Cognitive Motivations and Sensation Seeking as Long-Term Predictors of Drinking Problems

The development of comprehensive theories regarding the determinants ofvulnerability toward drinking problems depends in part on longitudinal evidencelinking psychosocial precursors to clinically-relevant problem consequences. Inan investigation of some of the more promising psychosocial precursors ofproblem vulnerability, we evaluated the long-term predictive effects of adolescentcognitive motivations for alcohol use and sensation seeking on a wide variety ofadult drinking-problem consequences including driving while intoxicated (DWI).Results indicated that the Cognitive Motivation factor was a significant, independent, nine-year predictor of a factor of Drinking-Problem Consequences. Over this same period, certain cognitive motivation and sensation seeking indicators independently predicted DWI, and the Sensation Seeking factor independently predicted Cognitive Motivation and Alcohol Use factors. The significant, independent effects on problem-drinking variables demonstrated that psychosocial vulnerability appeared across a range of consumption levels. These findings have important implications for counseling practices and the identification of teenagers of high-risk for drinking problems and DWI in later adulthood

Interactive and Higher-Order Effects of Social Influences on Drug Use

The study of moderators and higher-order effects of social influences on drug use has many implications for theories of health behavior. In the present study, we investigated the longitudinal predictive effects of some of the prominent moderator variables that represent forms of susceptibility toward social influence in teenage drug use. We also studied the possibility that social influence may predict drug use in nonlinear (quadratic) forms, consistent with theories proposing that threshold or decelerating effects may occur in social influences on normatively sanctioned behaviors. Results showed that several of the interactive and quadratic predictive effects were significant. The findings supported the views that certain moderator variables act as buffers, which either protect the individual from social pressures to use drugs, or make the individual more susceptible to such pressures. In addition, two of the obtained quadratic effects of social influence lent support to the application of social impact theory to drug use. Overall, our findings suggest that interactive and nonlinear approaches to social influences on drug use provide a unique and viable theoretical perspective from which to construe this problem health behavior

Testing a model of antecedents and consequences of defensive pessimism and self-handicapping in school physical education

There has been very limited research on the use of self-worth protection strategies in the achievement context of school physical education (PE). Thus, this study aimed to examine some antecedents and consequences of defensive pessimism and self-handicapping. The sample comprised 534 (females n = 275; males n = 259) British pupils recruited from two schools who responded to established questionnaires. Results of structural equation modelling analysis indicated that self-handicapping and defensive pessimism were positively predicted by fear of failure and negatively predicted by competence valuation. In addition, defensive pessimism was negatively predicted by physical self-concept. In turn, defensive pessimism negatively predicted enjoyment in PE and intentions to participate in future optional PE programs. Self-handicapping did not predict enjoyment or intentions. Results from multi-sample structural equation modelling showed the specified model to be largely invariant across males and females. The findings indicate that although both strategies aim to protect one’s self-worth, some of their antecedents and consequences in PE may differ

Unhealthy weight control behaviours in adolescent girls: a process model based on self-determination theory

This study used self-determination theory (Deci, E.L., & Ryan, R.M. (2000). The 'what' and 'why' of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227-268.) to examine predictors of body image concerns and unhealthy weight control behaviours in a sample of 350 Greek adolescent girls. A process model was tested which proposed that perceptions of parental autonomy support and two life goals (health and image) would predict adolescents' degree of satisfaction of their basic psychological needs. In turn, psychological need satisfaction was hypothesised to negatively predict body image concerns (i.e. drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction) and, indirectly, unhealthy weight control behaviours. The predictions of the model were largely supported indicating that parental autonomy support and adaptive life goals can indirectly impact upon the extent to which female adolescents engage in unhealthy weight control behaviours via facilitating the latter's psychological need satisfaction