Master’s Theses and Graduate Research Copyright (c) 2013 San Jose State University All rights reserved. http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/psych_grad Recent documents in Master’s Theses and Graduate Research en-us Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:09:39 PST 3600 Motivating Employees Through Thick and Thin: The Relationship Between Hospital Employee Aspirations and Body Mass Index http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4219 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4219 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:49 PDT The purpose of this study was to bridge the gap in the existing literature regarding the relationship between motivation and aspirations of obese and overweight employees. Based on data collected from 103 hospital employees, obese and overweight employees placed significantly lower importance on intrinsic aspirations than did their healthier counterparts. In addition, healthy, overweight, and obese employees all placed equal importance on extrinsic aspirations. The results of the study indicate that using intrinsic aspirations and rewards to motivate overweight and obese employees in a disease prevention program may be less effective than using an extrinsic reward system.

]]> Amanda Kay Wentz Organizational behavior Generational Differences in Intrinsic and Extrinsic Workplace Motivation http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4213 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4213 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:45 PDT Numerous popular press articles have reported that Generation Y (GenY) employees have work values different from their previous generational cohorts. Many of these articles have claimed that members of GenY were more concerned with rewards, recognition, and status when compared to previous generations, yet these claims were rarely supported by empirical evidence. The purpose of this study was to add to the scientific research on generational differences in the workplace by investigating differences in intrinsic and extrinsic motivation between Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. A total of 370 individuals were surveyed using the Work Preference Inventory. The findings suggested that employees born into GenY were in fact more motivated by extrinsic work factors such as outward recognition and compensation than Baby Boomers and GenX. Further, this cohort appeared to be less intrinsically motivated when compared to the previous generations. All three generations, however, seemed to be equally motivated by enjoyable work. These findings add to the lack of research in generational differences in the workplace and have practical implications for the management of the emerging GenY workforce.

]]> Caitlin Elizabeth Shea Occupational psychology Measuring Employee Perceptions of Organizational Tolerance for Failure http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4214 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4214 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:45 PDT The empirical concept of Organizational Tolerance for Organizational Failure was examined. First, a clear definition of the concept was established and, second, the concept's dimensionality was explored. Based on data collected from 140 participants, four main scale components were identified: Organizational Values and Beliefs, Organizational and Supervisor Support and Motivation, Compensation and Reward Systems, and Recognition. Even though the final scale developed represented a good research base, further development is needed to improve some of the subscale's internal consistencies.

]]> Perla Yael Slutzky Organizational behavior Business Mood Management and Video-Game Engagement: The Importance of User-Experience and Gender in Assessing the Psychological Effects of Video-Game Play http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4211 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4211 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:43 PDT The overall purpose of this thesis was to investigate the psychological effects of video-game play. The two central goals were to (a) compare and contrast three classic media theories (Mood Management Theory, The Catharsis Hypothesis, and Excitation-Transfer Theory) as they apply to the effects of video-game play, and (b) investigate the importance of user-experience variables and gender in predicting psychological outcomes of play. In a two-group mixed experimental design, all participants underwent a frustration/stress mood-induction procedure before playing a violent or nonviolent video-game. Questionnaires were administered both pre- and post-play to assess affect, arousal, and dominance as well as the subjective game play experience. After playing the video-game, participants in both the violent and nonviolent game conditions reported a reduction in hostility, an improvement in affect, and an increase in arousal and dominance. Further, the self-reported user-experience variables (e.g., flow variables, performance, and enjoyment) accounted for more of the variance in post-play affect than did game content (violent vs. nonviolent). These findings demonstrate that both violent and nonviolent video-game play can lead to short-term psychological benefits as long as the player feels focused, competent, and positive about the game play experience.

]]> Crystine Serrone Experimental psychology Communication Mass communication The Effects of Self-Monitoring on the Facebook User Experience http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4206 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4206 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:39 PDT Self-monitoring, or the individual differences in the extent to which people observe, regulate, and control their public appearances, has been studied in a variety of face-to-face domains such as friendships, romantic relationships, and work and organizational settings. The purpose of this study was to assess whether high and low self-monitors construct their identities on an online social networking site, such as Facebook, in ways that are consistent with their self-monitoring preferences for the face-to-face world. Social networking sites allow individuals to have members of all of their social networks present in a common setting at any particular time. This may lead to a predicament for people who are high self-monitors if they prefer to fit their behavior to a particular situation and a particular group of people. In Part 1, participants completed a self-report measure, which consisted of the Self-Monitoring Questionnaire, the Big Five Inventory, and an extended version of the Facebook Questionnaire. In Part 2, participants provided access to their Facebook profile for additional comparison between high and low self-monitors. High self-monitors were more concerned about and actively engaged in image management on Facebook, and image control concerns distinguished high self-monitors from extraverts. Contrary to predictions, low self-monitors were less active and interested in using Facebook. Findings suggested that high self-monitors adapt their image control desires to the limits and opportunities that currently exist in social networking on social networking sites.

]]> Pamela Eden Ong Psychology Social psychology Personality psychology An Exploratory Study on the Relationship between Creativity, Religion, and Religiosity http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4204 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4204 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:32 PDT Religiosity and religion are often said to be negative influences on one's creativity level. Creativity and religiosity have been looked at as a single dimension, which is a simplistic view. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between creativity and religiosity using scales that measure each construct multidimensionally. Religiosity was measured by one's level of inclusion of transcendent reality and symbolic interpretation of religious content. Creativity was evaluated in terms of fluency, originality, elaboration, abstractness, and resistance to premature closure. It was predicted that participants who exhibit high inclusion of transcendence and literal interpretation of religious content would be correlated with lower creativity. Creativity levels of Buddhists and Christians were also compared. It was predicted that Buddhists would have higher creativity levels than Christians based on Buddhists teachings involving impermanence and mindfulness. Participants completed three drawing tasks and surveys pertaining to their personality. Christian participants completed an additional religiosity scale. The dimensions of religiosity were related to some of the different dimensions of creativity. However, no difference in creativity scores was found between Buddhists and Christians. The results indicated that the religion with which one identifies may not be as important as one's commitment to religion when creativity levels are examined.

]]> Kim-lien Thi Nguyen Psychology Religion Performance Management and Performance: The Mediating Role of Engagement http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4199 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4199 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:29 PDT Organizations have been using performance management (PM) systems to improve performance and productivity. However, given the ineffectiveness of the PM systems currently in use, it has been suggested that PM systems be redesigned to make employee engagement a key determinant of performance. By adapting Gruman and Saks' (2011) engagement management model, this study examined the relationships among the factors that drive engagement, engagement, and performance. Specifically, engagement was examined as a hypothesized mediator of the relationship between the drivers of engagement (goal setting, job resources, and recognition, feedback, and fairness) and performance among employees in the healthcare industry. Results showed that goal setting, job resources, and recognition, feedback, and fairness were all positively correlated with engagement and performance, but engagement did not mediate the relationship between the predictors and performance. Results of the present study partially support Gruman and Saks' model. Given that the drivers of engagement were directly related to performance, Gruman and Saks' model could be improved by adding a direct path from the drivers of engagement to performance.

]]> Mina Luong Occupational psychology Psychology Business Mental Arithmetic across Three Language Groups http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4200 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4200 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:29 PDT Mental arithmetic performance was investigated among three language groups (English monolinguals, Chinese-English bilinguals, and Spanish-English bilinguals). Participants solved both small and large numerosity arithmetic problems in addition and multiplication and reported their solution strategies. All groups performed better in small problems than in large ones and better in addition than in multiplication, especially for a large size set. The results revealed all three groups performed equally well in solving problems correctly. Spanish-English bilinguals were equivalent to their English monolingual peers. However, Chinese-English bilinguals outperformed the other two groups in solution speed, especially when problems consisted of large numbers. No group differences were found in the frequency of using retrieval strategies to solve problems. Linguistic influence and other possible factors were discussed to explain the mental arithmetic advantage for Chinese-English bilinguals relative to other groups.

]]> Tianyu Luo Psychology An Examination of the Theory of Planned Behavior on Faking an Overt Integrity Test http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4196 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4196 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:27 PDT Overt integrity tests continue to be a popular selection device used by various organizations. Their popularity stems from their ability to identify applicants who may be more susceptible to engage in counterproductive work behaviors. One primary concern regarding the use of integrity tests is that they are susceptible to being faked. However, a gap exists in the literature regarding why individuals fake and the decision process one takes to fake. The present study examined the theory of planned behavior on faking an overt integrity test to determine whether it could predict the faking behavior of 104 undergraduate participants. Locus of control and self-monitoring were included to determine if they moderate the relationship between the theory of planned behavior variables and faking. The results indicated that the theory of planned behavior variables were able to significantly predict faking behavior; however, the moderating effects of the personality traits were not significant. The findings provide researchers and organizations a framework for developing a profile of a faker to prevent individuals who may be more susceptible to faking behavior from permeating organizations.

]]> Janie Marie Kuhlman Psychology The Effect of Competence, Likeability, and Sex on Performance Evaluations of Managers http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4195 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4195 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:26 PDT The effects of competence, likeability, and sex of an upper-level manager on his or her performance evaluation and the work relationship with his or her subordinates were examined in the present study. Given that women in leadership positions are frequent victims of prejudice and discrimination, it was of a particular interest to examine how female managers would be evaluated. In a survey of 228 undergraduate students, competence was found to be an important attribute when it came to performance evaluation, whereas likeability was found to be an important attribute when it came to the work relationship. Female managers were found not to be necessarily devalued; when women managers were clearly described as competent, they were evaluated more positively than their male counterparts, regardless of their likeability levels. The results of the present study indicate that competence and likeability are more important attributes than sex to determine performance evaluation and the work relationship between supervisor and subordinate.

]]> Connie Kehn Organizational behavior Management Immediate Effects of Positive Self-Talk on Stress and Speech Performance http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4191 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4191 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:23 PDT Self-talk is a psychological and cognitive product of humans that correlates with stress-related variables, such as anxiety and depression. The immediate effects of positive self-talk on stress (in terms of cortisol reactivity) and speech performance have yet to be investigated. Thus, the author examined the immediate effects of positive self-talk on stress and speech performance. The roles of dispositional and speech-related inner self-talk were also investigated. One hundred and forty participants were assigned to Control, Stress Alone, Positive Self-Talk, or Distraction conditions. A standardized stress-inducing task was used for the experimental groups. Participants in the Positive Self-Talk condition rehearsed a positive self-statement during the experiment, and a distraction task was completed by those in the Distraction condition. Saliva samples were collected for cortisol analysis, and questionnaires were administered to assess participant perceived stress levels and inner self-talk. Immediate effects of positive self-talk on cortisol reactivity, perceived stress, and speech performance were absent. Nevertheless, speech-related positive inner self-talk was inversely correlated with the perceived stress level. Furthermore, negative inner self-talk was also related to cortisol reactivity, perceived stress, and speech performance.

]]> Wei-Ju Chen Psychology Differences and Similarities between Female Managers and Female Entrepreneurs http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4189 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4189 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:22 PDT Although the number of female entrepreneurs has recently increased, there is little research that has compared female managers and female entrepreneurs in their work experiences and conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the potential differences and similarities between women in management versus women in entrepreneurship regarding challenges, motivators for entry, adaptations, gender roles, and self-monitoring. Data collected from 87 women in management and entrepreneurship showed that female managers faced gender biases more than did entrepreneurs and had to choose between their professional and their personal goals when deciding to have children. Motivators for entry into entrepreneurship were increased job autonomy and flexibility of schedule. Regarding adaptations, all managers and entrepreneurs changed their communication style according to an audience and relied on their social support systems to deal with household responsibilities and on mentors for professional issues. Lastly, entrepreneurs were higher self-monitors and more likely to be androgynous than women in management. There were no differences in adoption of a masculine gender role between the two groups. Results of the present study indicate that these two groups of professional women have similar as well as different experiences and conditions. The implications of these findings are discussed.

]]> Maria Cespedes Psychology Entrepreneurship Sociology The Relationship Between Servant Leadership and Job Satisfaction: A Longitudinal Study http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4185 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4185 Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:57:19 PDT Servant leadership has been a trending topic of modern leadership theories and has been shown to be related to outcomes such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment, but it has been understudied, particularly in the public sector. Therefore, the relationship between servant leadership and job satisfaction was examined longitudinally in a public organization. Data from 515 employees from varying levels of employment within the organization supported previous research findings that servant leadership is positively linked to job satisfaction. However, the current study also revealed that the presence of servant leadership did not always translate to increased job satisfaction. Workforce and management personnel did not feel an increased level of job satisfaction even after the leaders had undergone servant leadership training. This study indicated that organizations should carefully consider the state of the organizational environment and whether other factors, such as budget restrictions, could influence job satisfaction more so than servant leadership.

]]> Rupa Amin Organizational behavior Business Effects of Middle Management Support for Improvement on Perceived Organizational Performance Capabilities http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4170 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4170 Sat, 14 Jul 2012 08:42:40 PDT Middle management resistance to improvement efforts is one of the most frequently cited barriers to organizational success. There is not much research on the effect of middle management support for improvement on organizational performance. In this research, the relationship between dimensions of middle management support for improvement and dimensions of organizational performance capabilities was explored. Final analysis was based on a total sample of sixty-six participants from a metropolitan university. Two surveys were administered, one assessing middle management support behaviors and one assessing organizational performance capabilities. The results of a canonical correlation analysis indicated the two sets of variables (middle management support for improvement and organizational performance capabilities) were significantly related to each other. The more middle managers provide open communication and work toward building a trusting environment, the more likely employees were to view the organization as strong in terms of leadership.

]]> Stacy Sakellarides Management Effects of a Virtually Abroad Program on Students' Cross-Cultural Competence http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4168 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4168 Sat, 14 Jul 2012 08:42:06 PDT A program-long, longitudinal, self-report study was conducted to assess the benefits and effects of student engagement in a five-week virtual team project, called the Virtually Abroad Program (VAP). The VAP required two or three students from each country to work together as a team on a course project. Students completed questionnaires at the start (Time 1) and end (Time 2) of the project. Study variables included culture-general knowledge, culture-specific knowledge, openness to new cultural experiences, and overall program evaluation. From Time 1 to Time 2, both types of knowledge increased significantly for the U.S. sample but not for the sample from Spain. Findings also revealed that controlling for country, a high self-reported score on culture-general knowledge at Time 1 and an increase in culture-general knowledge each positively related to an overall positive evaluation of the program, which was assessed at Time 2. Openness to new cultural experiences positively related to overall program evaluation too. Analyses failed to show support for openness to new experiences as a moderator of the relationships between culture-general knowledge at Time 1 and Time 2 nor culture-specific knowledge at Time 1 and Time 2. Results from this study suggest that a VAP has utility and benefits for Organizational Psychology and Human Resources professionals.

]]> Emalynn Lucie Robinson Psychology Lovers and Friends: Understanding Friends with Benefits Relationships and those Involved http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4150 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4150 Sat, 14 Jul 2012 08:36:59 PDT Friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs) are defined as sexual relationships between two individuals who are friends, though they are not emotionally intimate or committed to one another. Little FWBR research has explored who is most likely to become involved in FWBRs and how personality may affect their FWB experiences. With the present study, I examined two aspects of personality that have been strongly implicated in romantic relationship choices and experiences: self-monitoring behavior and attachment styles. Further, I examined relationship closeness in FWBRs and compared the findings to literature reports of other types of relationships.

Consistent with predictions, some experiences in FWBRs were influenced by interactions between gender and self-monitoring, as high self-monitoring men participated in more FWBRs and found the relationships to be more satisfying compared to low self-monitoring women. There were also some indications that gender can influence certain aspects of FWBR experiences. FWBR experiences are affected, not just by gender or self-monitoring behavior alone, but by the interaction of the two. Perhaps interactions between gender and other personality traits might also influence the experience of FWBRs. Future research should examine other personality differences in FWB participants to further understand this type of relationship.

]]> Lydia Kathleen Merriam-Pigg Psychology Social psychology Personality psychology Consequences in Alcohol Use Portrayals on Emerging Adult Attitudes http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4139 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4139 Sat, 14 Jul 2012 08:33:52 PDT Many factors may contribute to forming attitudes towards alcohol, such as peer groups, family history, and media influences. This study focused on the inclusion of consequences in portrayals of alcohol-use and the possible influences on emerging adult attitudes towards alcohol. The emerging adult population represents a relatively newly defined developmental stage that roughly spans the ages of 18 to 25 years. Emerging adult attitudes towards alcohol were expected to vary positively or negatively after reading a vignette of alcohol-use that included a positive consequence, a negative consequence, or no consequence. Emerging adult attitudes did not vary by the alcohol-use consequences presented, and no difference was found between male and female attitudes towards alcohol. The null results may be due to a lack of control during the online survey procedure that led to ineffective exposure of the experimental stimuli. However, a small effect size of the vignette medium may also play a role in the null results, as no significant results were found when restricting analyses to participants with adequate stimulus exposure.

]]> Stephanie Jwo Social psychology Developmental psychology Alternative dispute resolution The Examination of the Moderating Variables of Job Exposure and Need for Cognition on the Effects of Type of Job Preview on Pre-Hire Outcomes http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4135 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4135 Sat, 14 Jul 2012 08:32:43 PDT Although research on realistic job previews (RJP) has shown that RJPs produce positive individual and organizational outcomes, little is known of whether the characteristics of individuals change such positive relationships. Therefore, the current study extends previous research on RJPs by examining 163 nursing interns and registered nurses on how two individual characteristics -- previous job exposure and Need for Cognition (NFC) -- moderate the relationship between type of job preview and perceived job attractiveness, a job acceptance decision, and perceived organizational honesty. Results showed that those with no previous job exposure and those low in NFC rated the job as more attractive, accepted the job more often, and rated the organization as more honest when presented with a traditional job preview (TJP) than when presented with a realistic job preview (RJP) . The opposite patterns were found for those individuals who were high in NFC. Results of the present study indicate that organizations need to take into account type of job preview and individual characteristics for successful recruitment efforts. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.

]]> Ashley Jo Hacnik Organizational behavior Occupational psychology Effects of Stress and Co-Rumination on Creativity and Performance http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4132 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4132 Sat, 14 Jul 2012 08:31:52 PDT Stress is shown to have a negative impact on individuals, organizations, and society at large. Though research in industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology has examined the relationship between stress and various organizational outcomes, the effects of stress on creativity and performance have seldom been investigated. Furthermore, despite the well-reported buffering effects of social support on the negative outcomes of stress, the potential effects of one type of social support, co-rumination, on organizational outcomes have not been examined. Therefore, using 100 undergraduate students, the effects of stress and co-rumination on creativity and performance were examined. Results did not show that stress and co-rumination exerted negative effects on creativity and performance. However, co-rumination benefited women more than men by improving their creativity levels and performance ratings, and this was inconsistent with our hypothesis. Results of the present study imply that even if individuals are under stress and co-ruminate with their co-workers to deal with stress in the workplace, stress and co-rumination may not necessarily lower their creativity and performance.

]]> Subha Govindarajan Psychology The Role of Perceived Organizational Support and Career Opportunities as Moderators of the Relationship between Work Engagement and Job Satisfaction http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4130 http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/4130 Sat, 14 Jul 2012 08:31:18 PDT The purpose of the present study was to explore whether perceived organizational support and perceived career opportunities moderate the relationship between dimensions of work engagement and job satisfaction. Employed students from a large state university in California were selected as the participants of this study. A total of 181 surveys were analyzed. Results of the study did not show that perceived organizational support and perceived career opportunities were significant moderators of the work engagement-job satisfaction relationship. However, it was found that perceived organizational support strongly predicted all four aspects of job satisfaction (satisfaction with job security, coworkers, compensation, and supervisors). Perceived career opportunities, on the other hand, predicted only satisfaction with compensation. In addition, the results suggested that work engagement was a significant predictor of job satisfaction. Among the work engagement variables, dedication was the only variable that significantly predicted all four aspects of job satisfaction. Implications of the findings are discussed.

]]> Farideh Forootan Psychology Business