Topic:  The role of gratitude in moderating the impact and incidence of incivility in the workplace.

Name: Aylin Dulagil

Supervisor: Barbara Griffin

Background: Uncivil behaviours in the work place are commonplace and their incidence is increasing (Buhler, 2003). Incivility includes rude comments, interrupting, ignoring, yelling and use of condescending tone. Workplace incivility is defined as “low intensity, deviant behaviour with ambiguous intent to harm the target, in violation of workplace norms for mutual respect”. Uncivil behaviours are characterised by displaying a lack of respect for others (Andersson & Pearson, 1999, p.457). Even minor instances of disrespect have a measurable and adverse impact on employees (Lim, Cortina and Magley, 2008). Speculated reasons for the increase in incivility include greater worker diversity leading to more misunderstanding, greater stress on employees, and greater perceived job insecurity (Blau and Andersson, 2005). Blau and Andersson (2005) have developed and tested a measure of instigated workplace incivility. However, there is little research that examines the factors that might cause instigators to initiate uncivil behaviours.

Incivility in workplaces impacts on interpersonal aspects of job satisfaction, and also has a direct negative influence on mental health (Lim et al, 2008). Antecedents of incivility exist at the individual, group and organisational levels. At the individual level, emotional reactivity and self-regulation impact on experienced and instigated incivility. At the group level group characteristics such as size, gender composition, group cohesion, and perceived social support impact on experience and instigated incivility. At the organisational or environmental level work demand, job insecurity and perceived organisational support impact on experienced and instigated incivility. Outcomes which have been linked to experienced incivility include intention to quit, affective well being and job satisfaction.

Uncivil behaviours can be characterised as opposite to prosocial behaviours which are defined as positive social acts carried out to promote the well-being and integrity of others (Brief and Motowidlo, 1986). Positive emotions have been linked to prosocial behaviours in organisations (see Barsade and Gibson, 2007 for a review). Gratitude, in particular, has been shown to be related to prosocial behaviours (McCullough, Emmons and Tsang, 2002). Dispositional or trait gratitude involves individual differences in how frequently and intensely people experience gratitude (Wood, Maltby, Gillett, Linley and Joseph, 2008). Wood et al (2008) have demonstrated that higher levels of trait gratitude lead to higher levels of perceived social support, and lower levels of stress and depression. There is little research investigating how trait gratitude moderates the impact and incidence of experienced or instigated incivility.

Research Question: Does trait gratitude moderate the impact and incidence of experienced or instigated incivility? Does the positive orientation that is the hall mark of trait gratitude protect individuals from the psychological impact of workplace incivility? Conversely, does trait gratitude moderate the impact of environmental factors such as work demand, job insecurity and perceived organisational support on instigators of incivility?

Methodology:   Participants are asked to complete an online questionnaire that includes a number of items measuring:

•                 Job satisfaction
•                 Gratitude
•                 Perceived organisational support
•                 Emotional self-regulation
•                 Emotional reactivity
•                 Role ambiguity and role conflict
•                 Team climate and organisational climate
•                 Experienced and instigated incivility
•                 Well-being
•                 Intention to quit
•                 Team size and gender composition and other demographic details

The organisations taking part in this research include a large consulting firm, two large banks and two not-for-profit organisations.

 

Topic: A qualitative study of the protective factors associated with resilience and unemployment in an outplacement context. 

Name: Penelope Faure

Supervisor: Doris McIlwain

Background: I work in an outplacement setting with participants have been retrenched from their last role. Unemployment has been shown to have a profound effect on the life of the unemployed individual and his/her family. As a significant life event, job loss ranks in the upper quartile of life events that generate stress and is on of the top 10 traumatic life experiences. With 612,000 unemployed person in Australia in January 2010 (ABS, 2010), it is also a major social concern. Unemployment can thus be considered one of the potential sources of adversity in adulthood by denying the unemployed person the advantages of a job such as economic resources, social contact with coworkers, personal growth, and identification.

Resilience is the ability to bounce back in the face of adversity. It has been defined as 'the process of, capacity for, or outcome of successful adaptation despite challenging or threatening circumstances' (Masten, Best & Gamezy, 1990, p. 426. Rutter (1993) argues that resilience is not a fixed characteristic of individuals, but rather it changes with developmental life experiences and is dependent of risk factors, adversity, and the social environment.

Research has provided a strong understanding of resilience and the protective factors that foster resilience in children, adolescents, and older adults but there is a noticeable lack of research on resilience in adulthood ( Moorhouse & Caltabiano, 2007), thus limiting the development of appropriate protective interventions for adults facing the crisis of, for example, job loss. This study aims to increase knowledge and understanding of resilience in adults. This qualitative study hopes to gain insight from unemployed job seekers as to what fosters resilience, what constitutes adversity and what helps them to retain their sense of well-being.

Research Question: What are the psychological and behavioural factors that retrenched job seekers indicate are most helpful to their job search strategy? What does this tell us about resilience and assertive job seeking?

Methodology: Using a grounded theory methodology, to interview 6 – 9 participants about their experiences of retrenchment and the job search process.

 

Topic: Medical Student Selection: A Meta-analysis of selection-interview admission practices

Name: Jeffrey Brown

Supervisor: Dr Barbara Griffin

Background: Demand for student places in medical schools across the world far exceeds availability (Griffin et al., 2009). Accordingly, selection of students into medical education programs has become a high-profile, contentious and high-stakes exercise (Wilkinson et al., 2008). Traditionally, many schools have selected students based on prior academic achievement alone. However, research suggests that the available measures of academic performance do not provide sufficient variance to allow meaningful differentiation in performance (McManus et al., 2005).

Interviews for selection in the medical field are becoming increasingly popular. Their use in conjunction with other methods of selection has diversified student intakes and shown predictive validity for grades in clinical subjects (Eva et al., 2004). However in the analysis of the interview process, it is critical to acknowledge the myriad of interviewing techniques available both in terms of structure (i.e. minimal guidelines vs. highly structured) and methodology (i.e. individual vs. panel interviewing).

While research continues to examine the validity of selection interviews, minimal attempts have been made to quantitatively analyse and synthesise this growing field of literature.

Research Question: The primary purpose of this research is to assess the effectiveness of selection interviews in Australian tertiary medical education settings, and their ability to predict future success. The research aims to further understand the relationship between applicants’ ratings on an interview selection measure and their subsequent performance.

The research aims to build on past research through an exploratory quantitative review of reported studies on the effectiveness of selection interviews in the medical discipline.

Methodology: The research will aim to use both published and unpublished data detailing the effectiveness of selection interviews in medical education admission programs in Australia.  An exploratory meta-analysis technique will be employed based on guidelines as detailed by Hunter & Schmidt (1990) and Lipsey & Wilson (2001).

 

Topic: The role of mood in the relationship between task uncertainty, appraisal and task behaviours

Name: Luke Franks

Supervisor: Ben Searle

Background: In many workplaces uncertainty/ambiguity surrounding job role/job tasks is prevalent, particularly as a result of the globalised workforce and the more recent GFC. Task uncertainty has been described in the literature (Breaugh & Colihan 1994 and Ilgen & Hollenbeck, 1991) as a lack of clarity surrounding expectations of a task/role that often interferes with goal accomplishment. Breaugh and Collihan (1994) explain uncertainty as method, scheduling and criteria ambiguity. 

Task uncertainty is often appraised by the individual in one of two ways; as a challenge or as a hindrance. It has been assumed that how one appraises the task influences one’s mood, and thus one’s behaviour (Rodell & Judge, 2009). However, it may also be that mood has a significant influence on the appraisal process, and as a result an influence on behavioural responses to the task.

Research has shown that that negative moods lead to greater attention to negative information, greater recall of negative events, and less recall of positive features (Cohen, Towbes & Flocco, 1988).Thus, it may be that positive mood may prompt challenge appraisals, while negative mood might prompt hindrance appraisals.

Research Question:

1. How does mood influence appraisal?

2. How does mood influence how task uncertainty is appraised? 

3. How does mood influence the effect of appraisal on behavioural responses to the task?

Methodology: The project will use an experimental design, whereby a simulated rail control task will be used to allow the researchers to manipulate the degree of task uncertainty (operationalised in terms of task complexity and task ambiguity).The participant’s mood will also be manipulated (with a mood induction method yet to be determined) to examine the effects of mood. Behavioural responses to the task under the various conditions will be examined and compared.

 

Topic: Relationship between Task Uncertainty and Appraisal

Name: Fiona Ang

Supervisor: Ben Searle

Background:

Individuals in uncertain situation experience the inability to make accurate predictions about the effects of known situations, the nature of future events, and the future impact of one’s own actions (Miliken, 1987).

Task features such as ambiguity and complexity may lead to uncertainty. Task complexity is a function of the number of task components, inter-relations between these components, and changes in relations over time (Wood, 1986). Task ambiguity is a function of availability of information about how to perform the task (Bonner, 2000).

When faced with ambiguous and complex tasks, individuals may experience a stress response (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). According to the transactional model of stress, individuals engage in primary appraisal, which involves the assessment of the potential for threat; and secondary appraisal, which involves the assessment of one’s own capacity to cope with the situation.

Receiving less attention, however, is that primary appraisal also involves the assessment of the potential for gain.  According to Cavanaugh et al. (2000), uncertain situations can be appraised as challenge stressors, which provide opportunity for personal growth. On the other hand, uncertain situations can also be appraised as hindrance stressors, which obstruct goal attainment. Challenge stressors are related to task complexity, and hindrance stressors are related to task ambiguity.

Research Question:

1.            What are the effects of uncertainty (ambiguity and complexity) on appraisal?

2.            Does an ambiguous task have differential effects on appraisal, relative to a complex task?

Methodology: This experimental study will be conducted with the use of management simulations at the Accelerated Learning Lab, UNSW.  These simulations are designed as management microworlds to provide highly detailed and realistic simulations. This study will engage a management population.

There will be three conditions:

• Ambiguity Condition: High ambiguity/Low complexity
• Complexity Condition: High complexity/Low ambiguity
• Control Condition: Low ambiguity/Low complexity

 

Topic: Organisational Personality: Homogeneity, Heterogeneity and Performance.

Name: Nathan Taylor

Supervisor: Allan Bull

Background: Benjamin Schneider’s Attraction-Selection-Attrition (ASA) cycle theory suggests that organisations develop a unique personality based on the collective characteristics of their individual employees. The personality of an organisation is defined by the aggregation of individuals being measured on a psychometric inventory. Over time the “personality” of an organisation becomes homogenised as people who share similar traits and values gravitate to that environment and stay, while people with personalities that are significantly different from the collective personality leave to find an environment that more closely resembles their traits.

Initially research was conducted using the Myers Briggs Type Inventory, however more recently the Five Factor Model was used as a research tool, and evidence was found to support the ASA theory.

The ASA theory goes on to suggest that young organisations require homogeneity for organisational survival, however as organisations mature homogeneity results in difficulty adapting and changing to the business environment, and thus organisational demise. There has been no empirical research conducted to date to support this branch of the theory.

Research Question: Hypothesis 1: There will be significant variability between organisations regarding the personality traits of its members.

Hypothesis 2: The organisational personality of mature organisations will be significantly more homogenous than younger organisations.

Hypothesis 3: Mature organisations with a significantly more heterogeneous personality will perform better than comparable organisations with a homogenous personality.

Methodology: An existing data set of over 800 NEO-PI responses from twenty three organisations across nine industries is available for study, with additional respondents to be added between February and June 2010. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) will be used for data analysis due to the nested nature of the individual NEO-PI responses within organisations (and industries). Additionally HLM allows specification of non-linear models, as predicted by the ASA theory regarding the relationship between organisational age, homogeneity and performance. An Organisational Performance variable, such as share price, will also be introduced in order to test the third hypothesis.

• Master of Organisational Psychology
• PhD in Organisational Psychology

Master of Organisational Psychology

Stephanie Banks

Thesis Title: Leadership protoypes across organisational contexts

Thesis Details: How does the organisational context (male or female dominated organisations) affect perceptions of the effectiveness and likeability of male and female leaders? In what context is the masculine leadership style accepted when used by females? Is the “sensitive” male leader accepted in certain contexts? How might these effects differ, depending on the gender of the rater?
In the past two decades, there has been increasing empirical interest in sex-role stereotypes in the workplace and the inequity between men and women in senior management positions. One of the predominant theories in this field is the role incongruity theory (Eagly & Karau, 2002), which posits that the traditional leadership characteristics (agentic, masculine) are incongruent to women’s traditional gender role in society, in turn creating stereotypes/prejudice towards women and restricting their career
progression.

However, this line of research fails to account for contextual variables which may intervene in perceptual processes of men and women’s leadership effectiveness. For example, Eagly and Carli (2003) found that women in male-dominated organisations suffer from gender stereotypes to a greater extent than women from more gender neutral or female-dominated organisations
(e.g., nursing). Women were also rated less favourably when working in line positions as compared to staff positions (Lyness and Heilman, 2006).

Nina Kordic

Thesis Title: Observing incivility in the workplace: Antecedents, Moderators and Outcomes.

Thesis Details: Observing incivility in a team has been found to have negative effects on job satisfaction and mental health over and above the impact of experiencing incivility personally. This study aims to broaden the limited existing empirical account of the relationships between various variables, in understanding the effects of observing incivility. Situational variables including interactional justice (team) climate, manager support and team performance will be addressed, as well as individual and demographic factors such as personality, gender and seniority. Employee wellbeing, satisfaction, motivation and turnover intentions will also be addressed. The majority if the study will take form of a survey, with a qualitative component investigating the response behaviours to observing incivility in a team. In establishing antecedent, moderator and outcomes relationships between the variables, organisations will have a stronger foundation in both preventing and addressing incivility in their teams and organisations.

Adam Van Apeldoorn

Thesis Title: Predictors of happiness and self-actualisation

Thesis Details:
Aims of the Research:

1. To determine which beliefs and behaviours associated are guiding the outcomes of being happy and self-actualised.
2. To provide empirical support for the claims of Franklin’s model and self-report measure.

Background:

This study utilises a positive psychology approach to investigate the beliefs and behaviours which enable people to live happy and fulfilling lives. To this extent I a range of literature is being investigated, including wisdom, subjective well-being, psychological well-being, the benefits of positive emotions and positive affect, self-actualization, resilience, purpose in life, spirituality and social affiliation.  My work so far has consisted of researching core principles as found in several of the world's religions and philosophies and integrating these concepts with research from positive psychology.

More specifically, the study is based on Dr John Franklin’s Hierarchy of Developmental Competencies, which is a model of personal change containing four levels - change readiness and adaptive learning (base level), self, interpersonal, and life (top level). The model posits that learning and mastering the skills involved at each level fosters happiness, well-being,
and perceived success.  The current study focuses on the base level of the model, and investigates which specific beliefs and behaviours associated with this level predict happiness and self-actualisation.

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PhD in Organisational Psychology

Justin Wallace

Thesis Title: Altering Proactive Behaviours in the Workplace

Thesis Details: My area of research is looking at proactive behaviour in the workplace.  A proactive person identifies opportunities, initiates action and perseveres until they bring about meaningful change (Bateman & Crant, 1993).  Proactivity is associated with a variety of positive outcomes including better subjective well-being and job performance. The primary aim of my PhD is to see whether different interventions can alter proactive behaviours in the workplace.  This involves identifying the main antecedents of proactive behaviours and then testing different interventions to understand how they impact on an individual’s level of proactivity.