The objectives of this study were (1) to explore the factors involved in the decision-making process used by pig farmers for disease control and (2) to investigate pig farmers’ attitudes and ...perceptions about different information sources relating to disease control.
In 2011 a qualitative study involving 20 face-to-face interviews with English pig farmers was conducted. The questionnaire was composed of three parts. The first part required farmers to identify two diseases they had experienced and which were difficult to recognize and/or control. They were asked to report how the disease problem was recognized, how the need for control was decided, and what affected the choice of control approach. For the latter, a structure related to the Theory of Planned Behaviour was used. Their verbal responses were classified as associated with: (1) attitude and beliefs, (2) subjective norms, or (3) perceived behavioural control (PBC). In the second part, five key sources of information for disease control (Defra, BPEX, research from academia, internet and veterinarians) and the factors related to barriers to knowledge were investigated. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. A qualitative analysis of the text of the interview transcripts was carried out using templates.
Drivers for disease control were ‘pig mortality’, ‘feeling of entering in an economically critical situation’, ‘animal welfare’ and ‘feeling of despair’. Veterinarians were perceived by several participating farmers as the most trusted information source on disease control. However, in particular non-sustainable situations, other producers, and especially experiences from abroad, seemed to considerably influence the farmers’ decision-making. ‘Lack of knowledge’, ‘farm structure and management barriers’ and ‘economic constrains’ were identified in relation to PBC. Several negative themes, such as ‘lack of communication’, ‘not knowing where to look’, and ‘information bias’ were associated with research from academia.
This study identified a range of factors influencing the decision-making process for disease control by pig farmers. In addition, it highlighted the lack of awareness and difficult access of producers to current scientific research outputs. The factors identified should be considered when developing communication strategies to disseminate research findings and advice for disease control.
•Decision-making styles and personality jointly predict substantial variance in decision outcomes.•General cognitive styles do not offer incremental validity over decision-styles in predicting ...decision-making outcomes.•In predicting decision outcomes, personality has incremental validity over decision-making styles.
Research indicates that decision-making competence in everyday life is associated with certain decision-making styles. The aims of this article are to extend this research by examining (a) the extent to which general cognitive styles explain variance in decision-making competence over and above decision-making styles, and (b) the extent to which personality explains variance in decision-making competence over and above both types of style variable. Participants (N=355) completed measures of everyday decision-making competence (Decision Outcomes Inventory), decision styles (Decision Style Questionnaire; Maximization Inventory), cognitive styles (the Cognitive Styles Inventory; Rational-Experience Inventory), and the Big Five personality variables (IPIP Big-Five factor scales). The results indicate that cognitive styles offer no incremental validity over decision-making styles in predicting decision-making competence, but that personality does offer substantial incremental validity over general cognitive styles and decision-making styles. Jointly decision-making styles and personality account for a substantial amount of variance in everyday decision-making competence.
The cognitive reflection test (CRT) became popular for its impressive power to predict how well people reason and make decisions. Despite the popularity of the CRT, a major issue complicates its ...interpretation: The numerical nature of the CRT confounds reflection ability with mathematical ability. We have addressed this issue by developing the verbal CRT (CRT‐V), a novel 10‐item measure of cognitive reflection (https://osf.io/xehbv/), using nonmathematical problems with good statistical and psychometric properties and with low familiarity. First, we selected suitable items with relatively low familiarity and optimal difficulty as identified in two different populations (Studies 1 and 2) and with high content validity as judged by an expert panel (Study 3). Second, we demonstrated good criterion and construct validity for the test in different populations with a wide range of variables (Studies 4–6, 8) and a good internal consistency (Studies 4–8) and test–retest reliability (Study 7). The CRT‐V was less associated with math anxiety, objective and subjective numeracy than the original CRT, and it was test equivalent across gender, age groups and administration setting. In contrast with the original CRT (Hedge's g = 0.29, 95% confidence interval CI 0.17, 0.40), the CRT‐V showed no gender differences (Hedge's g = −0.06, 95% CI −0.18, 0.06). The CRT‐V can complement existing, numerical, tests of cognitive reflection.
Although student integration theory, a sociologically-based model, has been the dominant explanation for student drop-out from colleges for over 40 years, it has received only mixed empirical support ...in residential colleges and less in non-residential colleges. Psychological theories of active choice and behavior change offer an alternative explanation for drop-out. In research at a non-residential UK university, structural equation modeling was used in two separate studies to compare a model of student dropout based on student integration theory with a psychological model based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB). In the first study (N = 633), a model including TPB variables and two key student integration theory variables (academic integration, and social integration) showed good fit to the data, Although all three TPB variables predicted intention to quit, neither of the two student integration theory variables did so. The TPB variables explained over 60% of the variance in student's intention to voluntarily withdraw from college before completing their studies, and intention to withdraw was associated with actual dropout behavior. In the second study (N = 180), using alternative measures of student integration theory factors, a model including both student integration theory and TPB variables had acceptable fit, and over 70% of the variance in intention to quit was explained. But only the TPB variables predicted intention to quit significantly. The benefits of adopting a process-based psychological explanation to student retention are discussed.
•The theory of planned behavior explained over 50% of the variance in intention to quit university.•The dominant, sociological, model of student retention was less well supported by the data.•Novel approaches to reduce student dropout can be developed from the theory of planned behavior.
In the literature on the antecedents and mediators of employee well-being, there is little or no acknowledgement of sudden changes in the social and environmental context in which perceptions of ...well-being are formed. Contextual influences are rarely so impactful and unexpected as those associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. To continue operating within lockdown restrictions, many organizations, apart from those unable or unwilling to initiate such changes, abruptly adopted a work from home (WFH) or hybrid working pattern. These circumstances raise novel questions about the influence of impactful, unanticipated contextual factors on employee well-being outcomes. To address these questions in the context of a shift to WFH, we tested a model adapted from aspects of Event Systems Theory (EST) and the Psychology of Working Theory (PWT). Central to our theoretical adaptation was a unique perspective on PWT “decent work” perceptions based on principles of empowerment. In a study of 337 employees during the lockdown period, we applied a Bayesian multilevel model to investigate the contrast between in-lockdown perceptions relative to current pre-lockdown perceptions. Results suggested the contextual shift to WFH related negatively to relative perceptions of well-being, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Empowerment significantly mediated all well-being outcomes. Organizational support, neuroticism, and home readiness related directly to empowerment and indirectly to well-being outcomes via empowerment. We discuss how sudden contextual changes interacted with relationships observed in our model, and how our findings progress a context-responsive adaptation of EST and PWT in the new world of WFH.
•We advance theory on how employee well-being is affected by a sudden contextual shift to working from home.•Empowerment is suggested as fostering employee well-being outcomes in a shift to working from home.•Organizational support, neuroticism, and home readiness may be implicated in facilitating a change to working from home.•Employee well-being may be fostered with adequate organizational support and resources when working from home.
The latent structure of decision styles Dewberry, Chris; Juanchich, Marie; Narendran, Sunitha
Personality and individual differences,
04/2013, Volume:
54, Issue:
5
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
► We propose a model of the structure of decision-making styles. ► The model differentiates between core and regulatory decision styles. ► Two cross-sectional studies are carried out to investigate ...the model. ► Support for the model is found in both studies.
Responding to calls for theoretical development in research on decision styles, this article focuses on their structural relationships. A two-component model of decision styles is proposed. One component, pertaining to dual process theories of thinking, is concerned with the processes people use to make decisions, and the other is concerned with processes used to regulate decisions (e.g. whether they should be made immediately or delayed). The results of a first study (N=629) using items from a comprehensive decision style measure (the Decision Styles Questionnaire), support the two-component model. The results of a second study (N=305), based on an alternative set of style measures, provide support for an extended version of the model. Implications of the theory and research findings for future work on decision styles are discussed.
This study contributes to the literature on assessment centre (AC) measurement structure by evaluating whether dimension, exercise or mixed‐model theoretical perspectives are supported by reliability ...outcomes. In a large‐scale study (Ncandidates = 2917) utilizing Bayesian generalizability theory, we tested reliability estimates configured to conform to dimension, exercise or mixed‐model perspectives. Our findings reveal that reliability outcomes for AC ratings greatly depend on the measurement intentions of the researcher. When this intent aligned with the traditional dimension perspective, we found evidence that reliability was unacceptably low (mean reliability = .38, SD = .15). However, when the intent aligned with the exercise perspective, we found evidence that reliability exceeded acceptable criteria (mean reliability = .91, SD = .09). The addition of dimension‐ to exercise‐related effects to reflect a mixed‐model perspective did not make an appreciable difference to reliability.
Most UK medical schools use aptitude tests during student selection, but large-scale studies of predictive validity are rare. This study assesses the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT), ...and its four sub-scales, along with measures of educational attainment, individual and contextual socio-economic background factors, as predictors of performance in the first year of medical school training.
A prospective study of 4,811 students in 12 UK medical schools taking the UKCAT from 2006 to 2008 as a part of the medical school application, for whom first year medical school examination results were available in 2008 to 2010.
UKCAT scores and educational attainment measures (General Certificate of Education (GCE): A-levels, and so on; or Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA): Scottish Highers, and so on) were significant predictors of outcome. UKCAT predicted outcome better in female students than male students, and better in mature than non-mature students. Incremental validity of UKCAT taking educational attainment into account was significant, but small. Medical school performance was also affected by sex (male students performing less well), ethnicity (non-White students performing less well), and a contextual measure of secondary schooling, students from secondary schools with greater average attainment at A-level (irrespective of public or private sector) performing less well. Multilevel modeling showed no differences between medical schools in predictive ability of the various measures. UKCAT sub-scales predicted similarly, except that Verbal Reasoning correlated positively with performance on Theory examinations, but negatively with Skills assessments.
This collaborative study in 12 medical schools shows the power of large-scale studies of medical education for answering previously unanswerable but important questions about medical student selection, education and training. UKCAT has predictive validity as a predictor of medical school outcome, particularly in mature applicants to medical school. UKCAT offers small but significant incremental validity which is operationally valuable where medical schools are making selection decisions based on incomplete measures of educational attainment. The study confirms the validity of using all the existing measures of educational attainment in full at the time of selection decision-making. Contextual measures provide little additional predictive value, except that students from high attaining secondary schools perform less well, an effect previously shown for UK universities in general.
The multifaceted structure of multisource job performance ratings has been a subject of research and debate for over 30 years. However, progress in the field has been hampered by the confounding of ...effects relevant to the measurement design of multisource ratings and, as a consequence, the impact of ratee-, rater-, source-, and dimension-related effects on the reliability of multisource ratings remains unclear. In separate samples obtained from 2 different applications and measurement designs (N1 ratees = 392, N1 raters = 1,495; N2 ratees = 342, N2 raters = 2,636), we, for the first time, unconfounded all systematic effects commonly cited as being relevant to multisource ratings using a Bayesian generalizability theory approach. Our results suggest that the main contributors to the reliability of multisource ratings are source-related and general performance effects that are independent of dimension-related effects. In light of our findings, we discuss the interpretation and application of multisource ratings in organizational contexts.
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