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Browsing by Author "Fisher, Gwen, advisor"

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    A computational model and empirical study of the self-undermining proposition in job demands-resources theory
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Walters, Kevin M., author; Fisher, Gwen, advisor; Gibbons, Alyssa, advisor; Clegg, Benjamin, committee member; Conroy, Samantha, committee member; Kraiger, Kurt, committee member
    The current conceptual model in job demands-resources (JD-R) theory contains eight propositions to explain the dual processes through which job demands and resources influence individuals' strain, motivation, and job performance. Although the theory is generally well-supported and widely-used in industrial-organizational (I-O) and occupational health (OHP) psychology literature, more research is needed to validate its two most recent propositions; that motivation and strain can lead to increases in job resources and demands through job crafting and self-undermining behaviors, respectively. The goal of this study was to test the dynamic variable relationships in the self-undermining proposition through two research methods in an academic context. First, I developed and tested a computational model of the self-undermining proposition based in JD-R theory and other psychological theories and research. Second, I collected longitudinal data from undergraduate students at two U.S. universities and analyzed the data through cross-lagged panel analyses and repeated measures multivariate analyses of variance. The results of the two methods were contradictory. Specifically, the specifications and theoretical assumptions of the computational model resulted in simulations of a perpetual loss spiral via a positive feedback loop, whereas statistical analyses of the longitudinal data did not identify or support the self-undermining proposition. Overall, the results did not support the self-undermining proposition and were influenced by several methodological limitations of this study, but these limitations and results exemplified several broader limitations of JD-R theory and suggested that the theory is currently inviable and in need of respecification.
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    Antecedents and outcomes of trust in the mentoring relationship
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) Rosen, Marisa Ali, author; Fisher, Gwen, advisor; Gibbons, Alyssa, advisor; Kraiger, Kurt, committee member; Henry, Kim, committee member; Shore, Lynn, committee member
    The purpose of the present study is to uncover how trust in mentoring relationships is influenced by mentor support and how trust influences positive outcomes for mentees: well-being, higher relationship quality, and job engagement. This study has a cross-sectional, survey design, using a sample of mentees, or protégés, from a Qualtrics study panel. All mentees were full-time employees, representative of the U.S. workforce, and were in the same organization as their mentor. I found that mentor support had a positive direct effect of trust and relationship quality and most interestingly that trust explained the relationship between mentor support and relationship quality and some components of well-being. No significant results were found regarding job engagement. These results have important implications for research and practice; they extend the current literature on Leader-Member Exchange, mentoring, and trust and have important implications for implementing formal mentoring programs.
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    Caring more about careless responding: applying the theory of planned behavior to reduce careless responding on online surveys
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Marshall, Alyssa D., author; Fisher, Gwen, advisor; Gibbons, Alyssa, advisor; Kraiger, Kurt, committee member; Graham, Dan, committee member; Henle, Chris, committee member
    Careless responding behavior on online surveys is an insidious problem that can distort research findings in concerning and counter-intuitive ways (McGonagle, Huang, & Walsh, 2016). This study aimed to develop practical strategies for reducing careless responding behavior and to provide theoretical support for the notion that careless responding is a planned behavior affected by motivational processes. This study applied the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1991) to develop three careless responding interventions. One intervention was targeted at each of the theory's antecedent variables – attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Using a sample of 591 MTurk participants, I examined the interventions' effects on antecedent variables, intentions to respond carefully, and six different measures of careless responding behavior as compared to a control group who received no intervention. Overall, this study found that the theory of planned behavior does explain significant variance in careless responding behavior. This supports the notion that careless responding is a planned behavior affected by motivational processes. Further, this study found that the perceived behavioral control intervention was effective at reducing careless responding on most metrics, though the attitudes and subjective norms interventions were not. None of the interventions produced measurable effects on antecedent variables or intentions to respond carefully. These findings suggest that the perceived behavioral control intervention may be a beneficial addition to future survey research.
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    Cognitive ability testing for employee selection: implications for age discrimination
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2018) Naude, Megan N., author; Fisher, Gwen, advisor; Gibbons, Alyssa, committee member; Rhodes, Matthew, committee member; Henle, Chris, committee member
    Existing theory and empirical research suggest that tests of fluid cognitive abilities have the potential to lead to age-based adverse impact and may be stronger predictors of job performance for younger job candidates compared to older job candidates. However, the evidence suggests that tests of crystallized cognitive abilities are not as susceptible to age-based adverse impact issues and should be strong predictors of job performance for candidates of any age. The two present studies used cognitive ability test scores collected from management employees in a large company in the United States in conjunction with supervisory performance ratings to examine adverse impact based on age, linear relations of test scores with age, and differential validity and prediction based on age. In the first study, a sample of N = 214 employees completed a test of fluid cognitive abilities, and in the second study, a sample of N = 232 employees completed a test of crystallized cognitive abilities. Contrary to hypotheses, results indicated that age-based adverse impact was more likely to be present for the test of crystallized abilities, age was negatively related to test performance for both tests, and neither test resulted in significant differential validity or prediction for the two age subgroups. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
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    Going with the flow: employee flow experiences across the creative profession spectrum
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Lizerbram, Ryan S., author; Fisher, Gwen, advisor; Dik, Bryan, committee member; Rhodes, Matthew, committee member; Beer, Laura, committee member
    Ties between the psychological state of flow and creativity, as well as flow and occupational health, have been documented relatively well within the organizational psychological literature, but fewer studies attempt to bridge these relationships together in a single study, especially when considering the lens of work design. In this study, I sought to test a model comprising work design, creative processes, flow experiences, and occupational health variables to empirically examine whether creative problem-solving and work-related flow mediate the relationship between job characteristics and worker well-being. I conducted an online self-report survey among a convenience sample of 326 workers employed in a variety of occupations. In general, the results provided support for the hypothesized model. Results indicated that job characteristics relate to creative problem-solving, flow, and worker well-being, which can inform ways to possibly increase flow at work. This research contributes to the broader literature that has previously identified numerous benefits of work-related flow, such as positive mood, overall well-being, in-role job performance, organizational citizenship behaviors, work recovery, and depleted burnout.
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    The relationship between sleep impairment and interpersonal organizational outcomes
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) Kunz, James, author; Fisher, Gwen, advisor; Gibbons, Alyssa, committee member; Graham, Daniel, committee member; Dik, Bryan, committee member; Ganster, Daniel, committee member
    Sleep is essential for individuals, organizations, and societies. For instance, reduced sleep is a significant predictor of poor mood and mortality. Impaired sleep can also affect workers and organizations such as by increasing absenteeism and presenteeism, reducing productivity, and increasing accidents on the job. Although previous research on sleep in organizational contexts has examined the relationship between sleep and social support variables such as perceived supervisor support and perceived social support more broadly, it has not examined the association between worker's sleep and perceived social support in a multilevel model. Additionally, prior research has not examined the relationship between sleep and perceived organizational support. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between 2213 workers' self-reported sleep (e.g., sleep quantity and sleep sufficiency) and three social support variables: perceived social, organizational, and supervisor support at both the individual and organizational level. Results indicated that sleep sufficiency was related to the three social support variables at both the individual and organizational levels in the model. However, sleep quantity was unrelated to the three social support variables at either level of the model. Implications from these findings are discussed in light of theoretical and applied contributions to the literature.