I've Found It, but What Does It Mean? On the Importance of Theory in Identifying Dominant General Factors

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 212-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenyu Yuan
Keyword(s):  
Job Performance ◽  
Statistical Properties ◽  
Performance Ratings ◽  
General Factor ◽  
Important Criterion ◽  
Theoretical Justification ◽  
Definition Of

In their focal article, Ree, Carretta, and Teachout (2015) based their definition of a dominant general factor (DGF) on two criteria: (a) A DGF should be the largest source of reliable variance; (b) it is influencing every variable measuring the construct. Although detailed attention has been paid to the statistical properties of a DGF, I believe another criterion of equal if not greater importance is the theoretical justification to expect a DGF in the measurement of a construct. In the following commentary, I will highlight the importance of theory as another important criterion when determining the meaningfulness and usefulness of DGFs, discuss the risks of creating a DGF without any theoretical guidance, and elaborate on the complexities surrounding job performance as a detailed example to illustrate why theory is important before extracting a DGF from performance ratings.

Candidate Age as a Factor in Promotability Ratings

1992 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor Cox ◽  
Stella M. Nkomo
Keyword(s):  
Job Performance ◽  
Field Study ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Performance Ratings ◽  
Job Tenure ◽  
Moderator Variable

This paper presents research addressed to understanding how candidate age affects promotability. A field study of 125 lower-level managers indicated that age had an inverse relationship with promotability for both young and older managers and also appeared to serve as a moderator variable for the job tenure and education factors. Job tenure and education were relevant criteria only for the younger managers. By contrast, job performance ratings were significant for both age groups. Alternative explanations for the results and the implications of the findings are discussed.

The impact of stereotypes and supervisor perceptions of employee work–family conflict on job performance ratings

2016 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Li ◽  
Jessica Bagger ◽  
Russell Cropanzano
Keyword(s):  
Job Performance ◽  
Family Conflict ◽  
Role Theory ◽  
Performance Ratings ◽  
Work Family Conflict ◽  
Moderated Mediation Model ◽  
Work Conflict ◽  
Work Family ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

We draw on gender role theory to examine the relationships among employee-rated work–family conflict, supervisor perceptions of employee work–family conflict, employee gender and supervisor-rated job performance. We found that the relationship between employee-rated work–family conflict and supervisor perceptions of employee conflict varied based on both employee gender and the direction of conflict under consideration. Specifically, the relationship between the two rating sources (employee and supervisor) was stronger for male employees when conflict was considered. However, the relationship between the two rating sources was stronger for female employees when family-to-work conflict was considered. Supervisor perceptions of employee work–family conflict were negatively related to employee job performance ratings. More generally, we found support for a moderated mediation model such that the relationship between employee-rated work–family conflict and job performance was mediated by supervisor perceptions of employee work–family conflict, and the effect was moderated by employee gender. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Risk ― A Basic Concept of Epidemiology

2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-60
Author(s):  
Evgeny D. Savilov ◽  
Svetlana N. Shugaeva ◽  
Nikolaj I. Briko ◽  
Sergey I. Kolesnikov
Keyword(s):  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Factor Group ◽  
Risk Area ◽  
Theoretical Justification ◽  
Internal Factors ◽  
Evaluation Measures ◽  
Risk Period ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Epidemiologic Risk

This article presents the analysis of current scientific understanding of the term «risk» along with theoretical justification of its use in epidemiological studies. Epidemiology commonly uses definitions such as «risk factor», «group of risk», «risk area», and «risk period». However, these definitions were useful only for specific groups or nosoligical infectious diseases. In Noninfectious Pathology the terms had been used exclusively in the applied studies. There is a lack of publications which compile theoretical basics of such fundamental term category. The authors suggest a definition of epidemiologic «risk» which can be used in the epidemiology of both infectious and noninfectious diseases. It is a probability of negative influence on illness (and/or its impact) of specific groups of general population which is defined by external and/or internal factors in specific times and territories. The authors differentiate types of risk and their evaluation measures into categories for used in applied studies of epidemiology. The relationships and the unity of the basic categories of the epidemiologic risk are discussed. The authors conclude that riskology is the main branch of epidemiology and the category of «risk» is the basic paradigm of this science.

METHODOLOGY FOR RESEARCHING THE FISCAL MECHANISM FOR REGULATING INVESTMENT PROCESSES

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viktoriia Rudenko ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Research Methods ◽  
Research Methodology ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Cognitive Activity ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Theoretical Justification ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Scientific Facts ◽  
Financial Research

The necessity and advantages of using the methodology in conducting financial research in modern conditions, in particular regarding the functioning of the fiscal mechanism for regulating investment processes, are determined. It is established that the methodology is considered by scientists in two approaches: 1) as a doctrine of research methods, which is inextricably linked with philosophical science; 2) as a set of research methods used in any science. The etymology of the concept of “methodology” is considered and approaches to the interpretation of its content are critically comprehended. It is substantiated that the structure of the research methodology, in particular the fiscal mechanism of regulation of investment processes, covers three aspects: functional, logical and process. The functional aspect of the research methodology is determined, which covers its consideration as a set of principles and methods aimed at achieving a specific practical or theoretical goal of research work. The logical aspect of research methodology is highlighted, which contains its understanding as a set of forms of organization of research work. The process aspect of research methodology is determined, which implies its interpretation as a series of successive stages aimed at achieving a certain practical or theoretical result of research work. Based on the study of reference and scientific literature, the author's definition of research methodology of the fiscal mechanism for regulating investment processes is proposed as a specific doctrine, which covers a set of principles, methods, forms and sequential stages of research (cognitive) activity, used to identify scientific facts, their theoretical justification and practical implementation. The functions of research methodology of the fiscal mechanism for regulating investment processes is established. The functions of research methodology of the fiscal mechanism for regulating investment processes are established. The factors of successful application of the methodology as “art” in the study of the fiscal mechanism for regulating investment processes are considered.

scholarly journals Cultural flies: Conformist social learning in fruitflies predicts long-lasting mate-choice traditions

Science ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 362 (6418) ◽  
pp. 1025-1030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Etienne Danchin ◽  
Sabine Nöbel ◽  
Arnaud Pocheville ◽  
Anne-Cecile Dagaeff ◽  
Léa Demay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Learning ◽  
Mate Choice ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Cultural Inheritance ◽  
Theoretical Justification ◽  
Mating Preferences ◽  
Transmission Chain ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Local Traditions ◽  
Animal Culture

Despite theoretical justification for the evolution of animal culture, empirical evidence for it beyond mammals and birds remains scant, and we still know little about the process of cultural inheritance. In this study, we propose a mechanism-driven definition of animal culture and test it in the fruitfly. We found that fruitflies have five cognitive capacities that enable them to transmit mating preferences culturally across generations, potentially fostering persistent traditions (the main marker of culture) in mating preference. A transmission chain experiment validates a model of the emergence of local traditions, indicating that such social transmission may lead initially neutral traits to become adaptive, hence strongly selecting for copying and conformity. Although this situation was suggested decades ago, it previously had little empirical support.

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