This study expands upon previous findings that justice plays an important role in shaping cooperation with the group. The authors argue that specific aspects of procedural justice can act differently and encourage varying degrees of norm-following compliance behaviours and voluntary helping behaviours. Specifically, when employees perceive their supervisors as neutral and fair in their decision-making, the employees should particularly increase their compliance with norms and expectations. When employees perceive their supervisors as treating them respectfully, the employees should particularly increase their voluntary efforts to help the group or organisation. Results of a longitudinal field study in an organisational context revealed support for these predictions. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65, 146-154).
Recent research on justice in organisations has demonstrated the importance of justice perceptions for a wide range of organisational outcomes. This article examines the role of justice perceptions in the context of organisational change. First, the relevance of organisational justice during organisational change is discussed. Next, a review is presented of the literature on organisational justice and employee reactions to organisational change, whereby justice is considered either an antecedent or consequence of change reactions. Finally, several guidelines for future research are proposed. ( Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65 , 127-135.)
The purpose of this paper is to study the relation between fairness considerations and tax compliance attitudes and intentions. Data from a large panel survey among small business owners in the Netherlands were analysed. Besides a number of background and control variables the questionnaire contained measures of personal norms, procedural and distributive justice, tax compliance attitudes and intentions to comply with tax rules. Results support the hypothesis that personal norms and justice concerns are related to tax compliance attitudes. Moreover, analyses confirm the hypothesis that distributive fairness positively affects both tax compliance attitudes and intentions to comply among entrepreneurs with relatively low personal norms, while distributive justice has no significant effect among entrepreneurs with high personal norms. Implications of these results for research on tax compliance and for tax policy are discussed. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65, 136-145).
This paper introduces the idea of justice as a social regulation tool to explain why justice information has such a significant impact in our social lives. Our approach holds that justice shapes people’s social self, motivations and behaviour and therefore has to be considered fundamentally social in nature. Given our unique position as social animals, it is concluded that justice as an important social concern classifies as an important regulation tool in our social lives. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65, 114-117).
For decades, the effects of achievement goals on various aspects of individual task performance have been examined. Although these goals are often pursued in social contexts, surprisingly little research has focused on interpersonal effects of achievement goals. One process that is particularly important for successful task performance is the exchange of information between individuals, because by doing so people can profit from their collective task-related knowledge and skills. In this paper, the author reviews extant achievement motivation research that focuses on interpersonal processes. In addition, the results of recent studies on the effects of achievement goals on information exchange processes are presented and discussed. ( Netherlands Journal of Psychology 65, 53-61.)
Previous studies demonstrated that positive implicit attitudes toward alcohol, assessed with unipolar Implicit Association Tests (IATs), are related to drinking behaviour while negative implicit alcohol attitudes are not. However, because the IAT is a relative measure, the present study aimed at replicating these findings with non-relative unipolar Single Target-IATs (ST-IATs). Further, participants performed ST-IATs with either alcohol or beer as the target concept. Because we only included regular beer drinkers in this study, it was expected that scores on the beer ST-IAT would be more strongly related to drinking behaviour than scores on the alcohol ST-IAT. Consistent with previous findings, both alcohol and beer ST-IATs supported the coexistence of positive and negative implicit alcohol-related attitudes. Further, correlational analyses showed that positive implicit attitudes toward beer were related to drinking behaviour, while negative implicit attitudes were not. Implicit attitudes toward alcohol, in contrast, were unrelated to drinking behaviour. Hence, these findings suggest that the beer ST-IAT assessed more behaviour-relevant implicit attitudes compared with the alcohol ST-IAT. Implications and limitations of these results are discussed and suggestions for future research are given in the discussion. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65, 10-21.)
Worry is a common symptom in various psychiatric problems and the key symptom of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). The Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ) is the most widely used self-report scale for measuring worry. The present study provides normative data for the Dutch version of the PSWQ for a large community sample and a clinically referred sample of patients with GAD. Norms are not only provided for the original 16-item version, but also for an abbreviated 11-item version, which only consists of the positively worded items and has been shown to be a promising alternative to the full-length version. The percentile scores obtained for the community sample and the clinical GAD sample did not show much overlap, and this appeared true for the full-length as well as the abbreviated version of the PSWQ. These normative data seem suitable for differentiating between normal and abnormal manifestations of worrying and for evaluating the efficacy of treatments for GAD. ( Netherlands Journal of Psychology , 65, 69-75.)
To what extent are bargainers motivated by fairness and self-interest? To answer this question, we will review previous research on ultimatum bargaining. Based on this review, we argue that it is relevant to distinguish between instrumental fairness and true fairness. We speak of instrumental fairness when bargainers use fairness to maximise their own outcomes. In contrast, true fairness is linked to a concern for the outcomes of one’s opponent. Our review reveals four moderators that affect the use of the two types of fairness: (a) the social value orientations of the bargainers, (b) the emotions bargainers communicate, (c) the valence of the bargaining outcomes, and (d) the initial distribution of property. ( Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65 , 155-162).
Evaluative judgement aims at intersubjectivity, rather than objectivity or subjectivity. Multiple judges are widely used to increase its common component. A practical question is how to aggregate the individual judgements, in view of the feed-forward effects that are elicited by aggregation policies. The traditional practice of taking the mean of the individual judges’ votes, ratings, or rankings invites improper strategic manoeuvring by judges. The development of a set of more proper aggregation rules requires an analysis of the judgement task, as distinct from measurement, forecasting, preferential choice, and voting. Using psychometric notions, I model judgement as a recursive bet aimed at maximising the common or intersubjective component in the individual judgements. For practical purposes, the analysis leads to a number of recommendations, in particular: Take the median, not the mean, in aggregating individual evaluative judgements, and inform judges about its rationale. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology 65, 2-9.)
The kinship theory of genomic imprinting predicts that imprinted genes affect mother-child and child-child interactions. According to this theory paternally expressed genes will promote behaviours that increase costs of maternal investments and enable children to compete with siblings. Maternally expressed genes will promote behaviours that reduce the mother’s costs of child-rearing and enable children to engage in collaborative actions. Prader-Willi syndrome and Angelman syndrome are caused by the absence of expression of imprinted genes in 15q11-q13. Children with Prader-Willi syndrome lack the expression of paternally expressed genes; children with Angelman syndrome lack maternally expressed genes. The current paper discusses the role of imprinted genes in the development of communicative behaviours during the transition from breastfeeding to (consuming) solid food. Its focus is the possible role of imprinted genes in the development of empathy out of (reactive) crying, and in the development of behaviours necessary for joint action. Observed behavioural differences between children with Angelman and Prader-Willi syndrome, and data from mouse models on the effects of imprinted genes on brain development, are used to explore possible effects of imprinted genes. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65, 78-88).
Error occurrence cannot be fully eliminated. A strict differentiation between errors and their consequences is used to (a) discuss error prevention and error management, and (b) to show how organisations can promote an error mastery culture that combines the best of both. This article uses two 1996 Everest expeditions as an illustration of what can go wrong in complex high-risk systems. The point of this article, however, is not restricted to high-risk industries. A mastery error culture aims at control of negative error consequences − most relevant in high-risk industries − but also fosters positive error consequences needed for adaptation and innovation. The article discusses both general and recent empirical literature on safety, quality and error handling. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65, 22-34.)
Academic self-concept is not only considered a relevant variable influencing many educational outcomes directly or indirectly, but also an important educational goal in itself (Marsh & Hau, 2003). Therefore, it is important to understand how students’ academic self-concept develops and what affects it. In this paper, our focus is on the big-fish-little-pond (BFLP) model (Marsh, 1987) as an explanatory framework. The central presumption of this model is that the comparison of one's academic performance with that of one's immediate peers is a strong determinant of academic self-concept. In this literature review, we will try to show that this model applies to many issues in educational research, and also has significant practical implications. Furthermore, we want to give an impression of some related topics that require more attention and that could inspire future research on this matter. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology 65, 89-101.)
When authorities enact procedures in a fair manner, they positively influence their followers’ self-esteem. Building on fairness heuristic theory and sociometer theory, we predicted that this effect is mediated by trust in the authority because procedural fairness heightens trust as an indicator of a valued relationship with an authority who will protect followers’ interests. Trust should, subsequently, heighten followers’ self-esteem as an indicator of their value to the organisation. Further, we expected this mediated effect to emerge particularly among high power authorities because high power makes the authority more effective in influencing follower status. These predictions were tested in a scenario experiment in which authority power and procedural fairness were orthogonally manipulated. Trust indeed mediated procedural fairness effects on self-esteem and power moderated the trust-self-esteem path. These results strongly suggest that self-esteem reflects a positive relationship with an authority capable of influencing follower status. ( Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65 , 118-126).
Social absorption (SA) and social individuation (SI) are two dimensions that may help understand and predict the quality of interpersonal experiences and relationships (Ickes, Hutchison, & Mashek, 2004). A Dutch translation of the SA and SI scales was validated with a circumplex of interpersonal adjective scales, vulnerability factors to depression and attachment style dimensions among a sample of 429 Flemish and Dutch Open University students. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that SA consisted of two subfactors; SI was shortened for reliability reasons. Subsequent correlational analyses revealed that both SA subfactors correlated positively with warm and assertive interpersonal behaviours, secure attachment style and sociotropy. The shortened SI factor correlated positively with cold and aloof interpersonal behaviours, autonomy and fearful and dismissive attachment. A graphical projection of scales in the interpersonal circumplex further informs the reader about behavioural commonalities between all the variables.(Netherlands Journal of Psychology 65, 40-52.)
A substantial majority of individuals who are exposed to a traumatic event do not develop any persistent trauma-related psychological symptoms, a phenomenon referred to as resilience. Relying on a sample of undergraduate students (n = 79), the present study investigated whether positive and negative affect and cognitive reactivity to emotional challenges serve as predictors of longitudinal changes in resilience as measured by the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. While at initial testing both positive affect and cognitive reactivity were related to resilience, only higher levels of cognitive reactivity predicted a reduction in resilience four months later. These results highlight the relevance of cognitive reactivity for the study of resilience. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65, 62-68.)
Several international questionnaires measuring motivation for change have been translated into Dutch and are currently used in substance abuse treatment. The Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RCQ) is the best-known questionnaire, but critical appraisals can be made. We developed a new questionnaire that can be used together with the RCQ: the Motivation for Change Questionnaire (MfCQ). Data on the MfCQ were collected in three samples varying in drinking habits: patients from a substance abuse treatment centre (N = 118), people from the general community (N = 71), and psychology freshman (N = 139). Follow-up data of drinking habits in the general community sample were collected after six months. Three scales were constructed: ‘intention to change’, ‘outcome expectations’, and ‘self-efficacy’. Preliminary findings support the reliability and validity of the MfCQ. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 65, 102-111.)
This book represents one of the most comprehensive reviews of the social psychological literature on stigma currently available in print. For the student of stigma or for the researcher who wishes to examine the contemporary research literature on stigma, this is a must-read
Although false memories have been studied extensively within the field of cognitive psychology, the role of cognitive neuropsychology in false memory research has been rather limited. Therefore, the present article aims at giving an integrated overview of both the neuropsychological study of amnesia and research on false memories. After considering some of the most important predecessors in the study of memory distortions/illusions, a list-learning paradigm designed to elicit and investigate false memories is described (i.e., the DRM paradigm), and theoretical accounts for the phenomenon are provided. Subsequently, the neuropsychological framework is presented, with an emphasis on Korsakoff patients’ performance in the earlier described paradigm. Several experimental manipulations, as well as the results, are discussed and interpreted in the light of both encoding and retrieval factors. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 64: 96-111.)
Human emotion processes are traditionally investigated in the laboratory by using facial expressions. However, information from other sources, such as the emotion of the voice, the body or the surrounding context, seems to influence the way we perceive the face. In the current experiment compound stimuli consisting of faces and bodies expressing fear or happiness, with the same (congruent) or different (incongruent) emotion, were presented. Participants had to judge either the emotion of the face or the body. Our data clearly show that face and body expressions influence each other. Accuracy was negatively influenced by the incongruent emotion of the bodily expression, but only when the target face expressed a happy emotion. When a fearful or happy body had to be judged, both incongruent face emotions affected the accuracy similarly. The same pattern was observed for the reaction times for judgement of the body emotion, while no influence of the body was observed when the emotion of the face had to be judged. Our results indicate that face and body expressions influence each other but that the way the one biases the perception of the other is dependent on the specific emotion and on which the attention is focused. (Netherlands Journal of Psychology, 64, 143-151.)
Although research into evaluative conditioning (EC) has progressed considerably over the past 30 years, there have been some doubts about the strength and reliability of conditioning effects – especially when visual stimuli are used. Partly this has been due to well-documented methodological debates and empirical evidence of alternative causes of apparent learning (Field & Davey, 1999). The seeds of doubt have undoubtedly been nurtured, also by the numerous informal reports of researchers failing to obtain EC effects – even when replicating previously successful paradigms. This has led some to talk of boundary conditions that could enhance or eliminate the effects in EC experiments (De Houwer, Baeyens, Vansteenwegen & Eelen, 2000). This paper summarises 12 experiments that have explored this elusive phenomenon with mixed results (even when replicating past procedures). These various experiments are used to attempt to draw conclusions about what boundary conditions might exist for evaluative conditioning. ( Netherlands Journal of Psychology , 64, 46-64.)
