Meta-analysis of 155 research reports that used one of three commitment scales (affective, continuance, or normative) found strong correlations between the scales and correlates of jobs satisfaction, job involvement, and organizational commitment. All three were negatively related to withdrawal and turnover. Perceived organizational support had…

Offers a model representing a normative perspective on organizational leadership. An organization's normative structure consists of members' perceptions of conditions necessitating leadership, the extent to which these conditions are present, and members' beliefs about leaders' intentions and how they should be realized. Leadership cannot be…

Data from a sample of recent medical technology graduates from 1993, 1994, and 1995 (n=457) indicated that younger, less satisfied, and male technologists had stronger intent to leave the profession. Professional commitment accounted for significant variance in intent to leave. (SK)

A study of 287 public sector employees found that perceptual and ability-related antecedents of motivation were significant predictors of participation in training. Motivation and previous success in transferring training played a significant role in intention to participate. (Contains 43 references.) (SK)

Becker's side bet theory (remaining in a job because of perceived costs of leaving) was tested using data from 327 working business students. Three factors were most consistent with the theory: bureaucratic organization, nonwork-related concerns, and adjustment to social position. Attachment to the organization was significantly linked to tangible…

A study of stories written by 10-12 year-olds attempted to interpret the authors' meaning and intention by using three modes: primary reading, speculative questioning, and reflective reading. The modes led to multiple layers of meaning, revealing subtlety and complexity and overturning the reader's position. (SK)

Expressed interests are specific intentions; measured interests are what are commonly known as vocational interests. Research on how intentions and attitudes predict behavior suggests that expressed interests are better predictors of career choice. Clear distinctions between the two constructs should be preserved. (Contains 27 references.) (SK)

It has been suggested that the child's capacity to represent and influence another person's attentional state about an object or event in triadic interactions (declarative communication) is an early manifestation of social understanding in the second year of life. This study tested the following predictions: First, in typically developing children…

We examined the Big Five (De Raad, 2000) personality traits of Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, Extraversion, and Openness, plus the narrow personality traits of Aggression, Career-Decidedness, Optimism, Self-Directed Learning, Sense of Identity, Tough-Mindedness, and Work Drive in relation to intention to withdraw from…

The research goals were to use the constructs of harm and intent to quantify the severity of aggression in the real-world setting of the bar/club, to describe the range of aggressive behaviors and their relationship to harm and intent, and to examine gender differences in the form and severity of aggression. Systematic observations were conducted…

Influenza and pneumonia rank among the 5 leading causes of death among persons aged 65 and over. Although immunization has been demonstrated to prevent influenza or reduce its incidence and associated complications among the elderly, it has been largely underutilized. Purpose: This study examined the association of attitudes, perceived norms, and…

This research investigated 3- to 5-year-old's understanding of the role of intentional states and action in pretense. There are two main perspectives on how children conceptualize pretense. One view is that children understand the mental aspects of pretending (the rich interpretation). The alternative view is that children conceptualize pretense…

Forming the intention to complete an activity later is the standard definition of a prospective memory task. Recently, a debate has arisen concerning the degree to which near-term intentions usurp resources away from other ongoing activities. In four experiments the authors tested how much interference was caused by holding a variety of different…

Plagiarism is regarded as a heinous crime within the academic community, but anecdotal evidence suggests that some writers plagiarize without intending to transgress academic conventions. This article reports a study of the writing of 17 postgraduate students. Source reports in the student-generated texts were compared to the original sources in…

This is a discussion with Judith Warren regarding her painting on the cover of the present issue of American Psychologist. To Warren, the painting on the cover of this issue, Pentimento, speaks to the interplay of spontaneity and intentionality in psychotherapy.