Abstracts » Social sciences

Members' participation in local union activities: measurement, prediction, and replication

Article Abstract:

Past research on members' participation in union activities has been characterized by the lack of a psychometrically adequate criterion for participation and an exploratory focus on the correlates of participation. We report two studies addressing these issues. In the first study, we found that participation was best understood as a unidimensional and cumulative construct.Across three large data sets (ns = 229, 551, and 413), a Guttman scale model provided a good fit to the data. The scale demonstrated temporal reliability, and correlations with external criteria support the construct validity of the measure. In the second study, we formulated a model to predict members' participation on the basis of the theory of reasoned action and the partisan model of political participation. After slight modification, the proposed modelfit the data for the study (n = 202) and for replication samples (n = 147). Directions for future research on union participation, conceptual implications for the understanding of union participation, and practical implications for union governance are discussed. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Membership

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Item content versus item wording: disentangling role conflict and role ambiguity

Article Abstract:

Rizzo, House, and Lirtzman's (1970) Role Ambiguity Scale and Role Conflict Scales assess ambiguity with 6 negatively worded items and conflict with 8 positively worded items, respectively. This methodological confound between item wording and content precludes unambiguous interpretation. In the present study, confirmatory factor analysis of these 2 scales and Beehr, Walsh, and Taber's (1976) Role Overload Scale (which has positively and negatively worded items) was used to disentangle this confound. Across 2 independent samples (N = 767 and N = 363), a 3-factor model consistent with conceptual definitions of role ambiguity, conflict, and overload fit the data better than models with (a) one general role-stress factor, (b) a general role-stress and a method (item wording) factor, or (c) two method (positive and negative wording) factors. These results support the construct validity of Rizzo et al.'s (1970) scales; the consistency of the results across 2 independent samples suggests their generalizability. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Analysis, Measurement, Psychometrics, Role conflict, Psychological research, Ambiguity, Rizzo, J.R., House, R.J., Lirtzman, S.I., Beehr, T.A., Walsh, J.T., Taber, T.D.

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Preemployment predictors of union attitudes: the role of family socialization and work beliefs

Article Abstract:

A process model of the preemployment predictors of union attitudes was developed and tested. Fifty-nine high school and 143 university students completed questionnaires on family socialization, work beliefs, union attitudes, and willingness to join a union. Linear structural equation modeling showed that union attitudes predicted willingness to join a union and were predicted by humanist and Marxist work beliefs and by subjects' perceptions of their parents' union attitudes. Subjects' perceptions of their parents' union attitudes were predicted by perceptions of parents' involvement in union activities. The results extend findings that union attitudes are of critical importance to unionization in a sample of individuals not yet employed. In addition, several predictors of union attitudes prior to entry into the workplace were identified. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Labor organizations, Psychological aspects, Socialization, Attitudes, Attitude (Psychology), Work and family

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