Papers by James M LeBreton
Personnel Psychology, 2011
Interest in the study of aberrant behaviors has coincided with widely publicized scandals involvi... more Interest in the study of aberrant behaviors has coincided with widely publicized scandals involving unethical behaviors of individuals in organizations. Consequently, the literature in the organizational sciences has been increasingly focused on counterproductive and deviant behaviors such as aggression, sabotage, or theft and how individual differences can predict such behaviors. As such, research linking personality to counterproductive work behaviors has grown substantially over the last 10 years. However, the majority of this research has relied on traditional personality traits as the dispositional antecedents of such counterproductive behaviors (e.g., the global traits comprising the five factor model). A different yet possibly fruitful framework with which to examine the link between individual differences and counterproductive work behaviors is through the use of aberrant personality traits. The importance of focusing attention on aberrant traits in relation to counterproductive work behaviors is highlighted through a review of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy, followed by a variety of research hypotheses designed to spur future research in these and related areas.
Journal of personality assessment, Jan 19, 2015
To enhance the predictive validity of self-report personality measures, 2 distinct ways of increa... more To enhance the predictive validity of self-report personality measures, 2 distinct ways of increasing specificity of personality measures have been proposed in the literature-contextual specificity (i.e., providing a contextual referent) and content specificity (i.e., focusing on more specific constructs such as the Big Five facets). This study extends this line of research by examining whether there is an optimal way to configure, align, or integrate contextual and content specificity using measures of conscientiousness to predict college student success. A sample of 478 undergraduate students completed 4 measures of conscientiousness that varied in the level of content and contextual specificity. These forms of specificity were crossed to yield 4 distinct measures of conscientiousness. We then evaluated and compared the relative importance and the incremental importance of these different measures in the prediction of academic success. Superior predictive validity was found for bo...
Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2014
The results of meta-analytic (MA) and validity generalization (VG) studies continue to be impress... more The results of meta-analytic (MA) and validity generalization (VG) studies continue to be impressive. In contrast to earlier findings that capped the variance accounted for in job performance at roughly 16%, many recent studies suggest that a single predictor variable can account for between 16 and 36% of the variance in some aspect of job performance. This article argues that this “enhancement” in variance accounted for is often attributable not to improvements in science but to a dumbing down of the standards for the values of statistics used in correction equations. With rare exceptions, applied researchers have suspended judgment about what is and is not an acceptable threshold for criterion reliability in their quest for higher validities. We demonstrate a statistical dysfunction that is a direct result of using low criterion reliabilities in corrections for attenuation. Corrections typically applied to a single predictor in aVGstudy are instead applied to multiple predictors. A multiple correlation analysis is then conducted on corrected validity coefficients. It is shown that the corrections often used in single predictor studies yield a squared multiple correlation that appears suspect. Basically, the multiple predictor study exposes the tenuous statistical foundation of using abjectly low criterion reliabilities in single predictorVGstudies. Recommendations for restoring scientific integrity to the meta-analyses that permeate industrial–organizational (I–O) psychology are offered.
Hodgkinson/International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology 2011, 2011
The chapter is structured as follows. After examining the concept of variable importance in a reg... more The chapter is structured as follows. After examining the concept of variable importance in a regression context, we overview importance measures traditionally used in organizational research and discuss their theoretical and practical limitations. Then, we focus on the two accepted techniques designed to measure importance of correlated predictors - dominance analysis and relative weight analysis - and discuss recent developments in relative importance research. We conclude with suggestions for future work.
The Employment Interview Handbook, 1999
Personality and Individual Differences, 2013
This paper reports the relative contributions of several facets of subclinical psychopathy (i.e.,... more This paper reports the relative contributions of several facets of subclinical psychopathy (i.e., callous affect, erratic lifestyle, interpersonal manipulation), subclinical narcissism (i.e., entitlement, exploitation), and trait aggression (i.e., anger) to the prediction of four enduring attitudes towards women and sexual assault (i.e., hostility towards women, negative attitudes regarding women, sexual dominance, impersonal sex) and a behavioral indicator of an impersonal sexual behavior (i.e., number of one-night stands). Survey data were collected from 470 single men living in the Detroit Metropolitan area. The importance of personality traits varied as a function of the outcome with anger most predictive of hostility toward women; erratic lifestyle most predictive of impersonal sexual attitudes and behavior, and entitlement most predictive of sexual dominance and negative attitudes toward women. These outcome-specific findings are interpreted and directions for future research are discussed.
Personality and Individual Differences, 2013
Organizational psychologists examining personality’s relation to work behavior have focused large... more Organizational psychologists examining personality’s relation to work behavior have focused largely on the ‘‘normal’’ traits comprising the Five Factor Model (FFM). However, given the aversive nature of subclinical psychopathy (e.g., callous affect, impulsivity), we posit that this toxic personality profile will enhance the prediction of negative work outcomes, namely forms of counterproductive workplace behavior (CWB). Study 1 (N = 193) examined the value of sub-clinical psychopathy and the FFM in predicting intentions to engage in CWB; results support prior research indicating that both agreeableness and conscientiousness significantly correlated with CWB. In addition, sub-clinical psychopathy predicted CWB above and beyond the FFM. Study 2 (N = 360) extended the findings of Study 1 by examining interpersonally deviant behavior in a team context. While agreeableness was significantly related to interpersonal deviance in Study 2, conscientiousness was not. Results from Study 2 replicate Study 1, suggesting that sub-clinical psychopathy accounted for the majority of the explained variance in interpersonal deviance. Overall, the results support the value of using sub-clinical psychopathy to predict CWB.
Journal of Management, 2013
In this article, we propose a framework for understanding destructive leadership that summarizes ... more In this article, we propose a framework for understanding destructive leadership that summarizes the extant destructive leadership research and extends it in new directions. By reviewing the current literature on destructive leadership and drawing on organizational leadership theory and the more general research on deviant behaviors in organizations, we identify the underlying features and mechanisms that define destructive leadership. Recognizing that each form of destructive leadership currently studied (e.g., abusive supervision, petty tyranny, and pseudo-transformational leadership) addresses aspects of destructive leadership but fails to capture the complete picture of the phenomenon, we clarify the boundaries among the constructs studied within the domain of destructive leadership, address some ambiguities about the nature of destructive leadership, make explicit some characteristics of destructive leadership that set it apart from other forms of leading, and integrate this thinking into a theoretical model that helps us understand the manifestations of destructive leadership, and their antecedents and consequences.
Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 2012
We used univariate and multivariate relative weight analysis to assess the relative importance of... more We used univariate and multivariate relative weight analysis to assess the relative importance of a new job attitude (employee engagement), several longstanding job attitudes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job involvement, perceived organizational support, and work centrality), and trait positive and negative affect as predictors of 3 important components of overall employee performance: task performance, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), and counterproductive (or deviant) work behavior. The results indicate that the best predictors of overall employee performance were trait negative affect, employee engagement, and job satisfaction. Moreover, the results were unaffected by the removal of a few behavioral items (akin to OCB) from measures of employee engagement. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 2012
Reports an error in "Just the Two of Us: Misalignment of Theory and Methods in Examining Dyadic P... more Reports an error in "Just the Two of Us: Misalignment of Theory and Methods in Examining Dyadic Phenomena" by Dina V. Krasikova and James M. LeBreton ( Journal of Applied Psychology, Advanced Online Publication, Apr 9, 2012, np). In the article, the numbers from the left side of the Figure 4 are missing. The correct version is provided. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2012-09126-001.) Many organizational phenomena such as leader–member exchange, mentoring, coaching, interpersonal conflict and cooperation, negotiation, performance appraisal, and the employment interview involve inherently dyadic relationships and interactions. Even when theories explicitly acknowledge the dyadic nature of such phenomena, it is not uncommon to observe a disconnection or misalignment between the level of theory and method. Our purpose in the current paper is to discuss how organizational scholars might better align these components of their research endeavors. We discuss how recent developments involving the actor–partner interdependence model (APIM) and reciprocal one-with-many (OWM) models are applicable to studying dyadic phenomena in organizations. The emphasis is on preanalytic considerations associated with collecting and organizing reciprocal dyadic data, types of research questions that APIM and reciprocal OWM models can help answer, and specific analytic techniques involved in testing dyadic hypotheses.
Psychological Science, 2013
Distinguishing between living (animate) and nonliving (inanimate) things is essential for surviva... more Distinguishing between living (animate) and nonliving (inanimate) things is essential for survival and successful reproduction. Animacy is widely recognized as a foundational dimension, appearing early in development, but its role in remembering is currently unknown. We report two studies suggesting that animacy is a critical mnemonic dimension and is one of the most important item dimensions ultimately controlling retention. Both studies show that animate words are more likely to be recalled than inanimate words, even after the stimulus classes have been equated along other mnemonically relevant dimensions (e.g., imageability and meaningfulness). Mnemonic “tunings” for animacy are easily predicted a priori by a functional-evolutionary analysis.
Addiction, 2012
This study sought to develop and begin validation of an indirect screener for identification of d... more This study sought to develop and begin validation of an indirect screener for identification of drug use during pregnancy, without reliance on direct disclosure. Women were recruited from their hospital rooms after giving birth. Participation involved (i) completing a computerized assessment battery containing three types of items: direct (asking directly about drug use), semi-indirect (asking only about drug use prior to pregnancy) and indirect (with no mention of drug use), and (ii) providing urine and hair samples. An optimal subset of indirect items was developed and cross-validated based on ability to predict urine/hair test results. Obstetric unit of a university-affiliated hospital in Detroit. Four hundred low-income, African American, post-partum women (300 in the developmental sample and 100 in the cross-validation sample); all available women were recruited without consideration of substance abuse risk or other characteristics. Women first completed the series of direct and indirect items using a Tablet PC; they were then asked for separate consent to obtain urine and hair samples that were tested for evidence of illicit drug use. In the cross-validation sample, the brief screener consisting of six indirect items predicted toxicology results more accurately than direct questions about drug use (area under the ROC curve = 0.74, P < 0.001). Traditional direct screening questions were highly specific, but identified only a small minority of women who used drugs during the last trimester of pregnancy. Indirect screening may increase the accuracy of mothers' self-reports of prenatal drug use.
Organizational Research Methods, 2005
A recent article by Lindell and Brandt raised two concerns regarding the use of James, Demaree, a... more A recent article by Lindell and Brandt raised two concerns regarding the use of James, Demaree, and Wolf ’s interrater agreement indices rWG and rWG(J). First, they noted that the multi-item rWG(J) equation is mathematically equivalent to inserting rWG into the Spearman-Brown prophecy formula and questioned whether applying a formula developed for a reliability index was also appropriate for an agreement index. Second, they questioned the appropriateness of James et al.’s suggestion of replacing obtained negative values of rWG with zeros. This article addresses these concerns by demonstrating that rWG(J) can be derived independently from the Spearman-Brown prophecy formula and that negative values of rWG can be avoided by reparameterizing the structural equation underlying the data when there is systematic disagreement between subgroups of raters.
Organizational Research Methods, 2004
ABSTRACT
Organizational Research Methods, 2003
The fundamental assumption underlying the use of 360-degree assessments is that ratings from diff... more The fundamental assumption underlying the use of 360-degree assessments is that ratings from different sources provide unique and meaningful information about the target manager’s performance. Extant research appears to support this assumption by demonstrating low correlations between rating sources. This article reexamines the support of this assumption, suggesting that past research has been distorted by a statistical artifact—restriction of variance in job performance. This artifact reduces the amount of between-target variance in ratings and attenuates traditional correlation-based estimates of rating similarity. Results obtained from a Monte Carlo simulation and two field studies support this restriction of variance hypothesis. Noncorrelation-based methods of assessing interrater agreement indicated that agreement between sources was about as high as agreement within sources. Thus, different sources did not appear to be furnishing substantially unique information. The authors conclude by questioning common practices in 360-degree assessments and offering suggestions for future research and application.
Organizational Research Methods, 2004
Abstract This study explores the relative importance of trait-based personality constructs and a ... more Abstract This study explores the relative importance of trait-based personality constructs and a state-based job-specific affect construct for predicting job attitudes and withdrawal behaviors of incumbent customer service call center representatives (N= 150). Results ...
Organizational Research Methods, 2008
The use of interrater reliability (IRR) and interrater agreement (IRA) indices has increased dram... more The use of interrater reliability (IRR) and interrater agreement (IRA) indices has increased dramatically during the past 20 years. This popularity is, at least in part, because of the increased role of multilevel modeling techniques (e.g., hierarchical linear modeling and multilevel structural equation modeling) in organizational research. IRR and IRA indices are often used to justify aggregating lower-level data used in composition models. The purpose of the current article is to expose researchers to the various issues surrounding the use of IRR and IRA indices often used in conjunction with multilevel models. To achieve this goal, the authors adopt a question-and-answer format and provide a tutorial in the appendices illustrating how these indices may be computed using the SPSS software.
Organizational Research Methods, 2010
ABSTRACT Techniques such as dominance analysis and relative weight analysis have been proposed re... more ABSTRACT Techniques such as dominance analysis and relative weight analysis have been proposed recently to evaluate more accurately predictor importance in ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. Similar questions of predictor importance also arise in instances where logistic regression is the primary mode of analysis. This article presents an extension of relative weight analysis that can be applied in logistic regression and thus aids in the determination of predictor importance. We briefly review relative importance techniques and then discuss a new procedure for calculating relative importance estimates in logistic regression. Finally, we present a substantive example applying this new approach to an example data set.
Journal of Applied Psychology, 2012
Many organizational phenomena such as leader-member exchange, mentoring, coaching, interpersonal ... more Many organizational phenomena such as leader-member exchange, mentoring, coaching, interpersonal conflict and cooperation, negotiation, performance appraisal, and the employment interview involve inherently dyadic relationships and interactions. Even when theories explicitly acknowledge the dyadic nature of such phenomena, it is not uncommon to observe a disconnection or misalignment between the level of theory and method. Our purpose in the current paper is to discuss how organizational scholars might better align these components of their research endeavors. We discuss how recent developments involving the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) and reciprocal one-with-many (OWM) models are applicable to studying dyadic phenomena in organizations. The emphasis is on preanalytic considerations associated with collecting and organizing reciprocal dyadic data, types of research questions that APIM and reciprocal OWM models can help answer, and specific analytic techniques involved in testing dyadic hypotheses.
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Papers by James M LeBreton