Gedrag & Organisatie - Volume 17, Issue 5, 2004

100 is een mooi getal. 100-jarigen worden op hun verjaardag door hoogwaardigheidsbekleders bezocht en in de bloemetjes gezet. En 100% staat voor volledig.100 is een mijlpaal, die gevierd moet worden.

Self-esteem, self-determination and authenticity: views from social psychology

R. Vonk, Gedrag & Organisatie, Volume 17, October 2004, nr. 5, pp. 292-302.

The first part of this paper describes how people distort reality to protect a favorable self-concept. This creates friction between the need for self-esteem and the facts of life which include failure and rejection. In the second part, the distinction between 'real' and defensive self-esteem is described. 'Real' self-esteem is the result of self-determination: being in contact with one's inner values and motives and acting in accordance with those, rather than looking for reaffirmation by others. 'Real' self-esteem is associated with authenticity, intrinsic motivation, and inspiration. In the third part, the limitations of this view are discussed, and it is argued that positive psychology (from which this view has emerged), too, does not concord with reality, because rewarding relations with others are a necessary condition for personal growth. A plea is made for more realistic forms of autonomy, and for a synthesis between positive and 'cynical' research within social psychology.

Towards depolarization and collaboration in the study of behaviour and organization

S.G.L. Schruijer, Gedrag & Organisatie, Volume 17, October 2004, nr. 5, pp. 303-309

In this article I discuss the current practices of social and organizational psychology in view of the necessity to collaborate between both as established by Gedrag & Organisatie. I argue that social and organizational psychology are overspecialized and pillarized, reinforced by the nature of universities' structure, measurement culture and personnel- and control systems. An exclusive attention to performance indicators leads tot instrumental and individualistic behaviour. Room for diversity and collaboration is hardly present at universities although the call for multidisciplinary research is strong. I provide some suggestions on how collaboration can be realized and conclude with the wish that Gedrag en Organisatie will devote attention to the reflection on the practice of science.

Dreaming of linking theory and practice in organizational psychology

Ben J.M. Emans, Gedrag & Organisatie, Volume 17, October 2004, nr. 5, pp. 310-326

The relationship between the worlds of scholars and practitioners in the field of organizational psychology is affected by the different objectives that both worlds state for theory construction. This paper argues that these differences – which involve issues addressed, concepts used, statements and underlying assumptions – may be large, but at the same time in no sense fundamental. Two research approaches for bridging the resulting gap between research theory and practice are discussed. The first approach is based on the postmodern/constructionist formula, the second on the formula of elicitation of the practitioners' tacit knowledge. The first approach is assessed as being helpful only to a limited extent as it tends to impede generalizing, whereas the second is found to constitute a fruitful approach as an addition to more traditional research approaches.

Occupational Health Psychology: past, present and future

Wilmar Schaufeli, Gedrag & Organisatie, Volume 17, October 2004, nr. 5, pp. 327-341

Occupational Health Psychology (OHP) concerns studying and improving employees' health and well-being. Although some psychologists pioneered the field a long time ago, OHP emerged relatively recent in the 1990s. The Netherlands have played an important role in its development, since OHP found a fertile soil in the country's legal, political, social, psychological, and institutional climate. In view of both external (i.e. societal) and internal (i.e. scientific) developments the future of OHP research is described. In particular, some important results and future challenges of five different types of research are discussed: explanatory, descriptive, tool development, intervention and organizational change research, respectively. The article concludes with the observation that the current 'negative' approach of OHP that focuses on unhealthiness, unwell-being and malfunctioning is evolving towards a more 'positive' approach that focuses on health, well-being and optimal functioning.

The paradox of time and the future of W&O-psychology research

Robert A. Roe, Gedrag & Organisatie, Volume 17, October 2004, nr. 5, pp. 342-350

Although the behavioral phenomena studied by W&O-psychology are essentially time-based, research almost completely ignores the time factor. This paradox is the focus of the present article. The consequences of neglecting the time aspect are discussed. Using a ficticious dataset that includes 2 variables, 10 respondents and 10 moments of measurement, and which is analyzed in six different ways, it is demonstrated that neglect of the time factor can lead to distorted results and wrong conclusions about the relationships between the variables. A plea is made for careful reporting on the ways in which the factor time is represented in studies. This is considered to be a first step towards an approach of theory and research that centers on temporal aspects of behavioral phenomena. It is expected that such an approach, which requires entirely new conceptualizations and alternative research methods, will lead to a W&O-psychology that offers a deeper understanding of human behavior in organizations than current insights.

De overeenstemming tussen het 100e nummer van G&O en werkstress is dat beide te maken hebben met 'de balans opmaken'. Werknemers raken gestrest bij een verstoorde balans tussen (1) investeringen en opbrengsten, (2) taakeisen en regelmogelijkheden, (3) werk- en privé-taken, (4) inspanning en belastbaarheid, en tot slot (5) inspanning en herstel. Wat er op de verschillende schalen van de weegschaap wordt gelegd blijkt dus behoorlijk uiteen te lopen. Niettemin lijken al deze verstoorde balansen van groot belang voor de afbakening van ziek en gezond, van opgebrand en energiek. Nadat de (verstoorde) balans opgemaakt is, is 'de balans herstellen' een logisch vervolg van werkstressonderzoek. De tijd is rijp voor – in G&O te publiceren – interventiestudies.

The development of the CLIO: A questionnaire for measuring charismatic leadership in organizations

Annebel H.B. de Hoogh, Deanne N. den Hartog & Paul L. Koopman, Gedrag & Organisatie, Volume 17, October 2004, nr. 5, pp. 354-382

This paper describes research on the development and evaluation of a new questionnaire measuring Charismatic Leadership in Organizations (CLIO). The questionnaire was conducted among 361 managers as part of an assessment to evaluate managerial potential for either selection or developmental purposes. Nine months later, 100 of these managers participated in a 360-degree multi-feedback follow-up study. Factor analyses on a random half of a subordinate sample (total n = 274) resulted in a combined scale that includes a charismatic and empowering leadership style, as well as autocratic, transactional and passive leadership scales (27 items in total). Cross-validation on the other random half of the subordinate sample confirmed this four-factor model. The leadership dimensions were found to be invariant across most rater sources (self, superiors, peers, subordinates), but not across rating purpose (selection versus development). Analyses indicate good reliability and criterion validity, although the autocratic and passive leadership scales need further refinement.

Psycholoog Wijnberg houdt een vurig pleidooi voor beter, krachtiger en directer contact tussen therapeut en patiënt, oftewel: provocatieve therapie. Hij laat zien dat veel mensen niet zo kwetsbaar zijn als ze zich voordoen. Ze willen vooral dat de therapeut hun handje vasthoudt en vermijden op alle mogelijke manieren constructieve verandering. Oplossing: als de therapeut de advocaat van de duivel speelt, wordt de patiënt uitgedaagd en komt hij vanzelf in actie. Met veel gevoel voor humor zet Wijnberg zijn patiënten aan het werk om ze zo zelf hun problemen te laten aanpakken. Een inspirerend boek voor professionele hulpverleners, adviseurs en coaches.