Page 1. Using Life-Span Models in Industrial-Organizational Psychology: The Theory of Selective O... more Page 1. Using Life-Span Models in Industrial-Organizational Psychology: The Theory of Selective Optimization With Compensation Boris B. Baltes and Marcus W. Dickson Wayne State University Life-span models and their emphasis ...
Recent demographic changes in the workplace have led to substantial increases in the number of du... more Recent demographic changes in the workplace have led to substantial increases in the number of dual-income earning households, adults caring for aging parents and children, single parent families, and the average number of hours worked per week (Clark and Weismantle, 2003). These trends have fueled interest from researchers and practitioners who seek to understand the antecedents that influence how individuals experience and respond to the challenges of balancing work and family demands (Eby et al., 2005). Prior independent studies and meta-analyses have linked work-family conflict (WFC) to important outcomes such as job and life satisfaction (Allen et al., 2000; Boles et al., 2001; Kossek and Ozecki, 1998), psychological distress (Frone, 2003), chronic health problems (Grzywacz. 2000), job performance and absenteeism (Allen et al., 2000), and turnover intentions and voluntary turnover (Boyar et al., 2003; Lee and Maurer, 1999). Recognizing the relationship between WFC and these important personal and work outcomes, researchers have attempted to identify the antecedents to WFC. For instance, three recent meta-analyses (Byron, 2005; Ford et al., 2007; Michel et al., 2011) demonstrate that certain factors (e.g., role involvement and family stressors) are consistently and uniquely related to various types of WFC. Although these meta-analyses, and the individual studies on which they are based, have advanced the literature and led to important workplace initiatives (Greenhaus and Parasuraman, 1999; Rothbard et al., 2005; Zedeck and Mosier, 1990), there remain two important areas for future contribution. First, the statistics used in prior investigations have limited utility in accurately assessing the importance of a single antecedent (e.g., job stressors) among a number of other theoretically important antecedents (e.g., personality, family support, etc.). This is important to investigate because it is unlikely that individuals experience one WFC antecedent (e.g., job stressors) in isolation of other antecedents (e.g., family stressors, spousal support, etc.) so it is worthwhile to examine an antecedent's importance relative to other antecedents simultaneously. For example, people simultaneously encounter different levels of stressors in the work and family domains, as well as appraise access to job and family support structures that could mitigate the experience of WFC. While it is logical to assume that the interplay among WFC antecedents is important, prior research has not fully examined the relative importance of antecedents to WFC across outcomes using appropriate statistics. In fact, Byron (2005) notes the need to understand the relative importance of antecedents and makes a call for future research to address this issue. Typically, researchers examining WFC antecedents have relied on correlation or regression coefficients to assess predictor importance (cf. Byron, 2005; Carlson, 1999; Ford et al., 2007). However, as noted by Darlington (1968) and Johnson (2000), these measures of importance are problematic and often produce misleading results. Second, prior studies have only simultaneously examined a limited number of theoretically meaningful antecedents and criterion variables. Specifically, an increasing number of independent studies have started to link personality and other individual difference variables to WFC (Lenaghan et al., 2007; Bruck and Allen, 2003; Carlson, 1999); however, few studies have examined the relative importance of person-based antecedents and situation-based antecedents together across multiple facets of WFC (i.e., time-, strain-, and behavior-based work-interfering-with-family/family-interfering-with-work conflicts). There have been attempts to examine how certain variables (e.g., personality) relate to different types of WFC, but due to limited prior research neither the Byron (2005), Ford et al. (2007), nor the Michel et al. (2011) meta-analyses are able to examine the differential predictive validity of various traits across types of WFC. …
Abstract This first chapter of the book, Work Across the Lifespan, introduces readers to the life... more Abstract This first chapter of the book, Work Across the Lifespan, introduces readers to the lifespan developmental perspective, which constitutes the guiding theoretical framework of subsequent chapters in the book. We first describe the background and overarching goals of this book. Second, we trace the history of the lifespan developmental perspective from its roots in the late 18th century over its formalization and broader reception in the second half of the 20th century to contemporary discourse. Third, we outline the core tenets of the lifespan developmental perspective. We conclude this introductory chapter by giving an overview of the three main sections (i.e., lifespan perspectives, lifespan perspectives on working and careers, and applications of lifespan perspectives) as well as the following chapters of the book.
Research on work, aging and retirement has reached a level of maturity as indicated by an establi... more Research on work, aging and retirement has reached a level of maturity as indicated by an established base of empirical findings and an increasing number of empirical studies on these and related phenomena. Given the development of the field, it is a good time to critically reflect on the measurement of core theoretical constructs that inform our understanding of work and aging and of retirement-related processes. Moreover, given the increasing popularity of studying aging at work and retirement, refocusing attention on the measurement of core constructs will help further advance these areas of research. The purpose of this special issue is to challenge the use of existing measures and measurement techniques and provide new advancements and directions for measurement, broadly defined, in the field of work, aging and retirement. This special issue features 8 scholarly articles that focus on: (1) innovative measurement instruments, (2) applying new techniques to address old problems, and (3) improving existing measures. In this special issue editorial, we derive key lessons learned from each of the 8 articles. We also offer practical recommendations for ways that these lessons may be incorporated into the design and execution of future research.
Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Dec 1, 2013
Although we agree with the majority of the suggestions made by Lindsey, King, Dunleavy, McCauslan... more Although we agree with the majority of the suggestions made by Lindsey, King, Dunleavy, McCausland, and Jones (2013) on ways to reduce discrimination across various employment situations, several of those presented in their discussion of personnel selection seemed problematic to us and did not account for recent research that is quite relevant to the issue at hand. In the following response to this focal article, we will attempt to address our concerns regarding these points and rectify them with evidence from recent empirical investigations that have attempted to reduce the impact of stereotype endorsement on personnel decisions.
PurposeAlthough there is a small body of empirical research on the working lives of managers, bot... more PurposeAlthough there is a small body of empirical research on the working lives of managers, both the popular media and the academic literature tend to ignore the distinct ways that role identities such as age and gender intersect to create a complex work–life interface for diverse managers. This gap is especially surprising considering that managerial roles are defined by unique demands and expectations that likely intersect with the differential life course shifts experienced by men and women, which has the potential to create specific challenges across the work and life domains of managers. The current study aims to address this gap through an intersectional examination of the non-linear effects of age and gender on the work–life balance of managers.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of 421 managers, the authors apply statistical tests of the incremental validity of non-linear interaction terms to examine the complex relationship between age, gender and work–life balance....
As the average age of the working population continues to rise, it becomes increasingly important... more As the average age of the working population continues to rise, it becomes increasingly important for organizations to understand the factors that contribute to the maintenance of a healthy and effective work life for older workers. One important factor for older workers is the relationship between changing motives and the role this plays with their lives both within and outside of work. This article aims to provide insight on this issue by examining the role work motives play in the experience of work–family conflict (WFC) in older workers. In order to achieve this, this article first gives an overview of the current state of the literature on WFC across the life span, with a focus on older individuals. Second, theories (social-emotional selectivity theory; selection, optimization, and compensation; emotion regulation) will be discussed that help explain how shifts in life, work, and social desires impact the importance of work and family roles in later life. Finally, the article will examine how the empirical findings on WFC and work motives in older workers have practical implications for organizations hoping to create a healthy working environment for their older employees.
The current study provides a comprehensive meta-analytic examination of the work-family interface... more The current study provides a comprehensive meta-analytic examination of the work-family interface. Primary antecedents and consequences of work-family conflict are reviewed, and models within the work-family literature are identified based on this integration. Over 20 years of work-family research was aggregated, and (1) 105 independent meta-analyses were conducted on the interrelationships of the included variables, and (2) the generalizability of
Page 1. Using Life-Span Models in Industrial-Organizational Psychology: The Theory of Selective O... more Page 1. Using Life-Span Models in Industrial-Organizational Psychology: The Theory of Selective Optimization With Compensation Boris B. Baltes and Marcus W. Dickson Wayne State University Life-span models and their emphasis ...
Recent demographic changes in the workplace have led to substantial increases in the number of du... more Recent demographic changes in the workplace have led to substantial increases in the number of dual-income earning households, adults caring for aging parents and children, single parent families, and the average number of hours worked per week (Clark and Weismantle, 2003). These trends have fueled interest from researchers and practitioners who seek to understand the antecedents that influence how individuals experience and respond to the challenges of balancing work and family demands (Eby et al., 2005). Prior independent studies and meta-analyses have linked work-family conflict (WFC) to important outcomes such as job and life satisfaction (Allen et al., 2000; Boles et al., 2001; Kossek and Ozecki, 1998), psychological distress (Frone, 2003), chronic health problems (Grzywacz. 2000), job performance and absenteeism (Allen et al., 2000), and turnover intentions and voluntary turnover (Boyar et al., 2003; Lee and Maurer, 1999). Recognizing the relationship between WFC and these important personal and work outcomes, researchers have attempted to identify the antecedents to WFC. For instance, three recent meta-analyses (Byron, 2005; Ford et al., 2007; Michel et al., 2011) demonstrate that certain factors (e.g., role involvement and family stressors) are consistently and uniquely related to various types of WFC. Although these meta-analyses, and the individual studies on which they are based, have advanced the literature and led to important workplace initiatives (Greenhaus and Parasuraman, 1999; Rothbard et al., 2005; Zedeck and Mosier, 1990), there remain two important areas for future contribution. First, the statistics used in prior investigations have limited utility in accurately assessing the importance of a single antecedent (e.g., job stressors) among a number of other theoretically important antecedents (e.g., personality, family support, etc.). This is important to investigate because it is unlikely that individuals experience one WFC antecedent (e.g., job stressors) in isolation of other antecedents (e.g., family stressors, spousal support, etc.) so it is worthwhile to examine an antecedent's importance relative to other antecedents simultaneously. For example, people simultaneously encounter different levels of stressors in the work and family domains, as well as appraise access to job and family support structures that could mitigate the experience of WFC. While it is logical to assume that the interplay among WFC antecedents is important, prior research has not fully examined the relative importance of antecedents to WFC across outcomes using appropriate statistics. In fact, Byron (2005) notes the need to understand the relative importance of antecedents and makes a call for future research to address this issue. Typically, researchers examining WFC antecedents have relied on correlation or regression coefficients to assess predictor importance (cf. Byron, 2005; Carlson, 1999; Ford et al., 2007). However, as noted by Darlington (1968) and Johnson (2000), these measures of importance are problematic and often produce misleading results. Second, prior studies have only simultaneously examined a limited number of theoretically meaningful antecedents and criterion variables. Specifically, an increasing number of independent studies have started to link personality and other individual difference variables to WFC (Lenaghan et al., 2007; Bruck and Allen, 2003; Carlson, 1999); however, few studies have examined the relative importance of person-based antecedents and situation-based antecedents together across multiple facets of WFC (i.e., time-, strain-, and behavior-based work-interfering-with-family/family-interfering-with-work conflicts). There have been attempts to examine how certain variables (e.g., personality) relate to different types of WFC, but due to limited prior research neither the Byron (2005), Ford et al. (2007), nor the Michel et al. (2011) meta-analyses are able to examine the differential predictive validity of various traits across types of WFC. …
Abstract This first chapter of the book, Work Across the Lifespan, introduces readers to the life... more Abstract This first chapter of the book, Work Across the Lifespan, introduces readers to the lifespan developmental perspective, which constitutes the guiding theoretical framework of subsequent chapters in the book. We first describe the background and overarching goals of this book. Second, we trace the history of the lifespan developmental perspective from its roots in the late 18th century over its formalization and broader reception in the second half of the 20th century to contemporary discourse. Third, we outline the core tenets of the lifespan developmental perspective. We conclude this introductory chapter by giving an overview of the three main sections (i.e., lifespan perspectives, lifespan perspectives on working and careers, and applications of lifespan perspectives) as well as the following chapters of the book.
Research on work, aging and retirement has reached a level of maturity as indicated by an establi... more Research on work, aging and retirement has reached a level of maturity as indicated by an established base of empirical findings and an increasing number of empirical studies on these and related phenomena. Given the development of the field, it is a good time to critically reflect on the measurement of core theoretical constructs that inform our understanding of work and aging and of retirement-related processes. Moreover, given the increasing popularity of studying aging at work and retirement, refocusing attention on the measurement of core constructs will help further advance these areas of research. The purpose of this special issue is to challenge the use of existing measures and measurement techniques and provide new advancements and directions for measurement, broadly defined, in the field of work, aging and retirement. This special issue features 8 scholarly articles that focus on: (1) innovative measurement instruments, (2) applying new techniques to address old problems, and (3) improving existing measures. In this special issue editorial, we derive key lessons learned from each of the 8 articles. We also offer practical recommendations for ways that these lessons may be incorporated into the design and execution of future research.
Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Dec 1, 2013
Although we agree with the majority of the suggestions made by Lindsey, King, Dunleavy, McCauslan... more Although we agree with the majority of the suggestions made by Lindsey, King, Dunleavy, McCausland, and Jones (2013) on ways to reduce discrimination across various employment situations, several of those presented in their discussion of personnel selection seemed problematic to us and did not account for recent research that is quite relevant to the issue at hand. In the following response to this focal article, we will attempt to address our concerns regarding these points and rectify them with evidence from recent empirical investigations that have attempted to reduce the impact of stereotype endorsement on personnel decisions.
PurposeAlthough there is a small body of empirical research on the working lives of managers, bot... more PurposeAlthough there is a small body of empirical research on the working lives of managers, both the popular media and the academic literature tend to ignore the distinct ways that role identities such as age and gender intersect to create a complex work–life interface for diverse managers. This gap is especially surprising considering that managerial roles are defined by unique demands and expectations that likely intersect with the differential life course shifts experienced by men and women, which has the potential to create specific challenges across the work and life domains of managers. The current study aims to address this gap through an intersectional examination of the non-linear effects of age and gender on the work–life balance of managers.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of 421 managers, the authors apply statistical tests of the incremental validity of non-linear interaction terms to examine the complex relationship between age, gender and work–life balance....
As the average age of the working population continues to rise, it becomes increasingly important... more As the average age of the working population continues to rise, it becomes increasingly important for organizations to understand the factors that contribute to the maintenance of a healthy and effective work life for older workers. One important factor for older workers is the relationship between changing motives and the role this plays with their lives both within and outside of work. This article aims to provide insight on this issue by examining the role work motives play in the experience of work–family conflict (WFC) in older workers. In order to achieve this, this article first gives an overview of the current state of the literature on WFC across the life span, with a focus on older individuals. Second, theories (social-emotional selectivity theory; selection, optimization, and compensation; emotion regulation) will be discussed that help explain how shifts in life, work, and social desires impact the importance of work and family roles in later life. Finally, the article will examine how the empirical findings on WFC and work motives in older workers have practical implications for organizations hoping to create a healthy working environment for their older employees.
The current study provides a comprehensive meta-analytic examination of the work-family interface... more The current study provides a comprehensive meta-analytic examination of the work-family interface. Primary antecedents and consequences of work-family conflict are reviewed, and models within the work-family literature are identified based on this integration. Over 20 years of work-family research was aggregated, and (1) 105 independent meta-analyses were conducted on the interrelationships of the included variables, and (2) the generalizability of
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