Situational Strength Research Articles

Revisiting situational strength: Do strong situations restrict variance in behaviors?

The idea that strong situations restrict variance in behaviors has been treated as a maxim in psychology. Prior work has, however, offered inconclusive support for this proposition. We aimed to overcome the limitations of prior research to conclusively test the restricted variance hypothesis derived from the situational strength framework. Specifically, we conducted a preregistered meta-analysis (k = 301, N = 25,670) in the context of cooperative behavior observed within the standard social dilemma paradigm. We found that strong, compared with weak, situations (theorized and validated via perception ratings) indeed restricted variance in behaviors. Moreover, ratings on perceived situational strength of specific experimental conditions (k = 138, nstudies = 41) further supported the hypothesis that higher levels of perceived situational strength were associated with less variance in behavior. Our findings have important theoretical implications for understanding the situational forces shaping social behavior and for advancing research on person-situation interactions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Social media profiling: The influence of personal and professional social media content on hiring ratings

AbstractThis study integrates identity and situational strength theories into a realistic accuracy model framework to develop and test hypotheses regarding how hiring managers perceive social media (SM) information, and how those perceptions translate into ratings. In Study 1, 310 h professionals rated which SM content they perceive as most useful in assessing applicants on various work‐related constructs. The provided a foundation for Study 2, where 151 h professionals participated in an experimental hiring simulation to understand whether these perceptions of SM information translate into rating behavior. Results indicate that manipulating SM content influenced HR professionals’ ratings of applicants. Non‐job‐related SM content influenced ratings of work‐related constructs more strongly than job‐related content. Professional SM was rated more favorably than personal SM.

Supplemental Material for Revisiting Situational Strength: Do Strong Situations Restrict Variance in Behaviors?

Supplemental Material for Revisiting Situational Strength: Do Strong Situations Restrict Variance in Behaviors?

Enhancing person-job fit: Who needs a strengths-based leader to fit their job?

Even though person-job fit (PJ fit) is a crucial predictor of employees' overall engagement and performance in their jobs, few studies have identified the mechanisms that enhance PJ fit during the employment relationship. Further, the models that do predict how PJ fit evolves over time are predominantly based on the idea that fit improves through individual adjustment processes by workers. This paper provides a new lens on PJ fit that is based on strengths theory, proposing that strengths-based leaders play a critical role in enhancing both dimensions of PJ fit, i.e. needs-supplies (NS) and demands-abilities (DA) fit, by encouraging employees to use their unique strengths. Furthermore, based on theorizing on substitutes for leadership, proactive career management, and situational strength theory we test the idea that high levels of proactive personality and job autonomy may partly compensate for a lack of strengths-based leadership. We collected three waves of data with two-month time lags from a representative sample of 308 Dutch workers, resulting in 906 datapoints. Results of multi-level path modeling indicate that strengths-based leadership is indeed positively related to both DA fit and NS fit and mediated by strengths use at the within-person level. Further, our results indicate that the combination of high job autonomy and high proactive personality partly compensates for the absence of strengths-based leadership on the within-person level. We conclude that strengths-based leadership is particularly important to facilitate strengths use and PJ fit of employees who have a low propensity to be proactive and/or do not have a high degree of autonomy in their job. We discuss the implications of these findings for research and practice.

Motivations for hazing in collegiate settings: Employing situational strength to identify, disrupt, and construct

AbstractHazing is motivated by numerous psychosocial phenomena embedded in the broader cultural milieu. The identification and deconstruction of these motivators presents an especially unique pathway to eliminating harmful and dangerous behaviors. The application of situational strength to hazing prevention offers a robust and applicable framework to help administrators and professionals impactfully disrupt hazing and reshape the larger campus and organizational ecology to support healthier joining experiences.

Exploring Situation Strength and Trait Activation for Emergent Leadership

Exploring Situation Strength and Trait Activation for Emergent Leadership

Entrepreneurial Greed, Explorative Behavior, and the Role of Situational Strength

Entrepreneurial Greed, Explorative Behavior, and the Role of Situational Strength

Facilitating and hindering factors for routine adaptations in manufacturing and effects on human performance- unexpected insights from three experimental studies in a special purpose setting

Consumer behaviour changes and strategic management decisions are driving adaptations in manufacturing routines. Based on the theory of situational strength, we investigated how contextual and person-related factors influence workers’ adaptation in a two-worker position routine. Contextual factors, like retrieval cues (Study 1), time pressure (Study 2), and convenience (Study 3), were varied. Person-related factors included retentivity, general and routine-specific self-efficacy, and perceived adaptation costs. Dependent variables included various error types and production time before and after adaptation. In each study, 148 participants were trained in a production routine at t1 and executed an adapted routine at t2, one week later. Repeated measures ANOVA for performance at t1 and t2, and MANOVA for performance at t2, revealed that time increased for all groups at t2. For participants in Studies 1 & 2, error rates remained consistent. Retentivity significantly impacted errors at both t1 and t2, emphasising that routine changes in a ‘running business’ take time, regardless of contextual factors. Workers with lower retentivity may require additional support.

Cognitive flexibility and adaptive performance among workers: Testing the moderating effect of the situational strength on this relationship

AbstractAdaptive performance (AP) is crucial for individuals to respond to changes in their work role. Cognitive flexibility (CF) plays a role in AP, but the impact of the work environment on this relationship is not clear. Situational strength theory suggests that a strong situation, characterized by clarity, consistency, constraints, and consequences, weakens the effect of individual characteristics on behavior. This study aimed to examine if situational strength moderates the CF‐AP relationship. A sample of 464 workers were recruited. Overall, the research hypothesis was not supported, indicating no moderation effect of situational strength. However, exploratory analysis suggests that constraints limit the contribution of CF to AP. Organizations should reduce constraints to leverage workers' CF for adaptive behaviors.

Enhancement of mechanical strength of miter joints in pultruded fiberglass/epoxy composite

Abstract In this research, we experimentally investigated how the shape of fittings affects the load-carrying capacity of miter joints in pultruded glass/epoxy composite frames. Specifically, three types of steel fittings – dovetail (D-shaped), H-shaped, and rectangular (U-shaped) were utilized to reinforce the miter joints in composite frames. Tension and compression tests were performed to assess the load-carrying capacity of these joint configurations. Additionally, finite element analysis (FEA) was employed to examine stress distribution patterns within the joint configurations, allowing us to make comparisons among the joint configurations in terms of their strength. The findings of the study demonstrated that all types of joint configurations successfully improved the joint strength, regardless of whether they were subjected to tensile or compressive loading conditions. Notably, H and D type steel fittings exhibited superior effectiveness in strengthening the adhesive miter joints when compared to U type steel fittings, particularly in tensile loading scenarios. Moreover, all types of steel fittings displayed promise as viable options for enhancing joint strength in compressive loading situations.

Leader bottom-line mentality and employee pro-self-unethical behavior: the moderating role of contingent rewards and punishments

Purpose This study aims to investigate the situational factors that intensify the impact of leader bottom-line mentality (BLM) on employee pro-self-unethical behavior. In particular, the moderating role of contingent rewards and punishments is evaluated under the lens of situational strength theory. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 218 full-time employees working in the USA in a time-lagged study and analyzed using SPSS Process Macro. Findings Statistical analysis reveal contingent rewards and punishments significantly moderate the positive relationship between BLM and pro-self-unethical behavior. Practical implications This paper highlights the need for more balanced reward systems that incorporate moral conduct into work performance. It also emphasizes the role of robust accountability and monitoring systems in minimizing employees’ unethical behavior. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the moderating role of contingent rewards and punishments on the relationship between leader BLM and subordinate pro-self-unethical behavior. Moreover, it provides significant empirical support to situational strength theory.

Impact of Information Quality on Satisfaction with E-Learning Platforms: Moderating Role of Instructor and Learner Quality

Based on the information system success and situational strength theories, this study explores the moderating effect of learner quality and instructor quality on the relationship between information quality and student satisfaction with e-learning. Survey data were collected from 333 college students, and the proposed relationships were assessed using the SMARTPLS structural equation modeling tool. The direct relationship between information quality and student satisfaction is significant; however, the moderating effect of learner quality and instructor quality is insignificant. The moderating effects of learner and instructor quality have been less researched in the existing literature. This study contributes to uncovering the complex interactions between these variables and the relationship between information quality and satisfaction.

Epistemological extension of situation strength theory to assess intrapreneurial behaviour

Purpose The determination of human behaviours due to individual characteristics (personality traits) or situational factors has long remained inconclusive. Although the literature stream on personality as the determinants of behaviour is voluminous, the interest of researchers is also growing towards organisational situational cues as the determinant of behaviours. According to situation strength theory (SST), behaviours are determined by situations in strong situations and by personality in weak situations. This study aims to propose a theoretical model of intrapreneurial behaviour (IB) emanation from empowering leadership (EL) by extending the epistemology of SST under the influence of organisational strong situations of job autonomy (JA) and perceived organisational support (POS). Design/methodology/approach Using SST, the present study argues that strong situations play a key role in determining human behaviours, and the same can be viewed deductively to assess IB. Findings The study attempts to propose whether EL is capable of predicting IB under the strong situation effect of JA and POS while dampening the impact of human personality characteristics. Originality/value The current study offers a significant departure from current human resource practices in person-situation dialectics, moving away from personality assessments and toward the creation of cues from strong situations for fostering human behaviour. As a result, personality researchers are being encouraged to conduct a reality check on the extensive personality research conducted in occupational settings. Considering organisational situational cues can impact human resource scope in areas such as talent management, selection, promotion and employment.

A Psychological Ownership Perspective on the HR System–LGBT Voice Relationship: The Role of Espousal and Enactment of Inclusion Matters

AbstractVoice behaviours of invisible sexual minorities, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals and others whose sexual orientations and/or gender expressions fall outside of heterosexual/cisgender norms (LGBT), have received scant attention in prior research. Based on the psychological ownership (PO) perspective, this study investigates the relationship between the presence of an LGBT‐supportive human resource (HR) system and LGBT employees’ voice. Moreover, grounded in the situational strength and leadership literature, this study examines the boundary conditions of the strength of an LGBT‐supportive HR system and leader inclusiveness within this PO mechanism. Data collected from LGBT employees in three waves reveal that PO can mediate the influence of the presence of an LGBT‐supportive HR system on LGBT voice. Additionally, the strength of an LGBT‐supportive HR system moderates the relationship between its presence and LGBT employees’ PO in the first stage, while leader inclusiveness moderates the PO–voice relationship in the second stage. Overall, the mediating effect of PO is most significant when a strong HR system is aligned with high leader inclusiveness. Theoretical and managerial implications are also discussed.

Common enemies? Coups, insurgent strength and intra-elite competition: evidence from Latin America

ABSTRACT What is the relation between coups d’etat and civil wars? While a wide set of studies have traced the determinants of internal armed conflicts and coup attempts, the interplay between these contentious processes remains unexplored. Building on different strands of research, this article seeks to explain why, and under what conditions, some regimes experience coup attempts in the midst of civil wars while others do not. Concretely, I posit that coup attempts during internal armed conflicts are more likely to occur when two conditions converge: when insurgents reach a medium-level of strength in situations of intra-elite competition. Key military forces, elite outsiders and coalition insiders interpret this situation as a unique opportunity for changes in the distribution of power and potentially coalesce through the formation of alternative regime coalitions. This argument is tested with a novel dataset on 90 Latin American revolutionary socialist insurgencies active since 1950 and a qualitative case study of the dynamics leading to the 1976 coup d’etat in Argentina, with results supporting the theoretical expectations. These findings contribute to a more detailed understanding of the relation between coups and civil wars, opening the way for further studies on this burgeoning area of research.

The impacts of role commitment and pay-for-performance on proactive career behavior: an interactionist perspective

PurposeProactive career behavior (PCB) is an effective form of career self-management that has positive impacts on individual career development and career success, and therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the driving factors of PCB.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the interactionist perspective and situational strength theory, this study examined the independent and joint effects of role commitment and pay-for-performance (PFP) on employees' PCB based on data collected from 298 Chinese private enterprise employees at two time points.FindingsThe authors found that occupational role commitment (ORC), parental role commitment (PRC) and PFP were positively related to PCB. Furthermore, PFP moderated the relationship between ORC/PRC and PCB, such that the two relationships were stronger when PFP was low.Originality/valueDrawing on the interactionist perspective, the authors contribute to the literature on PCB by revealing novel antecedents of PCB: ORC, PRC and PFP. The authors also contribute to the situational strength theory by examining how role commitment and PFP may interact to impact employees' PCB. Finally, the authors are among the first to consider the effects of role commitment on individual career behaviors, thus extending the nomological network of role commitment.

Early Childhood Educators’ Math Anxiety and Its Relation to Their Pedagogic Actions in Swedish Preschools

ABSTRACT Early childhood educators’ math anxiety and its relation to their frequency of pedagogic actions was examined through a questionnaire completed by 352 participants (aged 21–65) representative of the Swedish municipality where the study was conducted. Our sample contained 189 certified preschool teachers and 163 preschool caregivers who significantly differed in their ratings reported for math teaching anxiety. Results revealed that certified preschool teachers who reported higher levels of math anxiety also reported teaching and talking about mathematics content less frequently. When controlling for certified preschool teachers’ gender and age, years of work in preschools, and whether they work only with younger (1–3), older (4–6) or with both groups of children (1–6-year-old), certified preschool teachers’ general math anxiety and math teaching anxiety predicted their reported frequency of math teaching and frequency of conversations about numbers, patterns, and geometric concepts with peak strength in gatherings, excursions and situations designed to teach mathematics to preschool children. Preschool caregivers’ math anxiety measures and their reported frequency of pedagogic actions did not display statistically significant relations. Findings showed setting specific associations between certified preschool teachers general math anxiety, math teaching anxiety and their avoidance of mathematics content, highlighting the importance of early childhood educators’ awareness of math anxiety, its nature, and consequences for teaching practices.

Revisiting Situational Strength: Do Strong Situations Restrict Variance in Behaviors?

Revisiting Situational Strength: Do Strong Situations Restrict Variance in Behaviors?

Personality and Situational Strength Interactions on Job Satisfaction: Trait Activation Perspective

Personality and Situational Strength Interactions on Job Satisfaction: Trait Activation Perspective

The influence of situational strength on the relation of personality and situational judgment test performance

AbstractSituational strength theory has been used as a theoretical underpinning of person–situation processes that are linked to job performance. Accordingly, the link between personality traits and job performance increases in weak situations. Building on this research, similar mechanisms have been proposed for simulation‐based selection tools, such as Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs), to explain how these measures work as predictors of job performance. However, underlying processes of SJT performance are subject to debate with some scholars arguing in favor of context‐independent processes while others maintain that situations play an essential role. This study (N = 707) examined whether the strength of situations in SJT items moderated the relation between personality and SJT performance. Results did not support the notion that personality is more strongly related to SJT performance when situations are weak. In fact, for some traits, the opposite may be true as more situational constraints led to an increase in the relation of extraversion, emotional stability, and SJT performance. The results add to an increasing body of research about psychological processes in SJTs. Limitations and implications for research and practice are discussed.