This study explored the effect of directions on the Least Preferred Coworker (LPC) scale; specifically, this study tested whether thinking of a generalized least preferred coworker (General LPC) would yield lower scores compared to thinking of a specific least preferred coworker (Specific LPC). The data supported this hypothesis as responses to the General LPC yielded more critical LPC scores than did responses to the Specific LPC. The hypothesis that thinking of a generalized least preferred coworker would yield more stable result than would thinking of a specific least preferred coworker was not supported. Finally, the hypothesis that LPC scores would shift categories (e.g., shifting from task-oriented to relations-oriented) more when thinking of a specific least preferred coworker than when thinking of a general least preferred coworker was not supported. This study provides supportive evidence of the importance of using the original test directions during test administrations.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study explored the effect of directions on the Least Preferred Coworker (LPC) scale; specifically, this study tested whether thinking of a generalized least preferred coworker (General LPC) would yield lower scores compared to thinking of a specific least preferred coworker (Specific LPC). The data supported this hypothesis as responses to the General LPC yielded more critical LPC scores than did responses to the Specific LPC. The hypothesis that thinking of a generalized least preferred coworker would yield more stable result than would thinking of a specific least preferred coworker was not supported. Finally, the hypothesis that LPC scores would shift categories (e.g., shifting from task-oriented to relations-oriented) more when thinking of a specific least preferred coworker than when thinking of a general least preferred coworker was not supported. This study provides supportive evidence of the importance of using the original test directions during test administrations.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Lottes, Derrick"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Department of Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Elizabeth Shoenfelt (Director), Dr. Reagan Brown, Dr. John Baker"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:08:09Z","subjects":["contingency theory","test administration","leadership","standardized administration of tests","Industrial and Organizational Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1141","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Elizabeth Shoenfelt (Director), Dr. Reagan Brown, Dr. John Baker"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Lottes, Derrick"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Department of Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["contingency theory","test administration","leadership","standardized administration of tests","Industrial and Organizational Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1141"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study explored the effect of directions on the Least Preferred Coworker (LPC) scale; specifically, this study tested whether thinking of a generalized least preferred coworker (General LPC) would yield lower scores compared to thinking of a specific least preferred coworker (Specific LPC). The data supported this hypothesis as responses to the General LPC yielded more critical LPC scores than did responses to the Specific LPC. The hypothesis that thinking of a generalized least preferred coworker would yield more stable result than would thinking of a specific least preferred coworker was not supported. Finally, the hypothesis that LPC scores would shift categories (e.g., shifting from task-oriented to relations-oriented) more when thinking of a specific least preferred coworker than when thinking of a general least preferred coworker was not supported. This study provides supportive evidence of the importance of using the original test directions during test administrations.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Effect of General Versus Specific Coworker in Directions on Fiedler's Least Preferred Coworker Scale"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Elizabeth Shoenfelt (Director), Dr. Reagan Brown, Dr. John Baker"],"dc:creator":["Lottes, Derrick"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study explored the effect of directions on the Least Preferred Coworker (LPC) scale; specifically, this study tested whether thinking of a generalized least preferred coworker (General LPC) would yield lower scores compared to thinking of a specific least preferred coworker (Specific LPC). The data supported this hypothesis as responses to the General LPC yielded more critical LPC scores than did responses to the Specific LPC. The hypothesis that thinking of a generalized least preferred coworker would yield more stable result than would thinking of a specific least preferred coworker was not supported. Finally, the hypothesis that LPC scores would shift categories (e.g., shifting from task-oriented to relations-oriented) more when thinking of a specific least preferred coworker than when thinking of a general least preferred coworker was not supported. This study provides supportive evidence of the importance of using the original test directions during test administrations.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1141"],"dc:subject":["contingency theory","test administration","leadership","standardized administration of tests","Industrial and Organizational Psychology","Social and Behavioral Sciences"],"dc:title":["The Effect of General Versus Specific Coworker in Directions on Fiedler's Least Preferred Coworker Scale"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Department of Psychology"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:08:09Z"}