Newsletter Winter 2008 pdf - Minnesota State University, Mankato

Page 2 I/O Update
Special Investigations
Faculty and students in the I/O Program started a series of research projects for the Air
Force Office of Special Investigations. The projects are under the direction of Dr. Major
David Englert. David is a graduate of MSU and has been a big supporter of the
program.
Dan Sachau, Mahlia Matsch and Jessica Gertz are studying work
life balance of agents and their spouses. Lisa Perez, Jeremy Jones,
Jonathan Page, and Jeff Buchanan are studying the effects of exposure
to disturbing media images at the Defense Computer Forensics
Lab. Andi Lassiter will start a study examining the effectiveness of
INDOC training courses in Georgia. In addition to this project, the
OERG contracted with the Air Force to create an automated exit interview
system. Michael Pate manages this project.
Driving Me to Distraction
This past July, professors Jonathan Page, Kasee
Page, Lisa Perez and graduate student Ashley
Stanoch traveled to London to conduct research
with the London Metropolitan Police Service. The
group completed two projects examining the effects
of stress and training on the attentional processes of
police drivers.
In the first project, the research team followed one
class of 8 drivers through the entire 4 week training
program. Once a week, each driver spent half a day
wearing an EEG cap connected to a computer that
collected information about his brain activity while
driving. During each session, one of the researchers
rode along with the student drivers and instructors as
they learned to maneuver the car and monitor their
surroundings while pursuing a fleeing “suspect” – all while traveling at speeds over 100 mph on open London
highways. Before and after each of these driving sessions, the drivers also completed an anxiety questionnaire
and provided saliva samples. The saliva was analyzed for the presence of stress hormones (cortisol and
alpha-amylase). This study will help determine how the brain’s responses to the driving tasks change over
time as a result of training.
In the second project, the team tested officers
while driving on a skidpan – a small closed course
coated with an oil slick. Drivers wore an EEG cap
while driving circles and figure-eights on the skidpan.
As they drove, the team asked the drivers to listen
to a series of high or low-tone beeps. They were
instructed to count only the high tones and ignore
the low tones. This project examined the ability of
drivers to divide their attention between multiple tasks while under
stress.
Winter 2008
Page 15
Roybal, A. J. & Lassiter, A.L.R. (under review). Examining organizational commitment
and turnover in a military sample. Poster submitted for 2008 SIOP Conference, San Francisco,
CA.
Roybal, A., Rusk, A., & Lassiter, A. L. R (2007, March). Need for cognition and feedback
effects on virtual team performance. Poster session presented at the 28 th Annual IOOB
Conference, Indianapolis, IN.
Sachau, D. (2007). Resurrecting the motivation-hygiene theory: Herzberg and the positive
psychology movement. Human Resource Development Review. 6 (4). 377-393.
Sachau, D., Andrews, L., Gibson, B., & DeNeui, D. (under review). Tournament
validity. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science.
Sanacore, P, & O'Farrell, K. J. (2007, March). Clarifying the relational devaluation model
through the use of self-regulation theory. Poster session presented at the 28 th Annual IOOB
Conference, Indianapolis, IN.
Schaab, B. B., Dressel, J. D., Sabol, M. A., Rittman, A. L. (2007). Performance in non-faceto-face
collaborative information environments. U. S. Army Research Institute for the Behavior
and Social Sciences, Research Report 1865.
Stanoch, A., Page, J., Perez, L., & Page, C. (2008, March). Cognitive processes in
professional police drivers: Does stress effect attentional narrowing? Paper submission for
the 29th Annual IOOB Conference, Denver, CO.
Tange, A. and Perez, L. (2008, March). Personality as a Moderator of the Job Stress-
Need for Recovery Relationship. Paper submission for the 29th Annual IOOB Conference,
Denver, CO.
Wagstrom, E., Bane, D., Lassiter, A., Perez, L., & Lehman, J. (2007, May). Take Care
Use Antimicrobials Responsibly, Swine Practitioner Project. Paper presented at the 2007 Safe-
Pork meeting, Verona, Italy.
Woller, A. & Lassiter, A. L. R (2007). Trust formation across multiple levels of team virtuality.
Research presented at the MSU Undergraduate Research Conference and the Minnesota
Undergraduate Psychology Conference.
Woods, C. & Norasakkunkit, V. (2008, March). The moderating effects of selfconstrual
on the relationship of fear of negative evaluation and flow. Paper submission for
the 29th Annual IOOB Conference, Denver, CO.