David J Whitney

• PhD
• Professor at California State University, Long Beach

The number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees awarded to underrepresented students has increased over the past two decades, but these graduates still represent a small percentage of STEM career professionals (Fry et al., 2021) and faculty members (Bennett et al., 2020). For diversifying faculty, Bennet et al. identi...

Employment is central to an individual's well-being. Work-related expectations of individuals with developmental disabilities were compared with those of service coordinators. Variables included the type of work expected, expected number of work hours, employment-related concerns, desired workplace supports, and influence that both the severity of...

This book helps readers apply testing and measurement theories. Featuring 22 self-standing modules, instructors can pick and choose the ones that are most appropriate for their course. Each module features an overview of a measurement issue and a step-by-step application of that theory. Best practices provide recommendations for ensuring the approp...

This study extends previous work reviewing the cohesion-performance relationship by using meta-analytic techniques to assess the effects of level of analysis and task interdependence on the cohesion-performance relationship. A totel of 51 effect sizes from 46 empirical studies were obtained for the meta-analytic integration. Results suggest that le...

The vast majority of master's level students in industrial and organizational psychology programs go on to become practitioners in a wide variety of applied settings including consulting firms, private sector corporations, and government agencies. As a result, it is critical that students in terminal master's programs be exposed to a wide and diver...

This research investigated empirical issues regarding the validity of individual interviewers’(N= 62) ratings collected after a structured interview. Each interviewer rated an average of 25 interviewees. One hypothesis examined but not supported was that systematic interviewer errors will attenuate interview validity when data are aggregated across...

This study proposed and tested a model of factors influencing the effectiveness of Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs). Data were collected from the chairs of Michigan LEPCs, who were asked to provide information about their LEPCs’staffing, activities, resources, and team climate, as well as information about community hazards and relations...

Collaborations among geoscience-oriented departments at California State University, Long Beach (Geological Sciences, as well as portions of the Geography and Anthropology departments and a new, fast-growing Environmental Sciences and Policy (ES&P) program) are characterized by attention to three important elements: (1) community-based partnerships...

An innovative interdisciplinary project at California State University, Long Beach, was designed to increase the attractiveness of the geosciences (physical geography, geology, and archaeology) to underrepresented groups. The goal was to raise awareness of the geosciences by providing summer research opportunities for underrepresented high school a...

While a gender balance remains elusive in the geosciences [ de Wet et al. , 2002], the underrepresentation of ethnic minorities in these fields is at least as great a concern. A number of cultural and social factors have been proposed to explain the poor ethnic minority representation in the geosciences, including limited exposure to nature, defici...

For the past three years (2002-2004) faculty in the departments of geological sciences, geography, and anthropology at California State University, Long Beach have joined to offer an NSF-funded (GEO-0119891) eight-week summer research experience to faculty and students at Long Beach area high schools and community colleges. GDEP's goal is to increa...

This study investigated the prevalence of both accurate and erroneous earthquake-related beliefs among a sample of Southern California college students and the relationship between their endorsement of earthquake beliefs and adoption of seismic hazard adjustments. In addition, the study examined the effects of an experimental earthquake education p...

Differences in test-taker perceptions between overt and personality-based integrity tests were examined. Following administration of both types of integrity tests, 255 undergraduate students provided ratings of perceived face validity and perceived predictive validity. Following receipt of actual test scores, 126 test takers participated in a secon...

This study examined the perceptions and self-reported practices of 18 scientists participating in a yearlong seminar series designed to explore issues of gender and ethnicity in science. Scientists and seminar were part of the Promoting Women and Scientific Literacy project, a curriculum transformation and professional development initiative undert...

Cross-sectional studies of attitude-behavior relationships are vulnerable to the inflation of correlations by common method variance (CMV). Here, a model is presented that allows partial correlation analysis to adjust the observed correlations for CMV contamination and determine if conclusions about the statistical and practical significance of a p...

This study was conducted to assess the level of adoption of nonstructural seismic hazard adjustments by hospitals in Southern California, and to identify the factors that lead to adoption of these adjustments. Results provide evidence that hospitals in Southern California have partially implemented a variety of earthquake preparedness and mitigatio...

Cross-sectional studies of attitude-behavior relationships are vulnerable to the inflation of correlations by common method variance (CMV). Here, a model is presented that allows partial correlation analysis to adjust the observed correlations for CMV contamination and determine if conclusions about the statistical and practical significance of a p...

Research on Local Emergency Planning Committees (LEPCs) has suggested that members’ perceptions of group processes and participation activities mediate the relationship between organizational context and LEPC effectiveness. Data from 57 LEPCs support the importance of organizational commitment in predicting member participation and the predictive p...

This study examined the relationships of self-reported adoption of 12 seismic hazard adjustments (pre-impact actions to reduce danger to persons and property) with respondents' demographic characteristics, perceived risk, perceived hazard knowledge, perceived protection responsibility, and perceived attributes of the hazard adjustments. Consistent...

The commonly used form of rwg. (J) can display irregular behavior, so four variants of this index were examined. An alternative index, r*wg. J, is recommended. This index is an inverse linear function of the ratio of the average obtained variance to the variance of uniformly distributed random error. r*wg.Jis superficially similar to Cronba...

This paper investigates the perceptions of scientists and their awareness of issues, goals, and beliefs related to gender and ethnicity in science and questions the curriculum, classroom management, and teaching strategies of instructors. The study examined 18 science faculty members' perceptions in a professional development seminar series and foc...

The relationship between Black–White cultural value differences and responses to biodata employment items was investigated. Black and White college students were found to differ in endorsement of cultural values pertaining to basic human nature, the relationship between the individual and nature, temporal focus, and interpersonal relations. Using t...

Previous studies of Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) effectiveness have been influenced strongly by the practical issues of concern to state and federal agency personnel and by theoretical issues of interest to researchers, but not necessarily by issues that concern LEPC members. This problem was addressed by comparing the results of open-...

Previous research on the effects of bias in criterion-related validation research has typically involved the use of statistical corrections for halo, leniency, and/or central tendency. We present arguments that likability and similarity of raters to ratees may constitute a form of predictor-related criterion bias. One cannot investigate this form o...

This study extends previous work reviewing the cohesion-performance relationship by using meta-analytic techniques to assess the effects of level of analysis and task interdependence on the cohesion-performance relationship. A total of 51 effect sizesfmrom 46 empirical studies were obtainedfor the meta-analytic integration. Results suggest that lev...

The current study used scores on the Driver Performance Measurement (DPM) test and data gathered over four years on accident type and frequency from 47 police officers to provide evidence that cognitive-behavioral observations of driving patterns can lead to predictions of subsequent accident involvement. Results indicate that after controlling for...

To assess the short- and long-term effects of an AIDS-prevention workshop on undergraduates' attitudes about condom use and AIDS, 31 participants and 31 controls were studied immediately after training sessions as well as three months later. The workshop was aimed at reducing embarrassment to purchase condoms, encouraging positive attitudes about c...

Use of a structural equations analysis to estimate the degree of predictor-related criterion bias in selection research is illustrated. For the hypothetical data considered in this paper, a likability methods factor produced significant changes in estimates of the structural parameters relating the predictors to the criterion. Regression analyses u...

Unmotivated or suspicious test takers in con current validation studies can cause numerous problems for test users. The effects of these problems, however, have not been carefully examined. This study used item response theory-based appro priateness fit indexes to identify and remove from a validation sample those examinees whose response patterns...

The Geoscience Diversity Enhancement Program (GDEP) is an NSF-OEDG funded project at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). Program goals include increasing awareness of geoscience careers, and the availability and accessibility of research experiences, to area high school and community college faculty and students from underrepresented g...