Attitudes toward surveys were conceptualized as having two relatively independent components: feelings about the act of completing a survey, called survey enjoyment, and perceptions of the value of survey research, called survey value. After developing a psychometrically sound measure, the authors examined how the measure related to respondent behaviors that directly impact the quality and quantity of data collected in surveys. With the exception of a response distortion index, survey enjoyment was generally related to all the respondent behaviors studied (item response rates, following directions, volunteering to participate in other survey research, timeliness of a response to a survey request, and willingness to participate in additional survey research). Survey value was related to item response rates, following directions, and willingness to participate in additional survey research. A respondent motivation and intentions explanation is provided. Although the identified effect sizes were generally small, a number of practical implications emerge and are discussed.The use of surveys to address organizational research needs (e.g., pinpointing areas of concern, monitoring program impact, and providing input for future decisions) has Downloaded from increased tremendously over the past half century (Kraut, 1996). As a result, millions of employees are asked to complete at least one organizational questionnaire each year (Gallup, 1988). Given the ubiquity of surveys, it is surprising how little research has examined individuals' attitudes toward this frequently used research methodology (i.e., the degree of positive or negative feelings a person has about surveys). The present study addresses this deficiency by introducing a reliable measure of attitudes toward surveys and examining how those attitudes relate to survey respondent behaviors that affect data quality and quantity (e.g., completing survey items, following directions).Research on attitudes toward surveys began with the descriptive work of Sjoberg (1955), who interviewed 148 people about their attitudes toward government polling (e.g., "Do you think the city should set up controls to restrict the interviewing of people?"). Although this study did not examine the relations between attitudes about polling and other variables (e.g., how people respond to surveys), it identified respondents' attitudes toward surveys as an important consideration in conducting survey research. Other research has found that the number of requests an individual receives to participate in survey projects was related to that individual's attitudes toward surveys. Specifically, individuals inundated with survey requests expressed more negative attitudes toward surveys than individuals with fewer survey solicitations (Goyder, 1986). Attitudes toward surveys were also found to be unrelated to respondents' decision-making vocalizations when completing a survey, as assessed via verbal protocol analysis (Helgeson & Ursic, 1994;Ursic & Helgeson, 1989). More recently, Baruch (1999) arg...

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Although recruitment researchers often discuss influences on decisions to apply for jobs, few studies assess actual application behavior. This study of individuals who expressed an interest in a firefighter job revealed that applying was related to recruiting source informativeness and organizational familiarity. Source informativeness was not related to self-selection out of the process after application or performance on the selection process, but was related to perceptions of familiarity and to applicant demographics. Implications for recruitment are discussed.

The career development and disability knowledge of 97 students with learning disabilities from three postsecondary institutions in the Midwest was examined through semi-structured interviews. Students with disabilities who were eligible for services while in high school generally did not engage in transition planning as required by federal law. Their career development activities were limited despite having unique career needs. The majority of students had difficulty describing their disability and its impact on their career exploration and planning. For students with learning disabilities at the postsecondary level, career development services should be provided, including training in self-advocacy and career exploration in the first two years. Instruction in career self-management skills should be ongoing.

This study assesses the preparation of high school students with disabilities for postsecondary education. Transition planning information for 110 students from Grades 10 through 12 was reviewed. We found that (a) interest in attending postsecondary education declined from 77% to 47% over a 3-year period, (b) only four students had 4-year plans leading to postsecondary education, and (c) students were not enrolled in college preparatory classes or were transferred from college preparatory classes despite the students' expressed interest in postsecondary education. Recommendations are presented to address the continuing problem of preparing students with disabilities for postsecondary education.