I/O Bulletin - Louisiana Tech University

Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech
I/O Bulletin
Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Doctoral Program
Inside this issue:
New Faculty
I/O Goes Green
SIOP
Guest Speaker
Sundown Tavern
Fall Retreat
Student Bios
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3
4
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5
6
AROS
8
Louisiana Tech Volume 1, Issue 1
Program’s Inaugural Year Comes to a Close
Louisiana Tech’s Industrial/Organizational Psychology Ph.D. program has finished its
inaugural year. Already, the faculty and students within the program have had many
experiences aligned with the vision of the program. Some of these include the creation
of a consulting group, Applied Research for Organizational Solutions (AROS), a
trip to Atlanta for the Society of Industrial Organizational Psychology’s 25th annual
conference, and the completion of various research projects and papers. Next up for
these four pioneers Mentoring a new group of students that entered the program in
the Fall Quarter. The program is proud to welcome five new students to the fold.
These students will work closely with the second-year students to ensure a successful
transition and to continue to work towards meaningful study and research in the field
of Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
Tailgating
8
AROS Projects
Validation study for a testing
firm.
Employee Selection Project
with a Shreveport, LA manufacturer
Economic Development
Survey with the Lincoln
Parish Chamber of Commerce
Membership Research for a
local church
Customer Satisfaction Survey
for a local animal clinic
Student Satisfaction Survey
for Louisiana Tech Student
Recreational Department
Employee Feedback Surveys
for a Casino
Customer Satisfaction Survey
for local dentists
Current I/O Psychology Doctoral Students
AROS Consulting
The goal of developing a consulting group within the I/O PhD program is for students
to gain applied experience, provide assistance to local organizations, and to gain funding
for conference trips. AROS develops employee/customer satisfaction metrics,
needs assessments, job analyses, statistical consulting, and much more. AROS has already
gained the opportunity to work with several organizations and hopes to develop
additional partnerships with companies in the future. The core philosophy upheld by
AROS is that organizations have the expertise to find their own solutions when provided
the tools and structure to do so. AROS aims at working in concert with organizations
to empower them to meet their goals.

Dr. Mitzi Desselles Joins I/O Faculty
Mitzi has devoted her career to demystifying why people do
what they do. Starting from the premise posited by reversal
theory that people are essentially paradoxical beings, her work
has helped social, political and consumer organizations tap into
both the rational and emotional factors that underlie behavior.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Louisiana
State University, a Master of Arts degree from the University
of Richmond and a Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial/
Organizational Psychology from Louisiana State University. She
started her professional career on the faculty of Purdue University,
where she was assistant professor of psychology. Mitzi is
returning to academia after a leaving to work for DDB Needham
Worldwide, an international advertising agency.
From there, Mitzi joined Mobil Oil Corporation and was part of its successful merger with
Exxon, resulting in today’s ExxonMobil Corporation. Excited by the revolutionary approach
to leadership and organizational development championed by Apter International, she
joined the group in 2000 and co-founded Apter Research in 2007. Recent clients have included
HSBC, SABMiller-Coors, South Carolina Department of Public Safety, the Human
Rights Campaign and Third Way. Her research area is the application of reversal theory to
work motivation, leadership and team effectiveness. With her colleagues at Apter International,
she has developed a suite of psychometric instruments including measures of organizational
climate and leadership.
Bio © Apter International Ltd
I/O Goes Green
Some Industrial/Organizational Psychologists around the globe are joining the green movement
and working to enhance environmental sustainability. In the October 2010 issue of The
Industrial/Organizational Psychologist (TIP), Cathy L. Z. DuBois of Kent State University and
David A. DuBois issued a call to action for all I/O Psychologists to embrace the green movement.
Some tips they offered for going green:
Start now! Don’t wait until a green initiative is requested! Make a plan and sell it before a
customer can ask for it. Starting others on green initiatives may help to prevent another
Deepwater Horizon disaster later!
Don’t be afraid to start small! Even simple ideas like turning off computers at night or
saving paper may lead to an organization involving a stance on environmental sustainability
into their vision.
Page 2
Woodard Hall, Louisiana Tech Campus

25th Annual SIOP Conference
The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology is a professional association who’s
mission is to ―enhance human well-being and performance in organizational and work settings by
promoting the science, practice, and teaching of industrial-organizational psychology.‖
(http://www.siop.org)
Last year’s students and faculty were able to attend SIOP’s 25 th annual conference in Atlanta
during April. Students had the opportunity to meet with leaders in the field of I/O Psychology
and attend symposiums aligned with their personal interests.
In addition to the conference festivities, the students and faculty spent time seeing the sights of
Atlanta by attending a Braves game, going to the Georgia Aquarium, and touring CNN headquarters.
John Buckner, Luke Simmering, Dr. Tilman
Sheets, and Dr. Frank Igou participated in the
SIOP 5K Fun Run. There was a major flaw in
the layout of the racecourse—part of it was
unmarked! This led to confusion among the
runners as to whether they had completed the
race or not. Next years plans Scout the
course beforehand!
Four representatives from Louisiana Tech
participated in the SIOP 5K Fun Run.
The students and faculty are currently working
on research projects for the 2011 SIOP conference
in Chicago.
Next Stop
Chicago!
Page 3

Consulting I/O Psychologist Visits
Dr. Robin Wentworth came to speak to the I/O Doctoral students about his experiences
in internal consulting, external consulting, and self-employment. Robin talked to the students
about the pros and cons of being self employed and consulting. He imparted wisdom
and advice for the focus of the student’s program, including best ways to publish and focusing
on the enjoyment of learning, rather than being focused on the tasks of getting grades.
Robin’s primary focus is Organizational Development and his current work takes him all
over the globe, with recent endeavors in
the Middle East.
Robin received his PhD from the University
of Southern Mississippi in Industrial/Organizational
Psychology. He previously
worked as an Organizational
Effectiveness Consultant at the Southern
Company and is currently the President
of Organizational Excellence International,
P.C.
Sundown Tavern, Our Unofficial Meeting Place
Downtown Ruston, nestled in the historic district, is the unofficial meeting place for the
students and faculty. They often convene after a long week of studying and researching
to enjoy some local delicacies, like fried green beans. The picturesque outdoor courtyard
is a great place to relax and unwind. On Thursdays, they often run into their sister cohort,
the students in the Counseling Psychology program.
Page 4

Fall Retreat
The first weekend in October brought a welcomed change of pace for our hardworking
students and faculty. The group headed about 3 hours north into the hills
of Arkansas to DeGray Lake for a retreat that featured presentations about current
student and faculty research, lots of food, an early morning round of golf, a screening
of Office Space and a few hours enjoying the water on a barge.
Page 5

Meet Our
DeAnn Arnold {First Year} has her undergraduate degree in Psychology
from LSU Shreveport and her Master’s in I/O Psychology from Louisiana
Tech. She has over ten years of Human Resources experience, most recently
as Director of HR at LSU Shreveport. Her research interest lies in
motivation, performance, and selection. She lives in Ruston with her husband,
mother, and two small children. In her spare time, she runs and is the
owner of a photography business.
Jeff Binder {Second Year} was born in Slidell, LA and received his Bachelor
of Science degree in Psychology at Louisiana State University. Jeff is currently
pursuing his PhD and Master’s in I/O Psychology at Louisiana Tech
University, and was among the inaugural cohort in the new PhD program.
Jeff’s research interests lie in personality testing, selection, training, and statistical
procedures, as he works under the guise of Dr. Frank Igou. Jeff hopes
to go into consulting upon the completion of his time at Louisiana Tech.
John Buckner {Second Year} received his Master’s in Industrial-
Organizational Psychology from Saint Cloud State University and Bachelor’s
in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Wisconsin – River Falls.
John’s current research focus is on employee emotional labor and technology
in the workplace, and he is currently working under Dr. Kevin Mahoney.
John’s family lives in his hometown of New Richmond, Wisconsin, and he
plans to go into test construction in his I/O Psychology career.
Chris Castille {First Year} received his BS in psychology from Louisiana
State University and is completing his requirements for both an MA and PhD
in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Louisiana Tech. As an undergrad,
Chris completed a research project into the correlates of happiness at
work, as well as reactions to deceit and performance anxiety. Chris's research
interest involves emotion regulation; specifically the purpose of positive
emotions in coping with stress at work. His parents, older sister, and
niece live in his hometown of New Iberia.
Amy Frost {First Year} After receiving both a BA in Psychology and MA
in Industrial / Organizational Psychology from Louisiana Tech, Amy is returning
to complete her Ph.D. Her research interests focus on humanitarian
work psychology, informed by her time spent working abroad with nongovernmental
organizations. Amy's long term career goal is to work with aid
and development organizations internally by assisting with organizational
structuring and needs analysis, local and global perception analysis, fieldbased
staff support, and cultural integration.
Stephanie Murphy {First Year} Born and raised in South Louisiana,
Stephanie received a BS in psychology from the University of New Orleans.
She completed a research internship and did discharge planning for a rehabilitation
hospital before pursuing her Ph.D. at Louisiana Tech University.
Her research interest include work and family integration and employee
selection. Currently she is researching applying reversal theory concepts
to the workplace. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family
and watching the Saints. She and her son, Stephen, currently reside in Rus-
Page 6

Students
Cole Napper {Second Year} After receiving his BA from Louisiana Tech
University, Cole is currently in his second year pursuing his PhD and Master’s
concurrently at Louisiana Tech University. Cole’s research interests are
in leadership and response validity. He is currently researching the response
validity of undergraduate students and testing their responses on a lie detection
scale. Cole is a strong Louisiana Tech supporter and encourages you to
be one, as well. He is from Monroe, LA and is currently single , and roommates
with fellow second year, Jeff.
Luke Simmering {Second Year} received a BA from Oklahoma State
University and a MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Minnesota
State University, With a research interest in personality assessment, Luke
interned at Hogan Assessment Systems utilizing personality assessments in
the employee selection/development domain. He currently is conducting
research examining detection techniques for applicant faking. In his free time,
Luke conducts customer satisfaction surveys for golf courses. Luke and his
wife Morgan live in Ruston, LA with their dogs.
Victoria Smoak {First Year} is a Shreveport, Louisiana native and a
graduate of Louisiana State University in Shreveport. Before moving to Ruston,
her life revolved around co-owning/managing a franchise in Shreveport.
Consequently, she is focusing her current research on entrepreneurship and
specifically, individual traits and behavioral outcomes of franchisees. After
completing the PhD. program, she looks forward to working and living
abroad.
Presentations:
Recent Student Research
Buckner, J. E., V, & Sheets, T. L. (2010, February). Exploring the Use of Technology in Establishing Experimental
Control. Louisiana Academy of Sciences, Alexandria, LA.
Livingston, M. M., Sheets, T. L., Tobacyk, J., Carter, A. Igou, F., McDaniel, J., & Buckner, J. E. V. (2010,
October). Human Subjects Research Dilemmas: Following Rules, Protecting People, and Getting
Results. Louisiana Psychological Association, Baton Rouge, LA.
Poster Presentations:
Buckner, J. E., V. (2010, April). Individual difference and item characteristic antecedents of acquiescent re
sponding in personality assessment. Poster presented at the Southwestern Psychological Asso
ciation, Dallas, TX.
Mahoney, K. T., Buckner, J. E., V, Buboltz, W. C., Jr., & Doverspike, D. (2010, May). Individual Differences
in Emotional Labor and Its Consequences. Poster presented at Association for Psychological
Science, Boston, MA.
Simmering, L. (2009). Examination and Construct Validity Confirmation of Two Personality-
Based Adjective Checklist Measures. Presentation at 2009 IO/OB conference,
Chicago, IL.
Publications:
Levy, J. J., Castille, C. M., and Farley, J. A.. (2010). An Investigation of Musical Performance Anxiety in the
Marching Arts. Manuscript submitted for publication.
Mahoney, K. T., Buboltz, W. C., Jr., Buckner, J. E., V, & Doverspike, D. (In Review). Emotional Labor
and American University Professors. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.
Walczyk, J. J., Castille, C. M., Igou, F., Nagata, E., and Merritt, J. K. (2010). A Social Norm Model of Rea
tion to Deceit. Manuscript submitted for publication.
Page 7

Contributing to the Cause
Our Applied Research and Organizational Solutions work group provides students with the
Louisiana Tech
University
Louisiana Tech University
Department of Psychology
P.O. Box 3163
Ruston, LA 71272
opportunity to work on projects with a variety of companies and non-profit organizations. Currently,
any money given for completion of any projects is
donated to the Louisiana Tech I/O PhD Program. Additional
information is available at the website we use to administer
surveys: http://www.AROSurvey.com.
Phone: 1-318-257-4315
Fax: 1-318-257-3442
E-mail: AROS@latech.edu
Looking to make a donation
Contact Dr. Tilman Sheets at tilman@latech.edu
Louisiana Tech vs. Southern Miss Tailgate
Louisiana Tech University is
a proud member of the
University of Louisiana
System
www.ulsystem.net
The Louisiana Tech Industrial/Organizational
Psychology Doctoral students and faculty
teamed up with special guests from University
of Southern Mississippi Alums for a great
day of food, fun, and football! Program Director
and Head of the Psychology Department,
Tilman Sheets, was torn between his alma
mater and his current school, but still made
the best of the situation. After a grueling
match between the Bulldogs and the Golden
Eagles, Southern Miss came out on top with a
score of 13 to 12, giving them a win on the
road. Most notable was a torrential downpour
during the second half of the game,
leaving special guests Robin Wentworth,
Mike Jenkins, and Stephen Bushardt soaked
despite their win!