Time to recharge batteries – development and validation of a pictorial scale of human energy

Verbal and pictorial single-item scales are as good as their 10-item counterparts for measuring perceived usability

Single-item scales of perceived usability are attractive due to their efficiency and non-verbal scales are attractive because they enable collecting data from individuals irrespective of their language proficiency. We tested experimentally whether single-item verbal and pictorial scales can compete with their 10-item counterparts at reflecting the difference in usability between well-designed and poorly designed systems. N = 1079 (Experiment 1) and N = 1092 (Experiment 2) participants worked with two systems whose usability was experimentally manipulated. Perceived usability was assessed using the 10-item System Usability Scale, the single-item Adjective Rating Scale, the 10-item Pictorial System Usability Scale and the Pictorial Single-Item Usability Scale. The single-item scales reflect the difference in usability as good as their 10-item counterparts. The pictorial scales are nearly as valid as their verbal counterparts. The single-item Adjective Rating Scale and the Pictorial Single-Item Usability Scale are thus efficient and valid alternatives to their 10-item counterparts.

Too Committed to Switch Off-Capturing and Organizing the Full Range of Work-Related Rumination from Detachment to Overcommitment

Work-related thoughts during off-job time have been studied extensively in occupational health psychology and related fields. We provide a focused review of the research on overcommitment-a component within the effort-reward imbalance model-and aim to connect this line of research to the most commonly studied aspects of work-related rumination. Drawing on this integrative review, we analyze survey data on ten facets of work-related rumination, namely (1) overcommitment, (2) psychological detachment, (3) affective rumination, (4) problem-solving pondering, (5) positive work reflection, (6) negative work reflection, (7) distraction, (8) cognitive irritation, (9) emotional irritation, and (10) inability to recover. First, we apply exploratory factor analysis to self-reported survey data from 357 employees to calibrate overcommitment items and to position overcommitment within the nomological net of work-related rumination constructs. Second, we apply confirmatory factor analysis to self-reported survey data from 388 employees to provide a more specific test of uniqueness vs. overlap among these constructs. Third, we apply relative weight analysis to assess the unique criterion-related validity of each work-related rumination facet regarding (1) physical fatigue, (2) cognitive fatigue, (3) emotional fatigue, (4) burnout, (5) psychosomatic complaints, and (6) satisfaction with life. Our results suggest that several measures of work-related rumination (e.g., overcommitment and cognitive irritation) can be used interchangeably. Emotional irritation and affective rumination emerge as the strongest unique predictors of fatigue, burnout, psychosomatic complaints, and satisfaction with life. Our study is intended to assist researchers in making informed decisions on selecting scales for their research and paves the way for integrating research on the effort-reward imbalance and work-related rumination.