Date of Award
8-1989
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Alyce M. Dickinson
Second Advisor
Dr. Jack Michael
Third Advisor
Dr. John Nangle
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
Because studies that examine factors that affect worker preference for different pay systems are difficult to conduct in the workplace, the feasibility of using a laboratory simulation was assessed. The dependent variable was subject choice of the percentage of incentive pay to total pay. The independent variable was the percentage of monthly expenses to monthly income. The higher the incentive percentage the greater the potential earnings, but the greater the variability of pay and the probability that subjects would be unable to pay expenses. Work performance was simulated by the roll of a die. Thirty college students worked in groups of three. Ten groups were exposed to five different expense sequences.
Most subjects displayed sensitivity to the expense manipulations, and eighteen responded consistently to their systematic manipulation. While the generality of the results to a real environment was not assessed, the fact that the independent variable controlled responding is encouraging.
Recommended Citation
Oah, Shezeen, "The Effects of Monthly Expenses on Worker Choice of the Percent Age of Incentive Pay to Expected Total Pay: A Simulation" (1989). Masters Theses. 4063.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/4063