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Recent criticisms of the two-factor theory of job satisfaction suggest that Herzberg's reliance upon the recall of critical incidents (Ewen, 1964) and dual system of categorization (Schneider and Locke, 1971) may have introduced a scaling bias in his method of experimentation which severely restricts respondents' opportunities to register negative reactions to motivators (Ms) and positive reactions to hygienes (Hs). Industrial trainees in two vocational education projects (N1 = 72, N2 = 102) responded to check lists which contained both negative and positive performance specimens (Whitlock, 1963) related to two of Herzberg's Ms and three Us. These data were used to test three of King's (1970) formulations of Herzberg's theory dealing with the relative frequency of good and bad experiences engendered by Ms and Us (Theories I through III). A set of hypotheses dealing with levels of satisfaction and dissatisfaction derived from Ms and Us were also tested. The results of both studies failed to support Herzberg's two-factor theory. Rather, the results appeared to substantiate the contention of Graen (1966) and others about the greater potential for satisfaction associated with intrinsic work factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper was to develop and demonstrate an empirical method of estimating the validity of course prerequisites. By comparing the distributions of grades in upper division classes for students who had and who had not completed the "necessary" subject matter prerequisites with a multivariate analysis of variance procedure known as step-down analysis, it was possible to determine the actual importance of these lower division courses for future academic success. Grade point average was found to be the variable most closely associated with the level of performance in the target courses, whereas the percentage of prerequisites accounted for approximately two per cent of the variance. Results of this investigation were examined in the light of possible revisions in educational policies governing admission requirements to upper division courses. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]