2011 portfolio
DESCRIPTION
Portfolio EssaysTRANSCRIPT
SHERA C. PATE
CAREER OBJECTIVE: Entry-level public relations position utilizing my knowledge and experience in the fields in the liberal arts, particularly psychology and linguistics.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Psychology, English MinorMagna cum laude, University of Houston, Houston, TX – 2011
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Office Assistant, Receptionist, Promptsource,Incorporated Sugar Land, TX – 2008 Ensured quality customer support to current and prospective commercial oil and gas industry clients. Procured parts and services for international corporate clientele. Maintained records and processed invoices for incoming and outgoing client transactions.
Office Assistant , Receptionist, Coldwell Banker United Bellaire, TX – 2006 – 2008 Collaborated in creation of portfolio presentations for prospective residential real estate clients. Designed various electronic and print-based marketing materials including flyers, postcards, and brochures. Renovated and maintained real estate agent website, increasing the utility overall efficacy of the site, resulting
in a net increase in new website visitors per month over a two-year period. Facilitated the sales of Texas Medical Center residential properties, ensuring quality customer service to clients
throughout each stage of the home-buying process.
Office Assistant, Receptionist, Farmer's Insurance Company Sugar Land, TX – 2002 Ensured quality customer support to current as well as prospective policy holders. Scheduled and confirmed client and agent appointments. Processed monthly premiums for individual and corporate policy holders.
Office Assistant, Houston's First Baptist Church Houston, TX – 1999 Assisted in the administrative processes of the Missions office's various outreach programs. Scheduled and confirmed appointments and facilitated transportation for church staff members. Managed and coordinated volunteers for various outreach ministry programs.
VOLUNTEER WORK
Editor/ Contributor, Fort Bend Baptist Academy Sugar Land, TX – 2001 Contributed and edited articles, poetry, and short stories for student-published literary magazine.
Praise Team Member, River Pointe Church Sugar Land, TX – 2001
Lead praise and worship music for Sunday morning High School service.
Volunteer Builder, World Changers Savannah, GA – 1999 Repaired, and restored homes for individuals and churches in need.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
RELEVANT COURSEWORK
Pre-Calculus, Probability and Statistics, Anatomy and Physiology, Nutrition, Biology, Chem-istry, Neuroscience, Social Psychology, Personality Psychology, Child Psychology, Clinical
Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Linguistics
The Positive Personality: Theory and Application
In the past, most of the research in the field of Psychology has focused on models of
psychopathology concerned primarily with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of the
mentally ill, however, in recent years, research in the branch of Positive Psychology has widened
its focus in a way so as to include models that might lead to a greater understanding of the
qualities and characteristics that result in mental and physical well-being. Much of the research
that has emerged from the branch of Positive Psychology has centered on efforts to identify
personality characteristics and personality traits that have been associated with positive mental
and physical health outcomes. Positive Psychology research suggests that systematically building
character traits and virtues within people can lead to greater overall mental and physical health.
Though the branch of Positive Psychology is relatively new, it shares some of the same
fundamental principles introduced in the theories of Erich Fromm, Alfred Adler, Carl Rogers,
and others that have followed in their footsteps.
Much like humanistic psychologists like Erich Fromm, Alfred Adler, and Carl Rogers
broke from traditional Freudian psychoanalytic views that focused on resolving early life
conflicts, instead placing their focus upon openness in the present and development in the future,
Positive Psychology diverges from Psychology’s model of pathology and its traditional task that
seeks to identify and understand the causes of various disorders and disease to a model that
instead seeks to identify personality variables such as personality traits, characteristics,
personality types, and general patterns of behavior that have been shown to prevent the
occurrence of those disorders and that have been associated with mental and physical well-
being.One particular personality variable that has gathered a great deal of attention from the
branch of positive psychology is the trait of optimism. Shelley Taylor and J.D. Brown suggest
that optimism, self-enhancement, and a perception of self-control characterize normal human
thought (Taylor & Brown, 1988). Taylor and her colleagues posit that these beliefs are valuable
psychological resources that serve adaptive functions in maintaining mental and physical health
(Taylor, Kemeny, Reed, Bower, & Gruenewald, 2000). Martin Selgiman and Myhali
Csikszentmehali, define optimism as a dispositional trait that mediates between the events that
occur in a person’s life and his or her subsequent expectations for the future (2000). Seligman
and Csikszentmehali describe optimism as a characteristic explanatory style whereby one
attributes meaning to events. Carver and Scheir propose that these explanations are influenced by
cognitive, emotional, and motivational factors (1990).
Research in the branch of Positive Psychology has demonstrated a strong relationship
between a number of personality traits and mental and physical well-being. Studies have shown
that building positive traits such as optimism may lead to more effective therapeutic treatment
outcomes and may play a role in the prevention of a wide range of mental as well as physical
health problems (Seligman, Schulman, DeRubeis, & Hollon, 1999; Seligman & Csikszentmehali,
2000; Taylor et al., 2000). For example, Martin Seligman and his colleagues have found that
building optimism protects people from depression (Seligman, Schulman, DeRubeis, & Hollon,
1999). Shelley Taylor and her colleagues have shown that building optimism has a buffering
effect against the effects of life-threatening physical disorders, such as AIDS and Cancer (2000).
While the exact mechanisms responsible for this effect are unknown, research suggests that the
psychological and emotional states that characterize the personality trait of optimism could be
responsible for physiological changes observed in these studies.
The effects of optimism have been explored in great depth and are far reaching. Shelley
Taylor and her colleagues have shown that even unreasonably optimistic beliefs can protect
people from illness (2000). The results of many studies of terminally ill patients with diseases
such as cancer and AIDS suggest that patients who remain optimistic about their condition
exhibit fewer symptoms and survive longer than patients who take a more realistic perspective to
their condition (House, Landis, & Umberson, 1988). House, Landis, and Umberson explain that
this may be due to the fact that optimistic patients are more likely to engage in activities that
promote health and to enlist social support.
The theories of Erich Fromm, Alfred Adler, and Carl Rogers share many of the
fundamental principles upon which the research of Shelley Taylor and Martin Seligman and
Positive Psychology as a whole are built. Sharing in a humanistic existential orientation, each of
these theories are based upon the essential principle of fostering personal growth and
development and emphasize the importance of helping each individual to realize his or her own
innate potential (Allen, 2006). Though they may have operationalized the concept under different
names, Erich Fromm, Alfred Adler, and Carl Roger’s theories each identified personality
variables that they proposed mediated this process.
Like the research of Martin Seligman and Shelley Taylor, Fromm’s theory emphasizes
the importance of subjective experience and personality variables similar to optimism in
establishing personal well-being. Despite the widespread popularity of nihilististic philosophy
following World War II, Fromm was one of the first psychologists to promote optimism
(Weiner, 2003). Fromm’s theory suggests that optimism can be achieved only by taking control
of his or her own destiny and assuming an active role in one’s life and in one’s relationships
(Fromm, 1955). Like the research of Shelley Taylor and her colleagues, Fromm’s theory
emphasizes the importance of the social context in which positive psychology necessarily occurs.
Coming from a Sociopsychological humanistic perspective Fromm proposed that individuals
have an innate need for love and unity with others. Taking a perspective similar to that taken by
Shelley Taylor and Martin Seligman and colleagues in their research, Fromm proposed that
mental health was more than the mere absence of sickness, but rather, the presence of well-being
(Fromm, 1959). While Fromm never explicitly defined well-being or the construct of optimism
in his theory, he defined happiness, a construct similar optimism, as “a state of intense inner
activity and the experience of the increasing vital energy” that occurs as a result of the
expression of personal creativity and “productive relatedness to the world” and to others
(Fromm, 1955, p. 202).
Also like the research of Shelley Taylor and Martin Seligman, Fromm proposed that
differences in temperament affect the way in which we relate to others and experience the world.
Recognizing that individual differences occur among people, Fromm proposed character types
that correspond to the individual differences that he observed. Fromm’s theory proposed six
basic character types that differed mainly in terms of their ability to relate with others. Of the six
character types proposed in his theory, Fromm’s productively orientated biophilus character,
most closely resembles what researchers such as Seligman and Shelley have conceptualized as
the “optimistic personality.” The biophilus character is one “based on love, the mutual intimacy
that preserves individual integrity” (Allen, 2006, p. 184). According to Fromm, the happiness of
this character type is a result of productive living, which utilizes the powers of love and reason.
While Fromm’s remaining five character types represent the abnormal types that exist in persons,
his productively oriented character type, the biophilus character most closely represents the self-
actualizing existential person that possesses optimism.
Unlike Martin Seligman and Shelley Taylor, however, Erich Fromm took a more
macroscopic view of psychological well-being, While the research of Seligman and Taylor
explores the effect of personality variables and their effect upon an individual, Fromm’s theory
explores the effect of personality variables effect upon a culture. In his second book, The Sane
Society, Fromm proposed that entire cultures can suffer from pathology (1955). In this work,
Fromm suggested that Western culture as a whole had become pathological, and suffered from a
lack of the creativity and purpose that characterized life. Fromm proposed that a political
solution of humanistic communitarian socialism, in which citizens would become actively
engaged in the processes of the government, was the only answer. While Fromm’s theory
proposes that purpose and activity are necessary to the solution, his theory involves a much
larger population than those involved Seligman and Taylor’s research.
Like Seligman and Taylor, Alfred Adler also emphasized the importance of personality
variables like optimism in establishing and maintaining psychological well-being. Similar to
Martin Seligman’s view of optimism as an explanatory style that a person assigns to life’s
events, Adler believed that all behavior is influenced by subjective interpretation. Adler also saw
human behavior as invested with social meaning, purposeful, and goal-directed. Viewing of the
person as self-directed and self actualizing, Adler believed that the person derives meaning
through the establishment of his style of life, which is the unique way in which he accomplishes
what Adler identified as the three main tasks of life: society, work, and love.
Like House and colleagues and Shelley Taylor and her colleagues proposed, Adler
recognized the importance of the social context in which behavior occurs. Adler’s theory
proposed that each person is born with an innate need for interpersonal connectedness, which he
termed as social feeling. Like Fromm, Adler recognized the importance of activity and creativity
on the part of the individual, and emphasized the importance of the role of the individual’s
participation as an active agent. Adler proposed that an individual must make efforts actualize
social feeling, which is a potential within each person, by contributing to society, thus generating
the product of social interest. True to his humanistic foundation, Adler also emphasized the
creative power of the individual, which is the process by which one, exercising free choice and
assuming his or her own unique style of life establishes his or her own unique identity, creating
himself or herself in his or her own social context.
While Alfred Adler’s theory shares many of the same fundamental principles of those
explored in the research of Martin Seligman and Shelley Taylor, Adler’s theory does not explore
to possibility for well-being and positive growth outside of the context of his relationships with
others. According to Adler’s theory, personal growth is defined primarily in terms of a person’s
efforts to actualize social feeling through social interest and by serving society within the context
of social relationships. While Adler’s Early Recollections account for one means by which one
can establish well-being outside of the social context, his theory does not provide for other
means of achieving well-being outside of his interpersonal relationships.
Also like Martin Seligman and Shelley Taylor, Carl Rogers emphasized the importance
of subjective experience and personality variables in establishing well-being. Carl Rogers greatly
influenced the field of Psychology as a whole and laid much of the foundation for the branch of
Positive Psychology. A fellow humanist and student of Alfred Adler, Rogers shared much
Adler’s view of the person as self-directed and progressing. Rogers believed that humans are
born with a certain self-actualizing tendency to discern that which is beneficial from that which
is not. Rogers believed that the process of self actualization is one that unfolds over the course of
a lifetime of being open to and realizing one’s potentialities.
Like Fromm and Adler, Carl Rogers also emphasized the importance of the social context
in which existential living occurs. Rogers believed that the need for positive regard is a
fundamental need built into all human beings at birth. Similar to the personality trait of
optimism, positive regard is the “experiencing of oneself as making a positive difference in the
lives of other people and as receiving warmth, liking, respect, sympathy acceptance, caring, and
trust from others” (Rogers, 1959, p. 208). Rogers believed that positive regard is a characteristic
necessary for and resulting from existential living. Positive regard shares much in common with
his concept of unconditional positive regard (that is, a therapists unconditional regard for the
patient), which Rogers believed was a necessary condition required for successful
psychotherapy. Taking the view that human beings unfold over the course of a lifetime, Rogers
predicted that successful psychotherapy would result in the emergence of a healthy persons,
whom Rogers called emerging persons, who are able to realize their potentials and truly
experience life. The emerging person is fully able to experience positive self-regard for his or her
own self, which Rogers believed is the key to unlocking the actualizing tendency, which, in turn,
allows the emerging person to become fully functioning individuals.
While Carl Rogers theory is similar to the research of Martin Seligman and Shelley
Taylor in its view of personal growth, as a whole, Rogers theory diverges in the context in which
that growth occurs. While Seligman and Taylor’s research give provision for growth both in the
outside of the context of treatment, Roger’s theory is specifically constrained to the
psychotherapeutic setting. While his theory may well apply to situations outside of the
therapeutic setting, his theory is specifically intended to describe the growth that occurs within
psychotherapy.
Though Positive Psychology is a relatively new branch in the field of Psychology, the
influence of pioneer psychologists such as Erich Fromm, Alfred Adler, and Carl Rogers is
evident. Rooted in a humanistic foundation laid by the theories of the psychotherapeutic
influences such as these, Positive Psychology is built upon the idea that people are innately born
with tendencies toward growth, and are driven by the purpose of realizing their true potential.
Viewing self-actualization as a process that unfolds over a lifetime, many Positive Psychologists
recognize the possibility that optimism can be seen as trait-like or state-like. Whether these
characteristics are persisting traits or temporary states, Positive Psychology research and research
in Personality Psychology allow us to identify the types of characteristics that have been
associated with beneficial outcomes in the treatment of a number of disorders, as well those that
have been associated with negative outcomes in the treatment of such disorders. Informed by the
results of numerous studies, Personality and Positive Psychology provide a wealth of information
to the field of Psychology as a whole regarding the nature of traits that that have been shown to
be effective in promoting physical and mental well-being, and, as such, should be maximized, as
well as those that have been shown to be ineffective in promoting well-being, and should,
therefore, be minimized. Offering preventative solutions to mental and physical ailments, the
implications of the efficacy of the branch of Positive Psychology are far reaching.
References
Allen, B. P. (2006). Personality theories: Development, growth, and diversity (5th ed.). Needham
Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Adler, A. (1964). Social Interest: A Challenge to Mankind. New York: McGraw Hill.
Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (1990). Origins and functions of positive and negative affect: A
control-process view. Psychological Review, 97, 19 -35.
Fiske, S. T., & Taylor, S. E. (1991). Social cognition (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Fromm, E. (1955). The Sane Society. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.
House, J. S., Landis, K. R., & Umberson, D. (1988). Social relationships and health. Science,
241, 540-545.
Peterson, C. (2000). The future of optimism. American Psychologist, 55, 44 -55.
Rogers, C. (1959). A theory of therapy, personality, and interpersonal relationships, as developed
in the client-centered framework. In S. Koch (Ed.), Psychology: A Study of a Science.
New York: McGraw-Hill, 208.
Seligman, M., Schulman, P., DeRubeis, R., & Hollon, S. (1999). The prevention of depression
and anxiety. Prevention and Treatment, 2, Article 8. Available on the World Wide Web:
http://journals.apa.org/prevention/volume2/pre0020008a.html
Seligman, M.E. & Csikszentmehali, M. (2000). Positive Psychology: An introduction.
American Psychologist, 55, 5-14.
Seligman, M.E., Steen, T.A., Park, N. & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress:
Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60, 410-421.
Scheier, M., Carver, C., & Bridges, M. (2001). Optimism, pessimism, and psychological well-
being. Optimism & pessimism: Implications for theory, research, and practice (pp. 189-
216). Washington, DC US: American Psychological Association. doi:10.1037/10385-
009.
Taylor. S. E., Kemeny, M. E., Reed, G. M., Bower, J. E., & Gruenewald,T. L. (2000).
Psychological resources, positive illusions, and health.American Psychologist, 55, 99-
109.
Weiner, E. J. (2003). Paths from Erich Fromm: Thinking authority and pedagogically. Journal of
Educational Thought, 37, 59-75.f
Literally Speaking: Figuring It Out
I was reading an article in the business section of the Houston Chronicle last week that
discussed a relatively new molecular imaging technology that may make it possible to detect
cancer in its earliest stages. While the procedure has been used in clinical trials across the United
States, its efficacy and accuracy is still being evaluated. Purva Patel, the author of the article,
recognized Dr. David Yang, the creator of the procedure for discovering what she calls “the holy
grail” of medicine. Praising the doctor for his contribution to the medical field, Patel commended
Yang for "figur[ing] it out" (D2). While many people use the word figure in this way in everyday
conversation, there are a growing number of linguists who would assert that the use of figure in
this way is non-standard English, and as such, should be avoided, especially in formal writing.
While there is no controversy over the usage of the word figure when it is used as a noun
to refer to a symbol or representation such as a number or a letter, there is a great deal of
disagreement over the question of the correct usage of figure when it is used as a verb. When
used as a verb, figure can mean to “calculate or compute” using mathematical procedures, or it
can mean to “plan, judge, or deduce” or to “take into consideration.” The latter meaning is the
one that Patel used in the article in question when she credited Dr. Yang for his part in the
development of the procedure. This particular use of figure is a topic of controversy as it is used
frequently (and without question) in this manner in popular culture, (take for instance, the late
1990’s television show, Figure It Out) and in informal speech. There is, however, division
among scholars about this particular use of figure in formal writing. In general, linguists agree
that figure, when it is used to mean “plan or judge” is looked down upon in formal writing, and
that figure should be reserved for description of mathematical decisions (Copperud 148;
Loberger, and Shoup 332; Merriam-Webster, Inc. 443). Literary scholars supporting this position
propose that appropriate synonyms such as think, plan, or deduce be used in place of figure.
American Usage and Style, The Consensus supports the position that the use of figure
should be reserved for mathematical calculation alone. In American Usage and Style, The
Consensus, Copperud recognizes the dual meaning supplied by the verb form of figure, which he
defines as either “to calculate or compute” or “to suppose or think” (Copperud 148). While there
is generally no disagreement over figure’s usage in the former case, Copperud confirms that
authorities are divided over its use in the latter sense. Copperud explains that, while some usage
dictionaries such as The Random House Dictionary of the English Language consider this use
informal and non-standard, other sources such as Merriam-Webster consider this use informal,
yet standard nonetheless. Copperud supports the position taken by Random House, and describes
this particular use of figure as informal and non-standard (Copperud 148). Maintaining the
position that figure’s only standard usage is a mathematical one, one might expect that Copperud
would object to Patel’s use of figure in her article.
There are, on the other hand, some who would not be so quick to correct Patel’s use of
figure. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage considers both meanings of the verb
form of figure to fit the definition of American Standard English. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary
of English Usage discusses the use of figure as it is used in a general sense to mean to “conclude,
decide, [or] think” (Merriam-Webster, Inc. 443). According to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of
English Usage, this particular usage has gathered the concern of enough usage commentators to
warrant its investigation (443). Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage suggests that
the use of figure in this sense is considered to be an idiomatic and an informal usage of the verb.
Initially declared a provincialism in 1927 by Emily Post, there are some still who consider figure
to fit Post’s definition and who would regard this particular use of figure as an Americanism
(Merriam-Webster, Inc. 443). Those who would hold this position would not object to Patel’s
use of figure as they consider this use of figure to be American Standard English.
Taking a similar position to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage, The
Ameican Heritage College Dictionary recognizes both uses of figure, and defines the verb form
of figure in a mathematical sense, meaning, “to calculate with numbers” as well as a general
sense, meaning,” to take into consideration" (508). Though The American Heritage College
Dictionary recognizes the latter meaning as an informal use of figure, it still considers this use to
be an acceptable standard use of the verb. For this reason, one might expect that Patel’s use of
figure would be supported by the definition of figure provided by The American Heritage
College Dictionary.
As aforementioned, there is a considerable deal of controversy over the question of the
appropriate use of figure. While the idiomatic use of figure is used commonly enough in
informal situations, the literature suggests that writers regard this use of figure as a non-standard
use that should be avoided. If the colloquial meaning of figure is intended, scholars such as
Loberger and Shoup and Copperud would suggest that writers make use of more precise
synonyms such as realize or accomplish in its place, strictly reserving the word to refer to
mathematical procedures.
Works Cited
Copperud, Roy H. American Usage and Style, the Consensus. New York: Van Nostrand
Reinhold, 1980. Print.
The American Heritage College Dictionary. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2007. Print.
Loberger, Gordon, and Shoup, Kate. Webster's New World Spanish Grammar Handbook.
Hoboken, N.J: Wiley Pub, 2009. Print.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage. Springfield, Mass: Merriam-Webster, Inc,
1994. Print.
Patel, Purva.. Shining a light on cells. Houston Chronicle, 5 November 2010: pp. D1, D2. Print.
Industrial/Organizational Psychology in The Devil Wears Prada
In New York, the fashion capital of the United States, Andrea Sachs (played by Anne
Hathaway) is hired to work as the assistant to the editor-in-chief of Runway Magazine, Miranda
Priestly (played by Meryl Streep). Assuming the position of second assistant, Andrea works
under Emily, the first assistant, who trains Andrea, teaching her of the many particular
preferences of “the dragon lady”. The young journalist faces the challenge of working for the
cruel and driven executive with a sense of optimism and determination. With the help of Nigel,
another hand at the Magazine, Andrea undergoes a transformation, abandoning her simple,
homely appearance for a new, chic and glamorous appearance, opening up a world of
opportunity before her. Andrea finds herself increasingly overwhelmed as the incessant
demands of the world of fashion and luxury begin to take a toll upon her private life. Though she
is met with success after success in the world of fashion, Andrea finds that her success has come
at a particularly high cost. Leaving her friends and David behind to attend a high profile fashion
trip to Paris, Andrea discovers the real cost of her success and she is forced make a choice
between her personal life and her career.
The Devil Wears Prada portrays a number of topics relevant to Industrial/Organizational
Psychology. The film is rich in examples of some of the real-life problems that people face as
they try to balance the demands of their own work and personal lives. From motivation theories
to equity theory, job attitudes, and stress, the film covers a number of concepts directly relevant
to the field of Industrial/Organizational Psychology. I will explore each of these topics in depth.
Reinforcement Theory of Motivation
The first concept that is exemplified in the film is the concept of motivation. Employee
motivation is an area of great interest to many Industrial/Organizational Psychologists. Work
motivation theories are “most interested with the reasons, other than ability that some people
perform their jobs better than others” (Spector 200). Looking to explanations that rely on
personal characteristics, motivation theories attribute the success of certain individuals to the
mental states of these individuals. Hoping to find new ways to increase employee engagement
and to improve performance Industrial/ Organizational Psychologists are interested in identifying
the factors that may contribute to the success of these particular kinds of workers.
A topic directly relevant to setting in which people are working towards any kind of goal,
motivation is a major concept that is exemplified in any place of work. However, the concept is
demonstrated exceptionally well in the film, The Devil Wears Prada. Andrea’s motivation is
what sets her apart from the other “Emilys” that held her position before. Perhaps, Andrea’s
motivation is why she moved up the ladder so quickly while so many Emilys before her failed.
Andrea works harder and longer than any reasonable normal career person would dream to work.
She answers her phone whether she is at a party or with her boyfriend or out to dinner with her
father. When the phone rings, she drops whatever she has going on, and takes the call. What
drives her to work this hard? Looking to theories of motivation, perhaps, we will find an
explanation.
There are a number of theories that attempt to explain what kinds of factors might
motivate employees. Reinforcement theory and goal-setting theory are the two of the major
theories of motivation that we will look to try to answer this question. Relying on the idea of
incentive systems in which rewards are divvied out based on performance, reinforcement theory
has proven to be a successful method for increasing the motivation of employees in a number of
settings. While much research has been conducted supporting reinforcement theory, in the film
The Devil Wears Prada, the evidence is stacked against the theory. With access to top fashion
designers and designer clothing, and a spot reserved for her on a greatly rivaled fashion trip to
Paris, a major incentive system was certainly in place at Runway. This incentive system was
rendered useless, however, as the incentives that were being offered were not appealing to
Andrea. For other “Emilys” who had spent their lives dreaming of one day working for Miranda,
these incentives might have been motivating, however, for Andrea, an ordinary girl with no real
prior interest in fashion, these incentives had no persuasion. Apparently indifferent to particular
preferences of the world of fashion, Andrea remained unimpressed with any incentives that
Runway had to offer. As reinforcement theory fails to offer sufficient explanations for Andrea’s
success, we will have to look to other theories of motivation to understand what it is that set
Andrea apart.
Goal-Setting Theory of Motivation
Where reinforcement theory fails to offer sufficient explanations for Andrea’s
extraordinary success, goal-setting theory offers additional insight. Goal-setting theory is based
on the idea that people’s behaviors are motivated by their internal intentions, objectives, or
goals” (Spector 213). According to this theory, people can be motivated by intangible constructs
and ideas, as opposed to the more tangible rewards frequently proposed in incentive theory.
Research has demonstrated that goal-setting can be an effective means for maintaining and
increasing performance in many organizations, so long as employees are committed to the goals
that are set forth for them. Researchers in the field have demonstrated that specific goals are
more effective than vague goals. Furthermore, they have found that more the difficult the goal is,
the more effective that goal will tend to be. The film supports the findings of goal-setting theory
studies such as these. In the film, there is no shortage of objectives laid forth for Andrea. Each
day, she is met with an impossibly challenging list of items to be accomplished. With items
ranging from obtaining boogie boards for Miranda’s twins, or having a steak delivered to
Miranda’s desk within fifteen minutes to obtaining three copies of the unpublished manuscript of
the latest Harry Potter novel, Andrea’s objectives were undoubtedly challenging. With very little
ambiguity before, her, Miranda’s demands propelled Andrea’s actions at all times. Motivated by
her desire to please her boss and do well at her job, Andrea performs each task that is laid out
before her, no matter how challenging that task might be. Rising to each challenge that is set
before her, Andrea excels under the pressure that is placed on her. Supporting the idea that
employees are motivated by clear and challenging goals, The Devil Wears Prada offers evidence
for goal-setting theory.
Justice
While monetary needs and a desire to succeed drive employees to perform, social needs
act as a mediating force that keep these needs in check. Social needs for acceptance and respect
help to establish the norms that define the types of behaviors that will be considered acceptable
in a given workplace. Adams (1965) posits that employees are motivated to achieve a condition
of fairness or equity in their dealings with other people or organizations. Employees that find
themselves in inequitable positions of relative overpay or underpayment will experience
dissatisfaction or emotional tension that they will be motivated to reduce. Research has
demonstrated that employees that experience underpayment inequity will experience anger,
while employees that experience overpayment inequity will experience guilt. In either case, the
employee will be motivated to reduce the inequity by either changing inputs, changing outputs,
or withdrawing from the situation (Spector 211). The concept of justice is demonstrated in film,
The Devil Wears Prada as the office of Runway undergoes a restructuring of power when
Andrea is hired. As Andrea, an uncanny fit for the position of assistant to Miranda Priestly is
met with success at every corner, her success creates an situation of injustice within the office.
While Emily and Nigel and many former Emilys dedicated their entire lives to fashion, the
fashionably unaware Andrea seemingly just stumbled into the position. Despite her lack of
knowledge or experience in fashion, however, she is showered with designer clothes, and she is
given the opportunity to attend a high-profile fashion trip to Paris. Furthermore, after only a brief
period following her taking the position, Miranda informs Andrea that she will be replacing
Emily as her first assistant. To make matters worse, Andrea is given the burden of firing Emily
from her position. Receiving more outcomes for her inputs than her senior colleague, Emily,
Andrea experienced overpayment inequity while Emily experienced underpayment inequity.
Based on what we know of equity to research equity theory, one would expect that either
Andrea, feeling guilt due to her relative overpayment, or Emily, feeling anger due to
underpayment, would do something to reduce this inequity. Supporting what we know about
overpayment inequity, Andrea did in fact attempt to reduce this inequity. After leaving Runway,
Andrea gave Emily the clothes that she received while she worked for the company. Likely
attempting to reduce her unpleasant feelings of guilt about her relative overpayment, Andrea
restored justice between herself and Emily by giving Emily the clothing that she received at
Runway.
Job Attitudes: Job and Life Satisfaction
Job Satisfaction is a major topic of research in the field of Industrial/ Organizational
psychology. The second most popularly studied variable in the field, Job satisfaction is “an
attitudinal variable that reflects how people feel about their jobs” (Spector 223). Though Job
Satisfaction is most often studied in relationship with job performance, it has also been studied as
it relates to overall life satisfaction. Three hypotheses have been proposed about how job and life
satisfaction might affect one another. These three hypotheses are the spillover hypothesis, the
compensation hypothesis, and the segmentation hypothesis. The spillover hypothesis suggests
that satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) in one area of life spills over into other areas of life. So,
satisfaction at work can affect satisfaction with home. The compensation hypothesis, suggests
that dissatisfaction in one area of life will be compensated for in another. In this case, a person
with a dissatisfying home life might seek satisfaction in work. Finally, the segmentation
hypothesis states that people compartmentalize their lives such that satisfaction in one area of life
has no affect on their satisfaction in another.
Andrea’s experience in The Devil Wears Prada offers evidence for the compensation
hypothesis. Trying to keep up with the excessive demands of her boss, Angela’s personal
relationships begin to suffer. Though Andrea meets more and more success in her job, she was
left with no time or energy for her friends. Feeling that her personal life was “hanging on by a
thread,” Nigel offers Andrea a little piece of wisdom, telling the telling the young protégé, “Let
me know when your whole life goes up in smoke, that means it’s time for a promotion.” Nigel’s
advice agrees with what the compensation hypothesis proposes: that success in one domain
comes at the expense of another. Though Andrea’s success and performance at her job were
high, her satisfaction outside of her job was suffering.
Stress
Occupational stress is an area of major interest to Industrial/ Organizational psychologists
and has been researched in depth. There are a number of things in the work environment that
have been shown to cause stress in employees. Job stressors such as role ambiguity, role conflict,
workload, social stressors, organizational politics and lack of control within one’s job have been
associated with job strain. Job strain is any negative reaction to a stressor. These reactions can be
behavioral or emotional reactions like anger or anxiety, or they may be physical symptoms such
as a headache. Researchers have studied the effects of workload in the workplace and its
association with job strain. Spector (1988) found correlations between workload and the
psychological strains of job dissatisfaction, intention of quitting, and health symptoms.
Andrea’s experience in the movie, The Devil Wears Prada, demonstrated a first-hand
example of the correlation indicated in Spector’s research. As Miranda’s assistant, Andrea was
placed in under an extraordinary workload. Andrea was constantly being asked to perform tasks
that were obviously outside of her job description. Besides bringing Starbucks coffee for the
whole office on a daily basis, other tasks that were required of Andrea included things such as
walking Miranda’s dogs, delivering Miranda’s dry cleaning to her home, completing Miranda’s
twin daughters’ science projects, and booking a same-day flight from Miami to New York during
a hurricane. Andrea was often asked to juggle multiple difficult if not impossible tasks such as
these at once, often operating under various time constraints while also being expected to
perform the other duties of her job. Both quantitatively and qualitatively excessive, the workload
placed upon Andrea was extraordinarily heavy. The excessive workload that Andrea’s job
demanded of her caused her a great amount of conflict in her interpersonal relationships.
Expected to answer the phone whenever Miranda might chose to call her, and to deliver
whatever impossible task Miranda might require, Andrea operated under a great amount of
stress. Andrea exhibited this stress in the form of anxiety and anger. Whenever Miranda might
call, Andrea would anxiously drop whatever she might have going on a given moment (like
dinner with her friends or boyfriend) to answer. After receiving Miranda’s impossible mission,
Andrea would take out her frustration and anger on her friends and boyfriend, yelling at them or
insulting them as she departed to accomplish her task for Miranda. Letting the negative feelings
that her job caused her to experience spill over into her personal life, Andrea’s personal
relationships suffered greatly for as long she worked for Runway.
Watching the movie, The Devil Wears Prada has helped me gain a greater understanding
of Industrial/Organizational Psychology. The movie is rich in examples of the ways in which the
Industrial/Organizational concepts of motivation, equity, job attitudes, and stress, operate in the
world. Though the experiences of the characters of The Devil Wears Prada are obviously
dramatized and are naturally somewhat more glamorous the examples that we may find laid out
in the pages of text books or research articles, they offer unique insight where other sources may
fall short, presenting a useful point of reference to which we may compare our knowledge and
experience.
References
Spector, Paul E. (2008). Industrial and Organizational Psychology (5th ed.). Wiley & Sons.