the influence of framing on attitudes towards diversity

8/2/2019 The Influence of Framing on Attitudes Towards Diversity

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I. IntroductionA. Theoretical Background

B. Research Problem

C. Objectives

D. Hypotheses

II. Methodology

A. Participants and Data Collection Procedures

B. Instrumentation

III. Results and Interpretation

A. Discussion

B. Conclusion


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The study examined here investigatedhow framing of diversity training (title,

focus of content, assignment) andgenderinfluencedparticipants

attitudes.


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Ultimately, a goal of diversity training is foremployees to learn how to work

effectively with those who are differentfrom themselves, as this will lead to anincrease in business successes (Lindsley,1998).


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In order for organizations to becomemore competitive, employees must

think that the training program isworthwhile and in their best interest(Karp & Sammour, 2000).


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Although framing has been studied in a

number of organizational contexts, little

research has experimentally explored the

potential effects that organizational

message framing can have on workers

attitudes toward diversity training.


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Framing and training effectiveness may be

related through the two established

relationships of framing and attitudes (Murrell

et al., 1994) and between attitudes and

training effectiveness (Alliger, Tannebaum,

Bennett, Traver, & Shotland, 1997)


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Framing

Training course contentTraining course title

Training courseassignment

Individual Differences

Participants gender

Pretraining Attitudes

Backlash

Organizationalmessage

Likelihood of transfer

Training Outcomes

Effectiveness


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How does framing of diversity

training and gender influenceparticipants pretraining

attitudes?


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The study seeks to determine

1. How framing of diversity training (throughfocus of training content, course title, and

training assignment) influences participantspretraining attitudes.

2. How the participants gender influences his

or her pretraining attitudes.

3. How the framing and participants genderinteract to affect pretraining attitudes.


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I

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FRAMING

Features:

Focus of Training Course Content

Training Course Title

Training Assignment

GENDER

PRETRAINING ATTITUDES

Measures:

Organizational Message

Likelihood of transfer

Backlash


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1. Framing will have an effect onpretraining attitudes. Specifically, abroad focus, a comprehensive title,

an advanced assignment, or acombination of these features.


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2. The participants gender will have aneffect on pretraining attitudes: femaleparticipants will respond more

favorably than men to a diversitytraining initiative.


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3. The participants gender and framing willinteract to influence pretraining attitudes:

men will respond more negatively than

women in their pretrainingattitudes to aframe with a narrow focus, a traditional title,

a remedial assignment, or a combination of

these features.


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Participants 160 adults (72 men, 88 women; 124

white, 36 minority; 30 M.B.A. students,

130 organization employees)

Recruitment Process: e-mail invitations


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Data Collection Procedures No time limits

Participants were randomly assignedto an experimental condition


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Instrumentation Web-based questionnaire

Course description: introduction,course objectives, and a note to theemployees

Demographic questionnaire: race,gender, age, and previousparticipation in diversity training


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Instrumentation Attitude questionnaire: 23 items 21 items (only factors

with eigenvalues greater than 1.00were retained)

Participants were to rate using

Likert-type scale ranging from 1(Strongly disagree) to 5 (Stronglyagree)


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Three Composite Dependent Measures1. Organizational Message measures

that evaluated participants

perception of the initiative in relationto the organization

2. Likelihood of Transfer measuring theextent to which participants felt thatthe training course was applicable totheir job


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Three Composite Dependent Measures

3. Backlash measuring the extent to

which participants felt backlash wouldoccur as a result of the training course


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Operationalization of Framing

1. Focus of Training Content

NarrowParticipants will be asked to attend alecture on racial issues in the workplace

BroadParticipants will be asked to attend alecture on issues such as racial, gender,

lifestyle, and personality differences in the

workplace


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2. Training Course TitleTraditional title

Diversity Training

Comprehensive TitleBuilding Human Relations


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3. Training AssignmentRemedial

After benchmarking with other companies inour industry, it has become apparent that our

company is well below the average in turningindividual differences into opportunities

Advanced

After benchmarking with other companies inour industry, it has become apparentthat our company is well above the averagein turning individual differencesinto opportunities


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This study employed an experimentaldesign as these three features of framing(focus, title, and assignment) were

manipulated and combined to formeight course descriptions and therebyeight conditions.


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Framing Hypothesis 1

There were no significant main effects for any ofthe features of framing on backlash, likelihood of

transfer, or organizational message.

However, the two way interaction between titleand focus of course content significantlyinfluenced the perceptions of backlash and thelikelihood of transfer.

Two features of framing, title and focus, didinfluenceparticipants perceptions of backlash

and the likelihood of transfer.


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Participant Gender Hypothesis 2

Our second hypothesis predicting an effect of

participants gender on their attitudes towardthe diversity training was supported.

There was a significant effect of gender on

backlash, organizational message, andlikelihood of transfer.


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Hypothesis 3

There was a significant three-way interaction

between focus, assignment, and gender onperception of backlash.


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1. A frame with a traditional title and a broadfocus was responded to most favorably by

Participants

2. Men reacted more negatively than women

to the diversity training course

3. Men reacted more negatively than womento a frame with a narrow focus and remedial

assignment.


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This study provides specific recommendationsfor how human resource managers should

label the initiative, what content to focus on,

and how to assign individuals to the trainingcourse.


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The small number of minority participantsprecluded our ability to examine race as afactor. In addition to race, othercharacteristics, such as tenure and occupation

In addition, those without access to theInternet were precluded from participating.

Finally, the participants in our study did not

actually attend training, and consequently itwas participants perceptions, and not actualattitudes, that were assessed.

the influence of framing on attitudes towards diversity

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