Table Of ContentSOCIALIZATION AND WORK PERSPECTIVES OF HIGH SCHOOL
PRINCIPALS
By
JOHN W. RHODES
A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
1994
.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I will attempt to name those who have helped directly in
the current degree program and dissertation project, but it
would be impossible to name all those who made that event
possible. Gratitude is expressed to all who have helped me
along the way and to the principals and supervisors who
voluntarily participated in my research.
I am grateful to Dr. William Hedges, Dr. Sandra B.
Damico, Dr. Joan L. Curcio, and Dr. Catherine Morsink as
former committee members who shared and discussed many ideas.
I am particularly indebted to Dr. Forrest Parkay for his
advisement as former chair of my committee, for allowing me
to work actively on the Beginning Principal Study as a
graduate assistant, for providing me the opportunity to co-
author several papers and articles with him, and for his
continued encouragement and support. Gratitude is expressed
to Dr. Gaylon Currie for his active support and encouragement
throughout graduate school
Gratitude is expressed to Dr. R. Craig Wood, Dr. Susanne
Fisher, and Dr. Elizabeth F. Abbott for their support during
graduate school. Very special thanks are due to Dr. Abbott
for introducing me to my wife and to the graduate programs at
the University of Florida through my summer work with the
. .
Florida Foundation for Future Scientists. Gratitude is
expressed to Dr. Theresa B. Vernetson for her advisement,
encouragement, and support throughout graduate school and
afterward
I am grateful to the faculty and staff at the Pensacola
Junior College who have supported and encouraged me to finish
this dissertation. In particular, I would like to thank Mr.
Kenneth Sargent, Dr. James Grant, Dr. Betsy Smith, and Dr.
Richard Bedics. Appreciation is expressed to Dr. Bedics for
taking the time to read a few very early drafts and for
providing direct support in helping me to find the time to
work on this project.
Gratitude is expressed to my current committee members:
Dr. James Hensel, Dr. David Honeyman, Dr. Michael Nunnery,
and Dr. Edward Turner. I am particularly grateful to Dr.
Hensel for his encouragement and support throughout graduate
school and the dissertation process, for his untiring
assistance, and for the inspirational patience he exhibited
throughout all phases of my experience at the University of
Florida
Finally, I would like to thank my parents and family who
have supported me throughout this undertaking. Gratitude is
expressed to my parents, Doris Culbreth Rhodes and Joseph
Cullen Rhodes, who supported me with encouragement, financial
help, and other direct service in times of need; to my older
brother Joe, who has done more than anyone else to keep me
.
current with computer technology; to my wife, Connie, who has
enabled me to continue the dissertation through many
challenging circumstances; and to my daughter, Caitlin, to
whom I owe several Saturdays and many evenings
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii
LIST OF TABLES viii
LIST OF FIGURES ix
ABSTRACT x
CHAPTERS
I INTRODUCTION 1
The Literature Bases 3
Purpose of the Study 5
Research Assumptions 5
Research Questions 6
Delimitations and Limitations 6
Limiting Factors 7
Definition of Terms 8
Significance of the Study 9
Overview of Chapters II through V 10
II LITERATURE REVIEW 11
Chapter Overview 11
Effective Principalship Studies 11
Beginning Principalship Studies 17
Socialization 19
Socialization Strategies 22
Socialization Stages 24
Socialization of School Principals 34
Effects of Succession/Organizational
Socialization 41
III METHODOLOGY 48
Chapter Overview 48
Pilot Survey Methodology 49
Development of the Revised PSI 49
Pilot Survey Sampling Methods 49
Pilot Survey Analysis Procedure 51
v
Pilot Survey Field Test Results 52
Implications for PSI Revision 59
Validity 61
Stability of Factor Patterns Across Samples.... 63
Sampling Procedure 64
Analysis Procedure for Determining Factor
Structure 64
Custodial Outcome 67
Innovative Outcome 67
Inclusivity 68
Stage 1: Survival 68
Stage 2: Control 69
Stage 3: Stability 69
Stage 4: Leadership 70
Stage 5: Actualization 70
Qualitative Data Analysis Procedure 71
IV RESULTS 73
Chapter Overview 73
Comparison of Selected Contextual Variables of
Study Group to Pilot Group 73
Analysis of Variables Related to Socialization
Outcomes 75
Qualitative Results 78
V CONCLUSION 86
Socialization Outcomes 86
Custodial Outcome Variables 86
Innovative Outcome Variables 87
Exceptions 89
Summary 89
Professional Socialization Hierarchy 90
Survival Stage (Stage 1) 90
Control Stage (Stage 2) 91
Stability Stage (Stage 3) 91
Leadership Stage (Stage 4) 92
Actualization Stage (Stage 5) 92
Summary 93
Common Socialization Variables 93
Stability of Factor Patterns Across Samples 95
Sources of Confirmation 95
Areas of Emphasis 96
Other PSH Patterns 97
Theoretical Implications 98
Implications for Practice 100
Recommendations for Further Study 102
vi
APPENDICES
A PSI, PILOT SURVEY INSTRUMENT 106
B PSI, LETTER TO PILOT SURVEY RESPONDENTS 110
C REVISED PSI H2
D PSI (2ND REVISION) 116
E REVISED PSI, LETTER TO SURVEY RESPONDENTS 120
F ANALYSIS PROCEDURE FOR PSH VARIABLES 122
G ANALYSIS PROCEDURE FOR SOCIALIZATION
VARIABLES 126
H ANALYSIS PROCEDURE FOR UNION SOCIALIZATION
VARIABLES 13°
I QUALITATIVE SOCIALIZATION OUTCOMES 133
J QUALITATIVE SOCIALIZATION STAGES 135
REFERENCES 138
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 146
vii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1 Site Contexts of Pilot Sample Schools 52
2 Cumulative Work Experiences of Pilot Study
Principals 52
3 Pilot PSI Principals' Sources of Confirmation 54
4 Pilot Principals' Areas of Emphasis 56
5 Factor Structure of Pilot PSI Likert Scale Items.. 57
6 Pilot Principals' Choices of Hypothetical
Outcomes 58
7 Anticipated Correlation of Socialization
Outcomes vs. PSH Stages 62
8 Comparison of Principalship Experience Reported
by Study Participants to Predicted Time Required
for Socialization Into Stages Proposed by
Peterson (1986) 72
9 Respondents' Work Experiences 74
10 Factor Structure for Socialization Outcomes 76
11 Interfactor Correlations Among Outcomes Factors... 77
12 Statistics for Socialization Outcomes Indicators.. 77
13 Factor Structure for PSH Stage Indicators 79
14 Statistics for PSH Variables 80
15 Interfactor Correlations Among PSH Factors 81
16 Factor Structure for Common Variables 81
17 Correlations Among Common Socialization Variables. 82
18 Dually Encoded Qualitative Responses 83
viii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
1 Three-dimensional Organizational Structure
(which results when hierarchical layers of
authority are considered) Central movement
would likely occur prior t.o upward movement
(i.e., Distance a'c' for insiders is shorter
than ac for newcomers) 27
2 Skewed Organizational Structure (which may
result when outsiders are favored for high
level positions). Distance a'c' is represented
as being longer for insiders than ac for
newcomers 29
3 Professional Socialization Hierarchy 36
ix
.
Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School
of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
SOCIALIZATION AND WORK PERSPECTIVES OF HIGH SCHOOL
PRINCIPALS
By
John W. Rhodes
December 1994
Chairman: James W. Hensel
Major Department: Educational Leadership
The focus of the study was to examine selected aspects
of socialization of secondary school principals through their
own perceptions. Two major purposes of the research project
were to (a) observe empirically three hypothetical
socialization outcomes and the five stages of the
Professional Socialization Hierarchy and (b) to examine any
associations between components of the two socialization
models
A total of 139 pilot survey responses were obtained from
principals at all levels from three geographic regions.
Pilot study data were used to refine the survey instrument
which was then distributed to 644 secondary school principals
from 24 geographically dispersed metropolitan service areas
