tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43908464974364714122024-03-23T03:13:39.097-07:00Research@Fielding.eduUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger489125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-60070592740128193212016-02-23T11:18:00.000-08:002016-02-23T11:18:12.764-08:00THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEAM MENTAL MODELS, INTERPERSONAL TRUST, AND TEAM PERFORMANCE IN KNOWLEDGE-BASED TEAMSKristopher Potrafka, School of Human and Organizational Development<br /><br />This study examined the relationship between team mental models, interpersonal trust, and team performance in knowledge-based teams. It is widely assumed in the popular literature that the success of today’s businesses in the knowledge economy is dependent upon the performance of teams. A closer look at the underlying assumptions inherent in the ambiguous concept of teams creates a compelling opportunity for better research. Although trust and the mental models team members share have been scrutinized in the academic literature, no studies have examined the possibility of a relationship between these variables and team performance.<br /> <br /> This quantitative study surveyed 36 intact field-based teams and affect-based trust.<br /> <br /> A significant relationship was found between team performance, interpersonal trust, and the components of team mental models that consist of taskwork accuracy, teamwork accuracy, and teamwork similarity. Trust, particularly affect-based trust, explained a significantly large amount of the variance in team performance. These findings advance our understanding of knowledge-based teams by revealing how trust and team mental models contribute to team performance.Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-65273828186708806182016-02-09T12:06:00.003-08:002016-02-09T12:06:43.043-08:00Competency-Based Education (Re)-Defined: Trends and Implications in Scholarly Discourses of Higher Education Indre Cuckler, School of Educational Leadership for Change<br /><br />Due to the increased interest in competency-based education (CBE) and a recent surge in CBE-related publications, it was timely to examine how the concepts of CBE and competencies were portrayed in higher education academic journals. I utilized content analysis to examine the frequency of publications and to identify trends and themes associated with CBE in 11 selected higher education journals published from 1999 to 2014. The analysis revealed that CBE discourses are strongly associated with workforce needs, the accountability movement, and quality of education. This study confirmed notions proposed by other scholars that CBE and competencies are not yet uniformly defined in the literature. The study revealed that empirical research on CBE that goes beyond the utilization of case studies and surveys about CBE is not prevalent; therefore, there is a need for a more comprehensive view on CBE that includes the latest evidence-based approaches, as well as research from learning theories. Overall, based on the analyzed articles, it seems that current conceptualizations of CBE were influenced by positivist and humanist perspectives, while the critical and postmodern views on CBE were not prevalent. It would be useful to examine CBE from critical and postmodern perspectives in order to facilitate a more socially just conceptualization and practice of CBE. The analyzed articles in the selected academic journals lacked synthesized theory, historical accounts, and empirical research that utilizes experimental designs to investigate CBE. The current CBE movement could benefit from an examination of research on CBE that is available, as well as research conducted in other countries. Finally, I synthesized a definition of CBE and competencies based on themes that emerged from the literature and made suggestions for future research and practice. Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-27363906863188461112016-02-09T09:25:00.000-08:002016-02-09T09:25:03.287-08:00How Women Experience Gender when Working with Men in a Female-Concentrated OccupationKerry E. Weinberg, School of Human and Organizational Development<br /><br />This qualitative dissertation focuses on women’s experience of working with men in a female-concentrated occupation. Occupations tend to be strongly gender-typed (associated mainly with females or males) and this occupational segregation has advantaged men over women in terms of income, authority, and power. Crossing of gendered work boundaries occurs and with increasing frequency. Researchers have examined this boundary crossing, mainly from the perspective of females entering male occupations and to a lesser degree, males entering female occupations. This narrative inquiry investigated the extent and the ways in which women working with men, in a traditionally female occupation experience gender as an element of their workplace. The study context was sonography, an allied health occupation. I interviewed 14 female, diagnostic medical sonographers to explore their experiences working with male diagnostic medical sonographers. Major themes from the interviews indicated that women see gender as important in the workplace in complicated ways. Women see men as: (a) having different work values, (b) preferable as bosses, (c) complaining less than women, (d) less nurturing with patients, (e) not working as hard as women; but (f) creating a more desirable work environment. Overall, the study strengthens the findings of Williams’ (Williams, 1992) article entitled “The Glass Escalator” about the “hidden advantages” that men receive in female occupations. This study’s findings suggest less than positive perceptions about men as colleagues in our neoliberal age.<br /><br />Keywords: gender, tokenism, occupational gender segregation, stereotypesResearch@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-16168486174670806382016-02-04T14:41:00.003-08:002016-02-04T14:41:42.818-08:00The Influence of Group Socialization on Authoritarianism and Social Dominance Orientation in Law Enforcement Culture Craig Wetterer, School of Psychology<br /><br />Over the past several decades, research on authoritarianism in law enforcement officers has focused primarily on measurement of the construct in pre-service academy recruits and incumbent officers; however, little is known at present about how authoritarianism might influence decision making in law enforcement personnel. Although most studies have found that early socialization processes increase authoritarianism levels in this population, many of these earlier studies were encumbered with methodological limitations that affected generalizability. More specifically, they employed poorly validated measures and utilized samples that were not representative of a contemporary law enforcement organization. The present study sought to confirm the influence of group socialization on the constructs of authoritarianism and social dominance orientation by use of a contemporary and representative law enforcement sample. To test the hypothesis that higher authoritarianism and social dominance orientation would lead to more punitive enforcement outcomes for ethnic minorities, ethnicity was experimentally manipulated in a traffic stop vignette in which enforcement outcomes were rated by participants. Findings indicated that early group socialization is associated with increased authoritarianism and social dominance orientation in law enforcement officers; however, higher scores on these constructs did not predict the differential treatment of ethnic minorities in the form of more punitive enforcement outcomes.<br /><br /> <br />Key Words: Authoritarianism, Social Dominance Orientation, Police, Prejudice Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-51390748136025791532016-02-04T14:40:00.000-08:002016-02-04T14:40:20.438-08:00Fat Persons Finding Meaning in Their Experiences of Humiliation: An Interpretative Phenomenological AnalysisRobert K. Green, School of Human and Organizational Development<br /><br />This study explored how the study participants make sense of their experiences of humiliation in a society that stigmatizes fat persons. Previous research in Fat Studies has not focused on humiliation. The research project used interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore the experiences of four men and women who self-identified as fat and who had experiences of humiliation related to their body size. <br /><br />The meanings of the words and events shared by the participants, within a phenomenological framework, illuminated eight themes that structured their experiences: avoidance; place in the world; impediments to well-being and growth; agency and empowerment; recognition, exclusion, and disconnection; blame and fault; and oppression. A second framework used in this study was intersectionality, an analytic tool that helped examine the influence of race and gender in participants’ experiences. The third framework was a multi-level analysis that enabled an examination of the findings from three inter-related levels of context and analysis: micro, meso, and macro. <br /><br />The study findings demonstrated that participants engaged in a cyclical process of experiences-interpretations-responses (EIR) when they faced a humiliating event. Experiences informed interpretations, which informed responses. New responses informed new experiences. <br /><br />Key Words: Fat Studies, humiliation, intersectionality, avoidance, impediments, agency, empowerment, recognition, blame, fault, oppressionResearch@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-11479154752167368332016-02-04T14:36:00.005-08:002016-02-04T14:36:57.757-08:00ROLE AND EFFECT OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS ON MORAL JUDGMENT: A STUDY OF EMPLOYEE BEHAVIOR WHEN COMMUNICATING USING SOCIAL TECHNOLOGY Trish Oelrich, School of Human and Organizational Development<br /><br />Research from 20th and 21st century scholars demonstrates from any moral or cognitive perspective, that social determinants play a dominant role, particularly on ethical behavior. This study’s main purpose was to examine how employees’ ethical behaviors differ when using social technology as compared to traditional face-to-face communications. Using a practice lens, narrative inquiry was used to capture the lived experiences of 22 employees, including managers and senior managers, from three large, global companies (two highly regulated) that use social technologies in their everyday work situations. <br /><br />The results of this study suggest that the use of social technologies in the workplace promotes ethical behavior, if guided by good leadership. While ethical leadership is always important, it is critical in environments where the audience is much broader, and leaders are more accessible. Leaders need to recognize the unique skill set required for optimized use of social technology in the workplace. They must build and invest in the management of their own reputation as an ethical leader. <br /><br />KEY WORDS: Ethical Behavior, Moral Psychology, Information and Communication Technology, ICT, Ethical Leadership, Ethical Infrastructure, Social Technology, Enterprise Social Technology, Ethics. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-21775350273993181892016-02-04T13:13:00.003-08:002016-02-04T13:13:22.390-08:00BE-ing @Work: Wearables and Presence of Mind in the Workplace<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Heidi Forbes Öste, School of Human and Organizational Development</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Expectations and demands in the changing contemporary
workplace are driven by emergent technologies. Ubiquitous in nature, they
are designed to enhance human and organization potential. These
technologies provide access to information and connection at all times. They
are increasingly reliant on human relationships and connection. BE-ing
one’s best self in each interaction amidst distraction and health-related
issues challenge presence. Wellness and mindfulness in the contemporary
workplace relate to individual health as well as productivity and
engagement. The study examines the affordances of wearable technologies
(wearables) in correlation to presence of mind in the workplace. Wellness
wearables with functions related to potential causes of presenteeism (lost
productivity from hindered presence) were used in this study. The
findings are applicable for design, human resources and organization
development professionals, and scholars. This study provides insight into
potential interventions to meet the demands of the contemporary workplace
through emerging technologies. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Key words: wearables, presence, presenteeism, productivity,
sociomateriality, human computer interaction (HCI), social strategy, wearable
technology, engagement, social technology, cognitive enhancement, workplace
wellness, well-being, UX design<o:p></o:p></div>
Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-8929807301618419252016-02-04T10:56:00.003-08:002016-02-04T10:56:44.230-08:00Ecotones, Boundaries, and Culture: Intersections of Korean American and Other Communities in Howard County, MarylandPearl Seidman, School of Human and Organizational Development<br /><br />This research is positioned at the interface between ecological and social systems. In both, how and where we draw boundaries is consequential, as are the relationships in the space between. Do findings from ecology about the nature of ecotones and boundaries apply to social systems at a community level, in particular to individuals who play a bridging role between Korean Americans and their counterparts from Other cultural communities in Howard County, Maryland? The term “Other” is capitalized to denote the plurality of heritages other than Korean that comprise the diverse cultural landscape of Howard County.<br /><br /> In ecology, an ecotone is an intermediary, or transition zone, between two adjacent ecosystems where species from both communities co-mingle. The nexus between distinct communities is typically characterized by greater diversity, tension, adaptive capacity, and resilience. Interstitial spaces cannot be defined without understanding the boundaries that create and maintain them. An ecological boundary classification system (Strayer, Power, Fagan, Pickett, & Belnap, 2003) is contrasted with frameworks in the social sciences, acting as a discursive bridge to increase translatability between disciplines. <br /><br /> Group and individual interviews involved sixteen cultural connectors and leaders of note in the community. Relational research methods acknowledged the interdependent and intersubjective construction of meaning. Thematic analysis was used to organize data.<br /><br /> The cultural ecotone was brought to life through voices that evoked the sources of boundaries and the nuances of diversity and tension. Necessity fueled adaptive capacity, not only for the Korean American community, but for the larger community. Community adaptive capacity was enacted in many examples by the corridor creation functions of cultural connectors. Change is more likely to occur at the intersection of differences. The processes of change dynamics created the environment in which differences unfolded. Findings failed to confirm evidence of community resilience given the definition used. <br /><br /> As migration is an ever increasing area of importance, this additional lens may be of value to researchers and practitioners. This study also creates a more permeable boundary for increased flow across ecological and social disciplines. Ecological and cultural humility or ecohumility is an appropriate stance in this space between.<br /><br />Key Words: ecotones, cultural ecotones, Korean Americans, boundaries, diversity, tension, adaptive capacity, group interviews, ecological and cultural humility, ecohumility.Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-83639840826797513792016-02-04T10:54:00.007-08:002016-02-04T10:54:56.109-08:00Adolescents’ Meta-Perspectives of Media ImmersionYashica Holmes-Smith, School of Psychology<br /><br />This manuscript discusses an exploratory study of the views of teens immersed in media. To recruit participants, media tracking sheets were distributed to 100 adolescents between the ages of 13 -19 years. Twelve of the heaviest media users were selected to participate in a qualitative study of their views about their heavy media use. Participants were asked to maintain a media journal for 2 weeks and to participate in a semi-structured interview about media use and impacts. Eight participants submitted journals and completed interviews. I conducted categorical content analyses of data collected from selection sheets, journal entries, and interview transcripts. I then identified themes that may offer insight about adolescents’ experiences with media and the influence of heavy media use on adolescents’ academic, social, and personal well-being. The nine themes that emerged included Using Media for Good, Media as a Double-Edged Sword, Mediated Relationships: Connecting and Disconnecting, A Matter of Time: Time Saved and Time Displaced, My Media, My Self: Self and Individuality, Entertainment and Distraction, Above the Influence, Media Literacy on the Rise, and Gaining Awareness through Monitoring and Reflection.<br /><br /> <br /><br /> Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-21347285392656180262016-02-04T10:50:00.004-08:002016-02-04T10:50:49.332-08:00Personality, Binge Eating, and the Experience of Self-Monitoring of Eating Behaviors<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Noel C. Gonzalez, School of Psychology</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Although self-monitoring is a key intervention
for eating disorders treatment, its success has been limited. Personality
factors strongly linked to eating disorders (e.g., impulsivity) may also hinder
the ability to self-monitor. To explore
this link, 588 undergraduate students were assessed for eating disorders (e.g.,
binge eating), personality factors (e.g., conscientiousness/preference for
perception over judging), and carried a food diary for four consecutive
days. Multiple regression using
personality and level of binge eating was used to predict diary outcomes (e.g.,
completion, ease of use). Results showed
no significant contribution of personality factors or eating disorder severity
on the success of diary completion, in contrast to previous research on this
topic. Methodological factors (e.g.,
population characteristics, potential measurement error) likely contributed.</span>Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-13280649825899904652016-02-04T10:49:00.004-08:002016-02-04T10:49:29.946-08:00Physical Health, Attitudes Toward Menopause and Aging, Meaning in Life, and Their Relationship to Psychological Distress in Midlife WomenAlicia Marie Abell, School of Psychology<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Research has
demonstrated that poor physical health is associated with psychological
distress (Meeks, Murrell, & Mehl, 2000) and that problems with physical
health and psychological distress increase with age (Chachamovich, Fleck,
Laidlaw, & Power, 2008; Centers for Disease Control, 2010). Yet despite
considerable research on risk factors for psychological distress in midlife
women, little is known about protective factors against distress in this
population. This study explored factors related to psychological distress in
midlife women by examining the relationships between physical health and
psychological distress, between attitudes toward menopause and aging and
psychological distress, and between meaning in life and psychological distress.
It also explored whether either attitudes or meaning moderated the relationship
between physical health and psychological distress and whether attitudes and
meaning interacted to affect levels of distress. The 11,058 participants in
this study were females between the ages of 40 and 55 who completed the first
stage of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a
cross-sectional telephone or in-home survey done between November 1995 and
October 1997. Results demonstrated a significant negative relationship between
physical health and psychological distress as well as a significant negative
relationship between attitudes toward menopause and aging and psychological
distress. Meaning in life did not have a significant relationship with
psychological distress, nor were there any interactional effects between the
independent variables. This study contributes to the literature by confirming
the relationship between physical health and psychological distress and by
highlighting positive attitudes toward menopause and aging as protective factor
against distress in midlife women. </span>Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-24646616276385517392016-02-04T10:48:00.001-08:002016-02-04T10:48:11.820-08:00How Might The Ayahuasca Experience Be a Potential Antidote to Western Hegemony: A Mixed Methods StudyRoan Kaufman, School of Educational Leadership for Change<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This mixed-methods study researched people who have participated in traditional Indigenous Ayahuasca ceremonies to determine if the experience served as an antidote to dominant cultural hegemony. Fourty-four participants completed the quantitative scaled questionnaire and 11 qualitative interviews were conducted for the study. Findings reveal five antidotal movements toward countering the uninvestigated assumptions dictated by hierarchical systems common to Western culture. These include self-determination; increased relationality; reduced anthropocentrism; reduced consumerism/materialism; movement toward more critical awareness of status-quo assumptions. The most profound transformations toward counter-hegemonic dispositions occurred in concert with certain dynamics I describe relating to several variables. I conclude that working with ayahuasca moves people toward Indigenous ways of understanding the world. <br /><br />Keywords: Hegemony, Western hegemony, ayahuasca, Indigenous worldview</div>
Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-83624976210036711212016-02-04T10:15:00.003-08:002016-02-04T10:15:30.424-08:00A Latent Growth Analysis of Hierarchical Complexity and Perspectival Skills in AdulthoodClinton J. Fuhs, School of Human and Organizational Development<br />
<br />
Problem: A range of developmental models have been applied in research on leader development. Such applications often advocate “whole” person approaches to leader growth. They seek to expand social, cognitive, and behavioral capacities, and often reference perspective taking. Many of these approaches define developmental levels in terms of specific content, ideas, and domain-specific capacities. In some models, people are said to be at a given level because they demonstrate a certain<br />
kind of perspective taking, and they are also expected to demonstrate that kind of perspective taking because they are at a given level. This circularity largely prevents the investigation of how different capacities change together (or not) over time.<br />
<br />
Purpose: Using an approach that avoids this kind of circularity it was possible to examine perspectival skills and developmental level independently. I tested three hypotheses about the relationship between change in developmental level and change in perspective taking, seeking, and coordination. It was predicted that these constructs would exhibit patterns of synchronous and asynchronous change, with the former being most prominent."<br />
<br />
Method: The sample consisted of 598 civil leaders who completed a developmental assessment called the Lectical™ Decision Making Assessment (LMDA) up to 4 times over a 9-month leadership development program. The LDMAs yielded separate scores for Lectical level—a domain-general index of hierarchical complexity—and perspective taking, seeking, and coordination. Perspective taking and seeking scores were disaggregated into component scores for salience, accessibility, and sophistication. Ten scores were analyzed with Latent growth modeling techniques. Four types of models were fit to these data: (a) Univariate latent growth curve models, (b) multivariate parallel process models, (c) univariate latent difference scores models, and (d) bivariate latent difference scores models.<br />
<br />
Results: All hypotheses were partially confirmed. Change trajectories for most scores were non linear, characterized by dips and spurts. The rate of change in perspective scores was not related to rate of change for Lectical score or initial Lectical score. Initial Lectical score was positively related to initial perspective scores. Lectical score was a leading indicator of subsequent change in seeking and seeking salience. Lectical change positively impacted seeking change, whereas Lectical score positively impacted seeking salience change.<br />
<br />
Conclusions: The relationship between change in these constructs is more complex than typically portrayed. Evidence suggests that these variables change more independently of each other than claimed in earlier research. Patterns of asynchronous change were three times more common than synchronous change, and Lectical score predicted change in only some aspects of perspectival capacity. Implications for theory, method, and pedagogy, along with study limitations and<br />
avenues for future research are discussed.<br />
<br />
Key Words: Adult development, leader development, cognitive development, structural development, skill theory, Lectical Assessment System, Lectical level, hierarchical complexity, perspective taking, perspective seeking, perspective coordination, latent growth modeling, latent growth curve modeling, latent difference score models.Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-38633650723319224852016-02-04T10:10:00.005-08:002016-02-04T10:10:53.013-08:00Spirituality as a Transformative Experience in the Lives of Black Catholic WomenClaudine Pannell-Goodlett, School of Human and Organizational Development<br /><br /> Black Catholic women's spiritual experiences are potent resources for empowerment, and social and personal transformation. This study explores several bodies of literature in order to appreciate and understand the political, social, cultural, psychological, moral, and historical context of the spirituality of Black Catholic women. The purpose of this dissertation is to encourage further research and expand the base of scholarly literature and practice by highlighting transformative experiences in the daily lives, beliefs, and spiritual practices of a group of Black Catholic women. A mixed methods research design consisting of specific questions, a Standardized Assessment Instrument (DSES©), and semi-structured individual interviews was used to capture and examine the lived experiences of 24 participants self-identified as Black, Catholic, and a woman at least 18 years old. <br /><br /> Study results reveal Prayer, Eucharist, and Scripture form the cornerstone of the spirituality of these women. Connections with other Black Catholic women and feelings of gratitude cement their relationship with God. Responses to specific questions revealed explicit activities that deflate and nourish their spiritual energy. Results of the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES©) indicate that participants feel "very close to God" and "ask for God's help in the midst of daily activities, many times a day." The individual interviews produced compelling descriptions of their spirituality and the spiritual impact of discrimination, Church controversies, and transformative experiences. Participants individually voice their wisdom and hopes for the future. <br /><br /> Study results clearly show that transformative experiences lead to deeper levels of spirituality. Participants also pinpoint healing the effects of discrimination, obtaining relevant spiritual direction and support as necessary to deal with life-altering events. Race, gender equity, sexuality, and the future of Black people within the American Catholic Church, appear as dynamic forces in participants' spiritual lives. This synergy is a sentinel call for further academic and practical study that connects culture, transformative learning, and the spirituality of Black Catholic women. <br /><br />KEY WORDS: Black Catholic women, Spirituality, Feminism, Womanism, Transformative Learning theory, Women and religion, Spiritual assessments, DSES©.Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-20017181924411169382016-01-21T11:05:00.003-08:002016-01-21T11:05:35.703-08:00Innovative Approaches to Faculty Development for Technology Integration: Evaluation of a Three-Tiered ModelMargaret Hunter, School of Educational Leadership for Change<br /><br />College students expect technology to be a part of their learning environment, regardless of delivery format. Employers expect college graduates to be digitally fluent. However, colleges and universities have not prepared faculty to integrate technology into teaching practice, creating a gap between the faculty’s skill set and the demands of students and employers. Even though integration of technology and pedagogy is critical to faculty developing digital fluency, colleges have isolated technology from pedagogy. While learner-centered, interactive teaching methods are the most effective way to reach students, most faculty still use the lecture as their primary teaching mode. <br /><br />Colleges must examine new ways to train faculty to use technology in tandem with pedagogy. This study examined the use of a three-tiered model to train faculty to create an engaging, interactive learning environment. The study was conducted at Gateway Technical College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Training offered to full- and part-time faculty members included a 5-day boot camp, an online course, and personal coaching during their first delivery of the alternative format. The training was developed as a result of a college-wide initiative to train all faculty to teach in alternative delivery formats. The focus of the training was blended delivery. The study looked at how the model affected instructors’ integration of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge, as well as how the model affected faculty confidence and student learning. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected via surveys, faculty participant blog entries, and instructor observations.<br /><br />The implications of the study are that the model helped faculty to develop confidence, create engaging course content, and form a teaching and learning community. Participants experienced increased confidence levels as they used technology in three contexts: during the boot camp, in the online portion of the course, and in their classrooms. As faculty confidence increased, course content became more engaging for students. During each tier of the model, faculty became more fluent in integration of technology, pedagogy, and course content. The study also revealed the importance of a teaching community for faculty. Faculty formed relationships during the boot camp that created a community that will outlast the course. Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-91142019610852974502016-01-12T09:16:00.002-08:002016-01-12T09:16:30.822-08:00The Blank Screen Meets the Internet: How Psychoanalysts Conceptualize the Use of Internet Searches in Professional PracticeChaya Rubin, School of Psychology<br /><br />Psychoanalytic psychologists recognize various elements involving both the stance of the analyst in practice and the maintenance of specific boundaries in the treatment as critical to psychoanalytic technique. However, as a result of the widespread engagement with the Internet over the past decade, new means of obtaining information about a patient (as well as a psychoanalyst) are now available that challenge the traditional psychoanalytic conceptualization of boundaries and of the therapeutic frame. The purpose of this study was to explore how psychoanalysts conceptualize the influence of the Internet in clinical practice and to consider whether psychoanalysts recognize Internet use as an intrusion into the psychoanalytic situation when it is employed by either patient or psychoanalyst, or if they indeed create space for this medium in their work. Using an interpretive phenomenological approach, the views of 13 participant psychoanalysts in practice are presented. Results reveal significant variability and diversity in the way the challenges are viewed and managed, indicating the importance of opening a field-wide dialogue on the subject. This study further argues for a psychoanalytic approach toward such discussion that will encourage and accept the presentation of multiple perspectives.Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-75356708210506491532016-01-08T12:26:00.001-08:002016-01-08T12:26:59.076-08:00The Effective Professional: The Adoption and Use of a Feedback System in PsychotherapyClifton Wood Chamberlain, School of Psychology<br /><br />Using a “local therapist” sample, a feedback system, the Partners for Change Outcome Management System (PCOMS), was added to psychotherapy sessions. Unique client-therapist pairs made use of the feedback system and results are compared to a control group where only outcomes were tracked. Therapist attitudes toward evidence-based practices and their decision to adopt the feedback system were also measured. The design was intended to be naturalistic and practice-friendly. The methods used here were chosen, in part, to facilitate the joining of science and practice and to promote effective psychotherapeutic methods. Efforts to close the research-practice gap must include data for the treatment or method as well as dissemination and adoption in an integrated and feasible package. The present study blends empiricism and real-world practice to promote the spread of an empirically supported technique for improving outcomes. Research to date has focused mainly on empiricism with less attention paid to subsequent spread of research findings. This study used a field design for exploring the intention to adopt a specific evidence-based practice, an alliance and outcomes feedback system (PCOMS). The dissemination phase involved recruiting volunteer therapists and providing training materials on the use of the feedback measures. The implementation phase involved an alliance/outcome feedback group versus a treatment as usual group. The adoption phase measured therapists’ likelihood of adoption of these methods into their future practice. The sample of therapists and clients was drawn from the local community to include a variety of the typical providers of psychotherapy (i.e., counselors, psychologists, social workers, and trainees) in a variety of settings. Results showed improved outcomes for the feedback group compared to the control group. The overall feasibility of the measures and the implications of the positive findings are discussed along with study limitations and needs for future research.Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-3635612725542593212016-01-08T09:10:00.003-08:002016-01-08T09:10:56.682-08:00International adjustment in a dual cultural context: Voices of Western executive expatriates in ShanghaiJane Feng, School of Human and Organizational Development<br /><br />Expatriate study has been an area of scholarship and practitioner interest for four decades. Globalization promotes a growing number of multinational corporations (MNCs) to set up their subsidiaries in China. Expatriate adjustment is clearly important but is conceptually overdescribed and empirically underexamined.<br />This exploratory research study examined the international adjustment of Western executive expatriates in China. It focused on their adjustment in a dual cultural context of the MNC environment that requires expatriates to deal with both headquarters in the West and locals in the East. The research generated new understandings of dual cultural adjustment for senior executive expatriates in China.<div>
The literature review included sensemaking, cross-cultural adaptation, culture shock, expatriate adjustment, and global leadership. Yet, there is insufficient research in these literatures of how expatriates adjust in this dual cultural context. Therefore I designed the research with an explorative approach and interviewed 12 Western senior executive expatriates. I referred to the concepts and models from the literature in the coding of my data analysis.<br />Central to my findings, and the primary contribution of this research, is the proposal of a dual cultural adjustment framework. It suggests that this adjustment can be explained with three components: background factors, dual cultural sensemaking, and managing in a dual cultural context. The background factors are in place before the expatriation and they influence how the expatriates perceive the dual cultural encounters that, in turn, affect how they act in a dual cultural setting.<br />As a researcher who is native Chinese and has worked with Western executives for several major MNCs, my contribution to the field is the development of a new, research-based framework that offers a new approach to expatriate study, adding functional knowledge and value to MNCs, scholars, and practitioners.<br /><br />Key words: expatriate adjustment, dual cultural context, cross-cultural adaptation, explorative approach, coding, dual cultural sensemaking</div>
Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-50578356500856716192016-01-07T11:48:00.003-08:002016-01-07T11:48:23.176-08:00Interoceptive Awareness is Positively Related to Emotion RegulationJennifer R. Abbott, School of Psychology<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Difficulties in emotion regulation underlie the sequelae of many painful mental disorders, and can lead to self-injurious behavior, substance abuse, and relationship problems. Awareness of interoceptive stimuli has been implicated in contributing to difficulties in emotion regulation by increasing emotional sensitivity and by enhancing the intensity of emotion. Clinicians have described the utility of interoceptive awareness in the treatment of emotion dysregulation. Little is known about interoceptive awareness and how it functions to have such a bidirectional effect on emotion regulation. Using a non-clinical population of university students (N=167), this study examined the relationship between interoceptive awareness in emotion regulation and whether mindfulness functioned to moderate the direction of this relationship. Pearson product-moment correlation analyses and hierarchical multiple regression were conducted to examine the relationships among variables, as measured by scores on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness. A significant positive relationship was found between interoceptive awareness and emotion regulation, substantiating claims that interoceptive awareness can aid in emotion regulation. Mindfulness was not found to have a moderating effect, but was significantly related to increases in emotion regulation difficulty. However, a post hoc exploratory analysis did reveal a moderation effect. A better understanding of these relationships will equip clinicians to treat individuals with emotion regulation deficits more effectively.</div>
Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-1162162344233299892016-01-07T11:45:00.001-08:002016-01-07T11:45:57.473-08:00CORRELATION OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP AND EFFECTIVE DECISION MAKING IN LIFE SCIENCE ORGANIZATIONSDrew R. Suss, School of Human and Organizational Development<br /><br />Effective leadership is essential for life sciences (LS) organizations developing successful treatments for diseases and reliable sources of food. As the world population grows and ages, the importance of their success increases. Sustainability demands that complex organizations be populated with effective decision makers, but data shows organizational life spans are relatively brief (Agarwal & Gort, 2002). This suggests effective decision making is uncommon.<br />The literature review explored the concept of leadership effectiveness, analyzed the complex systems framework of the adaptive-learning management system (ALMS) (Ackoff, 1999a) and the servant leadership (SL) model (Greenleaf, 1977). The analysis found ALMS, and SL theoretically aligned. This suggests SL may encourage effective workplace decisions (EWD) and may therefore be the preferred model for complex organizations as Bass (2000) suggested. The hypothesis tested was: In LS organizations there is a statistically significant correlation between the workers’ perceptions of servant leadership enacted by LS leaders, and followers’ perceptions that they are empowered to make effective workplace decisions.<br />A mixed-method approach measured SL and EWD behaviors quantitatively. Two instruments were used: The 30-item SLS survey, developed and validated by van Dierendonck and Nuitjen (2011), and the 8-item EWD instrument validated in a pilot study. The SLS has 8 subscales which enabled multiple factor analyses. Qualitative data were gathered to enable triangulation. The total sample (n= 77) produced a positive correlation: r =.48, r2 = .22 (p<.0001). Sample participants focused on commercialization (n=43) had a positive correlation: r = 0.37, (p 0.0313). Science-focused participants (n=34) generated a stronger positive correlation: r = 0.59, r2 =.35 (p<.001) with two SLS factors demonstrating significant variance values: Courage and empowerment measured r2 =.33 and r2 =.39 respectively (p <.0001). Qualitative data supported H1.<br />This empirical study produced significant empirical support for H1. It is the first to show the correlation of servant leadership (Greenleaf, 1970 ) and Ackoff’s (1999a) systems-focused management theory. This lends credence to suggestion that SL is beneficial to organizational sustainability (Bass, 2000; Greenleaf, 1970; Senge, 1990). It provides evidence that leaders who practice SL enable people to grow in their capacity to be effective (Ackoff, 1999a, 1999b).<br /><br />KEY WORDS: EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP, ADAPTIVE LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEM LEADERSHIP, TRANSFORMATIONAL SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP, SERVANT LEADERSHIP, EFFECTIVE DECISION MAKING, LIFE SCIENCES ORGANIZATIONS.Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-59404726025642593242015-12-09T10:53:00.002-08:002015-12-09T10:53:47.212-08:00VIRTUALLY MEDIATED GROUP PROCESSES: A CASE STUDY OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S 2012 CONVERSATION WITH THE REDDIT ONLINE COMMUNITYSean P. Thoennes, School of Psychology<br /><br />Each new phase in the short history of electric and electronic media technology continues to impact the way U. S. Presidents communicate to a nationwide audience. Following the Great Recession during the campaign of 2012, President Obama sat down at a computer to take questions from anyone with access to the Internet and the reddit social networking site (SNS). This study focuses on threads emanating from that conversation and uses inductive reasoning for its unique perspective, as the precedents for wired and wireless political messaging in the past do not have at their center the President of the United States (POTUS) in a globally accessible, uncensored, and unmediated live chat with anonymous participants. Historical context, group theory, discourse psychology, and Web Sciences inform this single case study research design. Despite political messaging comparisons and because of the uncensored interaction, President Obama’s conversation represents a gap in the knowledge for group formation around communications. Triangulating archival quantitative measures of reddit, social media and Internet trends, qualitative text analytics of the reddit discussion, and historical context, forms an inductively reasoned argument to expand group process theory. A sample of question/answer threads contrasts inter-group cases to compare for replication in addition to comparisons with prior U.S. Presidents’ uses of new media technologies. An analysis of President Obama’s text distinguishes computer-mediated communication (CMC), traditional political messaging, and human-computer interface (HCI). The findings support optimal distinctiveness theory (ODT) as a valid model for online groups on sites such as reddit, and an ongoing tradition for political persuasion using new media technologies such as HCI. The historical bases for political messaging and group processes using new technologies also offer future implications when considering evolutionary dynamics and memetics theory as foundational to the concept that the human species not only continues to evolve, but gains greater control over its evolution through advancements in new media technologies.Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-33401812883491387152015-11-23T12:21:00.002-08:002015-11-23T12:21:53.715-08:00MINDFULNESS MEDITATION AND INNATE COMPASSION TRAINING INTERVENTIONS AND BODY IMAGE DISSATISFACTION IN WOMEN Catherine Seo, School of Psychology<br /><br />Body image dissatisfaction is a significant and painful issue for women, that comes with high costs that include physical and emotional health, self-esteem, and economic impact. There are few interventions that have helped. Current research indicates meditation can help. This research advances that research to shed light on whether Mindfulness Meditation (MM) and Innate Compassion Training (ICT), a form of Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM) from the Tibetan tradition, can help build self-compassion and improve body image. One hundred eighty-six women were recruited and received one of three meditation interventions (MM, ICT, BI/Control) to determine whether (a) MM, ICT, or BI/Control improves the five outcomes measured; (b) MM and ICT improve the five outcomes more than BI/Control; and (c) ICT improves the five outcomes more than MM. Women were recruited to complete all measures as a pre-test, randomized to participate in online MM, ICT, or BI/Control conditions, and asked to complete all measures in a post-test after completion of intervention. In all conditions, all outcomes improved from pre-test to post-test. MM and ICT did not improve outcomes more than BI/Control, and ICT did not improve outcomes more than MM. In conclusion, all conditions improved outcomes, so it is likely that meditation could have a positive impact on body image satisfaction. Due to attrition, we were unable to generate enough power to test for group differences, which should be remedied by future research.Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-20203078149896456652015-11-18T10:11:00.002-08:002015-11-18T10:11:57.706-08:00The Toyota Production System (TPS)Theories-In-Action and Lean Implementation Theories-In-Action: A contrast In Maximization of Human PotentialSchool of Human and Organizational Development, Jody Bicking<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Thousands of companies have tried to emulate the Toyota Production System (TPS), through the concept of Lean manufacturing, resulting in disappointment or failure. Case studies have identified broad causal factors such as leadership actions, lack of overall skills, and “cherry-‐ picking” TPS techniques, instead of embracing them in the spirit and mindset intended. This research sought to identify the collective mindset, which enables Toyota to effectively apply TPS, when others cannot. The findings provide insight into pre-‐requisites of Lean implementation. Such knowledge benefits companies desiring to embrace continuous improvement thinking into the fabric of their culture and consultants concerned with “how”. The research began by exploring the similarities and differences between Lean implementation theories-‐in-‐action and TPS theories-‐in-‐action. A triangulated<br />approach using case studies, q-‐sort methodology, and survey was employed. Participants in the q-‐sort and survey came from 2 sources. The first, a company that has attempted to implement Lean practice more than once with disappointing results. The second source, a team of Toyota employees from their Erlanger, KY plant. Comparisons yielded 3 important findings. First, Toyota responses indicate a willingness and commitment to challenge the status quo at, every level; not evident in the other company. Second, a definite lack of understanding the underlying purpose of Lean and the tools was apparent in the non-‐Toyota organization. Third, the method of organizational learning employed by Toyota has a different focus than the non-‐ Toyota organization. The findings indicate pre-‐requisite organizational characteristics, necessary for successful implementation of Lean, exist. A CAS perspective, openness to collaborative, non-‐defensive, reflection within Toyota far exceeds the non-‐Toyota company. Further investigation on how to foster collaborative reflection among teams, <br />organizations, and society is warranted and could enable positive social change.</div>
Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-65512601037742555882015-11-18T10:05:00.001-08:002015-11-18T10:05:26.989-08:00Looking at Challenging Behavior Through a Different Lens: An Implementation Science ApproachSchool of Educational Leadership, Mary C. McLennan<br /><br />This study addressed the problem of how to effectively implement a systems-wide approach to address challenging behavior in young children. It specifically addressed the gap between science and practice as it relates to addressing challenging behavior. This research focused on the children of rural migrant workers in rural California who attended a Migrant Head Start program. To address challenging behavior, a researcher and early childhood educators used a collaborative integration of implementation science and evaluation science to evaluate the implementation of Program-Wide Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PW-PBIS), and the fidelity rate of the intervention PW-PBIS. The analysis of the data illustrated the interplay between the implementation and the intervention and the outcome of the PW-PBIS intervention. We used the Active Implementation Framework, and the context, input, process, and product (CIPP) evaluation model to guide the implementation of PW-PBIS, as well as the evaluation of the implementation. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Our commitment to implement PW-PBIS with fidelity and with implementation fidelity (quality assurance and quality improvement) moved beyond investigating what interventions worked, to investigating the processes that support the implementation, fidelity, and sustainability of PW-PBIS to ensure positive outcomes for children with challenging behavior. The quality assurance and quality improvement processes worked by collecting and utilizing data to monitor and evaluate performance against the established PW-PBIS benchmarks. This support helped to create incentives to implement PW-PBIS and to improve the implementation of PW-PBIS. As a result of a continuous, iterative, and interactive evaluation of the quantity and quality of implementation of PWPBIS, there was evidence of high fidelity rate of PW-PBIS, effective implementation of PW-PBIS resulting in few incidences of challenging behavior, and early educators rethinking their views on challenging behavior.</div>
Research@Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02655294179271480023noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4390846497436471412.post-74578731956315958172015-11-17T09:01:00.000-08:002015-11-17T09:01:00.364-08:00Variation in Beliefs about Social Justice by Ethnicity, Gender, and Income at Fielding Graduate UniversityHoffman, T., Metivier, J., Turner, R., Elliot, A., Wong, T., Dennis, C., Ives, N., Vivian, J., Newton, R. & Osherson, S.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Abstract</i></b><br />
How much does variation in social demographic variables influence
attitudes towards social justice? The Fielding website states that
students should be committed to social justice. Our survey of almost 200
Fielding students indicates, in fact, a very high commitment to social
justice, although attitudes vary according to demographic variables.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbumup9cymOCHd8Jb_2-1ZdVuYQeNRf4yLT3zgkkYrj12SCu37msCtthjg2LjP_AtgjEvCUTSsI5IJgSipRCWIVh2GSB52PCcbLweK_BRCQms1J8U1kbNIop0uMFkBUikMns1eJp6LmJO/s1600/Osherson-Social-Justice-Ethnicity-Gender-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlbumup9cymOCHd8Jb_2-1ZdVuYQeNRf4yLT3zgkkYrj12SCu37msCtthjg2LjP_AtgjEvCUTSsI5IJgSipRCWIVh2GSB52PCcbLweK_BRCQms1J8U1kbNIop0uMFkBUikMns1eJp6LmJO/s400/Osherson-Social-Justice-Ethnicity-Gender-poster.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
We found significant differences in ethnicity, gender, and income, indicating that African American Fielding students report greater commitment to social justice action than Caucasian students. Research also indicated that the African American sample was more traditional and more conservative in their political attitudes than Caucasians. Similarly, African American female Fielding students were more committed to social justice than all other groups. Differences among ethnicities in attitudes toward social justice were unconnected to income. However, there was a small but significant inverse correlation between income and commitment to social justice.Fieldinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02168517089675031462noreply@blogger.com0