The environment in early experience research: Directions for applied developmental investigations

The following review and critiques describe a field that has changed in conceptualization in recent years, but which retains strong influences from the early research models. The goals of these papers are to review the past and current positions and to assess the implications of a research domain that has a long-standing and controversial history.     

Leadership and management research in Africa: A synthesis and suggestions for future research

Although we are aware of some positive cases of leadership and management emerging on the African continent, very little empirical or theoretical work has addressed leadership and management in Africa. This raises a challenge for African nations in that ultimately a country's economic performance is contingent on the effectiveness of its leadership and management practices that serve to unlock the potential of its workforce to effectively implement the strategic goals of organizations. Against the backdrop of an increasingly knowledge‐dependent global marketplace, the centrality of leadership and effective management systems as drivers of individual and organization performance has never been more critical. This special section brings together a compendium of papers that advances the science of leadership and management within the African context. Our principle goal was to examine what is unique, what generalizes, and what does not generalize from the West and East to Africa, as well as within different regions of Africa and then offer ideas to guide future research and practice. The papers in this section provide a broad and indeed innovative approach to studying leadership and management in Africa by including historical, philosophical, economic, and socio‐political perspectives, as part of the analyses of leadership and management in the African context. Our editorial provides an integration of this work and a launching point for some audacious goals for future leadership and management science and practice in Africa and beyond.     

Studying judgement: Some comments and suggestions for future research

Three general issues emerge from the preceding papers: a confusion between judgement and related activities such as decision making, problem solving, and attitudes; differences in the underlying assumptions about the nature of judgement; and different approaches for testing the adequacy of theories human judgement. The implications of these issues for studying human judgement processes and for future research priorities in this area are briefly discussed.     

An analysis of recent meditation research and suggestions for future directions

Abstract

Meditation offers a rich and complex field of study. Over the past 40 years, several hundred research studies have demonstrated numerous significant findings including changes in psychological, physiological, and transpersonal realms. This paper attempts to summarize these findings, and to review more recent meditation research. We then suggest directions for future research, emphasizing the necessity to continue to expand the paradigm from which meditation research is conducted, from a predominantly re‐ductionistic, biomedical model to one which includes subjective and transpersonal domains and an integral perspective.     

Future Directions for the Zygon Center

Abstract. A brief comparison of the Zygon Center for Religion and Science and the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences is given. The work and emphases of the two Centers overlap but also differ in significant ways. Without neglecting the physical sciences or the Christian tradition, ZCRS would do well to continue to give high priority to the biological sciences and the dialogue with the major world religions.     

Acculturation and mental health: Current findings and recommendations for future research

Results of existing literature suggest that the relationship between acculturation and mental health is complex. Some studies have found a beneficial association between increased acculturation and mental health, whereas others have found a detrimental association or no relationship at all. We reviewed literature on acculturation and mental health in Hispanics/Latino Americans, Asians/Asian Americans, and other ethnic groups. Results indicate that greater acculturation is associated with increased substance use and abuse. Findings for other disorders and symptoms demonstrate considerable heterogeneity and potential reasons for this variation are provided. Acculturation involves a complex set of processes that appear to have differential impact on mental health outcomes. Critical issues in the measurement of acculturation are discussed, and recommendations for future research are offered.     

Future Directions for Eye Movement Research

Eyemovementdatahaveproventobeex鄄tremelyusefulinthestudyofmanytopicsrelatedtocognitiveprocessing.Indeed,theymaybethebeston-linemeasureofmoment-to-momentcogni鄄tiveprocesses.Thisisnottosaythateyemove鄄mentswillproveusefulineveryaspectofcognitiveprocessing.Forexample,itisdifficulttoseehoweyemovementsmayrevealagreatdealaboutbasicmemoryprocesses(but,evenhere,theycouldbeusefulindeterminingexactlywhatpeoplerememberfromasceneorvisualdisplay).Inthisarticle,Iwillbrieflysummarizesomeimportantfindingsth…     

Preparing our future counselling professionals: Gatekeeping and the implications for research

Social science research specific to the identification and prevalence of unsuitable students within counselling, psychology, and social work training programmes is briefly reviewed in this article. This area of enquiry relates to the gatekeeping responsibilities of professional educational programmes, to ensure that their graduates are competent to provide ethical and effective practice to the public. Key issues which impede the usefulness of this gatekeeping literature to counselling educators are raised. These include: methodological inconsistencies which limit the comparison of findings and hence the drawing of sound conclusions; the lack of definitional clarity relating to the construct of gatekeeping; and the confusing array of nomenclature used to represent students’ failure to meet acceptable professional standards. It is apparent from this overview that there are common factors irrespective of nomenclature that are associated with students at risk of not becoming competent entry‐level practitioners. This suggests that a structured approach to terminology is appropriate. There is also evidence to suggest that encountering such students is a regular occurrence for faculty, with students indicating higher numbers of impaired students than educators. A working definition of gatekeeping is provided and nomenclature suggested.     

Interpersonal influences on goals: Current and future directions for goal contagion research

A growing body of research documents goal contagion, a phenomenon whereby people are likely to catch—to adopt and pursue for themselves—the goals they see others pursuing. Here, I situate goal contagion relative to other ideas about where goals come from and then review existing scholarship on the phenomenon itself and the processes that underlie it. I then point to four larger questions that goal contagion researchers must answer in the years to come. The first two of these questions (what levels of the self‐regulatory hierarchy are subject to contagion and what role goal contagion affords for consciousness and intention) delve deeper into the process of the phenomenon, while the second two (how goal contagion affects social relationships and how it plays into goal pursuit more broadly) highlight how researchers have largely ignored the question of how goal contagion might influence people's broader lives.     

Managing diversity in organizations: An integrative model and agenda for future research

The literature on policies, procedures, and practices of diversity management in organizations is currently fragmented and often contradictory in highlighting what is effective diversity management, and which organizational and societal factors facilitate or hinder its implementation. In order to provide a comprehensive and cohesive view of diversity management in organizations, we develop a multilevel model informed by the social identity approach that explains, on the basis of a work motivation logic, the processes by, and the conditions under which employee dissimilarity within diverse work groups is related to innovation, effectiveness, and well-being. Building on this new model, we then identify those work group factors (e.g., climate for inclusion and supervisory leadership), organizational factors (e.g., diversity management policies and procedures, and top management's diversity beliefs), and societal factors (e.g., legislation, socioeconomic situation, and culture) that are likely to contribute to the effective management of diversity in organizations. In our discussion of the theoretical implications of the proposed model, we offer a set of propositions to serve as a guide for future research. We conclude with a discussion of possible limitations of the model and practical implications for managing diversity in organizations.     

Capitalization in distressed couples: A pilot study and outline for future research

Capitalization—seeking “support” when good things happen—is linked to healthy couple functioning but has never been studied in distressed couples. We examined whether perceptions of capitalization and traditional social support related to couples' satisfaction prior to, and following, couples' therapy at a Veteran Affairs Medical Center. Perceptions of capitalization and traditional social support were associated yet distinct. Not all distressed couples had poor perceptions of support, and greater perceived support related to greater satisfaction at treatment entry. Relationship satisfaction was higher posttreatment for individuals whose partners reported providing them with greater capitalization support prior to treatment. We focus our discussion on the development of systematic research to investigate how capitalization may promote adaptive processes in vulnerable couples.     

Translational research in behavior analysis: historical traditions and imperative for the future

"Pure basic" science can become detached from the natural world that it is supposed to explain. "Pure applied" work can become detached from fundamental processes that shape the world it is supposed to improve. Neither demands the intellectual support of a broad scholarly community or the material support of society. Translational research can do better by seeking innovation in theory or practice through the synthesis of basic and applied questions, literatures, and methods. Although translational thinking has always occurred in behavior analysis, progress often has been constrained by a functional separation of basic and applied communities. A review of translational traditions in behavior analysis suggests that innovation is most likely when individuals with basic and applied expertise collaborate. Such innovation may have to accelerate for behavior analysis to be taken seriously as a general-purpose science of behavior. We discuss the need for better coordination between the basic and applied sectors, and argue that such coordination compromises neither while benefiting both.