This is Not a History Lesson; This is Agitation: A Call for a Methodology of Diffraction in US‐Based Community Psychology

Agitation, as deployed by the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF), occurs when imaginations and curiosities are piqued, and self‐interest is made visible. In this framework, agitation is a step in creating change. In this paper, I outline two agitations within US‐based community psychology. I then describe a third agitation that is underway; I add my voice and call for a methodology of diffraction as a contribution to critical reflexivity practices within US‐based community psychology. Consistent with the IAF framework, I do not provide solutions. I write this paper as a provocation to help us think imaginatively and creatively about our actions and future, so that we can consider the paradigm shifts needed to move into critical ways of understanding connection, responsibility, accountability, and creating change—of interest during Swampscott and today.     

Differentiating technical skill and motor abilities in selected and non-selected 3–5 year old team-sports players

This study examined the difference in 22 3–5 year old boys selected to an advanced or non-advanced group on an English community-based professional club training program. Time to complete 15 m linear sprint and 15 m zig-zag agility tests, with and without a ball, were used to assess the children’s technical skill and motor ability. Age and body mass of both groups were the same, whereas height was greater and BMI was lower in the selected group (p < 0.01). Linear sprint times without and with the ball were 3.98 ± 0.35 and 4.44 ± 0.36 s, respectively for the selected and corresponding times were 4.64 ± 1.04 and 11.2 ± 5.37 s for the non-selected (p < 0.01, ES 0.8, 1.8). Similar results were found when a change of movement was included, both with and without the ball. A model of selection indicated that performance in an agility test with the ball and height had the greatest discriminatory power and explained 95.5% of between group variance. Selected players performed significantly better in tests when ball control was required. These findings suggest that technical proficiency and physical differences may influence team selection in three to five year old children.     

Comparing OECD PISA Reading in English to Other Languages: Identifying Potential Sources of Non-Invariance

The use of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) across nations, cultures, and languages has been criticized. The key criticisms point to the linguistic and cultural biases potentially underlying the design of reading comprehension tests, raising doubts about the legitimacy of comparisons across economies. Our research focused on the type and magnitude of invariance or non-invariance in the PISA Reading Comprehension test by language, culture, and economic development relative to performance of the Australian English-speaking reference group used to develop the tests. Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis based on means and covariance structure (MACS) modeling was used to establish a d_MACS effect size index for each economy for the degree of non-invariance. Only three wealthy, English-speaking countries had scalar invariance with Australia. Moderate or large effects were observed in just 31% of the comparisons. PISA index of economic, social and cultural status had a moderate inverse correlation with dMACS suggesting that socioeconomic resourcing of education played a significant role in measurement invariance, while educational practice and language factors seemed to play a further small role in non-invariance. Alternative approaches to reporting PISA results consistent with non-invariance are suggested.     

Studying Emotions in Security and Diplomacy: Where We Are Now and Challenges Ahead

The core objective of this special issue has been to shed light on emotions as (1) frames that shape interpersonal diplomatic relations, (2) as key tools that are used as part of the statecraft's toolbox, and (3) as formative/productive dynamics with real effects on human beings—that, in turn, often construct and maintain conflicts. It is therefore pertinent that we interrogate the political psychology of individual, collective, mass, and communal emotions and how these are often (mis)used in diplomacy and security narratives to legitimize politicians' decisions and practices. This concluding article provides a state of the art account of the study of emotions in International Relations (IR), sums up the main findings from all special issue contributions and constructively explores potential challenges ahead for the study of emotions in IR, especially in security and diplomacy studies. It concludes with an appeal for the development of a multiperspective approach—that is, one that combines social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities—for a nuanced study of the role of emotional work in state, diplomatic as well as security narratives and practices. This approach will in turn require methodological pluralism in how we go about, as reflexive researchers, our emotional research.     

La satisfaction des attentes de soutien de l’apprenant : vers un examen nuancé de l’effet du soutien du supérieur immédiat sur le transfert des apprentissages

Supervisor support enhances transfer of training, but the process by which it operates is still unknown. One specific question remains about the distinction between expected and perceived support. This study aimed to assess the influence of expected and perceived support on transfer, as well as to examine the effect of a perception gap between these two types of support. Results obtained from 76 trainees indicate that: (1) both expected and perceived support foster transfer, (2) expected support explains a significant part of the variance of transfer in the presence of perceived support, (3) the gap between the two types of support help explain the effect of supervisor support on training transfer.     

Professional beliefs related to the practice of pediatric medicine and school psychology

This article proposes that pediatric medicine and school psychology are complementary fields. Five professional beliefs are reviewed: (a) the importance of classification, (b) a preference for evidence-based interventions, (c) an endorsement of advocacy in public policy, (d) the importance of working with the whole child including his/her parents, and (e) an assertion of team leadership. Each belief is discussed as a core value of pediatric medicine and considered for points of connection with school psychology. Some of these beliefs are widely shared by school psychologists, others are rejected because of historical and situational factors, and all warrant consideration in light of school psychology's continuing evolution.     

元认知训练对不同认知方式小学生应用题解题能力的影响

本研究以小学五年级292名学生为对象,考察了三种思维训练方式(元认知内隐训练、元认知外显训练和一般思维策略训练)对三种不同认知方式学生(场独立型、场依存型和中间型)数学应用题解题能力的影响。结果发现：(1)思维策略的元认知外显训练和元认知内隐训练比一般思维策略训练能蜓有效地提高场依存型、中间型和场独立型三类学生的应用题解题能力：(2)元认知外显训练和内隐训练对于场独立型和中间型学生同等重要。但元认知外显训练更有助于场依存型学生应用题解题能力的提高。成为该类学生的优势圳练方式;(3)在小学五年级．场独立型学生的应用题解题能力明显优于场依存型学生的应用题解题能力。     

Measurement invariance in mentoring research: A cross-cultural examination across Taiwan and the U.S.

Workplace mentoring in the international context is an emerging research area with significant potential for global integration. However, although measurement equivalence is a prerequisite for examining cross-cultural differences, this assumption has yet to be examined in mentoring research. This study contributes to the mentoring literature by assessing the measurement equivalence of the Mentoring Functions Questionnaire (MFQ-9) across two diverse cultural settings, the U.S. and Taiwan. Results of a series of multi-group confirmatory factor analyses supported full configural invariance, full metric invariance, and partial scalar invariance across the two groups. These findings suggest MFQ-9 may provide acceptable comparisons and meaningful interpretations across cultures. Implications for future international mentoring research and managerial practice are discussed.