When and how do differences matter? An exploration of perceived similarity in teams

In this paper, we directly assess perceived similarity—the degree to which members view themselves as having few differences—because we want to understand when teams notice diversity on various member characteristics and how they interpret it. Our results indicate social category diversity was related to initial estimates of both perceived social category similarity (SCS) and perceived work style similarity (WSS). And, whereas perceived SCS did not change over time, perceived WSS decreased significantly over the period of our study. We suggest this change in perceived WSS can be explained by an information-processing/decision-making framework. We found informational diversity was positively related to conflict in teams, and in turn conflict was negatively related to subsequent estimates of perceived WSS. However, informational diversity was positively related to information sharing in teams, which in turn was positively related to subsequent estimates of perceived WSS. Finally, these updated estimates of perceived WSS affected subgroup formation and team process effectiveness. We discuss how our research explores the subjective experience of diversity by team members, provides a dynamic view of the relationship between diversity and team outcomes, and informs emerging theory about the activation of faultlines in teams.     

Researching psychotherapy integration: A heuristic approach

Moustakas argues that questions and methodology in heuristic research flow out of inner awareness, meaning and inspiration. The approach might arguably embrace a combination of qualitative research methods, and constitute a kind of bricolage. This paper describes a heuristic enquiry into psychotherapy integration that used such a combination of methods – an interpretative phenomenological approach, case studies, reflexive action, and writing. It demonstrates how each of these methods contributed to the six phases of heuristic enquiry, from the initial engagement with psychotherapy as a trainee to the creative synthesis of published works and a PhD thesis, together with some reflection on the enquiry's limitations and rigour. Published texts, training, clinical practice and reflexivity constituted the material from which a new organizing framework for understanding psychotherapy integration was formulated. The author reflects on how the research design allowed deep engagement with this material, and changed his perspective of psychotherapy integration. In conclusion, this paper suggests that both psychotherapy integration and heuristic enquiry can only be conducted on an individual and personal basis, and that it is the quality of the relationship, with the client, or the research material, that produces results.     

It takes two to tango: Research and practice as an amazing dance

This paper offers an appreciative critique of Kim Etherington's recent book, Narrative Approaches to Working with Adult Male Survivors of Male Child Sexual Abuse. I discuss the issues raised in the book with reference to one of my current clients. Etherington does not produce new substantive theory: the power of this work is in the narrative. Her important contribution lies in the reflexivity with which she encounters her material. The use of critical reflexivity challenges the subject/object dichotomy inherent in much positivistic research, and presents a much‐needed approach to process that is congruent with the lived experience of counselling. I would suggest that research is more likely to succeed in informing practice if the material is open to personal interpretation by the reader/therapist. Further, I would claim that the activity of using research creatively is itself a heuristic process: useful learning is most likely to occur if the dialogic relationship with the client and therapist is mirrored in the relationship between the therapist and the research text.     

Does diversity in team members’ agreeableness benefit creative teams?

Although deep-level diversity among team members are often discussed as important catalysts of team creativity, little is currently understood about the impact of diversity in team members’ personality on team creativity and team satisfaction. We propose that diversity in team members’ agreeableness would reduce the effectiveness of creative teams through its impact on team conflict experienced. To test our hypotheses, we recruited 93 student teams to participate in a laboratory study where each member had their personality traits assessed before engaging in a team creativity task. We found that diversity in team members’ agreeableness was positively associated with team task conflict experienced which, in turn, was negatively associated with team creativity. Additionally, we found that diversity in team members’ agreeableness was positively associated with team relationship conflict, which, in turn, was negatively associated with team satisfaction. Implications and future directions are discussed.     

A Work in Progress

After expressing gratitude to each contributor, and briefly commenting on each, I probe several main themes of my work, addressing the question of the apparent difference between my earlier philosophical and later clinical writings. Central to both is the reflexivity of the human agent, and that each exhibits a form of practice regardless of the specific aims embedded in each. I then address the theme of narrative writing as my work has developed over the past several decades – at the heart of which are questions of self and integrity.     

Reflexive action research: Developing knowledge through practice

This paper gives an overview of different ways of conducting counselling and psychotherapy research. An approach to research is described which overcomes the research‐practice gap: reflexive action research. It is argued that this approach to research is particularly appropriate and relevant for practitioners since it draws upon skills and awareness necessary for clinical work, and can complement positivist methods of research which are already well established in the profession. The wider use of systematic clinical case studies is suggested as a means of promoting the reflexive action research approach. Further consideration of issues of validity and reliability is required on the part of those intending to apply this approach within the field of therapy research.     

Getting groups to develop good strategies: Effects of reflexivity interventions on team process,team performance,and shared mental models

This study examines the effect of guided reflection on team processes and performance, based on West’s (1996, 2000) concept of reflexivity. Communicating via e-mail, 49 hierarchically structured teams (one commander and two specialists) performed seven 15 min shifts of a simulated team-based military air-surveillance task (TAST) in two meetings, a week apart. At the beginning of the second meeting, teams were assigned either to a reflexivity (individual or group) or to a control condition. Results show that reflexivity enhanced performance, the link between reflexivity and team performance being mediated by communication and implementation of strategies as well as by similarity of mental models. Contrary to expectations, individual reflexivity was superior to group reflexivity. Additional analyses suggested that group reflexivity decreased the commanders’ active behavior and increased discussion of strategies that were too general to be helpful. Results point to the usefulness of reflexivity as a generic intervention but underscore the importance of focusing on strategies that are task-specific.     

跨文化协同增效研究的3种典型视角

随着经济全球化进程的加速,跨国公司日益重视运用多元文化来创造国际竞争优势。论文首先讨论了“跨文化协同增效”的内涵以及达成跨文化协同增效的标准,然后介绍了跨文化协同增效研究的3种典型视角：加拿大研究者Adler的研究视角、德国研究者Krewer的研究视角和印尼研究者Tjitra的研究视角。3种不同的视角体现出研究者自身文化的特点。前两种视角是从西方文化出发,认为必须创造“第三种文化”来达成跨文化协同增效,而后一种视角则是从东方文化出发,针对本国文化的独特性进行跨文化协同增效理论研究。最后在比较分析3种不同研究视角基础上,认为应借鉴国外学者的研究思路,针对独特的中国文化进行跨文化协同增效研究     

Beyond Dyadic Coordination: Multimodal Behavioral Irregularity in Triads Predicts Facets of Collaborative Problem Solving

We hypothesize that effective collaboration is facilitated when individuals and environmental components form a synergy where they work together and regulate one another to produce stable patterns of behavior, or regularity, as well as adaptively reorganize to form new behaviors, or irregularity. We tested this hypothesis in a study with 32 triads who collaboratively solved a challenging visual computer programming task for 20 min following an introductory warm‐up phase. Multidimensional recurrence quantification analysis was used to examine fine‐grained (i.e., every 10 s) collective patterns of regularity across team members' speech rate, body movement, and team interaction with the shared user interface. We found that teams exhibited significant patterns of regularity as compared to shuffled baselines, but there were no systematic trends in regularity across time. We also found that periods of regularity were associated with a reduction in overall behavior. Notably, the production of irregular behavior predicted expert‐coded metrics of collaborative activity, such as teams' ability to construct shared knowledge and effectively negotiate and coordinate execution of solutions, net of overall behavioral production and behavioral self‐similarity. Our findings support the theory that groups can interact to form interpersonal synergies and indicate that information about system‐level dynamics is a viable way to understand and predict effective collaborative processes.     

Drawing on creative reflective practices in counselling research: an example of using mental imagery to shed light on the research process

The disciplines of counselling and psychotherapy have generated a range of innovative qualitative research methods. There is the potential for further developments, particularly in relation to methods that reveal how the researcher is implicated in the research. Practitioner-researchers could help to identify potential new methods through a willingness to engage in creative applications of clinical expertise and knowledge to their research projects. This article presents an example of applying a creative reflective method to the research process and discusses its potential for delivering insights into how the researcher is shaping the research and its findings. This particular mental imagery technique is considered in the light of conceptual metaphor theory and the possibility that representing the research project as a mental image can reveal how the researcher is cognitively structuring the research process.