On the Path to Knowledge Development

I consider the facilitation of knowledge development to be my central focus as editor. The editor makes the final decision on whether a specific research effort significantly advances our understanding of a substantive phenomenon. To that extent, the editor assumes a leadership role and responsibility in deciding the future direction of the field. Such important decisions should reflect the prevailing norms of the field and transcend the editor's individual research agenda or his/her selective worldview. I strive to make decisions that are shared by reviewers and associate editors with the common goal of moving the field forward in productive ways. As a result, articles published in JCP represent a collective view of what is considered significant theoretical contribution and rigorous methodology. In this note, I highlight some central elements of my philosophy related to knowledge development and share a few observations about policies that I have employed in managing the consensual review process.