Environmental Cognition through Direct and Representational Experiences: A Life-Span Perspective

1992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn S. Liben
Keyword(s):  
Life Span ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Individual Development ◽  
Cognitive Domain ◽  
Developmental Approach ◽  
Environmental Cognition ◽  
The One

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a review of past research and theory in environmental cognition from the perspective of life-span developmental psychology, to suggest future directions for work in this area, and to lay the groundwork for questions of application that are discussed elsewhere in this volume. Before it is possible to address these goals, however, it is essential to establish what is meant by “a life-span developmental approach to environmental cognition.” The first section of the chapter is thus devoted to a discussion of these definitional issues. The second section provides a selective review of past research. The research has been chosen to illustrate how changes in individual development in a variety of domains (e.g., development of logical classification skills in the cognitive domain, or development of interpersonal attachment in the socioemotional domain) may have consequences for environmental cognition. The review of past work leads to the observation that most research has focused on how environmental cognition is derived from direct experience in environments. It is argued that another extremely influential source of environmental cognition is through exposure to representations of environments. Thus, the final section of the chapter contains discussions of the roles of environmental representations for environmental cognition, and descriptions of some recent research in this area. In the original conceptualization of the conference on which this volume is based, Evans and Gärling (1987) defined environmental cognition as . . . the processes involved in the perception and cognition of spatial information in the real world. Most of this research has not examined preference or evaluation. Instead the focus has been primarily on understanding the cognitive processes themselves and how they are influenced by person variables (e.g. age, gender, familiarity) and by environmental variables such as landmarks, path structures, or overall organizational factors, (p. 2) . . . This definition works well for the purpose intended, that is, for distinguishing environmental cognition from environmental assessment, on the one hand, and from decision making and action, on the other. In part, these distinctions are congruent with a taxonomy developed earlier (Liben, 198la), which similarly placed environmental cognition in a broader context.

Coaching in Context: Exploring Conditions that Shape Instructional Coaching Practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 122 (10) ◽  
pp. 1-40
Author(s):  
Maggie Quinn Hannan ◽  
Jennifer Lin Russell
Keyword(s):  
Complex Systems ◽  
Instructional Coaching ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Qualitative Comparative Analysis ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Instructional Change ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Organizational Conditions ◽  
Context Specific

Background/Context The literature shows that one constant in coaching is the high degree of variation in coach roles and contexts, suggesting that understanding coaching practice requires that we also understand the role structures and organizational conditions that shape coaches’ work. Research on both instructional coaching and instructional change is increasingly attending to the organizational and social factors that shape, facilitate, and constrain the web of interactions that coaching work comprises. Past research points to the complex systems and social networks that shape critical elements of coaching practice, emphasizing the interdependency of organizational processes and the critical importance of considering not only the outcomes of implementation, but also the contextual factors that shape them. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study Given that multilayered social, technical, and organizational factors shape the practice and impact of instructional coaching, understanding the combinations of factors that are most consequential is key for both policy implementation and instructional coaching research. Consequently, understanding coaching requires attending to specific practices, the structural contexts in which those practices are embedded, and varied implementation processes across system levels and diverse school districts. Therefore, we built this study on the foundational idea that coaching work inherently and continuously interacts with the complex systems in which it takes place and that understanding and analyzing coaching requires attending to the organizational and social structures that shape it. Accordingly, this article focuses on the following research question: What contextual conditions facilitate and constrain coaching, and why? Research Design To understand the interactions between coaching work and these many social and technical factors, we investigated how a group of coaches implemented a mathematics coaching model, focusing specifically on the relationship between coaching contexts and coaching practice. Our case-focused, mixed-methods approach, which included both qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) and case-study methods, allowed us to explore the interrelationships between coaching and the system conditions that shape, enable, and constrain instructional change. Conclusions/Recommendations Our findings support the argument that coaching cannot be extricated from the surrounding system factors that shape it. On the contrary, we found that supports for and barriers to robust coaching practice are context-specific phenomena, suggesting that any coaching intervention ought to be tailored to its specific organizational location. Accordingly, we argue that different combinations of contributing factors can affect coaching in different ways, thereby contributing to the theory that a nested-systems perspective on instructional coaching is key to understanding its effects.

Developmental Perspectives on Parenting

2021 ◽  
pp. 25-49
Author(s):  
Rochelle F. Hentges ◽  
Meredith J. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Child Development ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Reproductive Strategies ◽  
Life History Theory ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Psychological Needs ◽  
Middle Level ◽  
Secure Base ◽  
Parenting Influences

This chapter discusses two leading middle-level theories within evolutionary psychology, which attempt to explain both how and why parenting influences child development across the life span. First, it presents an overview of one of the most influential evolutionary theories in developmental psychology: John Bowlby’s attachment theory. Attachment theory revolutionized the way people understand the nature of the parent–child bond, framing the parent as not just a provider of physical needs but also as a secure base for emotional and psychological needs. These early-life bonds between the caregiver and infant are further proposed to form the basis for relationship attachments across the life span. Next, the chapter addresses how competing strategies toward resource allocation can influence individual differences in parental investment and sensitivity. According to life history theory, differences in the caregiving environment, in turn, promote the formation of distinct reproductive strategies, resulting in behavioral, social, and physiological differences across child development.

scholarly journals Workplace exercise programmes – how organizational factors influence employee participation

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 37-39
Author(s):  
Anna Little ◽  
Russell Wordsworth ◽  
Sanna Malinen
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Employee Participation ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Practical Significance ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Leadership Support

Purpose Past research identifies many positive outcomes associated with workplace exercise initiatives. Realizing these outcomes is, however, dependent on securing sustained employee participation in the initiative. This study examines how organizational factors influence employee participation in workplace exercise initiatives. Design/methodology/approach The study utilizes data from 98 employees who were provided with the opportunity to participate in a workplace exercise initiative. Data were collected via an online survey as well as semi-structured interviews. Findings The paper shows that organizational, rather than individual-level, factors had the greatest impact on employee participation in workplace exercise initiatives. Leadership support for well-being was particularly important and had a significant effect on participation frequency. This relationship was moderated by employee perceptions of employer intentions, such that the more genuine and caring an employer’s intentions were perceived to be, the more likely employees were to participate. Our findings also show that perceived employer intentions have a significant direct effect on employee participation. Research implications We extend research on employee participation in well-being initiatives by considering the influence of organizational, rather than individual-level, factors. Practical implications This research is of practical significance as it highlights the importance of positive leadership in fostering physical well-being in the workplace. It reinforces that sustained participation in workplace exercise initiatives requires deliberate planning, promotion and support from organizational leaders. Originality/value Most studies of workplace exercise and well-being initiatives focus on individual barriers to participation. Our study highlights the important role of leadership support and perceived intentions as organizational influences on employee participation.

Life-span Developmental Psychology and Education

1980 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 3-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBERT J. HAVIGHURST
Keyword(s):  
Life Span ◽  
Developmental Psychology

scholarly journals Analysis and ranging of the factors of formation and development of innovative behaviour in organizations

2018 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 478-488
Author(s):  
T. V. Sabetova ◽  
M. V. Ponomarenko
Keyword(s):  
Success Factors ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Management Style ◽  
Business Culture ◽  
Innovative Behavior ◽  
Job Responsibilities ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Innovative Behaviour ◽  
The One

The article considers t the problem of determination of the degree of influence of a number of factors on formation of innovative behavior of employees and their groups in organizations. According to the authors’ opinion, innovative activity of employees requires, on the one hand, their own abilities and motivation, and on the other hand, readiness of the organization and provision of necessary resources for employees both for creation and implementation of ideas and projects. The authors do not deny the influence of the national business culture on the features of innovative behavior and point out the need to take into account these features. However, they deny the existence of national features that obviously make innovation development of one country easier than others, and therefore consider the experience of different countries worthy of study, but at the same time its implementation is considered possible only after a critical rethinking for existing conditions. The authors point out that innovative behavior of employees is formed under the influence of factors that can be conditionally divided into those dependent and independent of management actions, the former being of particular interest due to the possibility of controlling them. Among them the following groups of factors are identified: (i) related to the peculiarities of management style; (ii) characteristics of the workplace and job responsibilities; (iii) factors related to interpersonal and intergroup relations, and (iv) organizational factors. The influence of the key factors of each group was analyzed and evaluated either from the standpoint of positive or negative impact on the formation of innovative behavior, or from the position of the strength of influence. Based on the experience of Chinese colleagues, a comparative ranking of the factors that determine the innovativeness of behavior was carried out, in terms of their significance. At the same time, the similarity of the factors determining the innovativeness of the behavior of employees in Chinese and Russian companies was revealed, but significant differences in the degree of such influence were detected. As a result, the authors’ named key success factors in the formation of innovative behavior of the staff: (i) support from the company’s management; (ii) availability of resources of all types; (iii) system of labour remuneration; (iv) composition and structure of the team, and (v) cooperation.

Building a developmental culture of feedback

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 62-78
Author(s):  
Ellie Drago-Severson ◽  
Jessica Blum-DeStefano
Keyword(s):  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Educational Leaders ◽  
Leadership Preparation ◽  
Developmental Theory ◽  
Developmental Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Professional Capital

Purpose This paper draws from more than 25 years of research with aspiring and practicing educational leaders to present six strategies for building a culture of feedback in schools, teams, districts, professional learning opportunities, and other educational settings. These strategies reflect key elements of the authors’ new, developmental approach to feedback. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Through the lens of adult developmental theory, the authors highlight foundational learnings from open-ended survey research with 14 educational leaders about their experiences giving and receiving feedback, and prior qualitative, mixed-method, and longitudinal research with principals, assistant principals, teachers, superintendents, and other educational leaders. Findings The authors share six developmentally oriented strategies for establishing trust and building conditions for authentic, generative feedback: finding value in mistakes, modeling vulnerability, caring for the (inter)personal, clarifying expectations, sharing developmental ideas, and building an infrastructure for collaboration. Practical implications This work has implications for leadership and leadership preparation, especially given contemporary emphases on collaboration and high-stakes evaluations as tools for ongoing improvement, enhancing professional capital, and internal, individual, and system-wide capacity building. Originality/value Because a developmental perspective has been noticeably missing from the wider feedback literature and leadership preparation curricula, this work extends and enhances tenets from different fields (e.g. business, developmental psychology, educational leadership and educational leadership preparation), while also addressing urgent calls for educational reform; leadership preparation, development, and practice; and professional capital building.

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