Ethnography, Tactical Responsivity and Political Utility

In this article, we address issues of attribution, utility, and accountability in ethnographic research. We examine the two main analytical approaches that have structured the debate on data collection and theorization in ethnography over the last five decades: an inductivist approach, with grounded theory as its main analytic strategy; and a deductivist stance, which uses field sites to explore empirical anomalies that enable an ethnographer to test and build upon pre-existing theories. We engage recent reformulations of this classical debate, with a specific focus on abductive and reflexive approaches in ethnography, and then weigh into these debates, ourselves. drawing on our own experiences producing and using research in non-academic settings. In so doing, we highlight the importance of strategy and accountability in one’s ethnographic practices and accounts, advocating for an approach to ethnographic research that is reflexive and overtly responsive to the knowledge needs and change goals articulated by non-academic collaborators. Ultimately, we argue for a research stance that we describe as tactical responsivity, whereby researchers work with key collaborators and stakeholders to identify the strategic aims and audiences for their research, and develop ethnographic, analytic, and communicative practices that enable them to generate and mobilize the knowledge required to actualize their shared aims.

Risky Therefore Not Beneficial: Replication and Extension of Finucane et al.’s (2000) Affect Heuristic Experiment

Risks and benefits are negatively related in people’s minds. Finucane et al. causally demonstrated that increasing risks of a hazard leads people to judge its benefits as lower. Vice versa, increasing benefits leads people to judge its risks as lower (original: r = −.74 [−0.92, −0.30]). This finding is consistent with an affective explanation, and the negative relationship is often presented as evidence for an affect heuristic. In two well-powered studies, using a more stringent analytic strategy, we replicated the original finding. We observed a strong negative relationship between judgments of risks and benefits across three technologies, although we do find that there was no change in risks when highlighting low benefits. We note that risks seem to be more responsive to manipulation (as opposed to benefits) and find evidence that the negative relationship can depend on incidental mood. We provided materials, data sets, and analyses on https://osf.io/sufjn/?view_only=6f8f5dc6ff524149a4ed5c6de9296ae8 .

Rapid-cycle systems modeling to support evidence-informed decision-making during system-wide implementation

Background To “model and simulate change” is an accepted strategy to support implementation at scale. Much like a power analysis can inform decisions about study design, simulation models offer an analytic strategy to synthesize evidence that informs decisions regarding implementation of evidence-based interventions. However, simulation modeling is under-utilized in implementation science. To realize the potential of simulation modeling as an implementation strategy, additional methods are required to assist stakeholders to use models to examine underlying assumptions, consider alternative strategies, and anticipate downstream consequences of implementation. To this end, we propose Rapid-cycle Systems Modeling (RCSM)—a form of group modeling designed to promote engagement with evidence to support implementation. To demonstrate its utility, we provide an illustrative case study with mid-level administrators developing system-wide interventions that aim to identify and treat trauma among children entering foster care. Methods RCSM is an iterative method that includes three steps per cycle: (1) identify and prioritize stakeholder questions, (2) develop or refine a simulation model, and (3) engage in dialogue regarding model relevance, insights, and utility for implementation. For the case study, 31 key informants were engaged in step 1, a prior simulation model was adapted for step 2, and six member-checking group interviews (n = 16) were conducted for step 3. Results Step 1 engaged qualitative methods to identify and prioritize stakeholder questions, specifically identifying a set of inter-related decisions to promote implementing trauma-informed screening. In step 2, the research team created a presentation to communicate key findings from the simulation model that addressed decisions about programmatic reach, optimal screening thresholds to balance demand for treatment with supply, capacity to start-up and sustain screening, and availability of downstream capacity to provide treatment for those with indicated need. In step 3, member-checking group interviews with stakeholders documented the relevance of the model results to implementation decisions, insight regarding opportunities to improve system performance, and potential to inform conversations regarding anticipated implications of implementation choices. Conclusions By embedding simulation modeling in a process of stakeholder engagement, RCSM offers guidance to realize the potential of modeling not only as an analytic strategy, but also as an implementation strategy.

Critical Analysis of Complex Systems Science and Mechanics

For many highly complex, ecological, physical and societal structures, the conventional hypotheses that underpin many theoretical and analytical frameworks are false. Complex systems research elucidates why and when such preconceptions are incorrect, as well as alternate paradigms for comprehending complex series characteristics. Complexity characteristics, the tradeoff between effectiveness and adaptation, the need of matching the complexities of networks to that of their surroundings, multiresolution assessment, and evolution are among the fundamental concepts of Complex Systems (CS) research introduced in this study. Instead of simulating particular dynamics, we concentrate on the general characteristics of systems. We didactically explain a theoretical and analytic strategy for comprehending and engaging with the complicated processes of our environment rather than giving a complete overview. This article requires just a middle school mathematics and science foundation in order to make it approachable to researchers from all disciplines, decision-makers from business, government, and charity, and anybody engaged in networks and civilization.

The Big Data toolkit for Psychologists: Data Sources and Methodologies

As human interactions have shifted to virtual spaces and as sensing systems have become more affordable, an increasing share of peoples’ everyday lives can be captured in real time. The availability of such fine-grained behavioral data from billions of people has the potential to enable great leaps in our understanding of human behavior. However, such data also pose challenges to engineers and behavioral scientists alike, requiring a specialized set of tools and methodologies to generate psychologically relevant insights.In particular, researchers may need to utilize machine learning techniques to extract information from unstructured or semi-structured data, reduce high-dimensional data to a smaller number of variables, and efficiently deal with extremely large sample sizes. Such procedures can be computationally expensive, requiring researchers to balance computation time with processing power and memory capacity. Whereas modelling procedures on small datasets will usually take mere moments to execute, applying modeling procedures to big data can take much longer with typical execution times spanning hours, days, or even weeks depending on the complexity of the problem and the resources available. Seemingly subtle decisions regarding preprocessing and analytic strategy can end up having a huge impact on the viability of executing analyses within a reasonable timeframe. Consequently, researchers must anticipate potential pitfalls regarding the interplay of their analytic strategy with memory and computational constraints.Many researchers who are interested in using “big data” report having problems learning about new analytic methods or software, finding collaborators with the right skills and knowledge, and getting access to commercial or proprietary data for their research (Metzler et al. 2016). This chapter aims to serve as a practical introduction for psychologists who want to use large datasets and datasets from non-traditional data sources in their research (i.e., data not generated in the lab or through conventional surveys). First, we discuss the concept of big data and review some of the theoretical challenges and opportunities that arise with the availability of ever larger amounts of data. Second, we discuss practical implications and best practices with respect to data collection, data storage, data processing, and data modelling for psychological research in the age of big data.

Literary Parody of Russian Communism Harmonizing to George Orwell's Two Novels "Animal Farm" and "Nineteen Eighty Four"

This Paper concerns within one of the foremost critical viewpoints in literature, where the metaphorical and mocking centrality of ‘Animal Farm’ and ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four' by George Orwell is highlighted, Through 'Animal Farm' and 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' Orwell by implication assaults Russian communism, Orwell combines political reason with a creative one to voice his critical conviction. Orwell utilized parody to grant more impact and understanding of his two books. Parody in Literature constitutes one of the viable literary strategies writers utilize in their stories to assault an individual, a thought, or behaviour that they think awful or silly. An essayist in parody employments an anecdotal character, which stands for genuine individuals to uncover and condemn their debasement, the analyst takes after the descriptive-analytic strategy. Animal Farm is ostensibly an animal story, but deep down it is a moral story, a parody around the Russian Revolution of 1917 with wrong qualities of course battle. To a few degrees, Nineteen Eighty-Four moreover centres on the concepts of the free venture and person flexibility, which don't really exist. There as it were remains a world of scorn. Segregation, and fear as superpowers. Eurasia and East Asia are two superpowers and Oceania, the third one, is continuously at war with one of them. By using political parody within the two books, the writer makes a consul and curiously air that influences progressing the plot in arrange to provide a clear understanding and improving its structure. In arrange to connect the investigate questions and the discoveries, a nitty-gritty clarification on the concept of the parody has been displayed as a curiously literary method; something else, peruses would not discover a relationship between the two works. At long last, Orwell actually succeeds in encoding his knead within the shape of a parody and hence peruses associated with him.

method to streamline p-hacking

The analytic strategy of p-hacking has rapidly accelerated the achievement of psychological scientists’ goals (e.g., publications & tenure), but has suffered a number of setbacks in recent years. In order to remediate this, this article presents a statistical inference measure that can greatly accelerate and streamline the p-hacking process: generating random numbers that are < .05. I refer to this approach as pointless. Results of a simulation study are presented and an R script is provided for others to use. In the absence of systemic changes to modal p-hacking practices within psychological science (e.g., worrying trends such as preregistration and replication), I argue that vast amounts of time and research funding could be saved through the widespread adoption of this innovative approach.

Caution Before Embracing Team Mentoring in Academic Medical Research Training: Recommendations from a Qualitative Study

Background: Multidisciplinary team mentoring increasingly is being advocated for biomedical research training. Before implementing a curriculum that could include team mentoring, we asked faculty about their opinions of this mentoring approach. Questions/Purposes: The goals of this study were to ask faculty about the benefits, challenges, and drawbacks of team mentoring in research training. Methods: Twenty-two experienced mentors representing all academic departments at a single institution were interviewed about perceived benefits, drawbacks, and their willingness to participate in team mentoring. Responses were analyzed with qualitative techniques using grounded theory and a comparative analytic strategy. Results: Faculty noted academic pursuits in medicine usually occur within, and not across, specialties; thus, multidisciplinary team mentoring would require coordinating diverse work schedules, additional meetings, and greater time commitments. Other challenges included ensuring breadth of expertise without redundancy, skillfully managing group dynamics, and ensuring there is one decision-maker. Potential drawbacks for mentees included reluctance to voice preferences and forge unique paths, perceived necessity to simultaneously please many mentors, and less likelihood of establishing a professional bond with any particular mentor. Conclusions: Faculty recommended caution before embracing team mentoring models. An acceptable alternative might be a hybrid model with a primary mentor at the helm and a selected group of co-mentors committed to a multidisciplinary effort. This model requires training and professional development for primary mentors.

An Exploration of Barriers to Suicide Prevention Messaging With US Veterans

Background: Communication campaigns offer a portable intervention to effectively reach and engage target populations at risk for suicide including US veterans. Few studies have evaluated such efforts, and still fewer have examined factors that contribute to failed suicide prevention messaging. Aims: We aimed to examine characteristics of suicide prevention messages and persuasive processes that may underlie failed communicative intervention with US veterans. Method: Telephone interviews were completed with veterans ( N = 33) from June to September 2016 using a semi-structured interview guide. Interview transcripts were coded by the authors with NVivo using a constant comparison analytic strategy. Results: Several reasons emerged for why suicide prevention messaging may fail to produce intended responses among veterans. Participants identified message features (e.g., language, images, messenger) and communication strategies that may diminish campaign effects. Limitations: Findings are not generalizable, are limited to participants who used VA healthcare and were not suicidal, and are subject to several biases. Conclusion: This work provides initial insights into barriers to effective message use with veterans.

Combined mass spectrometry-guided genome mining and virtual screening for acaricidal activity in secondary metabolites of Bacillus velezensis W1

A comprehensive analytic strategy was performed to study the acaricidal activity ingredients of Bacillus velezensis W1, a strain for biological control of Tetranychus urticae.