The Effect of Cognitive Load on Decision Making with Graphically Displayed Uncertainty Information

An experiment examined the ability of five graphical displays to communicate uncertainty information when end users were under cognitive load (i.e., remembering an eight‐digit number). The extent to which people could accurately derive information from the graphs and the adequacy of decisions about optimal behaviors based on the graphs were assessed across eight scenarios in which probabilistic outcomes were described. Results indicated that the load manipulation did not have an overall effect on derivation of information from the graphs (i.e., mean and probability estimation) but did suppress the ability to optimize behavioral choices based on the graph. Cognitive load affected people's use of some graphical displays (basic probability distribution function) more than others. Overall, the research suggests that interpreting basic characteristics of uncertainty data is unharmed under conditions of limited cognitive resources, whereas more deliberative processing is negatively affected.     

In the Footsteps of Kurt Lewin: Practical Theorizing, Action Research, and the Psychology of Social Action

How and why do people become actively involved in doing good for others and for society by taking action to respond to social problems? Such involvement can take the form of participation in volunteerism and philanthropy, community groups and neighborhood organizations, and social activism and political movements. To understand the dynamics of these processes of social action, I draw on coordinated programs of basic and applied research, conducted in field and laboratory settings, to illustrate the complex interplay between features of persons and properties of their environments in determining why some individuals become involved in social action, what sustains their involvement over time, and the consequences of such action for individuals and for society. Then, building on the messages of these programs of research, and the theoretical perspectives guiding them, I consider implications for social policy issues of relevance to individuals, groups, and society as well as the ways in which the social sciences can contribute to the effective functioning of society and the well-being of its citizens.     

Factors Associated with the Decision-Making Process in Kinship Diversion

During the past two decades, child welfare professionals have given kinship care priority as the preferred least restrictive, most family-like placement option when a child has to be removed from his or her family. However, the available literature lacks investigation into what factors drive the decision to use kinship care, specifically an understanding of why some children are diverted from child welfare system (CWS) into unpaid kinship arrangements while other children enter the traditional foster care system. This study uses baseline (Wave 1) data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being II (NSCAW II), which provides information about children and caregivers in different types of kinship care. The data were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression based on the multiple imputed data files using NSCAW II weights. Results show important predictors of a child being diverted into private kinship care included the child’s age, caseworker’s educational background, and caseworker’s assessment of harm level. Important predictors of a child being diverted into voluntary kinship care included the maltreatment type, family structure, caseworker’s educational background, and caseworker’s assessment of risk level. Differentiating between the types of kinship diversion has important implications for practice and policy. Examining a variety of factors can help child welfare scholars develop a comprehensive understanding of the decision-making processes used in selecting kinship diversion for out-of-home placements.     

Typologies of Violence Among Youth Who Encounter Child Welfare Systems

This study explored patterns of violent delinquent behaviors using latent class analysis (LCA). The study sample consisted of 1,013 11- to 17-year-olds who participated in Wave 1 of the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW II). LCA was used to identify distinct patterns of violent delinquent behavior among youth involved in the child welfare system. The study found a model consisting of the two following classes: violent and normative. The study also examined how exposure to domestic violence, youths’ mental health, and youths’ substance abuse function as characteristics of the latent classes. Results showed members of the violent class were significantly more likely to report clinically significant depression and substance abuse. Racial differences did exist, showing members of the violent class were more likely to be Black than members of the normative class. The study found no differences on whether members of each class had been physically or sexually abused, experienced physical neglect, been exposed to domestic violence, or having a substance abusing parent, or a substantiated child maltreatment investigation. Results from this study could illuminate opportunities for prevention and intervention resources.     

Exploring Digital Culture in Virtual Teams: Implications for Leading and Developing Distributed Organisations

Understanding human communication in the technological age is becoming more complex as advances in technology and its use in human exchange are being magnified. New studies show that technology is no longer just a device for human connections; it is an integrated artefact in the human exchange and communication process. As a result, we are witnessing and experiencing new norms and patterns of behaviour, values in human connections, expectations of one another, language, and other symbol systems: a digital culture. This article explores further development of the digital culture model in relation to organisational work culture. Specifically, the dimensions related to digital communication and online group dynamics are further articulated from a literature review. The findings are also presented from a study of e-process teams in a distributed organisation based on data from a digital culture inventory, focus group observations, and participant reflections, which illustrate changes in behaviour, language, group dynamics, and communication exchange between team members working in a distributed organisation. The article aims to contribute new insights which could inform approaches to organisational development that view organisational culture as central to the process.     

Transition strategies for youths with sensory impairments: Educational,vocational and independent living considerations

Students with sensory impairments comprise a heterogeneous group that is often underserved by rehabilitation and other social services. This underserved status has been attributed to poor interagency collaboration and eligibility issues, the low incidence nature of these disabilities, and the shortage of trained professionals to address the specialized needs of these individuals. This article examines important educational and vocational characteristics of this population to assist rehabilitation professionals in supporting more effective transitions into employment and other adult roles. Specific transition considerations include unique learning challenges, assessment issues, assistive technology, and accommodations. The article concludes with strategies for transition planning, community integration, and evaluating transition outcomes.     

Drawing a connection from victim to victimizer.

1. The biological basis of the altered alarm/dissociative process during and after sexual trauma impedes the development of information processing essential for discerning intention, personal responsibility, sense of control over events, and trust in others. 2. Once this imbalance occurs, the child is restricted in developing cognitive schema to deal with interpersonal intimacy. This in turn results in secondary patterns of aggressiveness or avoidance. 3. The implication of this biological understanding of trauma and information processing for treatment underscores the necessity of reducing arousal, thus lessening the dissociative process. Drawings of the criminal act and the victim experience elicit cues connecting the two events, facilitating an increase in personal control over repeated aggressive acts.