*Indicates a student co-author.
Conger, Jay A. “Leveraging Leadership Development to Pre-Empt Leader Derailments.” Behavioral Sciences, vol. 14, November 2024, 1122.
Abstract: This article examines the role of leadership development interventions in pre-empting leader derailments. The research literature suggests that derailments are not only commonplace but associated with a range of significant costs, from financial, to mental health, to morale, to employee turnover, to missed opportunities. Given these costly consequences, this article seeks to answer the question: “Can leadership development—especially at early managerial-career stages and during transitions—play a significant role in mitigating leader derailments?” Research suggests that the majority of leadership failures occur—or are more visible—at senior organizational levels. This begs the question of whether development interventions earlier in a leader’s career might have preempted their later failure. What if the field of leadership development were to adopt a ‘preventative medicine’ model in which pre-empting derailments was the focus rather than ‘fixing’ leaders as they are derailing? Moreover, there appears to be an overreliance on coaching as the intervention of choice. What if the field were to leverage a broader range of development interventions beyond coaching to ensure a greater probability of minimizing derailments? Five interventions will be discussed which have the potential to pre-empt leadership failures, when deployed in unison.
Day, David V., Jay A. Conger, and Laura Dannhäuser. “Developing the Senior Leadership Team for Dynamic Capabilities.” Senior Leadership Teams and the Agile Organization, edited by Stephen J. Zaccaro, Nathan J. Hiller, and Richard Klimoski. Routledge, 2024, pp. 291-316.
Abstract: Becoming an agile organization includes developing the senior team for maximum adaptive responsiveness in dynamic and unpredictable competitive environments. Two overarching issues that will be addressed in this chapter involve understanding (a) how senior teams can match the complexity found in dynamic and unpredictable environments, and (b) the developmental pathways (e.g., practices and processes) that help the senior team in developing dynamic capabilities, increasing the likelihood of successful adaptation to leadership challenges (i.e., demonstrating leadership effectiveness). Doing so means working with the senior team at the collective level of analysis. As such, relevant interventions are considered as approaches to collective leadership development.
Costanzo, Mark, Sophia Costanzo, and Daniel A. Krauss. “Decisions surrounding the use of expert testimony.” Cambridge Handbook of Psychology and Legal Decision-Making, edited by Monica K. Miller, Logan A. Yelderman, Matthew T. Huss, and Jason A. Cantone. Cambridge University Press, 2024, pp. 355-364.
Abstract: The use of expert psychological testimony by the courts involves a series of decisions. The initial decision involves an attorney or judge seeking out an expert to provide testimony. The second set of decisions – usually made by the expert in consultation with the attorney – concerns whether the potential testimony will be helpful or harmful to the case. A third set of decisions – made by the judge in a specific case – concerns the admissibility and scope of expert testimony at trial. If the testimony is admitted at trial, a final decision involves how much or how little weight jurors give the expert testimony while arriving at a verdict. These decisions are strongly shaped by the adversarial system. Drawing on empirical research and their experiences as expert witnesses, the authors explore how these decisions are made. Relevant research is reviewed, particularly on the content and impact of expert psychological testimony. New directions for research are discussed.
Davis, Debra, Iris Blandón-Gitlin, Hayley Cleary, Mark Costanzo, Richard A. Leo, and Stephen Margolis. “Interrogation by Proxy: The Growing Role of Lay Interrogators in Eliciting Criminal Confessions.” Criminal Law Bulletin, vol. 59, no. 4, 2024, pp. 395-479.
Abstract: Scientific research on police interrogations and confessions has mushroomed since the 1990s. This wealth of theoretical and empirical work is restricted almost exclusively to circumstances where suspects are interrogated by persons they know to be police officers. However, suspects are often interrogated by, and offer incriminating statements or confessions to, persons who are not (or who are believed not to be) law enforcement personnel. We refer to these practices as “interrogations by proxy.” In this Article we explore four such practices: (1) pretext calls, where lay persons (often alleged victims) make recorded phone calls to suspects under the supervision of police using a pretext to elicit incriminating statements (the suspect is unaware that police are listening to the call and that the call is being recorded); (2) Perkins Operations, where undercover police officers pretend to be fellow jail inmates in a deceptive attempt to seduce suspects into making incriminating statements about their alleged crimes; (3) Mr. Big Operations, where undercover officers attempt to elicit confessions to crimes in the context of involving them in fake criminal organizations and activities; and (4) schoolhouse interrogations, where school administrators—either independently or in concert with school resource officers—elicit incriminating statements from students on school grounds that are then turned over to police for investigation and prosecution. “Interrogations by Proxy” have remained almost entirely unaddressed in the research literature. We explain why these procedures were developed, how they are enacted, and how they are similar and dissimilar to standard police interrogations. Finally, we discuss the ethics, risks, and unintended consequences of interrogations by proxy.
Alexander, Veronika, Laura Dannhäuser, and Paul J. Zak. “Office Openess Affects Stress Regulation and Teamwork: A Neurophysiological Field Study.” Occupational Health Science, vol. 8, 2024, pp. 103-125.
Abstract: Stimulating and sustaining teamwork can be a strategic asset for an organization. Yet, little has been done to objectively assess how office design affects team performance. We conducted a neuroscience field experiment of employees (N = 96) to examine how different open-office configurations impact three measures of neurophysiologic stress, affect, and creative problem-solving in three existing office configurations that varied in their degree of openness. Physiologic stress was lowest in the most open work setting resulting in higher performance and more rapid post-work physiologic recovery compared to less open configurations. We identified three core factors driving these results: high perceived privacy, a more pleasant ambience, and increased autonomy. This multimodal approach identifies neurophysiologic mechanisms linking office design to team performance.
Day, David V., and Laura Dannhäuser. “Reconsidering Leadership Development: From Programs to Developmental Systems.” Behavioral Sciences, vol 14, issue 7, 2024.
Abstract: We argue for reconsidering leadership development based on systems design principles. A primary advantage of systems thinking is that it encourages holistic approaches to development and avoids episodic program-based training and piecemeal thinking. The latter approaches are both limited and limiting yet tend to be the preferred approach to leadership development in organizations. Systems approaches to development offer numerous advantages both conceptually and pragmatically, especially through the incorporation of ongoing feedback cycles. Core practices that define a leadership development system are presented and implications are discussed.
Day, David V., Jay A. Conger, and Laura Dannhäuser. “Developing the Senior Leadership Team for Dynamic Capabilities.” Senior Leadership Teams and the Agile Organization, edited by Stephen J. Zaccaro, Nathan J. Hiller, and Richard Klimoski. Routledge, 2024, pp. 291-316.
Abstract: Becoming an agile organization includes developing the senior team for maximum adaptive responsiveness in dynamic and unpredictable competitive environments. Two overarching issues that will be addressed in this chapter involve understanding (a) how senior teams can match the complexity found in dynamic and unpredictable environments, and (b) the developmental pathways (e.g., practices and processes) that help the senior team in developing dynamic capabilities, increasing the likelihood of successful adaptation to leadership challenges (i.e., demonstrating leadership effectiveness). Doing so means working with the senior team at the collective level of analysis. As such, relevant interventions are considered as approaches to collective leadership development.
Day, David V. Developing Leaders and Leadership: Principles, Practices, and Processes. Palgrave Macmillan, 2024.
Abstract: This book offers a unique perspective on the principles and developmental pathways (i.e., practices, and processes) associated with developing leaders and leadership. Unlike most offerings on the topic of leadership development, it adopts an evidence-based approach to the scientific study of developing leaders and leadership, including the underlying theories that support this study. Focused on the processes associated with development within and across levels, the author presents a comprehensive summary of what we know about the developmental pathways associated with developing leaders and leadership, practices that motivate effective processes, and the theoretical principles that guide the study and understanding how individuals and collectives develop (i.e., change over time) in ways that increase their respective capacities for leadership. This book will appeal to those interested in understanding how leaders develop and the differences between developing leaders and developing leadership. It draws from theory and research from management, psychology, sociology, and education.
Day, David V., Jay A. Conger, and Laura Dannhäuser. “Developing the Senior Leadership Team for Dynamic Capabilities.” Senior Leadership Teams and the Agile Organization, edited by Stephen J. Zaccaro, Nathan J. Hiller, and Richard Klimoski. Routledge, 2024, pp. 291-316.
Abstract: Becoming an agile organization includes developing the senior team for maximum adaptive responsiveness in dynamic and unpredictable competitive environments. Two overarching issues that will be addressed in this chapter involve understanding (a) how senior teams can match the complexity found in dynamic and unpredictable environments, and (b) the developmental pathways (e.g., practices and processes) that help the senior team in developing dynamic capabilities, increasing the likelihood of successful adaptation to leadership challenges (i.e., demonstrating leadership effectiveness). Doing so means working with the senior team at the collective level of analysis. As such, relevant interventions are considered as approaches to collective leadership development.
Day, David V., and Laura Dannhäuser. “Reconsidering Leadership Development: From Programs to Developmental Systems.” Behavioral Sciences, vol 14, issue 7, 2024.
Abstract: We argue for reconsidering leadership development based on systems design principles. A primary advantage of systems thinking is that it encourages holistic approaches to development and avoids episodic program-based training and piecemeal thinking. The latter approaches are both limited and limiting yet tend to be the preferred approach to leadership development in organizations. Systems approaches to development offer numerous advantages both conceptually and pragmatically, especially through the incorporation of ongoing feedback cycles. Core practices that define a leadership development system are presented and implications are discussed.
Newstead, Toby P., Nathan Eva, and David V. Day. “Where are you coming from? A place-based approach to developing leader self-awareness.” Academy of Management Learning & Education, vol. 23, no. 4, 2024, pp. 554-577.
Abstract: Developing leader self-awareness is widely accepted as central to leader education and development, but leader development theory remains nascent. Our aim is to shift consensus among leader development scholars and practitioners to recognize the limitations of current approaches to developing leader self-awareness and the pressing need to develop more advanced leader self-awareness. The key limitations in extant approaches are a lack of consideration of external forces that shape self and a failure to account for "self" as an ill-structured problem--that is, a problem without a single correct answer. To address these limitations and guide the shifting of consensus, we theorize the function of reflective judgment in enabling more complex and holistic leader self-awareness by reflecting on how leaders' formative places shape who they are and how they lead. We detail a place-based structured reflection protocol designed to activate advanced stages of reflective judgment and thereby facilitate more holistic leader self-awareness by directing attention to how their selves have been shaped by the places they inhabit and thus why they are who they are and why they lead how they lead--where such holistic self-views are a prerequisite to leading effectively in our complex world.
Day, David V. “Leadership development.” Elgar Encyclopedia of Occupational Health Psychology, edited by Cary Cooper, Paula Brough, and Vicki L. Anderson. Edward Elgar, 2024, pp. 106-108.
Abstract: The development of leaders and leadership (collectively referred to as leadership development) is integral to healthy workplaces, and therefore of interest to those who study occupational health psychology. Leadership development interventions can benefit not only the leaders or primary participants engaged in developmental opportunities. Those who participate in shared work with the primary participants (i.e., secondary participants) can benefit from being exposed to more highly developed leaders. This entry provides an overview of the self-views in leadership development— leader identity, leadership self-efficacy, and self-awareness— and the leadership-related knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are the focus of developmental interventions. There is an emerging science of leadership development that is distinct from the more voluminous leadership literature. Opportunities exist for contributing to this nascent science, especially in terms of linking leadership development more closely with creating and sustaining healthy workplaces.
Doan, Stacey, Alexandra Sara Aringer, Jessica M. Vicman, and Thomas Fuller-Rowell. “Chronic Physiological Dysregulation and Changes in Depressive Symptoms: Testing Sex and Race as Vulnerability Factors.” Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 2024.
Abstract: Depression is a growing public health concern that affects approximately 5% of adults in their lifetime (WHO in Depression, 2021). Understanding the biological correlates of depression is imperative for advancing treatment. Of particular interest is allostatic load, a multisystem indicator of chronic physiological dysregulation (McEwen and Seeman in, Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1999). The current longitudinal study examined the association between allostatic load, depressive symptoms, and the moderating roles of sex and race. Participants consisted of 150 young adults (Mage = 18.81) who reported their demographics and depressive symptoms at T1 and T2, a year and a half later. Allostatic load was computed using indicators of metabolic, cardiovascular, and neuroendocrine functioning. Allostatic load was found to predict changes in depressive symptoms. Moreover, interaction effects models revealed that the associations between allostatic load and depressive symptoms at follow-up were further influenced by sex, such that the relationship was significant for males, with pronounced effects for Black males in particular. Black males may be particularly vulnerable to the mental health consequences of biological dysregulation.
Venkatesh, Shruthi, and Stacey N. Doan. “Feeding under fire: Relations between parental stress hormones and controlling feeding behaviors.” Appetite, vol. 198, July 2024.
Abstract: Under stress, parents tend to use more controlling feeding behaviors toward their children (Berge et al., 2017; Doan et al., 2022; Loth et al., 2016). However, the majority of prior work focuses on subjective reports of stress, and there is a dearth of research examining parental physiological stress and its impact on feeding behaviors. In the current study, we examined how parental physiological stress reactivity would influence their feeding behaviors under mild stress in a lab-based setting. Parents (n = 83, 50 % females) and their children (59% female, Mage = 42 months, SD = 4.48) participated. Stress was induced using the Trier Social Stress Test in the laboratory (Kirshbaum et al., 1993). Salivary samples were collected at 4 time points during the visit to index stress reactivity and later assayed for cortisol and DHEA. Parent-child interactions during the anticipatory period of the stress test were observationally coded for parent use of controlling feeding behaviors. To examine whether parent stress physiology predicts their feeding behaviors, we ran a Poisson regression using income, parent ethnicity, parent sex (mom/dad), time of day, and DHEA/cortisol ratio as predictors of controlling feeding behavior. Latinx parents used less controlling feeding behaviors, b = −0.323, p = 0.041 than non-Latinx parents. Parents with a higher DHEA/Cortisol ratio were less likely to use controlling feeding behaviors, b = −0.231, p = 0.008. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that for both mothers and fathers, DHEA relative to cortisol has a protective role in controlling feeding practices, and lends support to the role of acute stress reactivity in predicting behavioral outcomes.
Swaminathan, Kavya, Samantha MacDonald, and Stacey Doan. “Brief Report: An Examination of Curvilinear Relations Between Perceived Mother–Child Closeness and Maternal Hair Cortisol.” Developmental Psychobiology, vol. 66, issue 7, November 2024.
Abstract: Interpersonal closeness has important health benefits; however, recent work suggests that in certain contexts, closeness can come at a cost. In the current study, curvilinear relations between mother–child closeness and health (e.g., depressive and anxiety symptoms and hair cortisol concentrations [HCC]) were tested. Our sample consisted of 117 mother (Mage = 36.86) and child (Mage = 73.07 months, 50.86% male) dyads. A quadratic relationship between maternal perceived closeness with their child and self-reported depressive and anxiety symptoms, along with overall hair cortisol output, was hypothesized. Path analysis suggested that the quadratic term was predictive of maternal cortisol (β = 0.28, p = 0.001) and depression (β = 0.23, p = 0.014), such that both high and low perceived closeness predict greater maternal depressive symptoms and HCCs as compared to moderate levels of closeness. Results are discussed in terms of parenting support and burnout.
Bridgewater, Jessie M., Sara R. Berzenski, Stacey N. Doan, and Tuppett M. Yates. “Early life adversity and adolescent sleep problems during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Stress and Health, vol. 40, issue 3, June 2024.
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a reorganization of adolescents' routines, especially their sleep schedules. Utilising 175 caregiver-adolescent dyads, the current study examined associations of biological (e.g., prenatal substance use), environmental (e.g., poverty), and relational (e.g., child maltreatment) subtypes of early life adversity (ELA) with various components of adolescents' sleep across the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Relational ELA explained unique variance in adolescents' sleep disturbances, but not other sleep components, following short- and longer-term exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the direction of this association switched such that relational ELA predicted decreased sleep disturbances during the initial phase of the U.S. COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020 beyond pre-pandemic levels, but, over time, contributed to increased sleep disturbances beyond early-pandemic levels as the pandemic extended into the winter of 2020.
Smiley, Patricia A., Ashley Ahn, M. Betsy Blackard, Jessica L. Borelli, and Stacey Doan. “Undoing mothers’ avoidant coping with children’s negative emotion: A randomized controlled trial of relational savoring.” Journal of Family Psychology, vol. 38, no. 3, 2024, pp. 365-376.
Abstract: Some mothers report using avoidant coping strategies (minimizing, punishing) in response to their young children’s negative emotion, an aspect of insensitive parenting that places children at risk for emotional or behavioral dysregulation (Fabes et al., 2001) and insecure attachment (De Wolff & van Ijzendoorn, 1997). In prior work, an in-home attachment-based relational savoring (RS) intervention, administered over a month’s time, positively affected maternal emotion and sensitive behavior with young children (Borelli et al., 2023); further, a one-time online RS protocol had greater impacts on emotion and relationship satisfaction for mothers with greater attachment avoidance (Burkhart et al., 2015). However, we do not yet know whether a brief, laboratory intervention impacts highly avoidant mothers’ behavior with their children and not just their self-reports of satisfaction. Here, we examine whether mothers’ endorsement of avoidant coping strategies moderates the effect of an RS versus active control intervention on mothers’ use of emotion-coaching during an emotionally charged conversation with their child. Mothers (N = 122; Mage = 33.42, SD = 5.40) and their preschoolers (Mage = 41.80 months, SD = 4.65; 48.4% female) from diverse backgrounds (41% Latina, 40% White [non-Latina]; 42% under $60,000 annual income) participated. The interaction between condition and level of avoidant coping on mothers’ emotion-coaching behaviors was significant. Mothers high in avoidant coping (top quartile) displayed better emotion-coaching during the emotion conversation if they had been in the RS condition. Savoring may be a valuable tool to promote effective emotion-coaching among parents most prone to avoid their children’s negative emotion.
Doan, Stacey N., Alicia S. Davis, and Thomas E. Fuller-Rowell. “Cortisol and changes in depressive symptoms: The moderating role of DHEA.” Psychoneuroendocrinology, vol. 161, March 2024.
Abstract: Stress is associated with activation of the hypothalamus-adrenal-axis (HPA). Cortisol, a product of the HPA, is thought to predict depression. However, to date, the majority of studies investigating the cortisol-depression relationship have been cross-sectional and results have been mixed. One possible reason for these mixed findings, may be that many studies fail to consider the moderating role of dehydroepiandosterone (DHEA), which is released alongside cortisol and is thought to serve opposing functions. Therefore, the present study investigated the main and interactive effects of cortisol and DHEA on depressive symptoms. Salivary cortisol and DHEA were measured from saliva throughout the Trier Social Stress task for N = 417 participants at baseline. Participants reported on their depressive symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory - II at both baseline and follow up (ranging from 1–20 months post baseline; M = 11.60, SD = 5.80) as well as general demographics. The lavaan package in R (version 0.6.11; Rosseel, 2012) was used to conduct multiple regression analyses with FIML to explore the relationships between these variables. Results demonstrated no main effect of cortisol or DHEA, but did show a significant interaction with DHEA. The relations between cortisol and depressive symptoms depended on levels of DHEA such that the relationship was positive at low and negative at high levels of DHEA, with the overall interaction significant (β = −.22, p < .001, 95% CI = [−.333, −.115]). DHEA can act as a protective factor against depression when cortisol levels are high. This presents opportunities for future research on how to improve DHEA levels to potentially reduce depression.
Taghian, Nadine, E. Marie Parsons, Hayley E. Fitzgerald, Michael J. Zvolensky, Eugenia I. Gorlin, Stacey Doan, and Michael W. Otto. “Stressful Life Events and Depression in Adolescents from Low-Income Neighborhoods: An Investigation of the Role of Working Memory Capacity and Distress Intolerance.” Cognitive Therapy and Research, vol. 49, no. 1, July 2024, pp. 169-176.
Abstract: Background: Lower socio-economic status (SES) is associated with experiencing a greater number of life stressors and increased risk for depression. This study investigated two factors for adaptive coping—working memory capacity (WMC) and distress intolerance (DI)—as moderators of the association between frequency of stressful life events and depressed mood, controlling for age and gender. We hypothesized that lower WMC and greater DI, alone and in interaction with each other, would moderate the association between the frequency of stressful life events and depression. Methods: Our sample included 82 adolescents (M = 14 years) recruited from youth mentorship programs, charter schools, and youth community centers. A majority being female (54.9%) and reported their race and/or ethnicity as Other race/Hispanic (43.9%), and Black/non-Hispanic (30.5%). Participants completed self-report measures of stressful life events, depression, DI, and a behavioral measure of WMC. Results: Results showed a statistically significant main effect of self-reported DI predicting depression (p < .001), such that higher DI scores were associated with higher levels of depression. Conclusions: Our findings join broader literature indicating that DI is an important regulatory process that may be a useful mechanistic target to enhance emotional functioning, especially among racially/ethnically diverse adolescents from low SES neighborhoods, a relatively understudied population.
Henshaw, Erin, Marie Cooper, Teresa Wood, Sanchita Krishna, Marie Lockhart, and Stacey Doan. “A randomized controlled trial of the Happy, Healthy, Loved personalized text-message program for new parent couples: impact on breastfeeding self-efficacy and mood.” BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, vol. 24, no. 506, 2024.
Abstract: Background: Breastfeeding self-efficacy has been identified as an important influence on breastfeeding outcomes. Among new parent couples, partners are uniquely positioned to be sources of support for developing breastfeeding self-efficacy, yet few breastfeeding programs have attempted to involve partners directly. The purpose of this study was to test the impact of a novel program, Happy, Healthy, Loved, on breastfeeding self-efficacy and maternal mood through emphasizing partner support and actively addressing postpartum-specific stress management in a tailored text message delivery program. Methods: A randomized trial was conducted in which primiparous mother-partner dyads intending to exclusively breastfeed were recruited at midwestern hospitals 2–3 days after delivery. The clinical trial was pre-registered at clinicaltrials.gov (#NCT04578925, registration date 7/24/2020). Couples were randomized to receive intervention or an attentional control. Couples randomized to the intervention group then completed a brief interactive educational tablet program together (Happy, Healthy, Loved), followed by 6 weeks of tailored text messages providing reminders, coping strategies, and motivational milestones to improve breastfeeding self-efficacy. Participants in the control group received usual care followed by 6 weeks of attentional control text messages about infant development. Surveys were delivered at baseline, 6 weeks, and 6 months postpartum to both mother and partner to assess breastfeeding self-efficacy, mood, and social support (n = 62 couples). Results: Outcomes of ANCOVA with baseline self-efficacy as a covariate showed a significant effect of intervention on 6 months breastfeeding self-efficacy when compared to control group. No other significant differences were found at 6 weeks or 6 months postpartum in breastfeeding self-efficacy, depressive or anxious symptoms. Conclusions: Results of the present investigation suggest that a text-based dyad intervention improved breastfeeding self-efficacy at 6 months, but not 6 weeks, postpartum, indicating that text-based mother-partner interventions are a promising direction to continue exploring in postpartum health research.
Rubin Rojas*, Gavriella, Jennifer Feitosa, and M. Gloria González-Morales. “Mindfulness in Teams.” Stress and Well-Being in Teams, edited by Peter D. Harms and Chu-Hsiang (Daisy) Chang. Emerald Publishing Limited, 2024.
Abstract: Mindfulness-based interventions are on the rise in workplace settings to enhance Well-Being and address work stress. Their popularity is in part due to the fact that they are often assumed to have a net positive impact on both workers’ Well-Being and organizational functioning. However, the majority of workplace mindfulness practice and research focuses on individual-level mindfulness interventions and their associated outcomes, like reduced stress. However, the modern workplace is highly dependent on positive team functioning, and the impact of mindfulness in teams is lesser known. This review differentiates individual mindfulness from team mindfulness and explores how both individual and team mindfulness impact team functioning. The authors review mindfulness and teams’ literature to understand antecedents, correlated mediators, and consequences of mindfulness in team contexts, team processes, and the boundary conditions related to mindfulness outcomes. This review adds to the budding theoretical conversation regarding mindfulness at work and contributes valuable insight into the practical applications of mindfulness in teams.
Handke, Lisa, Patrícia Costa, and Jennifer Feitosa. “Development and Validation of the Team Perceived Virtuality Scale.” Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings, vol. 2024, no. 1, July 2024.
Abstract: With the strong proliferation of virtual teams across various organizations and contexts, understanding how virtuality affects teamwork has become fundamental to team and organizational effectiveness. However, current conceptualizations of virtuality rely almost exclusively on more or less fixed, structural features, such as the degree of technology reliance. In this paper, we take a socio-constructivist perspective on team virtuality, focusing on individuals’ experience of team virtuality, which may vary across teams and time points with similar structural features. More specifically, we develop and validate a scale that captures the construct of Team Perceived Virtuality (Handke et al., 2021). We present the results of five different studies that demonstrate the construct’s content, structural, discriminant, and criterion validity with an overall number of 2,294 teams. The final instrument comprises 10 items that measure the two dimensions of Team Perceived Virtuality (collectively-experienced distance and collectively-experienced information deficits) with five items each. This final scale showed a very good fit to a two-dimensional structure both at individual and team levels and adequate psychometric properties including aggregation indices. We further provide evidence for conceptual and empirical distinctiveness of the two TPV dimensions based on related team constructs, and for criterion validity, showing the expected significant relationships with leader-rated interaction quality and team performance. Lastly, we generalize results from student project teams to an organizational team sample.
Handke, Lisa, Patrícia Costa, and Jennifer Feitosa. “How Virtual are We? Introducing the Team Perceived Virtuality Scale.” Journal of Business and Psychology, June 2024.
Abstract: With the strong proliferation of virtual teams across various organizations and contexts, understanding how virtuality affects teamwork has become fundamental to team and organizational effectiveness. However, current conceptualizations of virtuality rely almost exclusively on more or less fixed, structural features, such as the degree of technology reliance. In this paper, we take a socio-constructivist perspective on team virtuality, focusing on individuals’ experience of team virtuality, which may vary across teams and time points with similar structural features. More specifically, we develop and validate a scale that captures the construct of Team Perceived Virtuality (Handke et al., 2021). Following a description of item development and content validity, we present the results of four different studies that demonstrate the construct’s structural, discriminant, and criterion validity with an overall number of 2,294 teams. The final instrument comprises 10 items that measure the two dimensions of Team Perceived Virtuality (collectively-experienced distance and collectively-experienced information deficits) with five items each. This final scale showed a very good fit to a two-dimensional structure both at individual and team levels and adequate psychometric properties including aggregation indices. We further provide evidence for conceptual and empirical distinctiveness of the two TPV dimensions based on related team constructs, and for criterion validity, showing the expected significant relationships with leader-rated interaction quality and team performance. Lastly, we generalize results from student project teams to an organizational team sample. Accordingly, this scale can enhance both research and practice as a validated instrument to address how team virtuality is experienced.
Harmata, Rebecca, Nohelia Argote*, Reggie Romain, and Jennifer Feitosa. “Igniting progress: SIOP’s role in advocating DEI policy change.” Industrial and Organizational Psychology, vol. 17, issue 4, November 2024.
Abstract: Now more than ever, SIOP should leverage its expertise and influence to drive significant change, advocating tirelessly for a future where every workplace is inclusive and equitable. SIOP's unwavering commitment to building effective organizations and enhancing worker well-being already positions SIOP as the pinnacle of science and practice in industrial-organizational psychology. As DEI efforts face increasing legal challenges, SIOP must also be a reliable beacon of ethical standards and truth, boldly championing all aspects of DEI. By taking a stand and leading with conviction, SIOP can champion decision making that is both innovative and well grounded, leading to impactful and meaningful progress in the DEI landscape. In the following commentary, we argue DEI advocacy directly aligns with SIOP's strategic goals and objectives and outline actionable steps SIOP can take to fulfill these promises. The stakes are high, and the time for SIOP to lead is now.
Feitosa, Jennifer, Alicia S. Davis*, Reggie Romain, and Fabrice Delice. “Team Membership Change Events: Processes That Support Gender Diverse Teams.” Small Group Research, vol. 55, issue 3, June 2024, pp. 375-416.
Abstract: Recent global events have triggered compositional changes in the workplace (e.g., intentional diversification and sudden team member removal). This study investigates whether team gender diversity and the novelty of membership changes moderate the relationship between team processes and performance. We found that development of team confidence plays a pivotal role in shaping performance through its influence on backup behavior. Moreover, gender-balanced teams were better at translating their confidence into backup behaviors, and teams experiencing reduced novelty during membership change events tend to leverage these behaviors more effectively, leading to enhanced overall performance. We explored several theoretical and practical implications.
Shirley*, Saskia L., and Jennifer Feitosa. “Challenging Assumptions: Gender, Peer Evaluations, and the Broken Rung in Leadership Trajectories.” Merits, vol. 4, issue 3, August 2024, pp. 263-276.
Abstract: The concept of the ‘glass ceiling’ represents the significant barriers that women face in climbing the corporate hierarchy, but recently, the focus has shifted to the ‘broken bottom rung’, where women are bypassed for initial leadership roles. This paper investigates the impact of gender on performance evaluations, particularly female-to-female peer ratings, which are critical to career progression. Our study tested three hypotheses about the disparity in female allyship within professional contexts. Participants (N = 160) from psychology classes in 2018–2019 evaluated their peers in project teams using five ITPMetrics measures. Contrary to previous research suggesting that women receive more critical evaluations than men, this study found no evidence supporting such bias. However, it revealed that women scored higher in process-based skills rather than outcome-based skills, aligning with role congruity theory and the notion of gendered skills. These findings highlight the need for further research into female peer evaluations and their impact on career advancement. This study challenges assumptions about women’s roles in the workplace and advocates for organizations reconsidering the emphasis placed on performance appraisals, proposing alternative assessment methods to foster more equitable and inclusive professional environments.
Fenning, Rachel M., Cameron L. Neece, Catherine M. Sanner, and Holly E. R. Morrell. “Efficacy and Implementation of Stress-Reduction Interventions for Underserved Families of Autistic Preschoolers Across In-Person and Virtual Modalities.” Mindfulness, vol. 15, 2024, pp. 2995-3011.
Abstract: Objectives: Parents of autistic children experience elevated stress relative to parents of children with neurotypical development and children with other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Adverse effects of parenting stress on parent, child, and family functioning may be especially heightened for marginalized families. We conducted a randomized controlled trial that demonstrated the efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) relative to psychoeducational support (PE) for reducing stress in diverse and underserved parents of autistic preschoolers. This paper presents implementation data, and examines efficacy across in-person and virtual intervention modalities. Method: Primary caregivers (n = 117; 91% female, 51% Latinx, 44% income < US $50,000) of 3- to 5-year-old autistic children (80% male, 68% with intellectual disability) were randomly assigned to MBSR (n = 59, 46% virtual) or PE (n = 58, 41% virtual). Assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 6 and 12 months post-intervention. Results: Both MBSR and PE demonstrated strong feasibility, acceptability, and utility for our diverse families. Comparable efficacy was observed across modalities. However, attendance was significantly better for virtual groups than for in-person groups. Parents participating in virtual MBSR also reported less difficulty completing homework and utilizing learned skills in everyday life than did in-person MBSR participants. Conclusions: MBSR and PE appear feasible, acceptable, and efficacious for diverse and underserved parents of young autistic children. Preliminary evidence of comparable efficacy across virtual and in-person modalities indicates the potential to expand access to vital stress-reduction interventions through use of telehealth technology.
Baker, Jason K., Rachel M. Fenning, Amanda E. Preston, Neilson Chan, Hadley A. McGregor, and Cameron L. Neece. “Parental Distress and Parenting Behavior in Families of Preschool Children with and Without ASD: Spillover and Buffering.” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, vol. 54, 2024, pp. 4661-4673.
Abstract: Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) report increased distress relative to parents of children with neurotypical development. Parent well-being is generally considered a key determinant of parenting behavior, thus increased distress may spill over into less optimal parenting in families of children with ASD. However, evidence is mixed regarding the degree to which parenting is actually compromised in this population, suggesting the possibility of buffering, wherein the parenting of children with ASD may be robust against spillover from increased parental distress. The current study tested competing spillover and buffering models with regard to relations among child ASD status, parental distress, and parenting behavior. Parents of preschoolers with (n = 73) and without (n = 55) ASD completed self-report measures of parenting stress, depressive symptoms, and emotion dysregulation, as well as of positive and negative parenting behaviors. Families of preschoolers with ASD reported higher distress and negative parenting, and lower positive parenting than did their counterparts. Findings supported the spillover model for negative parenting such that increased parental distress accounted for status-group differences in negative parenting. In contrast, potential buffering was observed for positive parenting in that an inverse association between distress and parenting was observed for parents of children with neurotypical development only. Findings highlight the potential benefit of intervention to reduce parental distress in families of children with ASD, but also suggest some existing ability of these families to buffer certain parenting behaviors from deleterious effects of parent distress.
Rubin, Daniela A., Adam M. Hyde, Rachel M. Fenning, Kathleen S. Wilson, and Debra J. Rose. “Motor proficiency in young children with Prader-Willi syndrome: a preliminary report.” Brazilian Journal of Motor Behavior, vol. 18, no. 1, 2024.
Abstract: Background: Systematic documentation of motor characteristics in young children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is vital as access to treatments improves. Aim: To characterize motor proficiency (MP) in young children with PWS. Method: Participants included 6 children (3 male and 3 female) with PWS and 13 children with neurotypical development (NT), (9 male and 4 female) ages 4-6 years. Five out of six children with PWS had been on growth hormone replacement therapy (GHRT) for >3 years. Some children with PWS exhibited cognitive delays and others performed within the average range (Intellectual quotient mean± standard deviation = 65.3 ± 7.62, range = 47 – 94). MP was measured using the Short Form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Second Edition (BOT-2-SF). Results: Children with PWS scored lower than children with NT in all areas of MP except for fine motor integration. All children with PWS scored well-below average for total MP; children with NT scored average (n=10) or above-average (n=3) for total MP, respectively. Conclusion: At this young age children with PWS universally exhibited poor MP despite most of them being on GHRT and some exhibited intellectual functioning in the average range. Evidence of BOT-2-SF floor effects underscores the need to refine assessment procedures and enhance measurement precision for this population.
Benjamin, Laurel R., Megan L. Krantz, Rachel M. Fenning, and Cameron L. Neece. “Parenting Stress and Child Behavior Problems among Latino and non-Latino Families of Autistic Children: Exploring Day-to-Day Temporal Relations.” Journal of Child and Family Studies, vol. 33, 2024, pp. 3302-3316.
Abstract: Behavior problems are common among young autistic children and are related to elevated parenting stress levels among their caregivers. However, previous studies of this population have rarely examined relations between child behavior problems and parenting stress at a daily level and, to date, have not examined how these relations may differ for Latino families. Using a day-to-day, within-person design, this study bidirectionally examined these temporal relations among 70 families of autistic children (ages 3–5 years, 74.3% male, 49% Latino parents) who participated in a 14-day daily-diary study. Parent-reported child behavior problem severity and parenting stress were measured daily. Constructs were partitioned into their between- and within-person components and analyzed using time-lagged MLM models. At the between-person level, greater reported child behavior problem severity, relative to the group average, was positively associated with next-day parenting stress and vice versa. This relationship was moderated by Latino ethnicity, such that the positive relationship between reported child behavior problem severity and next-day parenting stress was weaker for Latino (versus non-Latino) families. These bidirectional relationships differed at the within-person level, such that, unexpectedly, greater-than-usual parenting stress, compared to parents’ own average, was negatively associated with next-day child behavior severity. Findings underscore the value of using daily diary methodology to decompose between- and within-person effects, and reveal potential intervention targets to improve parent and child functioning, particularly among minoritized families of autistic children.
Neece, Cameron L., Rachel M. Fenning, Holly E.R. Morrell, and Laurel R. Benjamin. “Comparative effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction and psychoeducational support on parenting stress in families of autistic preschoolers.” Autism, vol. 28, issue 4, 2024, pp. 985-998.
Abstract: Relative to parents of children with neurotypical development and other developmental disabilities, parents of autistic children experience higher levels of parenting stress, which are associated with deleterious consequences for parents’ mental and physical health and child functioning. Despite urgent calls to action, parenting stress is rarely addressed directly in interventions for families of autistic children, and less so in underserved and racial/ethnic minority populations where clinical needs are greater. This study tested the efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction, compared to a psychoeducation and support intervention, in reducing parenting stress among diverse families of autistic preschoolers. Participants (N = 117) were randomly assigned to the mindfulness-based stress reduction or psychoeducation and support groups; assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately postintervention, and 6 and 12 months postintervention. Results indicated significant reductions in parenting stress across both the mindfulness-based stress reduction and psychoeducation and support intervention conditions; however, reductions in parenting stress were greater for parents in mindfulness-based stress reduction than in psychoeducation and support. Furthermore, the benefit of mindfulness-based stress reduction relative to psychoeducation and support increased over time, with significant group differences in parenting stress detected at 12-month follow-up.
External Grant: Fenning, Rachel. “Leon Strauss Autism Clinic at The Claremont Autism Center.” Simon-Strauss Foundation, 2024, $5,000.
Hwang, Wei-Chin, and Yuhan Kong. “Addressing Systemic Racism in Mental Health Care.” Review of General Psychology, vol. 28, issue 4, 2024.
Abstract: Systemic racism is a public health crisis that needs to be urgently and effectively addressed. Historical racism, contemporary biases, and prejudicial attitudes have persistently affected and damaged the mental health of people of color (POC) throughout the world. Although the 2021 apology from American Psychological Association (APA) acknowledged the profession’s contribution to racism, much more work needs to be done to rectify and address past and current harm. A comprehensive, actionable, and concrete plan is needed to catalyze change. Adopting a socioecological approach can help tackle the multiple levels in which discrimination and unequal treatment take place. This necessitates more than just addressing the social determinants of illness, but also transforming the cultural competence of providers, organizations, and the mental health delivery system. Key to improving outcomes for POC domestically and abroad is increasing the affordability and access to care, diversifying and improving the cultural competence of the mental health workforce, and developing culturally adapted and effective care tailored to meet the culture-specific needs of diverse communities. Progress can only happen through proactive action and utilization of an anti-racist stance that commits significant financial and scientific resources to promote institutional, structural, systemic, and policy changes.
Frederick, Richard I., James W. Mikesell, Randy K. Otto, Kyle Brauer Boone, Robert A. Beattey, Jerry J. Sweet, Daniel A. Krauss, and Joe Scroppo. “Ethical considerations for demands for evidence in forensic examinations.” Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, vol. 55, issue 3, 2024, pp. 179-196.
Abstract: Ethics in Motion articles present complex issues with multiple, often divergent perspectives regarding important ethical issues in psychology. The current collection, Ethical Considerations for Demands for Evidence in Forensic Examinations, represents multiple viewpoints regarding the potential conflict between due process rights and efforts to protect sensitive information associated with forensic assessment.
Scurich, Nicholas, and Daniel Krauss. “A Widely Used Criminal Justice Algorithm For Assessing Child Pornography Recidivism Is Flawed.” Scientific American, May 20, 2024.
Abstract: In today's criminal justice system, there are more than 400 algorithms on the market that inform important legal decisions like sentencing and parole. Much like insurance companies use algorithms to set premiums, judges use risk assessment algorithms to estimate the likelihood someone will become a repeat offender when they render prison sentences. Generally speaking, lower-risk offenders can and do receive shorter prison sentences than higher-risk offenders.
Krauss, Daniel A., and William Ellsworth*. “The Communication of Risk to Legal Decision-Makers.” The Cambridge Handbook of Psychology and Legal Decision-Making, edited by Monica K. Miller, Logan A. Yelderman, Matthew T. Huss, and Jason A. Cantone. Cambridge University Press, 2024.
Abstract: Expert testimony concerning risk and its communication to the trier of fact and other legal actors has important implications for some of the most significant legal decisions, from pretrial detention to capital sentencing. Although considerable psycholegal research has focused on the process of risk assessment and management, a limited number of studies have examined how risk is communicated and interpreted by judges, juries, and other legal decision-makers as well as the public. This chapter examines the primary methods of risk communication and critiques their usefulness based upon the legal contexts in which they are most commonly offered. In particular, legal decisions based upon risk concerning pretrial release, sentencing determinations, and sexually violent predator (SVP) laws are highlighted to discuss more general issues with risk communication in the legal system. Suggestions for more effective and accurate presentation of risk are offered, as well as the practical and legal policy implications of adopting such practices.
Costanzo, Mark, Sophia Costanzo, and Daniel A. Krauss. “Decisions surrounding the use of expert testimony.” Cambridge Handbook of Psychology and Legal Decision-Making, edited by Monica K. Miller, Logan A. Yelderman, Matthew T. Huss, and Jason A. Cantone. Cambridge University Press, 2024, pp. 355-364.
Abstract: The use of expert psychological testimony by the courts involves a series of decisions. The initial decision involves an attorney or judge seeking out an expert to provide testimony. The second set of decisions – usually made by the expert in consultation with the attorney – concerns whether the potential testimony will be helpful or harmful to the case. A third set of decisions – made by the judge in a specific case – concerns the admissibility and scope of expert testimony at trial. If the testimony is admitted at trial, a final decision involves how much or how little weight jurors give the expert testimony while arriving at a verdict. These decisions are strongly shaped by the adversarial system. Drawing on empirical research and their experiences as expert witnesses, the authors explore how these decisions are made. Relevant research is reviewed, particularly on the content and impact of expert psychological testimony. New directions for research are discussed.
Vincente, Brittany R., Daniel N. McIntosh, and Catherine L. Reed. “Relative contributions of the face and body to social judgements: emotion, threat and status.” Cognition and Emotion, vol. 38, issue 8, 2024, pp. 1285-1302.
Abstract: Do the nonverbal signals used to make social judgements differ depending on the type of judgement being made and what other nonverbal signals are visible? Experiment 1 investigated how nonverbal signals across three channels (face: angry/fearful, posture: expanded/ contracted, lean: forward/backward), when viewed together, were used for judgements of emotion, threat, and status. Experiment 2 replicated Experiment 1 and explored how use of the body channels differed in making social judgements when the face channel was obscured. Both experiments found facial anger linked to high anger, threat, and status ratings; facial fear was linked to low ratings. Expanded body posture increased threat and status judgements, while backward lean decreased anger and threat. With the face channel blocked (Experiment 2B), the influence of body posture increased across emotion, threat, and status judgements, while body lean was more consistent. Findings demonstrate that despite the face’s importance across types of social judgements, the body channels differentially contribute to judgements of emotion, threat and status. Further, they are differentially affected by the absence of facial information. How much face and body-related channels are used in social judgements is moderated by the type of judgement being made and the availability of other (particularly facial) channel information.
Denaro, Chandlyr M., Catherine L. Reed, Jasmin Joshi, Astrid Petropoulos, Anjali Thapar, Alan A. Hartley. “Age-related similarities and differences in cognitive and neural processing revealed by task-related microstate analysis.” Neurobiology of Aging, vol. 136, April 2024, pp. 9-22.
Abstract: We explored neural processing differences associated with aging across four cognitive functions. In addition to ERP analysis, we included task-related microstate analyses, which identified stable states of neural activity across the scalp over time, to explore whole-head neural activation differences. Younger and older adults (YA, OA) completed face perception (N170), word-pair judgment (N400), visual oddball (P3), and flanker (ERN) tasks. Age-related effects differed across tasks. Despite age-related delayed latencies, N170 ERP and microstate analyses indicated no age-related differences in amplitudes or microstates. However, age-related condition differences were found for P3 and N00 amplitudes and scalp topographies: smaller condition differences were found for in OAs as well as broader centroparietal scalp distributions. Age group comparisons for the ERN revealed similar focal frontocentral activation loci, but differential activation patterns. Our findings of differential age effects across tasks are most consistent with the STAC-r framework which proposes that age-related effects differ depending on the resources available and the kinds of processing and cognitive load required of various tasks.
External Grant: Reed, Cathy, Principal Investigator. “Collaborative Proposal: Level II Preparing Undergraduates for Research in STEM-related fields Using Electrophysiology (PURSUE).” National Science Foundation, $71,078.
Abstract: Effecting pedagogical change requires creation, revision and dissemination of innovative evidence-based teaching materials that can be flexibly implemented, as well as adequate instructor training and support during implementation. The goal of Level II (LII) PURSUE (Preparing Undergraduates for Research in STEM-related fields Using Electrophysiology) is to provide usable and accessible undergraduate level training materials for cognitive electrophysiology, created using best course design practices. The aim is to increase the quality and number of training opportunities for undergraduates, thereby increasing research outcomes that involve undergraduate co-authors. Our specific objectives are to 1) to refine, assess, and revise a set of inclusive cognitive electrophysiology training materials (developed in our Level I grant) using a cycle of innovation and evidence-based practices; 2) to facilitate and support implementation and broaden the cognitive electrophysiology collaborative teaching/research community through workshops for faculty who wish to incorporate the materials into existing courses or create new courses; and 3) to expand dissemination and increase accessibility of the materials through development of a comprehensive professional website and open-source resource development. Consistent with the goals of the IUSE program, our project will improve STEM learning and learning environments by 1) fostering widespread use of evidence-based resources and pedagogies in undergraduate STEM education; 2) broadening participation and institutional capacity for STEM learning by facilitating the revision of existing courses and creation of new courses implementing evidence-based and inclusive strategies; and 3) building the professional STEM workforce for tomorrow by providing students with the training needed to engage in authentic research experiences leading to publication. Our products provide much-needed training materials for cognitive neuroscience and skills relevant for STEM fields, because EEG/ERP experimental design and analysis transfers directly to other neuroimaging methods (e.g., fMRI). Because few courses exist that teach undergraduates the skills needed to prepare them for authentic research in cognitive neuroscience, our proposal fills the gap by creating EEG/ERP training materials targeted for undergraduates. Our course materials are designed to be modular and easily adaptable to different types of courses. They are vetted for information accuracy. Our cycle of innovation design allows us to assess their ease of use, student learning and engagement; feedback is incorporated into each subsequent revision. This project guides faculty through course and module implementation to better train students for lab research andco-authored publication. In this LII grant we expand our training to include students at Research Intensive (RI), primarily undergraduate (PUI) and other institutions. By tailoring workshops for multiple audiences (those who wish to modify existing courses, implement a new course, or add a component to an existing course) LII can impact curriculum across a nation-wide set of institutions. Our professional website will host all of our materials (introductory modules, course modules, animations, simulations, instructional videos, tutorial links, and faculty teaching/research community information). Finally, the workshops and the website provide a forum for community development and fosters cross-lab collaboration and mentorship. This proposal provides training and funding to implement 35 new and modified Full-Semester courses in cognitive electrophysiology in institutions across the country, and increases introductions to EEG/ERP methodology in many more courses. Ultimately it should change the training of 1000's of undergraduate and graduate students in classes and labs. The online accessibility of our materials allows faculty from diverse colleges and universities worldwide, from PUIs to RIs, particularly those with limited resources, to increase opportunities for underrepresented populations. Our lab training and database materials will facilitate training on research design and analysis without the need to purchase or maintain EEG/ERP equipment. This will enable faculty to combine their teaching and research in ways that increase opportunities for faculty-student co-authored publication in cognitive neuroscience. Moreover, our focus on preparing undergraduates for authentic research experiences, leading to conference presentations and publications, will better train students for graduate school and the STEM workforce. Finally, our collaborative faculty learning community approach will increase research and training opportunities for faculty teaching and student training opportunities in STEM.
Riggio, Ronald E. “Developing student leader emotional and social communication skills.” The Journal of Campus Activities Practice and Scholarship, vol. 6, issue 1, 2024, pp. 68-73.
Abstract: While improving ability to communicate effectively is a given for developing student leadership potential, there are very few systematic frameworks to guide communication skill improvement. Using a model of emotional and social skills derived from research in interpersonal and emotional/nonverbal communication, tools and strategies for both assessing possession of complex and sophisticated social/communication skills and their development are discussed. This well-researched model breaks down complex communication into well-defined skills that underlie the more abstract leadership competencies of emotional and social intelligences. It provides a foundation for enhancing the emotional and social skills of students that lead them to be more effective in positions of leadership, and in social interactions more generally. Specific strategies for communication skill development are suggested, as well as discussion of formal guides and resources to aid in student leadership development.
Walker, Dayna O.H., Eric D. Middleton, Rebecca J. Reichard, and Ronald E. Riggio. “Leadership Role Occupancy and Leader Self-Views Across 20 Years: Implications for Leader Development.” Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, vol. 31, issue 3, 2024.
Abstract: Despite the recognized importance of leader development as a lifelong process, it remains unclear whether adolescents who engage in leadership will continue to do so into adulthood. Moreover, to what extent does leadership role occupancy facilitate internalizing future leader self-views? Conversely, to what extent does internalizing leader self-views facilitate future leadership role occupancy? The current paper examines these questions across three epochs of the lifespan (i.e., adolescence, early adulthood, and mid-adulthood) with a quasilongitudinal design. Drawing from a prospective database of 107 participants spanning over 26 years, we test within and between system effects of the leader experience processing system (i.e., leadership roles at ages 17, 29, and 38) and the leader self-view system (i.e., general self-concept at age 12, leader self-efficacy at age 17, and leader identity at ages 29 and 38). Structural equation modeling results support consistency in both systems, with more support for consistency in the leader self-view system. In addition, both systems mediate the other over time, suggesting a dynamic interplay whereby leaders integrate and build on leadership experiences in a process we call spontaneous leader development. Contrary to theory, we only found evidence for bi-directional relationships between systems in adolescence and early adulthood; in mid-adulthood at age 38, leader identity informed leadership roles but not vice versa. Implications of these findings for leader development theory are discussed.
Newstead, Toby P. and Ronald E. Riggio. “Crisis Leadership in Higher Education.” The Palgrave Handbook of Crisis Leadership in Higher Education, edited by Jürgen Rudolph, Joseph Crawford, Choon-Yin Sam, and Shannon Tan. Palgrave Macmillan, 2024.
Abstract: This chapter examines the role of crisis leadership in the higher education sector. It defines organisational crises and elucidates five dynamics of crises that are particularly salient to higher education institutions, they being the unexpected, public, high-consequence, novel and ambiguous, and emotionally and ethically laden nature of crises. The chapter goes on to explain the differences between crisis management and crisis leadership before exploring key challenges to crisis leadership in the higher education sector. It then provides a brief case analysis of how Tulane University in Louisiana, USA, navigated the Hurricane Katrina crisis (2005). This case illustrates the practical application of many aspects of effective crisis leadership in higher education. The chapter concludes with a reminder that the frequency and severity of crises in higher education will continue to increase and that it is paramount for crisis leaders and managers to retain a clear focus on the well-being of their students, faculty, staff, and surrounding communities.
Riggio, Ronald E. “Leadership and Heroism.” Encyclopedia of Heroism Studies, edited by Scott T. Allison, James K. Beggan, and George R. Goethals. Springer, 2024.
Abstract: Heroic leadership is the notion that a single leader is able to lead a collective to successful and extraordinary outcomes. Although the idea of the leader as a heroic figure is still very popular in the public’s eye, it is important to emphasize that in recent decades ideas of leadership have changed, focusing more on the role that followers play in working with leaders to co-create leadership. Heroic leadership is the notion that a single leader is able to lead a collective to successful and extraordinary outcomes. The idea of a heroic leader is not only appealing to many, but academic theories of leadership throughout the past century have focused primarily on top-level leaders, and have fueled a leader-centric approach to leadership. From this perspective, the heroic leader is viewed as the critical, motivational source for group success. Although the idea of the leader as a heroic figure is still very popular in the public’s eye, it is important to emphasize that in recent decades ideas of leadership have changed, focusing more on the role that followers play in working with leaders to co-create leadership.
Tan, Sherylle J. “Leadership pathways for women’s leadership development: a multifaceted undergraduate leadership development initiative.” Journal of Leadership Education, vol. 23, issue 1, 2024.
Abstract:
Purpose: The Women in Leadership Development (WLD) Initiative is a year-long, multifaceted co-curricular leadership development opportunity created to support the unique developmental needs of emerging women leaders. WLD was intentionally designed around the context of second-generation gender bias with a firm grounding of research and theory on gender and leadership.
Design/methodology/approach: Organized around three leadership pathways – leadership training, leadership coaching, and leadership support networks – WLD brings together the best practices of leadership development in combination with feminist pedagogy and critical perspectives to foster meaningful and impactful development of women leaders.
Findings: This paper describes the design of the initiative and how each leadership pathway supports the leadership development journey for emerging women leaders. It provides a model that is impactful as well as foundational, for undergraduate women’s leadership development.
Originality/value: Women leaders, in particular, can benefit from leadership development that takes gender into account (DeFrank-Cole & Tan, 2022a; Ely et al., 2011).
Tan, Sherylle J. and Lisa DeFrank-Cole. “A brief landscape of research on women and leadership.” Handbook of Research on Gender and Leadership, edited by Susan R. Madsen. Edward Elgar Publishing Limited, 2024, pp. 23-32.
Abstract: Leadership researchers who initially studied gender differences questioned whether women could lead. Many scholars now investigate what holds women back, especially from the most senior leader roles. This chapter uses the four domains framework to organize the research and identify interconnected, gender-based elements that affect women and their leadership, both positively and negatively. Included are societal, organizational, interpersonal, and individual domains, where barriers and supportive mechanisms are highlighted. The point of each domain is to demonstrate that the elements that can hold women back may coexist with those that can propel them forward. The leadership pipeline is full of women who have the requisite education and experience to fill leadership positions, but only a few make it to the top jobs. To promote gender equity in leadership, we must recognize the barriers and illuminate the solutions to be implemented.
Hwang, Joanna*, Kathrine Whitman, and Sharda Umanath. “Associative Memory in Older Adults: Making Sense of Associative Memory Deficits and Hyperbinding Effects.” Psychology and Aging, vol. 39, issue 8, December 2024, pp. 871-883.
Abstract: Aging is generally associated with differences in associative memory, which is memory for relationships between arbitrary pieces of information. There are two predominant explanations for age-related declines in associative memory: (a) the associative deficit hypothesis, which posits that older adults decline in their ability to form and retrieve associations, and (b) the inhibitory deficit hypothesis, which suggests that older adults bind more information together than intended—that is, they form and then struggle to ignore too many irrelevant associations, rather than bind too few appropriate associations. We sought to reconcile these two seemingly conflicting theories. First, we provide overviews of the two theoretical frameworks and their standard associated experimental paradigms. We then synthesize the existing literature in order to reach a resolution for the associative deficit hypothesis and inhibitory deficit hypothesis frameworks together: Evidence supporting both frameworks points to changes in effortful, controlled processing that lead to differential effects in associative memory function in aging. In revisiting the explanatory contribution of this long-standing theory of cognitive aging, we raise areas of interest and key considerations to advance future work on associative memory in older adults.
Umanath, Sharda, Claire Hou*, Amy Coming, and Magdalena Abel. “Things have changed but now they’ll stay the same: Generational differences and mental time travel for collective remembering of national historic events.” Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, vol. 13, issue 3, 2024, pp. 450-463.
Abstract: Collective memories refer to a group’s shared representation of the past. They are slow to change over time but do change. To investigate such potential shifts, representative samples of American and German younger adults (YAs) and older adults (OAs) rated the emotional valence of 12 national historic events for their country. Additionally, both age groups were then asked to mentally time travel: OAs reported their past emotional valence on the same events, and YAs provided ratings of their imagined future emotional valence. The results indicated that YAs and OAs hold differing opinions on numerous events today, suggesting shifting public perceptions between generations. Mentally traveling back in time, OAs also perceived changes in their own opinions about the events. YAs, on the other hand, anticipated few changes in the future. Our study captures change in collective remembering, which seems to be perceived across a lifetime, but is not anticipated in advance.
Whitman, Kathrine, Talia Barrett, Jennifer H. Coane, and Sharda Umanath. “Cognition and Aging.” Psychology of Aging, 2nd edition: A Biopsychosocial Perspective, edited by Erin L. Woodhead and Brian P. Yochim. Springer, 2024.
Abstract: Healthy aging is associated with a variety of cognitive changes. Stereotyped expectations regarding these changes are widely negative; however, research demonstrates that cognitive aging is a highly nuanced, individualized process. Similar to any other stage of development, healthy aging includes unique strengths and challenges in cognitive functioning and well-being. Whereas some areas of cognition worsen, other areas are preserved or even improve over time. This chapter overviews the primary changes associated with healthy cognitive aging. The major theories of cognitive aging, as well as methodological concerns in aging research, are outlined. Lastly, we discuss the impacts of cognitive changes on everyday living and strategies that older adults may use to promote cognitive functioning. Overall, this brief overview strives to provide insight into the multifaceted, heterogeneous nature of cognitive aging. In each section, we aim to provide a balanced view of cognitive aging by highlighting forms of decline, maintenance, and improvement.
Umanath, Sharda, Principal Investigator, Yui Fukushima and Maryanne Garry. “Functions of National Collective Memories in Nations in that Differ in the Consensus of Their National Identity.” Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 2023-2025.
Abstract: To historians and sociologists, collective memories serve crucial functions in shaping national identities (Anderson, 1991). But cognitive psychologists know relatively little about the functions of collective memory. We do have some evidence that collective memories serve an “identity” function. Among Americans, collective memories—much like their autobiographical counterparts—serve identity functions, but also social and directive functions (Burnell, Umanath, & Garry, 2023). However, there are reasons to expect the pattern of national collective memories in the US is not particularly representative of national collective memories in other countries more generally. We propose work that will connect to our prior work, as well as to broader literature in history and sociology (see also Assmann & Czaplicka, 1995; Hirst et al., 2018; Wertsch & Roediger, 2008). Our aim is to determine the extent to which national collective memories serve identity, social, and directive functions in nations that differ in the consensus of their national identities. We will accomplish this goal by focusing on the US and Japan. The first step in our proposed project is to establish the nationally important collective memories for Japan. Then, using the most frequently nominated events, we will follow the methodology of Burnell et al. (2023, Experiment 2) to examine the degree to which Japanese participants believe that these nationally important events serve identity, social, and directive functions as captured by the Collective TALE.