<p> <b>Background:</b> Software engineering teams must have a shared understanding of the system design in order to work independently but successfully integrate their code. These issues of understanding are important to project success but difficult to investigate with current approaches. Current techniques for investigating shared understanding, such as interviews or questionnaires, are limited by the difficulty of team members to externalize knowledge relevant to shared understanding. </p><p> <b>Aims:</b> This research has two goals. The first goal is to identify and validate a measure of shared understanding that researchers can use to investigate issues of shared understanding in software design. The second goal is to evaluate the potential for this measure to be used by practitioners to improve the software design process. </p><p> <b>Method:</b> A measure of shared understanding was developed by adapting an approach from the Team Mental Models literature. Five student teams and two industrial teams were recruited to evaluate the measure empirically. The validity of the measure, the significance of the differences in understanding found, and the applicability for design process improvement were investigated using qualitative techniques, including group interviews, observation, and questionnaires. </p><p> <b>Results:</b> When ranked by the measure of shared understanding, high ranking design concepts were generally, but not consistently, found to be associated with greater similarity of understanding than low ranking concepts. This supports a finding that the measure is valid, but imprecise. Although no specific misunderstandings were identified within the team, some team members found the discussion, guided by the measured differences, valuable for improving shared understanding generally. </p><p> <b>Conclusions:</b> The results support the use of the measure as a tool to investigate shared understanding so long as consideration is given to its limitations. It is premature for practitioners to use the measure to improve the design process. The results are based on only two industrial teams without a history of failures related to shared understanding. Future research should re-evaluate the measurement in different contexts. Guidance is given for additional research to refine the measurement.</p>

<p>Retention is increasingly important in today?s workforce as millennials and future generations are entering the workplace (Kantrowitz, 2014; Lyons, Schweitzer, & Ng, 2015). A recently identified personality characteristic, grit, may be a good predictor of retention (Robertson-Kraft and Duckworth, 2014). The current study explored the importance of grit on the hiring decisions, predicted task and contextual performance for a hypothetical candidate for a sales position. The level of participant grit was also explored to examine potential similar-to-me effects. Participants viewed a job description, resume, and assessment results (grit and cognitive ability scores) of a hypothetical job applicant and were asked to complete hiring decision, predicted task and contextual performance and grit measures. The results of the current study indicated that a candidate?s cognitive ability and grit level were viewed as significant factors in the hiring decision. Participant grit level also had a significant positive effect on predicted task and contextual performance. Candidates with a higher grit score were given a higher hiring decision score and were rated higher for predicted task and contextual performance. Candidates with a higher cognitive ability were given a higher hiring decision score when compared to those with a lower cognitive ability score. Implications from the current study apply to selection decision makers, job applicants and researchers.

<p> This research aims to provide evidence that will serve to better the quality of treatment in residential care settings for the at-risk adolescent population. Because of the various factors associated with iatrogenic effects in residential care settings and because of the impact that the developmental stage of adolescence has on later adulthood, attempts to increase this treatment quality type becomes salient. Contemporarily, dialectical behavioral therapy is utilized in residential care settings with the at-risk adolescent population and has research supporting its&rsquo; efficacy. Although dialectical behavioral therapy is utilized in this context and has demonstrated effective, it is often only provided in therapy and not in the milieu. Because of the quantity of time clients in residential care settings spend in the milieu with milieu staff, these experiences likely influence their overall therapy progress. Therefore, this research hypothesizes that dialectical behavioral therapy&rsquo;s use in the milieu in addition to therapy will increase overall therapy progress for the client population than if treatment as usual were to proceed. This research was conducted in a residential care setting for at-risk adolescents and collected data during a treatment as usual assessment period; provided the intervention of training milieu staff in dialectical behavioral therapy theory, strategies, and adolescent adaptations; and collected data during a dialectical behavioral therapy treatment assessment period. Concluding is a statistical analysis of the measurable changes between assessment periods, an interpretation of the results, a discussion regarding generalization of the findings, limitations, and future considerations.</p>

<p> Contrary to the dominant view that generally equates feelings with poor thinking, converging evidence indicates that decisions &ndash; including those involving risk &ndash; are influenced by affective experiences. Research, however, is limited to studies on undifferentiated, global positive versus negative mood states; less is known about the influence of discrete emotions. The purpose of this research was to extend the affect-cognition literature by (a) examining the effects of discrete emotions varying along the dimensions of valence and arousal, and (b) identifying the systematic ways that discrete emotions underlie risky decision making. We used a set of emotion-laden IAPS images to elicit and compare the impact of incidental emotions on risky decision making. One hundred and twenty-two undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of the four affective conditions: excitement, contentment, fear, and sadness. Following the emotion induction procedure, participants completed the Choice Dilemmas Questionnaire (CDQ) to assess their risk-taking propensity. Results indicated an interaction effect between valence and arousal for positive emotions, such that excited participants were significantly more risky in their decision making compared to contented participants. The discussion focuses on the theoretical and practical health implications of these findings. We recommend that future research capitalize on the insights gained from emotion research and use it favorably to improve decision making under risk. </p>

<p> This study was an exploration of factors that impact the perceived quality of life among Russian-speaking immigrants in the United States. Specifically, the study was designed to investigate what type of relationship (if any) exists (direction and strength) between one&rsquo;s desire to immigrate, sense of having a choice, the accuracy of preimmigration expectations, and quality of life after immigration. This researcher sought to understand whether desire and choice to immigrate and accuracy of one&rsquo;s expectations about immigration as measured by a survey can significantly predict changes in quality of life as measured by Q-LES-Q-18 (in general and in its facets). This research question was examined using a series of multiple regressions. Post hoc studies included an examination of the relationship between quality of life as measured by participant responses to the Q-LES-Q-18 and subjective happiness, as measured by modified SHS. Posthoc analyses further explored relationships between demographic factors, income, language fluency, relationship status, and other variables with quality of life after immigration. Finally, open-ended questions were used to provide pertinent narrative to help explain the conclusions gathered from quantitative data. The perceived accuracy of expectations about immigration was found to be a major predictor of quality of life after immigration. It had unique, significant contributions to the prediction of physical heath, subjective feelings, leisure time, and general activities aspects of quality of life. Quality of life in all of its aspects was highly connected to ability to use the language (speak, understand, and communicate) of the dominant culture. Income strongly and positively correlated with participants&rsquo; subjective feelings, general activity, and life satisfaction.</p>

<p> This study contributes to the sports psychology literature by examining an existing paucity in the application of Emotional Intelligence (EI) theory and models to the athletic domain. Four branches of the ability model of EI (perceiving emotions, using emotions, understanding emotions, and managing emotions) were examined in relation to team cohesiveness (task, social, and overall) and team performance disaggregated by gender. The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) was used to assess the EI level of participants. Team cohesiveness was measured using the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ). The findings indicted that EI only had a significant effect on team cohesiveness social when moderated by gender, while the other relationships were not found to be statistically significant when moderated by gender. No significant relationship was discovered between EI and team cohesiveness in female athletes. No significant difference existed between males and females on a model containing four branches of emotional intelligence. A significant difference between gender and team cohesiveness was found. The final analysis of emotional intelligence, team cohesiveness, and team performance indicated that a significant relationship did exist. Team cohesiveness task made the strongest contribution to team performance. Managing emotions made a significant negative contribution to team performance.</p>

In mature product markets competitive advantage is increasingly realised by the careful design and engineering of product attributes that emphasise a brand’s values. In the high-luxury automotive segment, user satisfaction appears to be particularly influenced by products that are perceived to be typical to the brand’s lineage. This research aims to explore the links between product specifications and the categorisation of the product as belonging to the brand, by studying the effect with the Bentley brand’s interiors. The research uses cognitive categorisation theory and related methodologies as a basis for understanding the cognitive processes that operate between the input of specific multisensory stimuli and assessments of typicality and therefore satisfaction. These processes are interpreted through Semantic Differentiation techniques in a number of studies of Bentley products and competitor vehicles. The results suggest that by identifying and defining a number of product properties, of varying importance, and measuring subject’s responses to them, brand-based categorisation effects can be visualised and quantified. The research investigates if these effects have been stable over time and finds that some patterns exist that might be used to predict how future products might be categorised. The benefits of the resulting assessment and measurement tool to the product development process appear to be at least two-fold; firstly, by informing the process, product specifications may be set and designs developed, that are considered more accurate, good and right for the brand, resulting in controlled development time and costs and increased consumer satisfaction. Secondly, by enabling the process, property strengths, weakness and competitive threats may be understood that facilitate experimental and actual design modifications to optimise brand distinctiveness.

<p> Cross-cultural factors affect the cognitive processes engaged in by subjects to respond to rating scales. By using a sequential explanatory strategy of mixed-method research design, this study investigates four cultural groups in the software industry (n=92) - Israelis, Latinos, Romanians, and Americans &mdash; to investigate cultural effects on the thought processes used by respondents performing selected verbal (ordinal) and numeric (interval) scales.</p><p> Cluster analysis of the qualitative data identified four main response styles used by subjects &ndash; Extremes, Midpoint, Range, and Refiners. While the clusters did not differ in their demographics, when evaluating their cognitive processes against the theory of Tourangeau, Rips, and Rasinski (2000), clusters used different cognitive processes. Specifically, Refiners and Midpoint were more likely to adjust their responses during the Judgment stage before responding. </p><p> The findings of this research identified that values as acquired through life experience (i.e., leadership position) and demographics (i.e., gender, age, and educational level) rather than basic culture play a key role in the cognitive processes used by subjects to respond to scales. These factors affected scale preference, response style, cognitive processes, and even generated sentiments and emotions. Focusing on cultural values rather than cultural practices is a key need to yield valid survey results. </p><p> While some of the subjects are oblivious to the cultural effects discussed in this study, those effects have theoretical and practical implications for surveys conducted by multi-national organizations and business leaders. Furthermore, identifying and handling cross-cultural differences described in this study can be used to train leaders in cross-cultural environments.</p>

<p> While there is a great deal of research on attorneys and law firms, the majority of it has focused solely on the attorney &ndash; very little exists regarding legal secretaries and other support staff, or the relationship between attorneys with legal secretaries and other support staff. The current research aimed to address this gap in the literature by examining the antecedents of high-quality attorney-secretary relationships through the framework of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX). Relationship quality was evaluated against values, cognitive styles, and self-identity. Legal assistants were asked to provide ratings for themselves and ratings for how they believed their attorneys would respond and similarity between the attorney and secretary ratings was calculated. Then, the moderating effects of core self-evaluations and emotional intelligence were analyzed. Although the results of this study did not support any of the hypotheses, there are several considerations which might have prevented significant relationships from emerging. Exploratory analyses were also conducted and benevolence was found to be a significant moderator. Implications and future research directions are discussed.</p>

<p> Survey theory developed as a means to overcome problems with design and analysis is inherent in early research. Survey sampling methodology improves the quality of information collected, ensures the accuracy of data analysis, and reduces the cost of research. Technology drives the evolution of data collection and analysis that is required in survey sampling. In turn, this influences survey sampling techniques. I investigate the history of survey sampling, current survey sampling theory, and current theory applied to two examples: 1) a stratified market research survey, and 2) a psychological survey for health science research. </p><p> The market research survey was an original design using a specific methodology: conduct pre-interviews on a small sample, develop survey questions based on the qualitative research, stratify the target sample during data collection, and perform data analysis on the resulting cross-sectional data. The second survey utilizes well-developed and tested health measurement instruments that have already been developed and tested. The resulting longitudinal data are then scored and analyzed.</p>