Collective Efficacy Research Articles

Flood Risk Management via Risk Communication, Cognitive Appraisal, Collective Efficacy, and Community Action

Climate change and more frequent severe storms have caused persistent flooding, storm surges, and erosion in the northeastern coastal region of the United States. These weather-related disasters have continued to generate negative environmental consequences across many communities. This study examined how coastal residents’ exposure to flood risk information and information seeking behavior were related to their threat appraisal, threat-coping efficacy, and participation in community action in the context of building social resilience. A random sample of residents of a coastal community in the Northeastern United States was selected to participate in an online survey (N = 302). Key study results suggested that while offline news exposure was weakly related to flood vulnerability perception, online news exposure and mobile app use were both weakly associated with flood-risk information seeking. As flood vulnerability perception was strongly connected to flood severity perception but weakly linked to lower self-efficacy beliefs, flood severity perception was weakly and moderately associated with response-efficacy beliefs and information seeking, respectively. Furthermore, self-efficacy beliefs, response efficacy beliefs, and flood-risk information seeking were each a weak or moderate predictor of collective efficacy beliefs. Lastly, flood risk information-seeking was a strong predictor and collective efficacy beliefs were a weak predictor of community action for flood-risk management. This study tested a conceptual model that integrated the constructs from risk communication, information seeking, and protection motivation theory. Based on the modeling results reflecting a set of first-time findings, theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

The public's knowledge about child sexual abuse influences its perceptions of prevention and associated policies

BackgroundChild sexual abuse (CSA) prevention requires efforts from all members of society. ObjectiveThe current study aimed to examine factors associated with (1) perceptions of CSA as unpreventable and (2) support for policies to prevent CSA and to punish people who perpetrated CSA. We focused on the roles of knowledge and misperceptions about child sexual abuse. Participants and settingWe collected survey data online from a large (N = 5068), nationally representative sample of adults in the United States. ResultsAnalyses revealed factors promoting perceptions of CSA as unpreventable. Support for or against policies that aim to prevent CSA or to punish perpetrators of CSA were associated with individual factors such as older age (B = 0.08, −0.13), Republican political affiliation (B = 0.10, 0.07), and misperceptions about CSA (B = 0.15, 0.06). ConclusionsFindings highlight malleable factors that could be targeted to collectivize calls for CSA prevention and to promote support for effective policies to prevent CSA. In particular, ensuring accurate knowledge about CSA, and collective responsibility and government efficacy specific to CSA prevention, were identified as helping shape views of CSA as preventable.

Optoplasmonic Effects in Highly Curved Surfaces for Catalysis, Photothermal Heating, and SERS.

Surface curvature can be used to focus light and alter optical processes. Here, we show that curved surfaces (spheres, cylinders, and cones) with a radius of around 5 μm lead to maximal optoplasmonic properties including surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), photocatalysis, and photothermal processes. Glass microspheres, microfibers, pulled fibers, and control flat substrates were functionalized with well-dispersed and dense arrays of 45 nm Au NP using polystyrene-block-poly-4-vinylpyridine (PS-b-P4VP) and chemically modified with 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA, SERS reporter), 4-nitrobenzenethiol (4-NBT, reactive to plasmonic catalysis), or 4-fluorophenyl isocyanide (FPIC, photothermal reporter). The various curved substrates enhanced the plasmonic properties by focusing the light in a photonic nanojet and providing a directional antenna to increase the collection efficacy of SERS photons. The optoplasmonic effects led to an increase of up to 1 order of magnitude of the SERS response, up to 5 times the photocatalytic conversion of 4-NBT to 4,4'-dimercaptoazobenzene when the diameter of the curved surfaces was about 5 μm and a small increase in photothermal effects. Taken together, the results provide evidence that curvature enhances plasmonic properties and that its effect is maximal for spherical objects around a few micrometers in diameter, in agreement with a theoretical framework based on geometrical optics. These enhanced plasmonic effects and the stationary-phase-like plasmonic substrates pave the way to the next generation of sensors, plasmonic photocatalysts, and photothermal devices.

Effects of pre-pandemic school improvement and digital learning on schools during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools had to continuously adapt to new pandemic-related regulations and challenges, including the ad hoc transition to remote learning. According to theories on school improvement and professionalisation, sharing knowledge and experiences with digital learning is helpful when dealing with related issues. However, no existing empirical studies analyse longitudinally how pre-pandemic experiences with sharing knowledge and digital learning impacted perceived professionalisation during the pandemic and how this relationship is mediated both by schools’ strategies to improve learning and by schools’ collective efficacy. For this study N = 280 school principals from Germany, Austria, and German-speaking Swiss cantons participated in two online questionnaires in 2020 and 2021. Results from the structural equation model reveal that schools’ pre-pandemic experiences with knowledge sharing and digital learning are positively indirectly related to the schools’ perceived professionalisation in the first and second year of the pandemic. The relationship is mediated by the schools’ collective efficacy in dealing with the pandemic and the schools’ use of strategies to improve teaching. The results highlight the importance of building school improvement capacity and supporting schools in digital learning to navigate through unexpected emergencies like a pandemic.

Social identities, climate change denial, and efficacy beliefs as predictors of pro-environmental engagements

Climate change is a large-scale environmental crisis humanity faces. However, research shows that a considerable amount of people deny climate change. In this research, we suggest a social identity perspective on how climate change denial may exert its effects on pro-environmental engagements. To do so, we conducted a cross-sectional survey (N = 361) in which we assessed different (social) identities, efficacy beliefs, climate change denial, and pro-environmental actions. Results suggest that while environmentalist and global identities significantly predicted climate change denial, country identity did not. Environmentalist and country identities predicted collective efficacy, however, only environmentalist identity predicted participatory efficacy. Private pro-environmental behaviour was positively predicted by environmentalist and country identities; participation in collective action was positively predicted by environmentalist identity and negatively predicted by country identity. In addition, identification with environmentalist and global identities was positively associated with collective action through climate change denial and also participatory efficacy belief. These findings suggest that our consideration of climate change and behavioural choices might be shaped by our social environment.

The reciprocity of social media engagement and collective actions: A longitudinal study on Ukrainian refugees

This study examined the effect of social media engagement on collective action intention to help Ukrainian refugees. This study proposes a dynamic, transactional model that draws upon computer-mediated communication research and the dynamic dual pathway model of collective action (DPPM) to investigate the impact of two types of social media engagement, namely actions and cues, on intergroup helping. The model aims to achieve two objectives: First, it examines the mediating role of anger and collective efficacy, the two parallel psychological mechanisms proposed by DPPM, in the effects of action and cues on collective action intention. Second, it tests the dynamic and reciprocal relationship between collection action intention and social media actions and cues over time. A three-wave longitudinal survey of U.S. adults was conducted after the Russian-Ukrainian War started. Longitudinal mediation analyses showed that social media action predicted greater collective action intentions indirectly through collective efficacy but not anger. Social media cues did not predict collective action intentions through collective efficacy or anger. Collective action intentions, in turn, increased subsequent social media actions and cues, forming a positive feedback loop. The effect of social media actions on collective action intention was stronger than that of social media cues.

A Study on the Changes in Safety Perception of Air Passengers in the Living with COVID-19 Era: The Case of South Korea

Due to changes brought upon by covid in society, the aviation industry has also entered a new phase that is different from the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, this study aims to enhance our understanding of people's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and their perception regarding aviation safety. Specifically, the study investigates whether in-flight services focusing on sanitation and preventative measures against the virus alleviated negative emotions such as fear and anxiety among passengers, and how this affected their risk perception and group efficacy through cognitive value. To achieve the purpose of the study, an online survey was conducted in December 2021 of passengers with experience boarding aircraft after the COVID-19 outbreak, and 211 valid responses out of 308 were used for analysis. The analysis of the data revealed that in-flight services had a positive effect on cognitive value, which in turn had a positive effect on risk perception and collective efficacy among air passengers. The overall evaluation of in-flight services indicated that passengers now place a greater emphasis on hygiene and quarantine measures. Furthermore, there has been a notable promotion of passengers' efforts and attitudes towards not only ensuring their own safety but also the safety of others and society, which has resulted in a significant improvement in responsible behavior. Key Words: cognitive value, group-efficacy, collective efficacy, safety perception, inflight service, airline service quality

The Association between Climate Change Exposure and Climate Change Worry among Israeli Adults: The Interplay of Risk Appraisal, Collective Efficacy, Age, and Gender

Guided by the transactional model of stress and coping, we examined the association between climate change exposure and climate change worry among Israeli adults, with the interplay of risk appraisal, collective efficacy, age, and gender. Using an online survey with 402 participants, we found moderate levels of climate change worry. Higher climate change exposure, increased risk appraisal, and greater collective efficacy were associated with higher worry levels. Climate change risk appraisal mediated the relationship between climate change exposure and worry, whereas gender moderated the association between collective efficacy and worry. This study highlights the significant impact of climate change exposure on worry, emphasizing the roles of risk appraisal and collective efficacy, particularly among women, and underscores the need for tailored interventions to address emotional responses to climate change.

Backyard aerosol pollution monitors: foliar surfaces, dust enrichment, and factors influencing foliar retention.

Air pollution is one of the leading causes of death from noncommunicable diseases globally, and in Arizona, both mining activities and abandoned agriculture can generate erodible dust. This dust is transported via wind and can carry high amounts of toxic pollutants. Industry-adjacent communities, or "fenceline communities," are generally closer to the pollution sources and are disproportionally impacted by pollution, or in this case, dust. The dust transported from the mine settles into nearby rivers, gardens, and homes, and increases the concentrations of elements beyond their naturally occurring amounts (i.e., enriched). This study was built upon previous community science work in which plant leaves were observed to collect similar concentrations to an accepted dust collection method and illustrated promise for their use as low-cost air quality monitors in these communities. This work investigated the concentration of Na, Mg, Al, K, Ca, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Mo, and Ba in dust from the leaves of community-collected backyard and garden plants (foliar dust), as well as if certain variables affected collection efficacy. This assessment evaluated (1) foliar concentration versus surface area for 11 elements, (2) enrichment factor (EF) values and ratios, (3) comparisons of foliar, garden, and yard samples to US Geological Survey data, and (4) what variable significantly affected dust collection efficacy. The EF results indicate that many of the samples were enriched (anthropogenically contaminated) and that the foliar samples were generally more contaminated than the yard and garden soil samples. Leaf surface area was the most influential factor for leaf collection efficiency (p < 0.05) compared to plant family or sampling location. Further studies are needed that standardize the plant species and age and include multiple replicates of the same plant species across partnering communities. This study has demonstrated that foliar dust is enriched in the participating partnering communities and that plant leaf samples can serve as backyard aerosol pollution monitors. Therefore, foliar dust is a viable indicator of outdoor settled dust and aerosol contamination and this is an adoptable monitoring technique for "fenceline communities."

The mediating role of organizational commitment in the collective efficacy-performance relationship

In recent years, human resources have become a central issue for senior executives in organizations as they try to increase the commitment and performance of their employees. The study aims to examine three of the most important employee attachments to the workplace, namely organizational commitment, collective efficacy and individual job performance, based on a multifocal research framework, while also investigating the mediating effect of organizational commitment. The methodological basis includes the foundations of organizational behavior and human resources management. The research data were obtained by the survey method with 171 respondents working for a port operator in Mersin, Turkey. The survey data obtained were evaluated on a 5-point Likert scale. Statistical calculations were performed in SPSS Statistics 24 software package. The research methods are quantitative and sociometric analysis; reliability and validity analysis were applied to the variables. The relationships between the variables were tested using the structural equation model. To assess the importance of the intermediary effect, the bias-corrected bootstrap method was used. Our findings have shown that collective efficacy has a positive effect on organizational commitment, and organizational commitment has a positive effect on performance. Organizational commitment was proved as having a mediating role in the effect of collective efficacy on individual job performance. The study highlights that employees need to be committed to their organizations, and the increase in performance should be triggered by giving place to collective work.

Teaching Efficacy Structures and Influencing Factors in Promoting Success and Retention Among Pre-Service Teachers

This study explored the collective teaching efficacy (CTE) and its influencing factors on the in-service teaching performance of pre-service teachers. The study, through purposive sampling, involved 301 graduating pre-service teachers from a state university in Laguna, Philippines. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine significant predictors of pre-service teachers’ performance. Results showed that pre-service teachers had high levels of CTE and that influencing factors of teaching efficacy were well-manifested. The respondents’ in-service teaching performance was outstanding, and there was a weak to moderate correlation between CTE, influencing factors, and pre-service teachers’ performance. Furthermore, the construct of CTE (vicarious experience) and influencing factors (knowledge, perceived personality factors, and resource provision) were significant predictors of pre-service teachers’ performance. The findings of this study have implications for the design and implementation of pre-service teacher development training programs. By enhancing pre-service teachers’ collective efficacy and addressing the influencing factors of teaching efficacy, such programs can help promote effective teaching practices and better student outcomes. The study suggests that pre-service teacher education programs should provide opportunities for pre-service teachers to observe experienced teachers, acquire knowledge and skills related to teaching, develop their perceived personality factors, and access adequate resources to enhance their teaching efficacy. The study also provides insights into the importance of building a supportive learning environment that fosters a sense of collective efficacy among pre-service teachers.

The role of social accountability in changing service users’ values, attitudes, and interactions with the health services: a pre-post study

This study evaluated the effects of community engagement through social accountability on service users’ values, attitudes and interactions. We conducted a pre–post study of the community and provider driven social accountability intervention (CaPSAI) over a 12-month period among 1,500 service users in 8 health facilites in Ghana and in Tanzania (n = 3,000).In both countries, there were significant improvements in women’s participation in household decision-making and in how service users’ perceive their treatment by health workers. In both settings, however, there was a decline in women’s knowledge of rights, perception of service quality, awareness of accountability mechanisms and collective efficacy in the community. Though CaPSAI intervention set out to change the values, attitudes, and interactions between community members and those providing contraceptive services, there were changes in different directions that require closer examination.

‘Health Connections’: study protocol for the development of a coproduced, community-based diet, physical activity, and healthy weight intervention for UK black and Asian adults

IntroductionA limited number of diet, physical activity and weight management programmes suitable for UK black and Asian populations have been evaluated. We aim to coproduce ‘Health Connections’—an ambitious new intervention...

생활안전경찰 중간관리자와 CPO의 CPTED 관련 인식 차이에 대한 실증연구

This study conducted a survey of 74 individuals, middle managers (supervisors/chiefs) and practitioners(CPOs) of Community Safety Police, which play a crucial role in crime prevention, with the cooperation of the Seoul Metropolitan Police to investigate their perceptions of the issues related to the CPTED projects, as well as their perceptions regarding education.&#x0D; The results of an Independent Samples t-test analyzing the perception differences regarding CPTED projects showed statistically significant differences in collective efficacy, trust of the police, and maintenance. Overall, middle managers exhibited a more positive perception of CPTED projects compared to practitioners. Furthermore, the results of the Cross tab analysis revealed that middle managers recognized budget constraints while practitioners perceived collaboration with other organizations as the most significant problem with CPTED projects and regarding specialized CPO training, practitioners indicated a need for sharing practical CPO case studies, while middle managers responded that CPTED theoretical education is the most necessary.&#x0D; Through the above research results, it was empirically confirmed the perception gap between practitioners and middle managers who handle the police's CPTED tasks. This underscores the importance of communication efforts between the upper and lower members of the Community Safety Police organization to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of crime prevention tasks.

소득수준과 범죄두려움의 관계에서 집합효율성의 역할에 대한 탐색적 고찰

소득수준과 범죄두려움의 관계에서 집합효율성의 역할에 대한 탐색적 고찰

Conservation Officers’ Perceptions of Their Working Conditions and Their Enforcement of Environmental Law in a Territory of High Environmental Protection

Environmental protection laws are useful tools for promoting sustainability by eradicating anti-environmental behavior while encouraging alternative sustainable behaviors. However, the achievement of these goals relies on the psychosocial processes underlying the behaviors of the people in charge of the enforcement of these laws. Conservation officers play a central role in the enforcement of these laws, but their intervention behavior has not been assessed in relation to their perceptions of their working conditions. To fill this gap, a questionnaire was developed and administered to 128 conservation officers from four public authorities responsible for enforcing environmental law in a territory with a high level of legal environmental protection. The main results show that the participants have similarities and differences with conservation officers from other territories in their perception of their working conditions. Likewise, it was found that self-efficacy and satisfaction influence their intervention behavior, both directly and through their goals. The role of descriptive social norms as well as the relation of collective efficacy and self-efficacy and satisfaction were also revealed. Policy implications of these findings involve the need to improve communication between prosecutors, judges and conservation officers, as well as the enhancement of conservation officers’ collective efficacy, self-efficacy and skills used to educate people in avoiding damaging the environment and collaborating in its protection.

The effect of mobilizing large numbers of CD34 + cells (super-mobilizers) on the engraftment and survival in patients undergoing autologous stem cell transplantation

With the use of plerixafor in addition to growth factor for peripheral blood stem cell mobilization, the yield of autologous stem cell harvest has been higher while the length of apheresis days has become shorter. There is still debate whether higher cell collection efficacy in autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) affect outcomes. In this retrospective study, we defined two groups of patients, group 1, super-mobilizers, with more than double the target cell dose collected (n = 15), while group 2 included all other patients (n = 75). Multiple myeloma (MM) and lymphoma patients were combined. Patients with chemo-mobilization, those needed more than one day apheresis, or with less than 100 days after ASCT were excluded. Correlations were performed between cell collection efficacy and post thaw CD34 cell viability (by 7AAD flow cytometry method), product HCT, and engraftment of neutrophils and platelets. We performed multiple linear regression using the above variables in addition to age, sex and disease type. We used Kaplan Meier’s curves to show effect of cell collection efficacy on 1-year overall survival (OS). Our results show that all super-mobilizers received plerixafor in addition to G-CSF, while 83% did in group 2. Correlations between cell collection efficacy and neutrophil and platelet engraftment in group 1 and 2 was modest and better in group 1 (R=0.449 Vs 0.233 for neutrophils; R=0.464 Vs 0.110 for platelets, respectively). However, multiple linear regression showed statistically significant association between cell collection, as a continuous variable, with disease type (P < 0.001), product HCT (P < 0.001), post thaw viability (P = 0.003), and age (P = 0.013). MM patients were more likely to be super-mobilizers, while the product HCT was higher in the super-mobilizers. No significant effect of cell collection efficacy was found on engraftment of neutrophils or platelets. With relatively short post ASCT follow up, 6 patients in group 2 died of any cause while no deaths were recorded in the super-mobilizers group (P = 0.1892 by log-rank test). In conclusion, stem cell collection efficacy in ASCT is more frequent in MM than lymphoma patients, but is not predictive of faster engraftment. On the other hand, 1-year OS was 100% in the super-mobilizers group versus 93% in the other group.

Interpersonal emotions in team sports

This research explores how emotional contagion within a team impacts emotions, team cohesion, collective efficacy perception, effort perception, perceived performance, and actual performance outcomes. Forty-seven non-competitive amateur cross-fit participants were split into two experimental groups: high pleasantness-high arousal (HH) and low pleasantness-low arousal (LL). To stimulate these mood states, two trained associates were engaged, which served as catalysts for the teams' "emotional contagion". Participants from the HH group outperformed and exerted more effort than those from the LL group, though they perceived their effort levels to be similar. They demonstrated greater collective efficacy and team cohesion, had a more positive emotional state, and perceived their team's performance as superior. Emotional contagion plays a significant role in team dynamics and physical outcomes. The practical implications of emotional contagion are discussed.

The motivational influence of collective efficacy and charged behavior and the moderating effect of risk-taking propensity on new product development team innovativeness

PurposeThis study examines the motivational processes of charged behavior and collective efficacy driving interdependence and agency in new product development (NPD) teams and the moderating impact of team risk-taking propensity as affective, cognitive and behavioral social processes support team innovation.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 92 NPD teams engaged in B2C and B2B product and service development. Mediating and moderating effects are examined using partial least squares structural equation modeling, referencing social cognitive and collective agency theories as the research framework.FindingsThe analysis validates collective self-efficacy and charged behavior as interdependent motivational–affective processes that align cognitive resources and govern team effort toward innovativeness. Teams' risk-taking propensity regulates behavior, and collective efficacy facilitates self-regulated motivational engagement. Charged behavior cultivates the emotional contagion, team identification, cohesion and adaptation required for team functioning. Team potency fosters cohesiveness, while team learning improves adaptability along the innovation journey. The resulting theory asserts that motivational drivers enhance the interplay between cognitive and behavioral processes.Practical implicationsManagers should consider NPD teams as social systems with a capacity for collective agency nurtured through interdependence, which requires collective efficacy and shared competencies to generate motivational purpose and innovativeness. Managers must remain mindful of teams' risk tolerance as regulating the impact of motivational factors on innovativeness.Originality/valueThis study contributes to research on the motivational–affective drivers of NPD charged behavior and collective efficacy as complementary to cognitive and behavioral processes sustaining team innovativeness.

Preschoolers’ Psychosocial Development, Parents, and Neighborhoods: Towards an Integrative Approach for Immigrant Families

Nearly 5.5 million children between the ages of 0–5 in the US have at least one immigrant parent, and 22% of these children live below the poverty line. Emerging research highlights the importance of examining the neighborhood- and parenting-level risks and resources that are most impactful for young children of immigrants’ social development. Using a subsample of 3–5-year-old children (N = 1134) from the National Survey of Children’s Health (CAHMI, 2018), this study tested a conceptual model of cross-level interactions between neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES), behavior problems and flourishing in young children who have at least one foreign-born parent. Structural equation modeling results suggested an indirect effect of neighborhood SES on child flourishing and behavioral problems through neighborhood- (collective efficacy, resources) and parent-level characteristics (mental health, aggravation, parent-child interaction). The relations between neighborhood structure and child outcomes were fully mediated by parenting. Specifically, disadvantages in neighborhood structure had significant direct effects on parental mental health, parenting aggravation, and parent-child interaction, which explained relations between neighborhood structure and child outcomes. Results point to future research areas and potential policy and prevention interventions at neighborhood and parental levels.