Personal Expectations Research Articles

An empirical investigation of guilty pleasures

ABSTRACT In everyday language, the expression ‘guilty pleasure’ refers to instances where one feels bad about enjoying a particular artwork. Thus, one’s experience of guilty pleasure seems to involve the feeling that one should not enjoy this particular artwork and, by implication, the belief that there are norms according to which some aesthetic responses are more appropriate than others. One natural assumption would be that these norms are first and foremost aesthetic norms. However, this suggestion runs directly against recent findings in experimental philosophy, according to which most people deny the existence of aesthetic norms. Through three studies, we investigated people’s experiences of guilty pleasures and the norms that underlay these experiences. We tentatively conclude that guilty pleasures are more often connected to one’s personal norms and social expectations than to properly aesthetic norms.

"An indelible mark" the response to participation in euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide among doctors: A review of research findings.

The debate regarding euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (E/PAS) raises key issues about the role of the doctor, and the professional, ethical, and clinical dimensions of the doctor-patient relationship. This review aimed to examine the published evidence regarding the response of doctors who have participated in E/PAS. Original research papers were identified reporting either qualitative or qualitative data published in peer-reviewed literature between 1980 and March 2018, with a specific focus on the impact on, or response from, physicians to their participation in E/PAS. PRISMA and CASP guidelines were followed. Nine relevant papers met selection criteria. Given the limited published data, a descriptive synthesis of quantitative and qualitative findings was performed. Quantitative surveys were limited in scope but identified a mixed set of responses. Where studies measured psychological impact, 30-50% of doctors described emotional burden or discomfort about participation, while findings also identified a comfort or satisfaction in believing the request of the patient was met. Significant, ongoing adverse personal impact was reported between 15% to 20%. A minority of doctors sought personal support, generally from family or friends, rather than colleagues. The themes identified from the qualitative studies were summarized as: 1) coping with a request; 2) understanding the patient; 3) the doctor's role and agency in the death of a patient; 4) the personal impact on the doctor; and 5) professional guidance and support. Participation in E/PAS can have a significant emotional impact on participating clinicians. For some doctors, participation can contrast with perception of professional roles, responsibilities, and personal expectations. Despite the importance of this issue to medical practice, this is a largely neglected area of empirical research. The limited studies to date highlight the need to address the responses and impact on clinicians, and the support for clinicians as they navigate this challenging area.

Suicide in Schizophrenia: An Educational Overview.

Suicide is an important public health problem. The most frequent psychiatric illnesses associated with suicide or severe suicide attempt are mood and psychotic disorders. The purpose of this paper is to provide an educational overview of suicidal behavior in individuals with schizophrenia. A lifetime suicide rate in individuals with schizophrenia is approximately 10%. Suicide is the largest contributor to the decreased life expectancy in individuals with schizophrenia. Demographic and psychosocial factors that increase a risk of suicide in individuals with schizophrenia include younger age, being male, being unmarried, living alone, being unemployed, being intelligent, being well-educated, good premorbid adjustment or functioning, having high personal expectations and hopes, having an understanding that life’s expectations and hopes are not likely to be met, having had recent (i.e., within past 3 months) life events, having poor work functioning, and having access to lethal means, such as firearms. Throughout the first decade of their disorder, patients with schizophrenia are at substantially elevated suicide risk, although they continue to be at elevated suicide risk during their lives with times of worsening or improvement. Having awareness of symptoms, especially, awareness of delusions, anhedonia, asociality, and blunted affect, having a negative feeling about, or non-adherence with, treatment are associated with greater suicide risk in patients with schizophrenia. Comorbid depression and a history of suicidal behavior are important contributors to suicide risk in patients with schizophrenia. The only reliable protective factor for suicide in patients with schizophrenia is provision of and compliance with comprehensive treatment. Prevention of suicidal behavior in schizophrenia should include recognizing patients at risk, delivering the best possible therapy for psychotic symptoms, and managing comorbid depression and substance misuse.

Personal Experiences and Expectations about Aggregate Outcomes

ABSTRACTUsing novel survey data, we document that individuals extrapolate from recent personal experiences when forming expectations about aggregate economic outcomes. Recent locally experienced house price movements affect expectations about future U.S. house price changes and higher experienced house price volatility causes respondents to report a wider distribution over expected U.S. house price movements. When we exploit within‐individual variation in employment status, we find that individuals who personally experience unemployment become more pessimistic about future nationwide unemployment. The extent of extrapolation is unrelated to how informative personal experiences are, is inconsistent with risk adjustment, and is more pronounced for less sophisticated individuals.

Interprofessional training for the delivery of community health services in Mexico: the experience of Partners in Health

ABSTRACTInterprofessional training in health is scarce in Mexico. Partners in Health (CES in Spanish), is the branch of an international civil society organization that provides health services to poor and rural populations. CES runs a set of ten health centers in Chiapas, Mexico, in partnership with the local Ministry of Health. A key component of the provision strategy is to train healthcare providers, mainly medical and nursing students in their final year of training, to create healthcare teams that work together while fostering their individual capacities. CES offers a diploma on Global Health and Social Medicine, where medical and nursing students -also called pasantes- interact to discuss jointly the effects of global and social determinants of health in local communities, as well as specific clinical topics. A qualitative study including interviews and nonparticipant observations was undertaken to identify initial achievements and challenges of the experience. CES has achieved important benefits related to teamwork as well as clinical capacities of individuals as healthcare providers. However, challenges have emerged: differences in social origin, personal development expectations, professional identity and institutional roles hinder team cohesion. Consequently, CES has introduced adjustments to reduce the negative impact of these differences. Although the training model needs further development, the possibility of transferring some of its good practices to non-CES scenarios should be seriously considered by health authorities.

“When I work in flow, I become the music”: what is the student experience of a process-based curriculum guided by real-world projects and flow psychology?

ABSTRACTThis research aims to address the problem of student engagement on vocational subjects and high incidences of mental health difficulties that present a barrier to learning and progression and ask questions about how the TAPOUT curriculum model may impact on this.This small-scale research study explores how students experience ‘flow’ in the classroom using the TAPOUT curriculum model. Focusing on process as well as product, the TAPOUT curriculum model provides a framework with which to facilitate collaborative work where students take ownership of longitudinal projects with real world outcomes.Specifically, TAPOUT was developed to provide a new curriculum framework that facilitates ‘healthy learning’; teaching and learning models whose primary function is to encourage effective learning using strategies and elements of curriculum design which promote wellbeing. Rather than separating the classroom from initiatives to promote mental health that go on outside (counselling, medication, CBT, mindfulness and so on) the classroom can support this work by providing opportunities for work that engenders ‘positive psychology’ (collaboration, mastery and personal control, supportive feedback, high expectations and meaningful achievement not predicated on external, grade-focused success).Drawing on pilot studies and data drawn from interviews, surveys and focus groups across three years of study and approximately 100 students, the research presents intermediary findings about learner experience of the TAPOUT framework and their encounters with ‘flow’.Theoretically situated in the curriculum studies field this research engages with concepts of flow psychology, wellbeing, improving the status of vocational learning, trusteeship and craftsmanship.

“I Forgive My Sons for Any Disgust They Might Have Caused Me”: Alvise I Mocenigo and the Decline of Paternal Authority in Nineteenth-century Venice

To a nineteenth-century noble family, cohesion was synonymous with status and played a major role in the construction of its identity as part of a powerful social class. Within this society—so reliant on inequality and strongly centered around obedience and hierarchy—the story of Alvise I Mocenigo and his sons shows how the paterfamilias problematized his relatives’ insubordination and how, despite the several challenges to his authority, his decisions regarding the devolution of his wealth were driven to ensure the continuing of the family name and status. In doing so, Alvise bequeathed his goods to his grandsons (i.e., sons of his unsubordinated son, who at that time was already dead) and penalized his own sons. When one of his disinherited sons, Alvise IV Pietro Giulio, went before a court to claim his rightful share of the paternal patrimony, he was not just challenging his father’s will but his own world, where personal ambitions and expectations had to be sacrificed in the name of obedience and family honor. Through the consultation of a number of firsthand materials such as letters, wills, and judicial records held at Venetian archives, this article contributes to the understanding of the Venetian upper-class families and uncovers the changing family dynamics in place in nineteenth-century society.

Identification of Illness Uncertainty in Veterinary Oncology: Implications for Service.

Uncertainty has been identified as the central psychological feature of illness experiences, necessitating a variety of coping strategies to effectively manage it and successfully adapt. The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the expectations of veterinary clients accessing oncology care services at a tertiary referral center for dogs with life-limiting cancer. The study consisted of 43 dog owners participating in 30 independent in-person single and dyadic interviews conducted with standardized open- and closed-ended questions from April to October 2009. Thematic analysis (supplemented with content analysis) was performed on transcripts of the interview discussions. Uncertainty was inadvertently identified as a central theme of the clients' experience. The diagnosis of a serious, life-limiting cancer and its treatment appeared to move clients into a world of uncertainty, which affected their feelings, thoughts, behaviors, attitudes, and personal expectations in relation to their dog, and their expectations of the oncology service. With uncertainty appraised mostly as a danger, clients appeared to employ multiple coping strategies to reduce uncertainty in the effort to adapt to the new reality of living with and caring for a dog with cancer. The need to manage uncertainty influenced their expectations of the service, specifically for information, ongoing relationships, 24-h access, and timely care. Our findings have implications for the delivery of specialty oncology services and for client welfare. When working with owners of dogs with life-limiting cancer, results suggest health care providers can facilitate the management of uncertainty to enhance clients' psychological well-being, thereby supporting clients' successful adaptation to the cancer experience.

The “five senses of success” in nursing students: Assessing first-year support engagement

ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify School and University support services available and accessed by nursing students transitioning into a university environment as many struggle to adjust to competing demands of personal commitments and expectations at university. MethodsA mixed methods design was used, based on activity theory and Lizzio's Five Senses of Success frameworks as exploratory guides. This study was conducted amongst the first year cohort at one campus of the Bachelor of Nursing (BN) program in Queensland, Australia. An initial baseline assessment of what University and School-based support services were on offer for students, and how the students interacted with the support services was conducted. This was followed by a survey to identify awareness and access to support services. Focus groups were then conducted to clarify the previous results and to determine engagement with these support services. ResultsA randomly selected number of students (n = 150) in the first-year 2014 cohort of the BN program (n = 300) were included in this study. The survey was completed by 54 students and three semi-structured focus groups were conducted. The analysis indicated that the support services in place were successful in reaching the majority of students and contributed to their sense of success at university. Specifically students identified that a whole cohort approach to support enhanced their transition to university. ConclusionIdentifying lesser known services early in the first year will ensure that students are supported and encouraged to use all services, contributing to their sense of success at university.

A novel view on knowledge sharing in the agri-food sector

PurposeNowadays, the agri-food sector is facing several challenges due to a rapid technological change which calls for knowledge sharing (KS) practices to enhance businesses’ performance. This has spurred a collaborative approach and the creation of networks. Since there still is a paucity of research on the quality degree of KS, the purpose of this study is to offer an empirical research on the quality degree of KS by exploring outcome expectations and social exchange dimensions. Theoretically, it is examined by a double lens of social capital and social cognitive theory.Design/methodology/approachThis study offers an empirical analysis of 313 directors of 11 “consortia” in the agri-food sector in Italy by using the fuzzy expert system. The model allows to aggregate multi criteria dimensions of KS and rates its quality.FindingsAs resulted, the quality degree of KS is influenced by outcome expectations – personal and community expectations – and three forms of dimensions of social exchange: structural, relational and cognitive. The paper ends with a discussion of research findings, its limitations and implications.Originality/valueAs there is still a paucity of research on the determinants of quality degree of KS, the research adopts a double lens of social capital and social cognitive theories to explore what are these determinants.

Disquieting Experiences of Ruptures in the Life Trajectory: Challenges to Dynamic Self-Repair.

This paper aims to deepen the understanding on how people face experiences of significant ruptures in their life trajectories, in articulation with and in the light of the notion of disquieting experience. Since the semiotic-cultural constructivist perspective in psychology, the empirical corpus that will be taken for analysis, based on this circumstantial nature experience, refers to women's narratives whose life trajectories were marked by repeated gestational losses. The experience of a gestational loss can be perceived and felt by a woman as an unexpected event, which challenges personal and socio-cultural expectations of what was about to happen - becoming a mother and the birth of a baby. Gaps established between the imagined expectations and perceived reality, produce a non-sense field, experienced by the person as disquieting. In order to reduce the experienced psychological tension and integrate non-sense field in cognitive-affective base pre-existing, new symbolic actions are required to subject in the construction of reorganizers meanings from personal experience - what we denominate semiotic strategies of dynamic self-repair. With this, this paper aimed to shed light on the dynamic and complex aspects of human life related to the psychological processes involved in self repair, due to disruptive events.

An Assessment of the Employee Job Satisfaction: Views from Empirical Perspectives

Job satisfaction stresses on the personal feelings within the job environment in relation to job assessment. Various academics and scientists studied in the past, the significant association between personal expectations and job satisfaction of employees. These past studies were based on the model of personality traits and other variables in determination of employee job satisfaction. This study is to assess the relationship and effect between independent and dependent variables. To ensure that the stated objectives are met, a 7 point Likert scale questionnaires were administered to 140 managers and non-manager employees. However, only 128 of the questionnaires were returned without errors and ready to go through the analysis processes. Data analysis was conducted in two phases namely the descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive analysis aided by the mean counts was applied in describing the empirical data; whereas the inferential statistics of Pearson’s chi-square test and ANOVA were utilized to determine the relationship and the effect of independent on the dependent variable. ANOVA was used to assess the effect of independent variables on the dependent variable. This empirical study demonstrates mix results through Pearson’s chi-square and ANOVA tests. WEP and employee status does not differ from EJS whereas employee position differs from EJS. The ANOVA test revealed a significant effect of WEP and EPS on EJS. The study revealed that SME owners in FB district municipality experienced very high entrepreneurial challenges in contrast to their counterparts in JTG district municipality. Given these findings, the author called on policymakers to prepare specific strategies and programs that motivate employees within the establishment.

Il paziente con rene policistico negli ambulatori italiani

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common genetic kidney disease. PKD is a multisystem disorder associated with multiple bilateral renal cysts, slowly increasing kidney size and progressive chronic kidney disease. Approximately 50% of individuals with PKD will require renal replacement therapy by the sixth decade of life. More than 80% will also have multiple liver cysts, which can lead to local pressure effects. Cerebral haemorrhage, secondary to rupture of a berry aneurysm, occurs in up to 8% of individuals. Mitral valve prolapse occurs in up to 25% of patients. Patients with ADPKD have a worsening in the quality of life and a burden of disease similar to cancer patients. The quality of correct information given to patients and a warm reception have a positive impact on patients with ADPKD and contribute to an efficacious treatment program. AIRP conducted a survey to investigate the ADPKD patient journey, meaning the personal experience and expectations of people regarding factors such as disease management, relationships with the nephrologists and their team, and therapies. The survey was conducted on 370 people with ADPKD, using computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI). The results show that patients with ADPKD with a good relationship with their care team, both nephrologist and nurse, respond better to therapies. Warm reception, dialogue, communication, support, clear explanation, reassurance and guidance altogether contribute to a successful treatment of every single person with ADPKD.

Il paziente con rene policistico negli ambulatori italiani

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common genetic kidney disease. PKD is a multisystem disorder associated with multiple bilateral renal cysts, slowly increasing kidney size and progressive chronic kidney disease. Approximately 50% of individuals with PKD will require renal replacement therapy by the sixth decade of life. More than 80% will also have multiple liver cysts, which can lead to local pressure effects. Cerebral haemorrhage, secondary to rupture of a berry aneurysm, occurs in up to 8% of individuals. Mitral valve prolapse occurs in up to 25% of patients. Patients with ADPKD have a worsening in the quality of life and a burden of disease similar to cancer patients. The quality of correct information given to patients and a warm reception have a positive impact on patients with ADPKD and contribute to an efficacious treatment program. AIRP conducted a survey to investigate the ADPKD patient journey, meaning the personal experience and expectations of people regarding factors such as disease management, relationships with the nephrologists and their team, and therapies. The survey was conducted on 370 people with ADPKD, using computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI). The results show that patients with ADPKD with a good relationship with their care team, both nephrologist and nurse, respond better to therapies. Warm reception, dialogue, communication, support, clear explanation, reassurance and guidance altogether contribute to a successful treatment of every single person with ADPKD.

‘It’s a powerful message’: a qualitative study of Australian healthcare professionals’ perceptions of asthma through the medium of drawings

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore healthcare professionals’ (HCPs’) perspectives of asthma through their drawings, and their responses when viewing patients’ drawings of their experiences of asthma.DesignA qualitative exploratory study with...

Influencing factors of horizontal leaders' role identity in projects: A sequential mixed method approach

Horizontal leadership is temporary and often short-term compared with vertical leadership. Therefore, the role identity of horizontal leaders' is more difficult to be legitimated. In this study, we investigated how different factors interact and work in concert to influence horizontal leaders' role identity (hereafter, HLs' role identity). A sequential mixed method approach was chosen to conduct this research. Twenty-four interviews were analysed, and we identified eleven influencing factors associated with HLs' role identity. Subsequently, a sample of 150 questionnaires was analysed by using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to ascertain the collective effect of different influencing factors on HLs' strong and weak role identities. The results showed that high job complexity, intrinsic rewards, self-efficacy and personal expectations were the necessary conditions for HLs' strong role identity. The lack of expectations of other team members was the only necessary condition that resulted in HLs' weak role identity. Based on the 13 configurations of HLs' strong and weak role identities that were obtained from this research, we formed an HLs' role identity model. It was found that the expectations of other project team members together with empowerment by project managers are the most common and effective ways to establish HLs' strong role identity. Through a comparison, experienced and less experienced team members take different paths towards a strong or weak role identity. The theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Perspectives on Kindergarten Assessment: Toward a Common Understanding

ContextThe standards-based movement in U.S. public education has reached as far as kindergarten. Early primary teachers are increasingly required to teach academic standards in core subject areas, while engaging in increased levels of student assessment. In kindergarten, this growing emphasis on academic standards and student assessment is expected to operate alongside longstanding social and personal developmental expectations. However, recent research has identified a significant tension as teachers endeavor to negotiate a balance between traditional developmental programming and new standards-based academic curricula.PurposeThe purpose of this scoping review is to synthesize research related to three kindergarten traditions—Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, and Montessori—to develop a common understanding of key tenets for kindergarten assessment that can inform policy and practice in public education contexts.Research DesignA scoping review methodology was used to analyze research on assessment practices native to three kindergarten traditions—Reggio Emilia, Waldorf, and Montessori. This methodology followed a five-stage framework: (a) identifying the research question, (b) identifying relevant studies, (c) study selection, (d) charting the data, and (e) summarizing and reporting the results. Guiding the collection of articles was the following research question: “What does the extant literature on practices native to the three focal kindergarten traditions tell us about the assessment of kindergarten (4–6-year-olds) students’ learning?” In total, 80 texts satisfied the inclusion criteria across all traditions and were included in this study.ConclusionsEmpirical and non-empirical literature pertaining to each tradition were analyzed and considered in relation to their potential contribution to public education. In comparing across traditions, differences were evident based on their (a) assessment discourses and purposes, (b) reference systems, (c) assessment methods, and (d) uses of assessment information. However, the three traditions also maintained key commonalities leading to the identification of core tenets for kindergarten assessment. Specifically, three core priorities for kindergarten assessment were identified: (a) a commitment to child-centered and developmentally appropriate teaching, (b) a continuous embedded formative assessment approach, and (c) the use of multiple methods for gaining assessment information. In addition to core priority areas, results from this study suggest consistent processes that facilitate assessment practices at the kindergarten level. These four iterative processes are: (a) participation in teaching and learning, (b) reconstruction of teaching and learning, (c) engagement in assessment dialogues, and (d) integration of feedback for enhanced teaching and learning.

A Qualitative Exploration of STEM Career Development of High School Students in Taiwan

Although personal inputs and contextual variables in social cognitive career theory (SCCT) are recognized as key factors that affect career interests and choices, research has given minimal attention to the role of these variables in a collectivistic culture context. We present a study examining science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career decision-making process of 12 Taiwanese high school students aged 15–17, using a consensual qualitative research method. The data analysis resulted in four domains: personal input, contextual variables, outcome expectations, and self-efficacy identified by SCCT. These results provide a foundation for future research on cross-cultural STEM career development. Implications highlight the importance of counselors in encouraging students of collectivistic culture background to pursue STEM careers.

How Relative Performance Information Affects Employee Performance: A Systematic Review of Empirical Research

This paper provides an overview of empirical findings on how Relative Performance Information (RPI) affects employee performance through various facets of behavior. Additionally, the review identifies future research opportunities. It moreover contains a systematic analysis of the literature incorporating findings across several disciplines and providing replicable, extensive coverage. The studies are integrated in a novel conceptual framework. The results indicate that the effect of RPI on performance through enhanced effort is positive. Publicity and performance-dependent compensation strengthen the effect. However, RPI has also been found to increase sabotage among employees and it can lead to less honest reporting. Future research may examine critical mediators and moderators of the RPI-performance relation and thus complement the findings. Additionally, the effects of group-based RPI are still underrepresented. Future work needs to assess in further detail how RPI interacts with culture and norms and how individuals react to RPI due to their personal expectations. Additionally, there is a need for further research regarding the effects of RPI on cooperation, its consequences for learning, on how it affects budgeting, and its implications for risk taking.

An Expectations Based Privacy Framework for Management of Personal Data as a Common Resource

Personal data shared with third parties functions as joint property and has many inherent expectations. Some of these expectations are based on why and where the data was collected. Recently, however, the uses for collected data often exceed the expectations of the parties that provided the data. This exploitation is similar to exploitation of the commons and can have similar solutions. This paper outlines how common resource management regimes can be used in the privacy law sphere. It then summarizes some of the sources of personal data providers' expectations as informed by fourth amendment law. Finally the paper looks at sources of law and best practices for implementing a common resource management approach to personal data management.