The Elephant in the Schoolhouse

2017 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. Spillane ◽  
Matthew Shirrell ◽  
Tracy M. Sweet

Although the physical arrangement of workspaces can both constrain and enable interactions among organizational members, sociological research in education has not extensively examined the role of physical proximity in determining work-related social ties among school staff. Using social network analysis, this article explores the relationship between physical proximity and instructional advice seeking among school staff in all 14 elementary schools in one U.S. school district over four years. Results show that school staff whose workspaces are located closer to one another, and whose paths likely cross more frequently in their day-to-day work within the school building, are more likely to talk with one another about their work. Findings argue for more careful consideration when assigning school staff to workspaces, as the physical proximity of school staff appears to play a significant role in who talks to whom about instruction.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Hsuan Lin ◽  
Kuan-I Lin ◽  
Yuan-Chien Pan ◽  
Sheng-Hsuan Lin

BACKGROUND Phantom vibrations syndrome (PVS) and phantom ringing syndrome (PRS) are prevalent hallucinations during medical internship. Depression and anxiety are probably understudied risk factors of PVS and PRS. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the role of anxiety and depression on the relationship between working stress during medical internship and PVS and PRS. METHODS A prospective longitudinal study of 74 medical interns was carried out using repeated investigations of the severity of phantom vibrations and ringing, as well as accompanying symptoms of anxiety and depression as measured by Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory before, at the 3rd, 6th, and 12th month during internship, and 2 weeks after internship. We conducted a causal mediation analysis to investigate the role of depression and anxiety in the mechanism of working stress during medical internship inducing PVS and PRS. RESULTS The results showed that depression explained 21.9% and 8.4% for stress-induced PRS and PVS, respectively. In addition, anxiety explained 15.0% and 7.8% for stress-induced PRS and PVS, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our findings showed both depression and anxiety can explain a portion of stress-induced PVS and PRS during medical internship and might be more important in clinical practice and benefit to prevention of work-related burnout.


Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 157
Author(s):  
Jean Trap ◽  
Patricia Mahafaka Ranoarisoa ◽  
Usman Irshad ◽  
Claude Plassard

Plants evolve complex interactions with diverse soil mutualist organisms to enhance P mobilization from the soil. These strategies are particularly important when P is poorly available. It is still unclear how the soil P source (e.g., mineral P versus recalcitrant organic P) and its mobility in the soil (high or low) affect soil mutualist biological (ectomycorrhizal fungi, bacteria and bacterial-feeding nematodes) richness—plant P acquisition relationships. Using a set of six microcosm experiments conducted in growth chamber across contrasting P situations, we tested the hypothesis that the relationship between the increasing addition of soil mutualist organisms in the rhizosphere of the plant and plant P acquisition depends on P source and mobility. The highest correlation (R2 = 0.70) between plant P acquisition with soil rhizosphere biological richness was found in a high P-sorbing soil amended with an organic P source. In the five other situations, the relationships became significant either in soil conditions, with or without mineral P addition, or when the P source was supplied as organic P in the absence of soil, although with a low correlation coefficient (0.09 < R2 < 0.15). We thus encourage the systematic and careful consideration of the form and mobility of P in the experimental trials that aim to assess the role of biological complexity on plant P nutrition.


2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 260-282
Author(s):  
Vijay Kuriakose ◽  
Sreejesh S ◽  
Heerah Jose

This study examines the role of negative affect state and relationship conflict in explaining the association between two types of work-related conflicts namely, task and process conflicts; and employee well-being. Drawing from affective events theory and social attribution theory, the study hypothesizes a mediation model in which task and process conflicts are negatively associated with employee well-being through negative affect state and relationship conflict. While examining this model, the study establishes the inter-linkage between task, process conflicts and employee well-being and identifies two pathways to explain these relationships. Based on a sample of 554 IT employees from India, the study found support for the mediation model in which negative affect state and relationship conflict mediates the relationship between two types of conflict and employee well-being. Findings of the present study contribute to the theory by extending our understanding of the effect of task and process conflicts on employee well-being and also explains how it impairs well-being. The current insights will help managers and practitioners to design interventions to mitigate the detrimental effect of task and process conflicts on employee well-being.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Hsuan Lin ◽  
Kuan-I Lin ◽  
Yuan-Chien Pan ◽  
Sheng-Hsuan Lin

BACKGROUND Phantom vibrations syndrome (PVS) and phantom ringing syndrome (PRS) are prevalent hallucinations during medical internship. Depression and anxiety are probably understudied risk factors of PVS and PRS. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the role of anxiety and depression on the relationship between working stress during medical internship and PVS and PRS. METHODS A prospective longitudinal study of 74 medical interns was carried out using repeated investigations of the severity of phantom vibrations and ringing, as well as accompanying symptoms of anxiety and depression as measured by Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory before, at the 3rd, 6th, and 12th month during internship, and 2 weeks after internship. We conducted a causal mediation analysis to investigate the role of depression and anxiety in the mechanism of working stress during medical internship inducing PVS and PRS. RESULTS The results showed that depression explained 21.9% and 8.4% for stress-induced PRS and PVS, respectively. In addition, anxiety explained 15.0% and 7.8% for stress-induced PRS and PVS, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our findings showed both depression and anxiety can explain a portion of stress-induced PVS and PRS during medical internship and might be more important in clinical practice and benefit to prevention of work-related burnout.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Zahid Hameed ◽  
Ikram Ullah Khan ◽  
Muhammad Adnan Zahid Chudhery ◽  
Donghong Ding

This research aims to extend the literature on stress by exploring the relationship between incivility and employees' counterproductive work behavior (CWB). We investigate the mediating role of psychological distress (PD) to understand the relationship of family and workplace incivility with CWB. The study also evaluates the moderation effect of emotional regulation between incivility and PD. Analysis of three-wave lagged data (N=328), collected from bank employees in Pakistan, indicates that PD mediates the effect of family and workplace incivility on CWB and emotional regulation moderates the effect of family and workplace incivility on PD. Our findings highlight the fact that emotional regulation and PD are important mechanisms in the incivility–CWB relationship. The inclusion of these two constructs is a key to understanding the relationships among family incivility, workplace incivility, and work-related outcomes. The paper concludes with a discussion of theoretical and practical implications.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 315-330
Author(s):  
Bogdan Oprea ◽  
Dragos Iliescu ◽  
Vlad Burtăverde ◽  
Miruna Dumitrache

Purpose Boredom at work is associated with negative consequences, therefore it is important to investigate whether employees engage in job crafting behaviors that reduce boredom and what are the individual differences associated with these behaviors. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire study was designed to examine the mediating role of job crafting in the relationship between conscientiousness and emotional stability and boredom among 252 employees (Study 1) and in the relationship between Machiavellianism and psychopathy and boredom among 216 employees (Study 2). Findings The results showed that conscientiousness is negatively related to work-related boredom. This relationship is mediated by job crafting. Neuroticism and psychopathy are positively associated with boredom at work, but these relationships are not mediated by job crafting behaviors. Research limitations/implications The study was based on self-reported measures, which might raise questions of common-method bias, and the research samples contained mostly women and young employees, which raises questions about generalizability of our findings. At the same time, the cross-sectional design does not allow causal inferences. Practical implications Organizations can select employees based on their personality for jobs that predispose to boredom and give them enough autonomy to be able to craft them. Moreover, they can identify employees who need support to manage their boredom and include them in job crafting interventions. Originality/value Traditionally, boredom at work has been considered as resulting from characteristics of tasks and jobs. The findings indicate that some employees can make self-initiated changes to their work in order to reduce their boredom and possibly its negative consequences.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahid Hameed ◽  
Ikram Ullah Khan ◽  
Muhammad Adnan Zahid Chudhery ◽  
Donghong Ding

This research aims to extend the literature on stress by exploring the relationship between incivility and employees' counterproductive work behavior (CWB). We investigate the mediating role of psychological distress (PD) to understand the relationship of family and workplace incivility with CWB. The study also evaluates the moderation effect of emotional regulation between incivility and PD. Analysis of three-wave lagged data (N=328), collected from bank employees in Pakistan, indicates that PD mediates the effect of family and workplace incivility on CWB and emotional regulation moderates the effect of family and workplace incivility on PD. Our findings highlight the fact that emotional regulation and PD are important mechanisms in the incivility–CWB relationship. The inclusion of these two constructs is a key to understanding the relationships among family incivility, workplace incivility, and work-related outcomes. The paper concludes with a discussion of theoretical and practical implications.


2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-68
Author(s):  
Renee Zahnow ◽  
Amy Tsai

Place attachment is the development of a psychological and emotional bond between an individual and their environmental setting. While positive experiences in the residential neighborhood are central to ongoing develop-ment of people–place bonds, whether negative experiences erode place attachment remains unknown. In this study, we explore the relationship between crime victimization, social ties, neighboring behaviors, and place attachment in Brisbane, Australia. Using multilevel linear modeling, we examine whether negative experiences, specifically crime victimization, in the residential neighborhood affect residents’ attachment to place. We also explore whether this relationship is moderated by neighborhood social ties and/or interactions with neighbors. Results indicate that the negative impact of victimization in the residential neighborhood on place attachment is attenuated through frequent social and/or functional interactions with neighbors.


2003 ◽  
Vol 07 (01) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mircea Fagarasanu ◽  
Shrawan Kumar

Although several studies addressed the work-related shoulder pathology, there is still a lack of knowledge regarding the causal relationship between different factors in industrial/office activities and shoulder musculoskeletal disorders. The goal of this review is to evaluate in a realistic manner the role of the factors implicated in the shoulder disorders development in high-risk activities. This article reviews the actual state of information regarding the etiological relationship between physical and psychosocial stress and occupational musculoskeletal problems in shoulder area, emphasizing the relationship between ergonomic interventions on musculoskeletal system. Secondly, a comprehensive presentation of the pathophysiology and etiology of shoulder muscle problems is provided. Critical factors such as arm elevation, lack of rest, overloading of several muscles and mental stress during performed tasks are discussed in relation to shoulder musculoskeletal disorders development. Finally, using the available data, the authors present a thorough recommendation of mandatory redesign interventions with suggestions for future research in this area.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document