1,010 research outputs found
A metatheory integrating social, biological and technological factors in information behavior research
A metatheory is presented and diagrammed as an integrated conceptual framework for information seeking and use. It represents the symbiotic relationship between users and the technological environment. Receiving and adapting to information is achieved through each user’s biological satisficing procedures defined by group information practices, namely, noticing information, appraising it and evaluating it. Information use is achieved through optimizing procedures, namely, activating goal-setting intentions, constructing a plan and executing it through acting upon the technological environment to attain one’s goals. Evidence is given by listing a variety of information seeking behaviors that others have identified in their review of the literature, then showing how each element fits within the model, as well as by analyzing the interpretive discourse of college students while engaged in carrying out assigned information tasks. Each discourse segment in the samples was categorized as either an affective, cognitive or sensorimotor procedure carried out by the user, and transcribed as a string or sequence. This code sequence was then compared with the sequence produced when the model’s mapping is followed. Every discourse sample inspected contained the six categories specified by the model. The metatheory is suitable for providing a common framework for discussing various areas of information behavior research
Visionary Realism And The Emergence Of A Eudaimonistic Society: Metatheory In A Time Of Metacrisis
This thesis aims to support the conditions for the emergence of a eudaimonistic, freeflourishing
planetary society by helping ignite the potentials of metatheory as a
transformational cultural force vis-Ă -vis our complex twenty-first century challenges. I argue
that metatheory in its appropriate form provides indispensable intellectual scaffolding for the
crucial psycho-spiritual, cultural, and social transformations demanded by these interconnected
global challenges, or what I call the metacrisis. I advance these aims, first, by reflection on the
nature, role, and function of metatheory in geo-historical context, articulating a vision for the
revindication of metatheory as integrative metatheory 2.0; and, second, the development of
the contours of a particular metatheory through an exploratory-dialogical encounter between
what are arguably amongst the most comprehensive and sophisticated integrative
metatheories arising in the wake of postmodernism: namely, critical realism, founded by Roy
Bhaskar (1944–2014), and integral theory, founded by Ken Wilber (1949–). Thus, in this thesis, I
deploy the methodology of hermeneutical dialectics and the method of immanent critique to
forge a non-preservative synthesis of aspects of these two metatheories into a new
metatheory—a visionary realism—that might help us to better understand and wisely respond
to the metacrisis. I then apply this visionary realist framework to sketch the contours of the
metacrisis at large, analyzing and synthesizing the philosophical, cultural, and psychological
aspects of the metacrisis to identify key principles and holistic solution patterns that may
inform deliberate social transformation
Beyond Theoretical Orientations: The Emergence of a Unified Scientific Framework in Professional Psychology
Psychology has been remarkably successful as both a basic and applied science despite serious and persistent conflict between its many theoretical camps and schools of thought. By far the most influential approaches to conceptualizing clinical practice in psychology have been the traditional theoretical orientations, even though they are widely viewed as inadequate and incomplete. This article reviews the underlying reasons for these conflicts and then discusses the emergence of a unified scientific framework that moves the profession beyond these problems. Outmoded conceptual frameworks are not appropriate for a science-based profession, and professional psychology needs to consider making a systematic transition to a comprehensive scientific approach to understanding human development, functioning, and behavior change
Co-evolution: Applications and Implications for Governance Research in Communication Studies
A co-evolutionary theoretical framework offers new concepts and methods for communication governance researchers. These concepts and methods are particularly well suited to study problems with strong interdependencies between actors. Such problems often develop in a dynamic, open-ended way and are associated with high levels of uncertainty. Many important, pressing governance tasks in convergent communication sectors, such as efforts to regulate digital platforms, could benefit from integrating insights from co-evolutionary models. For some problems, such as global internet governance, co-evolutionary models may be the only way to develop a robust understanding of the available governance options. This chapter introduces the co-evolution concept, points to applications in communication governance research, and presents models and tools that could enrich future research. It also highlights the implications of its applications for communications governance, summarizes the strengths and limitations of the approach, and gives a brief outlook of further developments
Learning Chinese Mandarin characters in an English-speaking country: The development of a child’s symbolic mind
This qualitative research explores the development of the symbolic mind in children through learning Chinese Mandarin characters. Navigated through the lens of relational developmental system metatheory and guided by Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, findings present the analysis of the developmental processes in children’s recognition of symbols and use of known symbols to make and share meaning. This study also offers an explanation of the effect of changes in the sociocultural environment on children's symbolic development. Further, cultural differences toward symbolic representation are discussed with the recommendation of focusing on recognition followed by writing when learning Chinese Mandarin characters
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