Can I Have Your Attention? Implications of the Research on Distractions and Multitasking for Reference Librarians

The media have identified the last decade as “the age of distraction.” People today find it harder to work on long, sustained tasks because distractions are eroding their attention span, fostering a culture of discontinuity. Fields as diverse as psychology, business, education, human-computer interaction, and communication studies have produced a wealth of studies on interruptions, distractions, and multitasking–research that has important implications for reference librarians. The nature of our jobs invites interruptions by the public, requires familiarity with the latest technology, stimulates curiosity about a broad range of subjects, and demands adeptness at multitasking–all factors which can atomize attention

The psychological characteristics of performance under pressure in professional Rugby Union referees

This study used qualitative methods to explore the stressors, appraisal mechanism, emotional response, and effective/ineffective coping strategies experienced by elite rugby union referees during pressurized performances. Participants included seven male rugby union referees from the United Kingdom (Mage = 27.85, SD = 4.56) who had been officiating as full-time professionals for between 1 and 16 years (M = 4.85, SD = 5.42). Data revealed that the referees encountered a number of stressors, which were appraised initially as a ‘threat’, and elicited negatively-toned emotions. The referees were able to maintain performance standards under pressure by adopting proactive, problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies which managed effectively the stressors and their emotions. However, the use of avoidance-coping, reactive control, and informal impression management were perceived as ineffective coping strategies, and associated with poor performance and choking. Recommendations are offered to inform the psychological skills training of rugby union referees

Exploring the Potential of Expressive Arts Therapy in Crisis Intervention: A Literature Review

In this literature review various crises and crisis intervention techniques are reviewed alongside expressive arts theories and process to determine how the Expressive Arts can be utilized for crisis intervention. As there is not a well-developed relationship between crisis intervention and the Expressive Arts, various acute care setting which utilize the expressive arts and creative arts therapies are explored to determine how effective the Expressive Arts could be in effectively managing, de-escalating, and learning from a crisis. The finding of this research determines that although there are grounds for the Expressive Arts to be utilized for crisis intervention, substantially more research will need to be conducted to effectively and ethically create a method. Further directions of exploration could be research as to how mindfulness-based crisis intervention could assist Expressive Arts therapists working in crisis care settings, and for further research to more specifically target populations to develop a method for crisis intervention for. This research does conclude that there is potential for the Expressive Arts to be extremely effective in crisis intervention, and this relationship should be explored further

Coping with Digital Wellbeing in a Multi-Device World

While Digital Self-Control Tools (DSCTs) mainly target smartphones, more effort should be put into evaluating multi-device ecosystems to enhance digital wellbeing as users typically use multiple devices at a time. In this paper, we first review more than 300 DSCTs by demonstrating that the majority of them implements a single-device conceptualization that poorly adapts to multi-device settings. Then, we report on the results from an interview and a sketching exercise (N=20) exploring how users make sense of their multi-device digital wellbeing. Findings show that digital wellbeing issues extend beyond smartphones, with the most problematic behaviors deriving from the simultaneous usage of different devices to perform uncorrelated tasks. While this suggests the need of DSCTs that can adapt to different and multiple devices, our work also highlights the importance of learning how to properly behave with technology, e.g., through educational courses, which may be more effective than any lock-out mechanism

Effect of Despotic Leadership on Employee Turnover Intention : Mediating Toxic Workplace Environment and Cognitive Distraction in Academic Institutions

Despotic leadership builds adverse emotions and turnover intentions in the employees of an educational organization. This study investigated the relationships among despotic leadership, toxic workplace environment, cognitive distraction, and employee turnover intention. This study is based on social exchange theory (SET), social psychology theories of behavioral intention formation (such as the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behavior), and of the despotic leadership style. A survey questionnaire containing 28 items was completed by 240 faculty members from four Chinese universities. The responses were documented on a seven-point Likert scale. We applied PLS-SEM (partial least squares structural equation modeling) to measure the effects. The outcomes showed that despotic leadership influenced employee turnover intention in academic institutions. Toxic workplace environment correlates with employee turnover intention. Cognitive distraction also correlates with employee turnover intention. Toxic workplace environment mediates the relationship between despotic leadership and employee turnover intention. Similarly, cognitive distraction mediates the relationship between despotic leadership and employee turnover intention. The study concluded that despotic leadership, toxic workplace environment, and cognitive distraction might increase employee turnover intention. This study adds to the literature in the field of despotic leadership, toxic workplace environment, cognitive distraction, and employee turnover intention in academic institutions. Furthermore, it offers valuable and practical implications along with recommendations for future research.Peer reviewe

Effect of Despotic Leadership on Employee Turnover Intention : Mediating Toxic Workplace Environment and Cognitive Distraction in Academic Institutions

Despotic leadership builds adverse emotions and turnover intentions in the employees of an educational organization. This study investigated the relationships among despotic leadership, toxic workplace environment, cognitive distraction, and employee turnover intention. This study is based on social exchange theory (SET), social psychology theories of behavioral intention formation (such as the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behavior), and of the despotic leadership style. A survey questionnaire containing 28 items was completed by 240 faculty members from four Chinese universities. The responses were documented on a seven-point Likert scale. We applied PLS-SEM (partial least squares structural equation modeling) to measure the effects. The outcomes showed that despotic leadership influenced employee turnover intention in academic institutions. Toxic workplace environment correlates with employee turnover intention. Cognitive distraction also correlates with employee turnover intention. Toxic workplace environment mediates the relationship between despotic leadership and employee turnover intention. Similarly, cognitive distraction mediates the relationship between despotic leadership and employee turnover intention. The study concluded that despotic leadership, toxic workplace environment, and cognitive distraction might increase employee turnover intention. This study adds to the literature in the field of despotic leadership, toxic workplace environment, cognitive distraction, and employee turnover intention in academic institutions. Furthermore, it offers valuable and practical implications along with recommendations for future research.Peer reviewe

Effect of Despotic Leadership on Employee Turnover Intention: Mediating Toxic Workplace Environment and Cognitive Distraction in Academic Institutions

Despotic leadership builds adverse emotions and turnover intentions in the employees of an educational organization. This study investigated the relationships among despotic leadership, toxic workplace environment, cognitive distraction, and employee turnover intention. This study is based on social exchange theory (SET), social psychology theories of behavioral intention formation (such as the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behavior), and of the despotic leadership style. A survey questionnaire containing 28 items was completed by 240 faculty members from four Chinese universities. The responses were documented on a seven-point Likert scale. We applied PLS–SEM (partial least squares structural equation modeling) to measure the effects. The outcomes showed that despotic leadership influenced employee turnover intention in academic institutions. Toxic workplace environment correlates with employee turnover intention. Cognitive distraction also correlates with employee turnover intention. Toxic workplace environment mediates the relationship between despotic leadership and employee turnover intention. Similarly, cognitive distraction mediates the relationship between despotic leadership and employee turnover intention. The study concluded that despotic leadership, toxic workplace environment, and cognitive distraction might increase employee turnover intention. This study adds to the literature in the field of despotic leadership, toxic workplace environment, cognitive distraction, and employee turnover intention in academic institutions. Furthermore, it offers valuable and practical implications along with recommendations for future research

The implementation of a one-to-one iPAD program in an urban high school

The purpose of this qualitative study was to apply the lessons learned from the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow studies, the SAMR model, and Diffusion of Innovations theory to explore stakeholder perceptions of iPad integration at an urban high school in Massachusetts. The implementation was viewed through the lenses of the Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow (ACOT) studies (Baker, Gearhart, & Herman, 1990; Dwyer, Ringstaff, & Haymore Sandholtz, 1990a; Dwyer, Ringstaff, & Haymore Sandholtz, 1990b), Rogers’ (2003) Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) Model, and Puentedura’s (2012) Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition (SAMR) Model. The researcher used qualitative analysis to code the data. Through data analysis, five themes emerged: communication, control, division, distraction, and workflow. The iPads changed how and when students and teachers communicated. Teachers sought more control over the iPads in the classroom. Control over learning shifted toward the students with the introduction of the iPads. Divisions became apparent with iPad use: new teachers versus veteran teachers and upperclassman versus underclassman. Distractions were rampant. The iPads influenced the workflow of how teachers taught and how students accessed the curriculum