Samuel G. Wilson

Separating Adaptive Maintenance (Resilience) and Transformative Capacity of Social-Ecological Systems

Many rural communities are vulnerable social-ecological systems (SES) that must do more than become resilient to future environmental and social shocks: they must transform to achieve sustainability. We aimed first to conceptually explore the proposition that SES characteristics (identity, feedbacks, structure, and functions) necessary for transformation may be distinct from those necessary for adaptive maintenance or resilience, and second, to propose metrics that may be used to assess these two types of system changes. We did this by interrogating literature and by investigating two rural towns in Australia using a combination of quantitative methods and focus groups to interrogate community social networks, capitals (human, natural, built, and social) and future scenarios. Results indicated that (1) it is practicable to carry out a holistic assessment of SES characteristics (identity, feedbacks, structure, and functions), and (2) purposeful, positive transformation is supported by vision, identification with place, unhappiness (with the status quo), high personal contribution to social capital, open social networks, and latent capital(s). We conclude that rural communities possess capacities for adaptive maintenance (resilience) and for system-wide transformation, and that the metrics used to assess each are sometimes discrete, sometimes common.

The acquisition of perceived descriptive norms as social category learning in social networks

Descriptive norms—what people typically do in a certain setting—play a significant role in peoples behavioural decisions. However, little is known about how people acquire descriptive norms in their community. We postulate that acquisition of descriptive norms can be construed as social category learning in social networks, where people learn social information relevant about community descriptive norms from others with whom they are associated through social network ties. We distinguish two routes to norm acquisition: experiential and conceptual. The experiential route suggests people observe the behaviours of their associates in their social networks, and infer what people typically do; the conceptual route suggests people learn about their community from what their associates say people typically do. We used a novel statistical method of autologistic actor attribute models (ALAAM) on survey responses collected by snow ball sampling in a rural city in Australia, and found that people experientially learn descriptive norms about community engagement. Implications of this finding and the limitations of the current study are discussed.

The Positive Emotions that Facilitate the Fulfillment of Needs May Not Be Positive Emotions At All: The Role of Ambivalence

RATIONALE According to some scholars, if individuals experience over three times as many positive emotions as negative emotions, they are more likely to thrive. We contend, however, that perhaps positive and negative emotions that overlap in time are likely to enhance wellbeing. Specifically, if positive and negative emotions are experienced simultaneously rather than separately-called ambivalent emotions-the fundamental needs of individuals are fulfilled more frequently. EVIDENCE Considerable evidence supports this perspective. First, many emotions that enhance wellbeing, although classified as positive, also coincide with negative feelings. Second, ambivalent emotions, rather than positive or negative emotions separately, facilitate creativity and resilience. Third, ambivalent emotions activate distinct cognitive systems that enable individuals to form attainable goals, refine their skills, and enhance their relationships.

Humanness beliefs about behavior: An index and comparative human-nonhuman behavior judgments

Social psychological research suggests that two distinct dimensions describe lay conceptions of humanness: a species-typical sense (i.e., human nature) and a species-unique sense (i.e., human uniqueness). Although these two senses of humanness have been discerned among psychological traits and states, there has been no systematic research into lay beliefs about the humanness of human behaviors. Using a range of 60 prosocial, nonsocial, and antisocial behaviors, it was demonstrated that people discriminate between species-typical and species-unique behaviors and that the capacity to perform species-unique behaviors distinguishes humans from animals, whereas the capacity to perform species-typical behaviors distinguishes humans from robots. Behaviors that exemplify the two senses of humanness are identified, and data representing rankings, raw scores, and z-scores in two indices of species typicality and species uniqueness are provided. Taken together, these findings expand our understanding of lay conceptions of humanness and provide researchers of humanness with a wider range of validated stimuli to probe the boundaries of humanity.

Why Are Older People Often So Responsible and Considerate Even When Their Future Seems Limited? A Systematic Review

Socioemotional selectivity theory assumes that older individuals tend to perceive their identity or life as limited in time and, therefore, prioritize meaningful relationships. Yet, other research shows that people who perceive their identity as limited in time tend to behave impulsively—contrary to the behavior of many older individuals. To redress this paradox, this article reports a systematic review, comprising 86 papers, that examined the consequences of whether individuals perceive their identity as limited or enduring. To reconcile conflicts in the literature, we propose that, before an impending transition, some individuals perceive their life now as dissociated from their future goals and, therefore, will tend to behave impulsively. Other individuals however, especially if older, tend to pursue a quest or motivation that transcends this transition, fostering delayed gratification, and responsible behavior.

The relationship between an orientation to the future and an orientation to the past: The role of future clarity

Some research shows that people who often contemplate their future tend to be healthier. Yet the burgeoning literature on mindfulness demonstrates that people who are more attuned to their immediate experiences also enjoy many benefits. To reconcile these principles, many scholars recommend that people should distribute their attention, somewhat evenly, across the past, present, and future-but have not clarified how people should achieve this goal. We test the possibility that people who perceive their future as vivid and certain, called future clarity, might be able to both orient their attention to the future as well as experience mindfulness. Specifically, future clarity could diminish the inclination of people to reach decisions prematurely and dismiss information that contradicts these decisions, called need for closure-tendencies that diminish consideration of future consequences and mindfulness, respectively. In this cross-sectional study, 194 participants completed measures of mindfulness, consideration of future consequences, need for closure, and future clarity. Consistent with hypotheses, future clarity was positively associated with both mindfulness and consideration of future consequences. Need for closure partly mediated these relationships. Accordingly, interventions that empower people to shape and to clarify their future might generate the benefits of both mindfulness and a future orientation.

Imagined past, present and futures in Murray-Darling Basin communities

ABSTRACT Over the past three decades, irrigation-dependent rural communities in Australias Murray–Darling Basin have experienced profound economic, social and environmental changes, which they are attempting to accommodate through local government policy. As a contribution to participatory policy design research, in consultation with local governments we carried out focus groups to explore diversity of individuals’ imagined past and present in two rural communities. This was followed by group development of a diverse range of future scenarios and agreement to three likely scenarios. The research identified presence or absence of three underlying themes – irrigation, innovation and inflow of people – that plausibly drive change in these rural communities. These themes are likely to be common to many rural communities that have depended on irrigated agriculture. They provide an example of participatory policy-making, as distinct from the historically employed top-down policy development that has occurred in the Murray–Darling Basin. Because of the diversity of perceptions of past, present and futures, and the ultimate adoption of business-as-usual within the final local government plans, the research emphasises the need to put effort into community deliberations to build cohesion and share ownership of the process for delivering locally nuanced community policy.

Look into the crystal ball: Can vivid images of the future enhance physical health?:

Many impulsive behaviors, unpleasant emotions, and misguided cognitions increase the incidence of type 2 diabetes and other conditions. This study tests the premise that such risk factors are inversely related to future clarity—the extent to which the future seems vivid and certain. Specifically, 211 participants completed the measures of future clarity and various determinants of health. Future clarity was positively associated with the inclination of participants to consume healthy food, abstain from cigarettes, participate in physical activity, and experience positive emotions. Future research should examine whether interventions designed to help individuals clarify and pursue their aspirations could stem lifestyle diseases.