Interpreting psychological notions: A dual-process computational theory

Between conflict and reciprocal habituation: Human-wild boar coexistence in urban areas

Urbanization is an ongoing global environmental change. Wildlife may respond using anthropized environments and resources, which is known as synurbization, creating human-wildlife interactions. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations have become common in urban areas, including the metropolitan area of Barcelona. Humans respond to wild boars in urban environments either habituating, with lower conflict perception and higher wild boar acceptance, or sensitizing, with reduced tolerance towards wild boars. Since citizen response influences conflict management, this study analysed the drivers of human responses, which should allow adopting socially-accepted measures to manage synurbic wild boar populations. Interviews to 1956 Barcelona citizens were performed, grouping the response variables to score citizen and urban characteristics, as well as citizen lay-knowledge, emotions, experiences, and perception of wild boar. Five citizen clusters were identified: cluster 1 (3.3 %), highly habituated and active wild boar feeder; cluster 2 (11.3 %), habituated to wild boars with positive feelings; cluster 3 (19.8 %), not habituated nor sensitized, willing to maintain urban wild boar populations; cluster 4 (29.1 %), sensitized and concerned, defending to reduce wild boar; and cluster 5 (40.1 %), highly sensitized and proposing to reduce or even eliminate wild boar. Positive attitudes associated wild boar to aesthetic value, closeness to nature and sympathy, and were more frequent in young citizens with urban background and high education, animal lovers habituated to wild boar through contact without negative experiences. Conversely, negative attitudes were concerned about city fouling, safety or health, accepted lethal management measures, and were more frequent in older citizens with rural background, lower education, low contact with wild boar or sensitized through negative experiences. We document for the first time the sensitization and reciprocal habituation of humans to wild boar in urban areas. The identification of the drivers of citizen attitudes towards urban wildlife should be useful to design socially-accepted management measures.

The Dual Process of Intuitive Responsivity and Reflective Self-supervision: About the Therapist in Family Therapy Practice

Psychotherapy research shows that-in individual therapy as in family therapy-some therapists are more effective than others. This highlights the crucial role the therapist plays in a client's improvement. Furthermore, it seems that training may make a difference, as deliberate practice can improve the therapist's effectiveness. In the context of the current renewed awareness of the importance of the person of the therapist in the psychotherapy field, this paper's focus is specifically on the therapist in family therapy practice. There is a long tradition of reflecting on the person of the therapist in the family therapy field, often inspired by the metaphor of the wounded healer. In contrast, focusing on the person op the therapist in the present moment of the therapy session is fairly new. In this paper, we use of the dual process models from cognitive psychology as a frame to reflect on the person of the therapist. We review these dual process models and propose that the intuitive responsivity of the therapist relies on the fast, implicit cognitive system (system 1) and the therapist's self-reflection on the slow, deliberate system (system 2). The therapist's actions in therapy practice then emerge moment-by-moment as an echo of the way these two cognitive systems balance each other. It is optimal if the therapist, attuned to the family's rhythm, can flexibly oscillate between the two systems. In the concluding comments of this paper, reflective questions are posed about what this perspective may mean for family therapy practice, training, and supervision.

If numbers could “feel”: How well do executives trust their intuition?

Purpose

In the business and data analytics community, intuition has not been discussed widely in terms of its application to executive decision-making. However, the purpose of this paper is to focus on new global research that combines intuition, trust and analytics in terms of how well C-level executives trust their intuition.

Design/methodology/approach

Our Fulbright research, as described in this paper and performed by colleagues from the United States, Canada, Poland and Italy, examines executives’ as well as other less experienced employees’ preferences for different types of intuition versus data analysis. This study set out to better understand the degree to which executives prefer intuition versus analysis and the relationship between these approaches to decision-making. Our research combines elements of a review, a cross-cultural/cross-company survey study and a biometrics study in interoception. The research team has a multidisciplinary background in business, information technology, strategy, trust management, statistics and neuroscience.

Findings

Based on our research, the main findings are as follows. The use of and preference for intuition types change as employees gain more experience. However, there may be intuition styles that are more static and trait-like, which are linked to roles, differentiating managers from leaders. Using “inferential intuition” and “seeing the big picture” go hand in hand. Listening to your body signals can promote improved intuition. Cross-cultural differences may impact executive decision-making. Executives often prefer to use their intuition over analysis/analytics.

Research limitations/implications

This research could be expanded to have a larger sample size of C-level executives. We had 172 responses with 65% C-level executives and 12% directors. However, a recent survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit on intuition used by executives had a sample of 174 executives around the world, which is comparable with our sample size.

Practical implications

From our research, executives should continue to apply their experiential learning through intuition to complement their use of data in making strategic decisions. We have often discounted the use of intuition in executive decision-making, but our research highlights the importance of making it a critical part of the executive decision-making process.

Originality/value

Based on the results of our survey and biometrics research, executives apply their intuition to gain greater confidence in their decision-making. Listening to their body signals can also improve their intuitive executive awareness. This complements their use of data and analytics when making executive decisions.