Mentors: Dr. Jennifer Ryan & Dr. Geoffrey Leonardelli
Dr. Jennifer Ryan is a Professor of Psychology and Senior Scientist at Baycrest Hospital & Dr. Geoffrey Leonardelli is a Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
Project Description
This co-supervised project examines how the neuroscience of memory may support or inhibit organizational management and change. Each employee has their own lived experience and unique history with respect to the organization and their colleagues. An employee’s memories include autobiographical memories (e.g., remembering how they felt and what they wore on their first day of work), memories for specific events (e.g., who was involved in negotiations for a takeover of a competitor), as well as general knowledge (e.g. who the founding members were of the company) and procedural knowledge (e.g., the specific processes required to invoice a vendor). This project will examine how such memories (whether individually or as part of a collective) may contribute to a sense of organizational culture and identity, shape interactions with peers, impact an employee’s readiness to embrace change, or affect the perceived effectiveness of leaders. This project will examine these issues through literature reviews and/or focus group interviews with industry leaders and their employees. The RA will also have the opportunity to receive additional training in research ethics and survey development.
Does this project require the SROP Student to be in-person or remote? Either one
Mentorship Statement of Dr. Jennifer Ryan
My journey into science began when someone took the time to encourage and mentor me; my goal is to pay that forward to others. My lab is a lively and collegial environment, in which all members support, teach, and learn from one another. My mentorship style includes daily or weekly one-on-one meetings as needed, weekly lab meetings with the group in which research papers and new findings are discussed, and pairing new students with a more senior member of the lab for discussion and training. Students will read the scientific literature, design and collect data for an experiment, analyse the data, and learn presentation skills to communicate research findings to the research lab.
Mentorship Statement of Dr. Geoffrey Leonardelli
Researchers in my lab can be exposed to survey development, access to online populations, experimental methods, linguistic analysis, field methods, ANOVA, linear and logistic regression analysis, scale development, statistical moderation and mediation, open science practices, research ethics and more. Some exposure to theory. Training objectives entail exposure to a research area, basic skill development, and instilling interest to pursue graduate studies. There will be some training in participant ethics and treatment, and proper application of methodological procedures involving delegation. As time permits, there will also be application of procedures involving surveying working populations. In both years, under the oversight of the entire lab group, the assistants will be exposed to experimental methods, data integrity practices, and single-blind procedures to reduce exposure to and unintended confirmation of the test’s hypotheses, as well as participant recruiting and compensation procedures.