Jason Payne
Sessions
Research involving psychological constructs often require operational definitions. As such research areas evolve, different operational definitions tend to be chosen consistently across “camps”. However, psychological and neurobiological mechanisms that underpin constructs should be captured independently of the tools and definitions used.
One key pitfall of relying on a single operational definition is that it can be confused with the underlying construct. This can lead to an unintentional circularity where a construct is treated synonymously with whatever the measurement tool captures. Such circularity can stifle psychological research by considering the “meaning” of a construct as established by particular operationalizations.
Using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, this talk examines how varying operational definitions of “SuperAgers”—individuals with attenuated age-related cognitive decline—affect measurement. The findings highlight the consequences of relying on specific operational definitions and underscore the importance of grounding research in clearly defined constructs.
As academics, we often encounter situations where our ideals conflict with the incentive structures of academia. Navigating these challenges while staying true to our values—both as individuals and as scientists—can be daunting. These conflicts may range from career-defining decisions to moments of self-censorship on academic social media platforms and everything in between.
This unconference provides a space to openly and respectfully explore these issues. While individuals may differ on what constitutes the "right" course of action in specific cases, the goal is to focus on the "how" and the "why" of maintaining both personal and academic integrity, even when incentive structures seem misaligned.
Suggested discussion topics might include, but will not be limited to: university policy, manuscript review, academic social media conflict, getting along with colleagues, unreasonable demands of higher-end journals, publication of replication of null results, dissertation or tenure requirements, etc.