ORGANIZATIONAL STRAINS IN THE RESEARCHER-PRACTITIONER RELATIONSHIP (FROM READINGS IN EVALUATION RESEARCH, 2ND ED., 1977, BY FRANCIS G CARO - SEE NCJ-50468)

• NCJ Number: 50472
• Author(s): H RODMAN; R KOLODNY
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 20 pages
• Corporate Author: Russell Sage Foundation
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF SOCIAL PROBLEMS, ST LOUIS (MO), AUGUST 1961 AND THE MICHIGAN SOCIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION MEETING, ALBION (MI), NOVEMBER 1961 REPRINTED FROM HUMAN ORGANIZATION, V 23, N 2 (1964), P 171-182

Annotation

THE NATURE OF ROLE INTERACTION BETWEEN THE PRACTITIONER AND THE RESEARCHER (EVALUATOR) WITHIN A PROFESSIONAL CLINICAL AGENCY AND THE STRAINS STEMMING FROM THIS INTERACTION ARE EXAMINED.

Abstract

WHILE THE PERSONALITY TYPES ATTRACTED TO THE DIFFERING ACTIVITIES OF THE PRACTITIONER AND THE RESEARCHER-EVALUATOR MAY BE A FREQUENT SOURCE OF CONFLICT IN THEIR INTERACTION, THIS PRESENTATION FOCUSES ON THE ORGANIZATIONALLY STRUCTURED STRAINS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESEARCHER AND PRACTITIONER. THE SITUATION WHERE THE RESEARCHER TAKES CREDIT FOR THE WORK DONE IN THE EVALUATION WHILE THE PRACTITIONER REMAINS ANONYMOUS SO AS TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION OF TOTAL OBJECTIVITY IN EVALUATION JUDGMENTS FREQUENTLY DOES NOT REFLECT THE EXTENT OF THE COOPERATION AND INSIGHTS PROVIDED BY THE PRACTITIONER; THUS, ONE STRONG MOTIVATIONAL STIMULUS FOR PRACTITIONER COOPERATION IS LACKING. THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE RESEARCHER AS EVALUATOR AND THE ADMINISTRATION WHO MOST OFTEN CALLS FOR THE EVALUATION ALSO TENDS TO CREATE ANXIETY AND HOSTILITY WITHIN THE PRACTITIONER IN INTERACTION WITH THE RESEARCHER. FRONT-LINE PRACTITIONERS OFTEN VIEW THEMSELVES AS THE INDIVIDUALS MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM'S EFFECTIVENESS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME THEY MUST ANSWER TO AN ADMINISTRATOR WHO IS PERCEIVED AS BEING REMOVED FROM THE MAIN ACTIVITIES INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM. THE EVALUATOR IS THUS BOTH FEARED AND RESENTED AS AN EXTENSION OF THE ADMINISTRATOR WHO HAS POWER TO REWARD AND PUNISH WHILE BEING REMOVED FROM THE DAILY STRUGGLES OF THE PRACTITIONER. DENIAL AND DISPLACEMENT BY THE PRACTITIONER IN HIS INTERACTION WITH THE RESEARCHER ARE DISCUSSED. DENIAL INVOLVES THE PRACTITIONER'S NEGATION OF THE VALUE OF THE RESEARCHER'S FUNCTION SO THAT THE EVALUATOR'S JUDGMENTS AND REPORTS ARE DISREGARDED. ONE-WAY HUMOR ISSUING FROM THE PRACTITIONER TOWARD THE RESEARCHER AS A MEANS OF DEMEANING AND DESENSITIZING HIS WORK CONTRIBUTES TO THE STRAIN. IT IS BELIEVED THAT MUCH OF THE STRAIN BETWEEN RESEARCHER AND PRACTITIONER CAN BE RELIEVED BY THEIR BEING AWARE OF IT AND ACCEPTING ITS INEVITABILITY. BRINGING THESE PROBLEMS INTO THE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION MAY STIMULATE MOVEMENT TOWARD AN APPRECIATION ON THE PART OF BOTH PRACTITIONER AND RESEARCHER THAT EACH IS PLAYING A PART IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE SOCIAL SERVICES. (RCB)