Apprentice birder. Someone who is trying-out being a birder (i.e., developing an identity as a birder) by developing the technical and social competencies associated with being a birder.
Apprenticeship. "...the means of imparting specialized knowledge to a new generation of practitioners. It is the rite of passage that transforms novices into experts. It is a means of communicating things that cannot be communicated by conventional means. Apprenticeship is employed where there is implicit knowledge to be acquired through long-term knowledge and experience."
From pages xi - -xii -- Coy, M. W. editor. 1989. Apprenticeship: from theory to practice and back
again. State University of New York Press. Albany, NY. 310 pages.
Birder. Someone who has a self-perception or identity as a birder.
Characteristic trait. One of the attributes that helps to make, or define, a birder as a birder.
Dissatisfaction. In it's most general form, this means unhappiness. More specifically in the case of one's identity as a birder, dissatisfaction can arise if a positive trait (e.g., confidence, sense of belonging, credibility) is below some minimum desirable level for the birder. In addition, dissatisfaction can arise if a negative trait (e.g., frustration, ridicule) is above some maximum tolerable level for the birder.
Exosystems. Influential social contexts in which the apprentice birder does not participate, but which greatly affect the apprentice. For example, if an apprentice birder's parents work long hours, it can diminish opportunities for the parents to mentor the apprentice toward becominng a birder. In this case, the parents' job situations are exosystems for the apprentice birder.
Identity. Having a self-perception as a particular kind of person (e.g., as a birder).
Macrosystem. Broad institutional and ideological patterns within a culture that can influence adoption of a particular identity (e.g., as a birder). If people in society think of birders as "little old ladies in tennis shoes," or as "young, restless males who go twitching for birds all over the countryside," it will diminish the chances that someone will want to become a birder.
Mentor. Someone who helps an apprentice develop both technical and social competencies related to a particular identity. This involves much more than just "how-to" aspects of birding, but also includes the "what-for" aspects related to the meanings people associate with being a birder.
Mentoring. Tasks for mentors include: (1) identifying positive birding microsystems for apprentices, (2) building positive mesosystems for apprentices, (3) helping to overcome negative exosystems for apprentices, and (4) helping apprentices overcome aspects of their macrosystems that are negative towards birding and birders.
Mesosystems. Interfaces between two or more microsystems that provide commonalities or "social glue." In practical terms, this means people who share an interest in birds and birding in each of an apprentice birder's microsystems.
Microsystems. Settings in which an apprentice is an active participant (e.g., family, peer groups, clubs, etc.)
Model. A tool for describing the way the world works, using words, symbols, pictures, or mathematical equations.
Motivation. Something that influences specific behaviors (e.g., going birding, reporting birds sighted to listserves or rare bird alerts, etc.) that one exhibits.
Potential birder. Someone who is aware that a self-perception as a birder exists for others and who may or may not be interested in working toward developing an identity as a birder.
Recruited birder. Someone who feels like they "have made it" as a birder becuase they have developed the identity-defining traits associated with being a birder.
Recruitment. The process of developing a particular self-perception or identity (e.g., as a birder). Identity is more important than behavior because many factors can influence whether one engages in a particular behavior (e.g., going birding) at any time whereas identity is a more deeply-held orientation that influences behavioral choices.
Retained birder. Someone who continues to have a self-perction or identity as a birder.
Retention. The process of maintainingn a particular self-perction or identity (e.g., as a birder). Retention likely involves an assessment of satisfaction and dissatisfaction ono the part of the birder in terms of experienced levels of identity-defining (positive) traits and identity-destroying (negative) traits.
Rite of passage. An event, activity, or occasion that helps to transform someone from being an un-birder to someone who is a birder. The transformation occurs through the development of identity-defining characteristic traits associated with being a birder.
Satisfaction. In it's most general form, this means happiness. More specifically in the case of one's identity as a birder, satisfaction can arise if a positive trait (e.g., confidence, sense of belonging, credibility) is above the minimum desirable level for the birder. In addition, satisfaction can arise if a negative trait (e.g., frustration, ridicule) is below the maximum tolerable level for the birder.
Social competence. Recognition and adoption of implicit qualities (i.e., norms and values) associated with a particular identity (e.g., as a birder). This involves understanding the rights, responsibilities, and social contexts for the identity, which are imparted to an apprentice through the processes of socialization and social control.
Social control. The process of keeping an apprentice "in line" to prevent threats to the social harmony between birders and others in the broader culture (e.g., preventing loss of long-standing access to birding locations, preventing loss of face through breaches of ethical protocol, etc.).
Social support. The social context and environment in which apprenticeship activiities occur. The research of James Garbarino suggests that social support needs to occur at 4 levels of social systems: (1) microsystems, (2) macrosystems, (3) exosystems, and (4) macrosystems.
Socialization. The process through which an apprentice develops a new identity (e.g., as a birder) and experiences personal change. Throughout this process, the apprentice shows increasing initiative and proves himself or herself to other birders.
Sources of identity-producing power. Individuals, groups, or organizations who: (1) determine which characteristic traits are associated one's self-perception or identity as a birder, (2) give meaning to rites of passage by ensuring that develop develop the characteristic traits, and (3) provide the opportunities for transformative rites of passage to occur.
Technical competence. Learning an identity (e.g., birder) by developing particular skills and techniques, and learning how to apply those skills in different situations associated with the identity. This includes practical know-how gained through diagnosis, prescription, and evaluation, as well as theoretical knowledge needed to make that know-how operational through application, integration, and derivation of meaning.
Un-birder. Someone who is not aware that others can develop a self-perception or identity as a birder. Un-birders may or may not engage in birding-related behaviors, including going birding, but they fail to recognize that it is even possible for birding to become "a way of life" or a part of who they are as a person.
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