Fauske, Janice R. and Johnson, Jr. Bob L. (forthcoming). Principals response to the school environment: Fluidity, alignment, vigilance, and fear. In Wayne K. Hoy and Cecil Miskel, editors, Theory and Research in Educational Administration. A volume in Research and Theory in Educational Administration. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
This chapter examines the cognitive processes guiding principals' responses to the environment of their schools. The focus is on what principals act upon, how they explain their actions, and what underlying mental models guide their actions. Data include multiple in-depth interviews of 18 principals. Principals fluidly directed their attention among factors in an uncertain environment with constant vigilance based on perceptions of vulnerability and fear of diminishing their schools' and own legitimacy and resources. Mental models were similar across principals regardless of gender, race, or longevity in the role, but longevity enabled principals to immediately consider more alternative responses.