The interruption and deconstruction of lure through ‘play fake’ behaviours using the en vivo leadership time-phased intervention methodology to affirm children’s agency when under online predatorial duress.

Antecedents of behaviours associated with play have been linked with the ‘seeking system’, a primary process evolved from a mammalian need for survival (Wright & Panksepp, 2012). This neurobiological activity houses instinct and intuition, and evolves to curiosity. A case is made for working alongside this inquisitive driver to support children's natural maturation through play which is activated in real world surroundings and arguably replicated by/in aspects of virtual play.

To build decision making capability, resourcefulness and resilience for a child’s playtime online, a metacognitive model is adopted where metacognition concerns the capacity of awareness of cognitive processes and their regulation (Fleur, Bredeweg & van den Bos, 2021). By implementing the (adapted) en vivo leadership methodology (Murray, 2006; 2020), a dynamic phase characterised by contextual uncertainty for the child subjected to intrapersonal instability due to online susceptibility, will be scrutinised. Salient online experiences will be collated and used to inform the design of a workshop to (further) equip play caretakers in their facilitation of children's assured online play, and to underpin the development of children's agency by fortifying their critical thinking skills in the role of play participant.

Sources:
Fleur, D.S., Bredeweg, B. & van den Bos, W. Metacognition: ideas and insights from neuro- and educational sciences. npj Sci. Learn. 6, 13 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-021-00089-5.

Murray, P.F. (2006). En Vivo Leadership. MA in Leadership Studies Published Thesis. University of Exeter Business School. Exeter Centre for Leadership.

Murray, P.F. (2020). Deconstructing the realm of the dilemma during leadership. In: Cocreating the Future for our Professional Practice: Leadership, Coaching, Mentoring and Supervision. European Mentoring & Coaching Council Global Provider Summit, 24th -25th Nov. 2020.

Murray, P. F. & Murray, A.M. (2024) An integrative design for equipping caretakers & staffs performance acuity & empathy to match the demands of children’s navigating the electric playground. In: Interpersonal Relationships & Wellbeing Research Group Conference: Discover & Connect, 7th November 2024, St John’s Campus, University of Worcester.

Wright, J.S. & Panksepp, J. (2012). An Evolutionary Framework to Understand Foraging, Wanting, and Desire: The Neuropsychology of the SEEKING System. Neuropsychoanalysis, 2012:14 (1).