Date of Award

Winter 1-15-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Educational Studies

First Advisor

Jo Ann Gammel

Second Advisor

Matissa Hollister

Third Advisor

Flavia Stanley

Abstract

This qualitative grounded theory study addressed gaps in the literature regarding the application of complexity theory to complex social phenomena (CSP), for which no straightforward solutions or simple interventions exist. While complexity theory has played an important role in groundbreaking innovations in quantitative fields such as medicine, engineering, and finance, its application remains limited in human-centered developmental domains including education, social work, and healthcare. Using a grounded theory design informed by phenomenological approaches, this study examined the lived experiences of a group of six CSP practitioners, each of whom participated in two individual, semi-structured video interviews. Interview data were analyzed employing iterative inductive coding and systematic qualitative procedures. Four key findings emerged: (1) CSP practitioners demonstrated shared patterns of complexity mindsets; (2) increased workplace complexity was associated with the blurring of a practitioner’s professional and personal boundaries; (3) CSP practitioners frequently employed counterintuitive problem-solving strategies that rely on increasing complexity, as opposed to decreasing complexity; and (4) complex system flow emerged as a central feature of CSP-driven systems. Based on these findings, the study proposed a grounded theory positioning complex system flow as a foundational attribute of complex social systems. This theory offers new insights into CSP and highlights opportunities for increased multidisciplinary research to advance theory building, expand complexity-oriented applications, and support analytical tool development to improve interventions and outcomes in complex social domains.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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