UNRAVELING PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING: EMPIRICAL INSIGHTS AND ACTIONABLE GUIDELINES

Nome do aluno

 

Beatriz Silva de Santana

 

Título do trabalho

 

UNRAVELING PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING: EMPIRICAL INSIGHTS AND ACTIONABLE GUIDELINES

 

Resumo do trabalho

 

Psychological safety is widely recognized as a critical factor in team effectiveness, fostering collaboration, innovation, and psychological well-being in the workplace. In software engineering, where technical work is inherently collaborative and cognitively demanding, the presence—or absence—of psychological safety shapes team dynamics and software outcomes. Yet, empirical research remains limited in explaining how psychological safety is challenged during specific software development practices, and how such challenges can be effectively mitigated in practice. This research adopts a multi-method design to investigate psychological safety in software engineering from conceptual, behavioral, and practical perspectives. The project is composed of three studies: (1) a systematic literature review to consolidate academic knowledge and identify gaps; (2) a qualitative analysis of gray literature from online developer forums to uncover real-world manifestations of psychological safety challenges and coping strategies; and (3) semi-structured interviews with software professionals to validate, contextualize, and expand upon the prior findings. Initial results indicate that psychological safety challenges frequently arise during technical activities such as code review, requirements negotiation, time estimation, and technology adoption. These situations often involve risks associated with speaking up, disagreeing, or admitting uncertainty. Based on these insights, a preliminary set of practical guidelines was developed to support psychologically safer team interactions. The upcoming interview study will serve to refine these recommendations and deepen the understanding of contextual barriers and perceived impacts of psychological safety in software teams. Ultimately, this research contributes to the development of empirically grounded strategies for creating healthier, more inclusive, and effective software development environments.

 

Orientador

 

Manoel Gomes de Mendonça Neto (PGCOMP-UFBA)

 

Co-orientador

 

José Amâncio Macedo Santos (UEFS)

 

Membro externo 1

 

Ronnie Edson de Souza Santos (University of Calgary - Canada)

 

Link para o curriculum lattes

 

http://lattes.cnpq.br/7740410814678720

 

Membro interno 1

 

Marcos Kalinowski (PUC-RIO)

 

Link para o curriculum lattes

 

http://lattes.cnpq.br/1095304607841635

 

Suplente do membro externo

 

Glauco de Figueiredo Carneiro (UFS)

 

Link para o curriculum lattes

 

http://lattes.cnpq.br/4951846457502161

 

Suplente do membro interno

 

Flavio Dusse (Universidade Católica do Salvador)

 

Link para o curriculum lattes

 

http://lattes.cnpq.br/1050336407353442

 

Data do exame

 

17 Jul, 2025

 

Horário do exame

 

4:00 PM

 

 

Data da Defesa: 
17/07/2025 - 16:00
Tipo de Defesa: 
Qualificação de Doutorado