DOCSLIB.ORG

No Employee an Island: Workplace Loneliness and Job Performance

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
No Employee an Island: Workplace Loneliness and Job Performance r Academy of Management Journal 2018, Vol. 61, No. 6, 2343–2366. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2015.1066 NO EMPLOYEE AN ISLAND: WORKPLACE LONELINESS AND JOB PERFORMANCE HAKAN OZCELIK California State University, Sacramento SIGAL G. BARSADE University of Pennsylvania This research investigates the link between workplace loneliness and job performance. Integrating the regulatory loop model of loneliness and the affect theory of social ex- change, we develop a model of workplace loneliness. We focus on the central role of affiliation in explaining the loneliness–performance relationship, predicting that de- spite lonelier employees’ desire to connect with others, being lonelier is associated with lower job performance because of a lack of affiliation at work. Through a time-lagged field study of 672 employees and their 114 supervisors in two organizations, we find support that greater workplace loneliness is related to lower job performance; the me- diators of this relationship are lonelier employees’ lower approachability and lesser affective commitment to their organizations. We also examine the moderating roles of the emotional cultures of companionate love and anger, as well as of the loneliness of other coworkers in the work group. Features of this affective affiliative context moderate some of the relationships between loneliness and the mediating variables; we also find support for the full moderated mediation model. This study highlights the importance of recognizing the pernicious power of workplace loneliness over both lonelier employees and their organizations. We offer implications for future research and practice. “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is & Patrick, 2008; Hawkley & Cacioppo, 2010; a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” Heinrich & Gullone, 2006; Masi, Chen, Hawkley, & John Donne, 2012 [1624] Cacioppo, 2011). These negative outcomes occur Loneliness—“a complex set of feelings that occurs because people have an innate, primary drive to when intimate and social needs are not adequately form social bonds and mutual caring commitments met” (Cacioppo et al., 2006: 1055)—is an aversive (Murray, 1938; Schachter, 1959), and they suffer psychological state. Psychologists have long studied when these social bonds do not meet their expecta- the painful experience of loneliness and its outcomes tions or their need to belong (Baumeister & Leary, ’ (see Cacioppo & Patrick, 2008; Heinrich & Gullone, 1995), including at work (Barsade & O Neill, 2014; 2006 for reviews). Surprisingly, though, there has Chiaburu & Harrison, 2008; Dutton & Heaphy, 2003; been very little examination of the processes and Wright, 2012). outcomes of loneliness in the workplace, even This inquiry into the processes and outcomes of though most people spend a large part of their lives loneliness in the workplace is also important as loneli- at work. Better understanding loneliness at work is ness has been characterized by scholars, as well as by “ important given the myriad pernicious emotional, the U.S. Surgeon General (Murthy, 2017), as amodern ” cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral outcomes that epidemic in need of treatment (Killeen, 1998). Lone- have been found as a result of being lonely (Cacioppo liness is experienced by adults of all ages (Masi et al., 2011), with no sign that loneliness levels are abating (see Qualter et al., 2015 for a review). Thank you to Paul Dickey, Lauren Rhodewalt, and Because loneliness is a relational construct (Weiss, Kevin Sweeney for research assistance. We also thank the CSUS Research and Creative Activity Grant Program at the 1973), it influences not only how lonelier people feel California State University, Sacramento, the Robert Katz about themselves, but also how they feel about and Fund for Emotion Research at the Wharton School, and the behave toward others (Cacioppo & Hawkley, 2009; Wharton Center for Leadership and Change Management Jones, 1982; Jones & Hebb, 2003), and, importantly, for their support of this study. how others feel about and behave toward them 2343 Copyright of the Academy of Management, all rights reserved. Contents may not be copied, emailed, posted to a listserv, or otherwise transmitted without the copyright holder’s express written permission. Users may print, download, or email articles for individual use only. 2344 Academy of Management Journal December (Heinrich & Gullone, 2006). That broader impact & Anderson, 1982). According to affective prototype makes loneliness particularly relevant to examine at theory, each type of discrete affect is determined by work, since connection with others has been found to a cluster, or prototype, of features that distinguish it. be an inherent part of employee motivation and sat- These features include all aspects of the affective isfaction (Dutton & Heaphy, 2003). Indeed, we know experience: feeling states, physiological markers, from some of the earliest field studies in management and cognitive and behavioral categories (Shaver, that employees are driven not only by economic Schwartz, Kirson, & O’Connor, 1987). The affective needs but also by the need to establish relationships prototype model is broad enough to encompass af- and social attachments (Gouldner, 1954; Mayo, 1949). fect as a state (including emotions and moods), a trait Given the pervasive and pernicious influence of (dispositional affect), or a sentiment (evaluative af- loneliness in other life domains, and given how much fective responses to social objects)—all depending time employees spend at work with each other, the on the specific affect’s intensity, duration, specific- investigation of workplace loneliness is important. ity, and evaluative focus (Barsade & Gibson, 2007). To better understand the relationship between Loneliness, similar to other types of affect,1 has been workplace loneliness and employee attitudes, be- characterized as a state and a sentiment, but is gen- havior, and performance, and to build our model of erally not thought of as a trait (although it can be workplace loneliness, we draw from two theoretical chronic) (Peplau & Perlman, 1982; Spitzberg & Hurt, traditions. The first comes from the nearly 40 years of 1989). The prototype model of loneliness also com- psychological research tying greater loneliness to ports with the most cited definition of loneliness, lowered affiliation (e.g., Cacioppo & Patrick, 2008; which requires three key components: (1) an un- Heinrich & Gullone, 2006 for reviews), specifically pleasant and aversive feeling, (2) generated from a Cacioppo and Hawkley’s (2009) regulatory loop subjective negative assessment of one’s overall re- model of loneliness, which describes the psycho- lationships in a particular social domain, and (3) logical mechanisms within lonelier people. The a belief that these social relationships are deficient second is the affect theory of social exchange (Peplau & Perlman, 1982). Defining loneliness (Lawler, 2001, 2006; Lawler & Thye, 2007), a socio- through this affective prototype lens, we take into logical theory that takes into account the role of other consideration the feelings loneliness arouses, the people’s thoughts about the lonely person. We in- cognitions that comprise it, and the behaviors it tegrate these theories to build and empirically test evokes. a model of workplace loneliness that helps explain Because loneliness is a subjective experience, an why lonelier employees are less affiliative—and why employee does not have to be alone to feel lonely, that lack of affiliation relates to poorer job performance. and lonely employees can be lonely even when Through this process, we aim to extend our knowledge interacting frequently with many others if these in- in three domains. First, by improving our knowledge teractions do not provide lonelier employees with about loneliness in organizational settings, we aim to their desired level of closeness (Fischer & Phillips, contribute to a more nuanced understanding of how 1982). Whether employees feel lonely depends on affect is related to job performance (Elfenbein, 2007), the level of closeness, security, and support they seek and address the call for greater study of the outcomes of in their interpersonal relationships (Jones & Hebb, discrete affect at work (Barsade & Gibson, 2007). Sec- 2003). Thus, the same work environment could ful- ond, because of the relational nature of loneliness, we fill the interpersonal needs of some employees while add to the emerging theorizing about relational sys- leaving other employees lonely. tems at work (Dutton & Heaphy, 2003; Grant & Parker, 2009) by better understanding how an employee’sre- Distinguishing Loneliness from Related Constructs lational environments can include feelings of lack of affiliation and disconnection. Last, we contribute to the We differentiate workplace loneliness from re- loneliness literatures in psychology and sociology by lated constructs such as workplace ostracism, which expanding our understanding of this powerful social is an employee’s perception that she or he is being emotion to the workplace context. intentionally excluded or ignored by others at work 1 “ ” “ THE NATURE OF LONELINESS We intentionally use the term affect as an umbrella term encompassing a broad range of feelings that in- We take an affective prototype approach to lone- dividuals experience,” including discrete emotions and liness (Heinrich & Gullone, 2006; Horowitz, French, generalized mood (Barsade & Gibson, 2007: 37). 2018 Ozcelik and Barsade 2345 (Ferris, Brown, Berry, &
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Positive Psychology: Happiness
    POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY: HAPPINESS FIB QUIZ POWERPOINT NOTES INTRODUCTION & POSITIVE EMOTIONS • Positive psychology is concerned with the __1__ life, the __2__ life and the __3__ life. • Peterson’s study found that orientations to engagement and meaning were __4__strongly associated with life satisfaction than orientation to pleasure. • There are 2 distinct types of positive emotions concerned with the present: __5__ pleasures and more enduring __6__. • Gratifications differ from pleasures in that they entail states of absorption or __7__ that come from engagement in activities that involve using our signature __8__. POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AFFECTIVITY • A wide range of data have shown that emotional experience can be best described by __9__ broad dimensions. Some researchers (Larsen, Diener, Averill) have labeled these dimensions (1)“activation or __10__” and (2) “pleasant/__11__ to unpleasant/__12__”. • Some researchers (Watston, Tellergen) suggest 2 dimensions, __13__ and __14__ affectivity (emotional experiences) captures the combinations of these two broad dimensions. Positive and negative affectivity can be assessed with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). • Positive and negative affectivity is moderately __15__. • Positive affectivity is associated with greater job satisfaction and marital satisfaction • People with high positive affectivity tend to have __16__ life styles and better __17__ strategies. POSITIVE AFFECTIVITY & HAPPINESS • Positive affectivity may be enhanced through: • engagement in regular physical __18__, • maintaining a regular and adequate pattern of __19__, • making and maintaining strong __20__ an socializing frequently with supportive friends • through working towards __21__(3 words). • Positive affectivity is one aspect of __22__ • Diener assessed data of happiness and well-being from over a million people all over the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology 32 (2016) 25–37
    Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology 32 (2016) 25–37 Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology www.elsevier.es/rpto Counterproductive work behavior among frontline government employees: Role of personality, emotional intelligence, affectivity, emotional labor, and emotional exhaustion a b,∗ c Ponniah Raman , Murali Sambasivan , Naresh Kumar a Putra Business School, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia b Taylor’s Business School, Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus, Subang Jaya, Malaysia c Global Entrepreneurship Research and Innovation Center, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Technology Park Malaysia, Bukit Jalil, Malaysia a b s t r a c t a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: The main objective of this research is to study the effect of personality, emotional intelligence (EI), affectiv- Received 7 January 2015 ity, emotional labor and emotional exhaustion on counterproductive work behavior (CWB) of frontline Accepted 24 November 2015 employees in the government sector. A questionnaire was designed and distributed to 625 frontline Available online 28 January 2016 employees working at service counters in 25 ministries in Malaysia. We received responses from 519 employees (response rate = 83%). The data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The Keywords: main findings are: (1) personality factors of employees drive their EI, affectivity, emotional labor, emo- Counterproductive work behavior tional exhaustion, and CWB and (2) EI and affectivity impact emotional labor, emotional exhaustion and Personality traits CWB. Through the integrated model, we have studied the indirect roles of emotional labor and emotional Affectivity exhaustion. This is one of the few studies that have effectively integrated the five constructs into a single Emotional labor Emotional exhaustion framework to study their effects on CWB.
    [Show full text]
  • Trait Positive and Negative Emotionality Differentially Associate Withdiurnal Cortisol Activity Karissa G
    Bryn Mawr College Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at Bryn Mawr College Psychology Faculty Research and Scholarship Psychology 2016 Trait positive and negative emotionality differentially associate withdiurnal cortisol activity Karissa G. Miller Aidan G.C. Wright Laurel M. Peterson Bryn Mawr College, [email protected] Thomas W. Kamarck Barbara A. Anderson See next page for additional authors Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy . Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.brynmawr.edu/psych_pubs Part of the Psychology Commons Custom Citation Miller et al. "Trait positive and negative emotionality differentially associate withdiurnal cortisol activity." Psychoneuroendocrinology 68 (2016); 177-185. This paper is posted at Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at Bryn Mawr College. http://repository.brynmawr.edu/psych_pubs/47 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Authors Karissa G. Miller, Aidan G.C. Wright, Laurel M. Peterson, Thomas W. Kamarck, Barbara A. Anderson, Clemens Kirschbaum, Anna L. Marsland, and Matthew F. Muldoon This article is available at Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at Bryn Mawr College: http://repository.brynmawr.edu/ psych_pubs/47 Psychoneuroendocrinology 68 (2016) 177–185 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Psychoneuroendocrinology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/psyneuen Trait positive and negative emotionality differentially associate with diurnal cortisol activity a,∗ a b a Karissa G. Miller , Aidan G.C. Wright , Laurel
    [Show full text]
  • Pdfs/Joormann Gotlib 07.Pdf
    Biological Psychology 122 (2017) 110–120 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Biological Psychology jo urnal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/biopsycho The beneficial effects of a positive attention bias amongst children with a history of psychosocial deprivation a,∗ b h Sonya Troller-Renfree , Katie A. McLaughlin , Margaret A. Sheridan , c,d,e,f g a Charles A. Nelson , Charles H. Zeanah , Nathan A. Fox a Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, United States b Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, United States c Harvard Medical School, United States d Boston Children’s Hospital, United States e Harvard Center on the Developing Child, United States f Harvard Graduate School of Education, United States g Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, United States h Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t Article history: Children raised in institutions experience psychosocial deprivation that has detrimental influences on Received 30 June 2015 attention and mental health. The current study examined patterns of attention biases in children from Received in revised form 23 March 2016 institutions who were randomized at approximately 21.6 months to receive either a high-quality foster Accepted 14 April 2016 care intervention or care-as-usual. At age 12, children performed a dot-probe task and indices of attention Available online 21 April 2016 bias were calculated. Additionally, children completed a social stress paradigm and cortisol reactivity was computed.
    [Show full text]
  • Redalyc.Emotions and the Emotional Disorders: a Quantitative
    International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology ISSN: 1697-2600 [email protected] Asociación Española de Psicología Conductual España Watson, David; Clark, Lee Anna; Stasik, Sara M. Emotions and the emotional disorders: A quantitative hierarchical perspective International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, vol. 11, núm. 3, 2011, pp. 429-442 Asociación Española de Psicología Conductual Granada, España Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=33719289001 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative © International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology ISSN 1697-2600 print ISSN 2174-0852 online 2011, Vol. 11, Nº 3, pp. 429-442 Emotions and the emotional disorders: A quantitative hierarchical perspective David Watson1, Lee Anna Clark, and Sara M. Stasik (University of Notre Dame, USA) ABSTRACT. Previous evidence has established that general negative affect represents a non-specific factor common to both anxiety and depression, whereas low positive affect is more specifically related to the latter. Little is known, however, about how specific, lower order affects relate to these constructs. We investigated how six emotional disorders—major depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, social phobia, and obsessive compulsive disorder — are linked to both general and specific types of affect in two samples (Ns = 331 and 253), using the Expanded Form of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS- X). Replicating previous results, the General Negative Affect scale was nonspecifically related to the emotional disorders, whereas General Positive Affect had a specific (inverse) association with major depression.
    [Show full text]
  • A Balanced Psychology and a Full Life, Seligman
    Published online 18 August 2004 A balanced psychology and a full life Martin E. P. SeligmanÃ, Acacia C. Parks and Tracy Steen Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania, 3701 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA Psychology since World War II has been largely devoted to repairing weakness and understanding suffering. Towards that end, we have made considerable gains. We have a classification of mental illness that allows international collaboration, and through this collaboration we have developed effective psychotherapeutic or pharmacological treatments for 14 major mental disorders. However, while building a strong science and practice of treating mental illness, we largely forgot about everyday well-being. Is the absence of mental illness and suffering sufficient to let individuals and communities flourish? Were all disabling conditions to disappear, what would make life worth living? Those committed to a science of positive psychology can draw on the effective research methods developed to understand and treat mental illness. Results from a new randomized, placebo-controlled study demonstrate that people are happier and less depressed three months after completing exercises targeting positive emotion. The ultimate goal of positive psychology is to make people happier by understanding and building positive emotion, gratification and meaning. Towards this end, we must supplement what we know about treating illness and repairing damage with knowledge about nurturing well-being in individuals and communities. Keywords: positive psychology; happiness; optimism; meaning; depression; interventions 1. A BALANCED PSYCHOLOGY quite difficult to pinpoint. After 50 years and 30 billion American psychology before World War II had three objec- dollars of research, psychologists and psychiatrists can boast tives: the first was to cure mental illness, the second was to that we are now able to make troubled people less miserable, make relatively untroubled people happier, and the third and that is surely a significant scientific accomplishment.
    [Show full text]
  • Redalyc.Relationships Between Five-Factor Personality Traits And
    International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology ISSN: 1697-2600 [email protected] Asociación Española de Psicología Conductual España Kardum, Igor; Hudek-Knezevic, Jasna Relationships between five-factor personality traits and specific health-related personality dimensions International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, vol. 12, núm. 3, 2012, pp. 373-387 Asociación Española de Psicología Conductual Granada, España Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=33723713001 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative KARDUM© International et Journalal. Relationships of Clinical and between Health health-relatedPsychology traits ISSN 1697-2600373 print ISSN 2174-0852 online 2012, Vol. 12, Nº 3, pp. 373-387 Relationships between five-factor personality traits and specific health-related personality dimensions Igor Kardum1 and Jasna Hudek-Knezevic (University of Rijeka, Croatia) ABSTRACT. The relationships between 15 personality traits relevant for personality- health research were examined as well as their relationships with five-factor personality traits and two higher order alpha and beta factors. Factor analysis of the 15 health- related personality concepts yielded three broad components: Negative affectivity, Optimistic control and Passivity. Results indicate that three health-related components obtained and the majority of their measures could be moderately explained by the combination of five-factor personality traits. Extraversion, Neuroticism and Openness are represented in the health-related concepts much more than Agreeableness and Conscientiousness. Health locus of control and passivity showed the highest degree of independence from five-factor personality traits.
    [Show full text]
  • Self-Compassion As a Moderator of the Relationship Between Emotion Dysregulation and Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms
    University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 2015 Self-Compassion as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Emotion Dysregulation and Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms Priya Loess University of Montana - Missoula Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Part of the Clinical Psychology Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Loess, Priya, "Self-Compassion as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Emotion Dysregulation and Borderline Personality Disorder Symptoms" (2015). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 4526. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/4526 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. SELF-COMPASSION AS A MODERATOR OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMOTION DYSREGULATION AND BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER SYMPTOMS By PRIYADARSHANI FLORENCE LOESS Bachelor’s of Science - Chemistry, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2008 Bachelor’s of Arts - Psychology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 2012 Thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Degree in Psychology
    [Show full text]
  • Loneliness and Aging 1
    LONELINESS AND AGING 1 Running head: LONELINESS AND AGING Loneliness and Wellbeing in Young and Older Adulthood Amanda Chue Cornell University Author Note Amanda Chue, Department of Human Development, Cornell University This research was partially funded by the Marjorie A. Corwin Undergraduate Research Fellows Endowment. The author would like to express her deepest appreciation for the support and guidance of Dr. Joseph Mikels and the rest of the Emotion and Cognition Lab. Without them, this research would not be possible. She would also like to thank Dr. Marianella Casasola and Dr. Elaine Wethington for their thoughtful feedback throughout this process. Correspondence concerning this research should be addressed to Amanda Chue, Department of Human Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853-4401. Email: [email protected]. LONELINESS AND AGING 2 Abstract The present research investigated the relationships between loneliness and emotional, physical, and cognitive wellbeing in young and older adulthood. Self-report questionnaires were administered to 101 young and 95 older adults. Young adults reported slightly higher loneliness than older adults. Overall, young and older participants who reported the greatest amount of loneliness experienced significantly less positive affect than those reporting the least amount of loneliness. However, higher levels of loneliness were related to increased negative affect only within the older adult group. Increased loneliness was also correlated with poorer reports of physical health exclusively in older adults. No relationships were found between loneliness and fluid cognitive ability or loneliness and information processing style. The exacerbated negative impact of loneliness in older adults is interpreted as an effect of age-related changes in motivation toward socioemotional goals related to the limited future time perspective of older individuals.
    [Show full text]
  • Positive Affectivity and Interpersonal Relation- Ships. in H. Reis & S
    FROM: Lyubomirsky, S., & Sin, N. L. (in press). Positive affectivity and interpersonal relation- ships. In H. Reis & S. Sprecher (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Human Relationships. New York: Sage. Positive Affectivity and Interpersonal Relationships Conventional wisdom holds that happy people have stronger social relationships than their less happy peers, and empirical research supports this popular belief. In this chapter, we examine how social relationships are influenced by positive affect (PA) – the feelings reflecting one’s level of pleasurable engagement with the environment. High PA is characterized by excitement, alertness, and enthusiasm. High negative affect (NA), by contrast, is a state of subjective distress and encompasses a number of unpleasant moods, such as anger, disgust, fear, and nervousness. Both PA and NA play important roles in interpersonal relationships; however, this entry is limited to discussing PA. Assessing PA PA measures. PA is commonly measured using self-report questionnaires that require participants to rate various mood descriptors. Disagreement exists, however, regarding the subcomponents of PA, and this is evident in the discrepancies in content among PA measures. Consider, for example, the widely used Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Its PA scale contains 10 descriptors (e.g., enthusiastic, confident, alert) that assess the PA subcomponents of Joviality, Self-Assurance, and Attentiveness. In contrast, the Profile of Mood States scale only assesses the Vigor subcomponent of PA (e.g., active, lively, energetic). The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale contains four items measuring enjoyment, happiness, optimism, and self-esteem. The Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist – Revised divides positive mood into two subscales – Positive Affect (e.g., friendly, happy, satisfied) and Sensation Seeking (e.g., active, daring, enthusiastic).
    [Show full text]
  • Memories and Emotions in the Dutch Population
    Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social Sciences (BMS) Memories and emotions in the Dutch population A study of the relationship between memories and intensity of positive and negative emotions MASTER THESIS Positive Psychology and Technology Course - 201300102 Christina Miro – s1349619 27.08.2018 1. Supervisor: Dr. G. J. Westerhof 2. Supervisor: C. Wrede Abstract More and more people suffer from a mental disorder during their life. Hence, the need for mental health treatment is increasing and creates a challenge in the health sector. Especially, when the world population is growing rapidly. That is why a quick-acting solution is needed, so that fewer people develop a mental disorder. The present study examines the relationship between memories and positive and negative emotions using memories of the first measurement moment of a 1-year longitudinal study in the Dutch population. The sample, consisting of 2065 participants (female 53%, male 47%) with an age range between 18 and 92 years (M age = 57.6; SD age = 16.4), had an over-representation of older adults. Participants were asked to describe three memories by using the Self-Defining Memory Test (SDMT). They reported the age of the memories, the extent of vividness as well as the intensity of emotions during the recollection. In total, they provided 6158 memories at the first measurement moment of the study. Their memories were reliably coded for valence and content. First, the relationship between the age of a memory and the evoked intensive emotions has been examined. Second, the relationship between vividness of a memory and the evoked intensive emotions has been studied.
    [Show full text]
  • Emotional Intelligence and Information Literacy Competency
    Feeling Our Way: Emotional Intelligence and Information Literacy Competency Miriam L. Matteson, Omer Farooq, and David B. Mease Introduction growing learner can inform approaches to the prac- Information literacy (IL) continues to be a major tice of delivering IL instruction that may more sound- area of focus for academic librarians. Even as forces ly resonate with students, meeting them where they of change in the form of severe budget reductions, are in their cognitive and emotional development. In loss of positions, shifts in collection management, this paper, we explore IL from this wider lens, exam- and changing technologies, have hit libraries hard in ining relationships between affective dimensions of a the early 21st century, their commitment to providing students’ personality and IL competency. high quality IL instruction remains strong. An exami- nation of recent strategic plans from academic librar- Literature Review ies reveals continued emphasis on the teaching role The research presented here develops in part from a of librarianship with organizational units dedicated to call in the literature to more strongly connect IL and IL instruction and student engagement.1 IL initiatives information seeking behavior.3 Although these two across campuses have moved well beyond the tradi- concepts share important overlaps, as they have been tional face-to-face instruction session and now librar- conceptualized and addressed in the literature, they ians deliver instruction in a variety of styles, varying have remained somewhat unconnected.
    [Show full text]