No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the authors.
The Role of Positivity and Connectivity in the Performance of Business TeamsA Nonlinear Dynamics Model
Abstract
Connectivity, the control parameter in a nonlinear dynamics model of team performance is mathematically linked to the ratio of positivity to negativity (P/N) in team interaction. By knowing the P/N ratio it is possible to run the nonlinear dynamics model that will portray what types of dynamics are possible for a team. These dynamics are of three types: point attractor, limit cycle, and complexor (complex order, or “chaotic” in the mathematical sense). Low performance teams end up in point attractor dynamics, medium perfomance teams in limit cycle dynamics, and high performance teams in complexor dynamics.
... Positive communication strategies occur when affirmative and supportive communication is entirely dominant in the organization; thus, the organization's performance tends to be high when the communication patterns are positive (Losada & Heaphy, 2004). Meanwhile, positive relations refer to productive relationships and produce vitality and learning (Baker & Dutton, 2007). ...
... The other dimension is positive communication strategy, occurred when overall, affirmative and supportive communication is dominant in the organization. An organization's performance tends to be high when the communication pattern is positive (Losada & Heaphy, 2004). Leaders could forge and become role models for articulating appreciation, support, approvals, and compliments. ...
... Frederickson and Losada (2005) found that when employees experience a 3:1 ratio of positive compared to negative emotion as the result of communication, the employee could become healthier and individual performance increase. This is due to more people being connected, exchanging information, and an interaction that creates resources and enables people to act (Losada & Heaphy, 2004). ...
The recent emergence of negative communication and apathetic behavior requires positive communication by considering empathy known as Komunikasih (In Indonesian, communication with compassion). Besides individuals, institutions, including companies, should apply Komunikasih to practice positive communication. This article examines the Rumah Kedua (second home) program of Nutrifood Indonesia as the embodiment of the company's value or culture, namely “i-care.” This study employed a case study method with a Komunikasih theory analysis. The data were collected using textual, visual, digital, manual, professional, and personal document search, and in-depth interviews with key informants: the CEO and several employees of Nutrifood. This study revealed that the Komunikasih spirit embodies in the form of 1) equality, 2) sincerity, 3) compassion, 4) affection, 5) respectfulness, 6) friendship, 7) sense of family, 8) meaningfulness, 9) wellness, and 10) loyalty. Consequently, the company created a comfortable working atmosphere that makes the office like a second home. Nutrifood has used multimedia and multi-sensory messages through videography, storytelling, books, wall quotes, and ambient layouts to communicate these values. Other companies can use the findings of this study as a reference to implement the idea of Komunikasih in their internal and external communication.
... Studies of compassion and forgiveness-two of the early studies in the POS literature (Cameron & Caza, 2002;Dutton, Worline, Frost, & Lilius, 2006)-diverged from mainstream organizational science. Similarly, certain kinds of organizational processes-for example, generative dynamics-remained largely un-investigated, including high-quality connections (Dutton & Heaphy, 2003), thriving (Spreitzer, Sutcliffe, Dutton, Sonenshein, & Grant, 2005), connectivity (Losada & Heaphy, 2004), and positive energy networks (Baker, Cross, & Wooten, 2003). ...
... Abundant empirical evidence suggests that exposure to positive phenomena is, literally, life-enhancing in that it strengthens and enhances this second form of energy (Cooperrider & Srivastra, 1987;Diener, 2009;Loeb & Northrup, 1917;Northrop & Loeb, 1923). Adopting an affirmative bias, therefore, enhances positive energy in organizations (Cameron, 2012(Cameron, , 2013, and increases the capacity of organizations to effectively address difficult challenges and negative events (Clifton & Harter, 2003;Losada & Heaphy, 2004;Worline & Quinn, 2003). ...
Positive organizational scholarship (POS) is the study of that which is positive, flourishing, and life-giving in organizations. It considers the processes and dynamics that occur in and through organizations, in contrast to a focus on individual attitudes and emotions. Positive organizational scholarship has rarely been investigated in institutions of higher education, and this chapter provides two case studies that illustrate its relevance in that setting. The chapter first provides a discussion of the unique characteristics of POS compared to, for example, positive psychology and other approaches to the positive, and it highlights the importance of positive organizational dynamics in accounting for high levels of performance in organizations. The chapter describes how these dynamics have been successfully applied within two institutions of higher education to benefit not only traditional markers of success such as student achievement and wellbeing, but also the collective performance of the overall institution. The specific practices that led to extraordinarily successful outcomes are discussed, and they provide evidence that, in addition to the effects of positive psychology on individuals—especially students—the outcomes of entire institutions can be substantially affected in positive directions by adopting positive practices.
... According to [56], positive feelings are related to individual and organizational performance through complex pathways (e.g., via enhanced creativity and positive relationships). Furthermore, Losada and Heaphy [57] provided support for the relationship between positivity among team members and high performance. The authors showed that teams working in a positive work climate were able to achieve greater results. ...
... Tenney, Poole, and Diener [56] claim that positivity relates to individual performance through diverse pathways, creativity being one of them. This was supported by [57], who showed that team members experiencing a positive work climate could achieve better results. Based on this research, we formulated the following hypothesis: Hypothesis 1: Individual-level team member's PsyCap will be positively related to individuallevel job satisfaction and job performance (i.e., in-role performance and creative performance). ...
Background and aims
The individual difference predictors of positive work attitudes and behaviors have been widely investigated in the field of positive organizational scholarship. However, to date, integrating studies linking positive psychological resources, such as Psychological Capital and influence regulation, with positive organizational outcomes are still scarce. Thus, the main aim of the present study was to examine the relationships of Psychological Capital and influence regulation with job satisfaction and job performance both at the individual and team levels.
Methods
Within the cross-sectional multi-source research involving both team leaders and team members from 34 different teams, we examined the relationships of Psychological Capital and influence regulation with job satisfaction and job performance. The relationships of the study variables were based on the positive organizational behavior and the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, which suggest the positive relationships of distinct positive psychological resources with positive work outcomes. Accordingly, in addition to the widely accepted concept of Psychological Capital (PsyCap), we employed and analyzed the complimentary construct of influence regulation (i.e., the ability to intentionally share social influence with others in the workplace) both at the individual and group levels.
Results
The results of hierarchical linear modeling with 304 individuals from 34 teams from a diverse sample of Polish employees indicated that team members’ PsyCap was positively linked to individual-level job satisfaction and two facets of job performance, i.e. creative performance and in-role performance. In contrast, no relationship was found between influence regulation and job satisfaction or job performance at both levels of analysis.
Conclusion
With regard to positive interpersonal resources, the findings highlight the role of PsyCap in predicting job satisfaction and job performance and broaden the understanding of positivity in the workplace by introducing the construct of influence regulation. Also, based on the study results, managerial implications are discussed.
... As a dimension of positive leadership, positive communication describes the dominance of affirmative and supportive communication in the organization. When managers apply this kind of communication assertively, and it becomes a pattern on many occasions, it improves the organization's performance (Losada & Heaphy, 2004b). This dominance is possible if the managers' role models articulate appreciation, support, approval, and compliments. ...
... Fredrickson and Losada (2005) rationalize positive communication insofar as it creates positive emotion that also produces healthier individuals. Positive emotion drives people's connection and interaction, which may develop resources that enable them to act (Losada & Heaphy, 2004b). ...
... In fact, as claimed by Cameron et al. (2011, p.7, "[e]vidence exists that positivity and organizational outcomes are related" ( e.g. Cameron, Bright, & Caza, 2004;Losada & Heaphy, 2004). Not surprisingly therefore, interests in positive aspects of organizational behaviour gradually gain popularity within a research circle especially where it relates with positive leadership and organizational growth and sustainability in challenging times. ...
This book attempts to illustrate the leadership qualities that are essential for better leadership behaviour by focusing on how leaders should grow and develop. It aims at raising awareness on the need to promote conducive environmental and organizational support for employee engagement to flourish. It challenges leaders to explore on their current way of thinking and doing that may stifle the progressive nature of their organization.
... In fact, as claimed by Cameron et al. (2011, p.7, "[e]vidence exists that positivity and organizational outcomes are related" ( e.g. Cameron, Bright, & Caza, 2004;Losada & Heaphy, 2004). Not surprisingly therefore, interests in positive aspects of organizational behaviour gradually gain popularity within a research circle especially where it relates with positive leadership and organizational growth and sustainability in challenging times. ...
... Shared recognition and understanding of this positive core can be transformative by shifting the identity or qualitative state of being of the system (Bushe 2005a) as well as by creating new models and (lay) theories to perceive the old with a new lens (Cooperrider and Srivastava 1987). The empirically established benefits of generativity are many such as creativity and increased psychological and physical well-being at an individual level (Fredrickson 2004; mutual support and performance at the team level (Losada and Heaphy 2004); and momentum for change and long-term sustainability (Bushe 2005a) at the organizational level. ...
Experts consider green construction and the social, institutional, and cultural changes associated with it, through a sociological and organizational lens.
Buildings are the nation's greatest energy consumers. Forty percent of all our energy is used for heating, cooling, lighting, and powering machines and devices in buildings. And despite decades of investment in green construction technologies, residential and commercial buildings remain stubbornly energy inefficient. This book looks beyond the technological and material aspects of green construction to examine the cultural, social, and organizational shifts that sustainable building requires, examining the fundamental challenge to centuries-long traditions in design and construction that green building represents.
The contributors consider the changes associated with green building through a sociological and organizational lens. They discuss shifts in professional expertise created by new social concerns about green building, including evolving boundaries of professional jurisdictions; changing industry strategies and structures, including the roles of ownership, supply firms, and market niches; new operational, organizational, and cultural arrangements, including the mainstreaming of environmental concerns; narratives and frames that influence the perception of green building; and future directions for the theory and practice of sustainable construction. The essays offer uniquely multidisciplinary insights into the transformative potential of green building and the obstacles that must be overcome to make it the norm.
ContributorsLauren Barhydt, Clayton Bartczak, Lyn Bartram, Olivier Berthod, Nicole Woolsey Biggart, Lenora Bohren, Bertien Broekhans, William Browning, Zinta S. Byrne, Michael Conger, Jennifer E. Cross, David Deal, Beth M. Duckles, Brian Dunbar, Robert Eccles, Amy Edmondson, Bill Franzen, Ronald Fry, Rebecca L. Henn, Jock Herron, Stephen Hockley, Andrew J. Hoffman, Kathryn B. Janda, Nitin Joglekar, Gavin Killip, Alison G. Kwok, Larissa Larsen, Michelle A. Meyer, Christine Mondor, Monica Ponce de Leon, Nicholas B. Rajkovich, Stuart Reeve, Johnny Rodgers, Garima Sharma, Geoffrey Thün, Ellen van Bueren, Kathy Velikov, Rohit Verma, Robert Woodbury, Jeffrey G. York, Jie Zhang
... We speculate that the pattern shown in the literature on marital interactions may be insightful here. The popular marriage researcher John Gottman and his colleagues (1998) found that the ratio of positive to negative interactions may make a marked difference in terms of marital happiness, and at least one study suggests that positive/negative interaction ratios may also matter in workspaces (Losada and Heaphy 2004). We ponder whether a similar theme may be at play when it comes to interactions with supervisors at work: feeling respected only some of the time may not be enough to associate with mental health benefits. ...
The growing field of mattering has established that a sense that we matter is crucial to well-being and that it is informed by interactions with close others. However, few studies investigate how mattering may be shaped by our work relationships. Since many adults spend much of their time performing paid work, addressing this research gap may provide insights for enhancing employee well-being. This study uses data from the 2021 Baylor Religion Survey, collected during the early months of 2021, and a sample of employed U.S. adults ( n = 564) to test how a worker’s perceived respect from their employer and their closeness to coworkers relate to their general sense of mattering, as well as whether mattering may act as a mediator between work relationships and psychological distress (assessed as symptoms of depression and anxiety). Results indicate that feeling highly respected by one’s employer and one’s perceived closeness to coworkers are positively linked with mattering among workers. Additional analyses also imply that mattering mediates a portion of the relationship between workplace relations and psychological distress. In total, this study suggests that further research into work relationships and mattering is warranted, especially since both factors seem tied to workers’ mental health.
... At the same time, negative expressions, critique, disappointment, and dislike are minimal. Organizations with managers or leaders who adopt this approach are found to positively affect organizational performance (Losada & Heaphy, 2004). ...
Coping with unexpected and unprecedented challenges, particularly in managing change, is part of a leader’s function. Change often presents problems and tensions between the parties involved, which can derail the achievement of their objectives. For change to be successful, leaders need to build morale, unify individual and departmental aspirations, and positively influence such change. This study explores positive communication models that can facilitate leaders in managing change. By reviewing the literature of positive communication in the areas of a positive organization, particularly involving the integrative approach and constructive interaction, this study found the certain ways of communication that can encourage effective change agents while reducing the resistance of the individual change target. This work reveals that the constructive and integrative dimension of positive communication may facilitate the change agent to be more internally directed and purpose oriented. On the other hand, questioning and discovery emphasize the affection aspects and will lessen the resistance and make change target those who are more open and eager to collaborate.
.
... In addition to positively deviant outcomes, other POS research has focused on previously unexamined positive factors that help explain eVectiveness. Losada and Heaphy (2004), for example, reported research in which sixty Wrms were categorized as high, medium, and low performing based on indicators such as productivity, proWtability, and associates' ratings of the eVectiveness of the top management team. A senior executive team in each organization was observed for a day as they interacted in a goal setting, budgeting, and strategic planning session. ...
the process of theory development.
Theory provides the base for knowledge and understanding of important relationships in various disciplines. Theory development is highly important in the
discipline of management and organizations as it is a relatively young Weld of
study, in comparison to many other social science disciplines. As a young Weld
of study, new theory provides important and unique insights that can advance the
Weld’s understanding of management phenomena. In fact, much of the theory used
in management and organizational research has been derived from the social
science disciplines of economics, psychology, and sociology; although new distinctive management theory has been developed, these theories are still in a
developmental stage. Many of the most prominent theories used in the Weld of
management and organizations are examined in this handbook
... For an ordinary group, we need approximately twice as many positive as negative statements. In a dysfunctional group, only a third of the communication statements are positive (Losada, 2004) To connect and communicate effectively, use of humour can be very helpful because it activates positive emotions and brings feelings of relatedness. To communicate using humour, you must have the ability to appreciate jokes and describe things in an amusing manner. ...
UPRIGHT is a scientifically tested psychoeducational resilience intervention based in schools, designed to promote the mental wellbeing and prevent mental disorders of adolescents. It uses a whole-school approach, involving adolescents, their families and the entire school community. The intervention consists of two programmes called WELL-BEING FOR US and WELL-BEING FOR ALL. Each programme is described in its corresponding Manual.
This file contains the WELL-BEING FOR US-TEACHERS manual. This manual includes the instructions to apply the programme at the educational centre by the teachers, and the theory and practice information for all resilience skills. The WELL-BEING FOR US programme provides teachers with a variety of materials to conduct student training on resilience.
This document is part of a project (www.uprightproject.eu) that has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 754919. The information reflects only the authors´ view and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains
This document is part of a project that has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 754919. The information reflects only the authors´ view and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains
... A great deal of research has demonstrated how a culture of positivity can enhance employee performance and productivity, ultimately leading to increased organizational effectiveness. Losada and Heaphy (2004) studied the patterns of communication displayed by business unit management teams and concluded that the ratio of positive comments to negative comments among team members was the most significant determinant of profitability and customer satisfaction. Positive comments reflect emotional support and appreciation while on the other hand negative comments show disapproval, cynicism and criticism. ...
Contemporary business world is characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity and is popularly known as VUCA world. This uncontrollable negative spiral in today’s workplace requires organizational leaders to instil stability, safety, hope and meaning. Organizational experts believe that positive leadership of an organization can guide and show the right directions to its people for achieving organizational goals even in the face of trouble and adversity. Keeping this in view, the present paper purports to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework for examining the relationship between positive leadership and organizational effectiveness. This paper also attempts to establish the intervening role of organizational citizenship behaviour and emotional intelligence on the relationship between positive leadership and organizational effectiveness. Researchers undertook an in-depth and extensive literature survey in order to critically examine the impact of positive leadership on organizational effectiveness. The review provides a comprehensive framework to develop a conceptual model of positive leadership in the organizational context. The proposed conceptual framework would enable researchers and management experts gain a deeper and nuanced understanding of the role of positive leadership in producing improved organizational functioning and effectiveness. The paper offers multiple practical implications for HR practitioners and management experts which if properly utilized would prove to be useful in fostering positive leadership skills in the organizations through effective leadership development interventions and executive coaching programmes, leading to better performance of the employees. The study contributes to deeper and nuanced understanding of the construct of Positive Leadership and proposes a new conceptual model suited to the Indian context.KeywordsPositive leadershipOrganizational effectivenessOrganizational citizenship behaviourEmotional intelligence
... Trait positive affect is considered a key component determining human variability in safety detection; for instance, healthy individuals high in positive affect engaged more efficiently in safety cues . Higher levels of trait positive affect were associated with a more active engagement in the world, (Carvalho et al., 2013;Watson et al., 1988) acceptance of a broader array of options, increased ability to adapt to ever-changing circumstances, and rapid recovery from stressors (Fredrickson, 2004;Gloria and Steinhardt, 2016;Isen, 1999;Losada and Heaphy, 2004). These individuals are more open to information (Estrada et al., 1997), and also have the propensity to look for safe options (Isen, 1999). ...
Background
For survival, it is crucial to continuously evaluate the presence or absence of risk in the environment. Previously, a safety cue for the observation of aversive pictures attenuated their aversiveness in healthy participants. Here, we investigated whether patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) would fail to engage in safety cues using brain reactivity to aversive pictures as a proxy.
Methods
Patients with PTSD (n=20) and control participants (n=23) were exposed to neutral and mutilation pictures. Before the presentation of pictures, a text informed that those were fictitious (“safe context”) or real-life scenes (“real context”); appropriate images were also shown to increase the credibility of the text. A voxel-wise approach identified valence-responsive regions for further testing of an interaction pattern.
Results
A GROUPxCONTEXTxVALENCE interaction was found in the right supramarginal gyrus spreading anteriorly to the postcentral gyrus - a region involved in the processing of peripersonal space and defensive reactions. Control participants showed, in the real context, increased BOLD response in the right supramarginal gyrus for mutilation pictures compared to neutral ones and, in the safe context, no significant difference between those pictures, indicating an attenuation of brain reactivity. Patients with PTSD presented high brain reactivity in both real and safe contexts.
Limitations
Patients with PTSD were under pharmacological treatment, and the time posttrauma and comorbidities were not assessed.
Conclusions
Differently from controls, Patients with PTSD did not show attenuation of brain reactivity, reflected by supramarginal response in the safe context. This suggests an inappropriate engagement in safety cues.
... Recently, organizations pay attention to establishing and supporting positive relationships among employees by forming workgroups (Lewis, 2011), encouraging 'dream teams' through role clarity, diversity, advancement potential, supportive leadership, collective efficacy, and trust (Richardson & West, 2010). Establishing 'dream teams' results in enhanced creativity and innovation (Richardson & West, 2010;Shubina & Kulakli, 2020), increased work performance (Losada & Heaphy, 2004), engagement (Weigl et al., 2010), and job satisfaction (Mickan & Rodger, 2005). Recent studies have stated that optimism, team efficacy, and resilience contributed to positive relationships at work overtime. ...
... Analyses of romantic couples has identified that IER improves relationship satisfaction (Gottman et al., 1998;Bloch et al., 2014;Levenson et al., 2014). The research in this area posits that interpersonal behaviors initiate a pattern of complementarity, such that positive interpersonal exchanges most often produce a positive behavioral response (Tracey, 1994;Losada and Heaphy, 2004), thus leading to improvements in the well-being of both the regulator and the target (Niven et al., 2009) and improving their relationship (Niven et al., 2012). ...
This research demonstrates that interpersonal emotion regulation—attempts to manage others’ feelings—influences consumer perceptions during sales and service interactions impacting brand trust and loyalty. Building on previous research linking interpersonal emotion regulation to improved outcomes between people, across five experiments, we demonstrate that antecedent-focused interpersonal emotion regulation strategies result in enhanced brand loyalty and brand trust compared to response-focused interpersonal emotion regulation strategies. Analysis of mediation models reveals this effect is explained by changes in the consumer’s emotions, which in turn influence evaluations of the service interaction and subsequently impacts brand outcomes. We identify reactance as a moderator of this effect, such that customers with low (high) reactance to interpersonal regulation attempts exhibit more (less) favorable brand trust and loyalty evaluations. Further, we demonstrate that the visibility of interpersonal emotion regulation represents an important boundary condition. These findings support the process model of interpersonal emotion regulation and generate important insights for both theory and practice.
... Therefore, it may be necessary to maintain a reasonable ratio of positive to negative affect in an organization. A study showed that a high positive-to-negative affect ratio in organizations was correlated with high team performance [96]. At present, although it is not clear where the tipping point for positive emotion is for an organization, it is worth exploring further. ...
Background
This study investigated the effects of the loving-kindness meditation (LKM) on employees’ mindfulness, affect, altruism and knowledge hiding.
Methods
In total, 100 employees were recruited from a knowledge-based enterprise in China and randomly divided into the LKM training group (n = 50) and the control group (n = 50). The LKM training group underwent LKM training for 8 weeks, while the control group did not. Seven main variables (mindfulness, altruism positive affect, negative affect, playing dumb, rationalized hiding, and evasive hiding) were measured both before (pre-test) and after (post-test) the LKM training intervention.
Results
The LKM intervention significantly increased participants’ altruism, and significantly reduced negative affect, playing dumb and evasive hiding, but did not significantly improve mindfulness, positive affect, and rationalized hiding.
Conclusions
LKM significantly improved employees’ altruism, and significantly reduce their negative affect, but did not significantly improve their mindfulness and positive affect. For knowledge hiding, LKM significantly reduced playing dumb and evasive hiding, but had no significant effect on rationalized hiding. These results further elucidate the psychological effects of LKM and suggest the possibility of reducing knowledge hiding in the workplace.
Trial registration
ChiCTR2200057460. Registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR), 13 March 2022—Retrospectively registered.
... This leads team members to make the effort to gain a thorough and rich understanding of others' needs, as well as to increasingly seek, encode, and apply cooperative information and exchange this type of information (De Dreu et al., 2008). The team will then have deep communication and interactions, and team members will have a high level of connectivity, all of which have been suggested to be associated with a positive emotional atmosphere (Losada & Heaphy, 2004). When the team experiences positive emotions, the team members will be more likely to broaden their thought−action repertoires, collect and share more resources, and see more possibilities for action (Fredrickson, 2001), all of which will lead to a high level of team DC (Carmeli, Friedman & Tishler, 2013). ...
Zhongyong thinking is a cognitive thinking style that plays a pivotal role for Chinese employees and organizations, and whether it harms or benefits creativity has long been discussed. In this study, we empirically examine the relationship between team Zhongyong thinking and team incremental and radical creativity. Specifically, we propose that team Zhongyong thinking has a stronger indirect relationship with team incremental creativity than with radical creativity via team decision comprehensiveness. Furthermore, environmental dynamism moderates this indirect relationship, and team Zhongyong thinking has a stronger indirect effect on team creativity via team decision comprehensiveness when environmental dynamism is higher. Data collected from 106 teams comprising 770 subordinates and 106 supervisors in China using the survey method reveal that team Zhongyong thinking is positively related to team incremental creativity but not team radical creativity via team decision comprehensiveness. Moreover, environmental dynamism moderates the influence of team Zhongyong thinking on team incremental creativity via team decision comprehensiveness. Specifically, when environmental dynamism is higher, this influence is stronger. These findings imply that via extensive information searching and inclusive decision-making, team Zhongyong thinking can benefit team incremental creativity, especially in a changing environment, but this thinking style has no significant influence on team radical creativity.
... Positive interactions play an important role in the workplace, specially predicting team performance. Following on Gottman's [42] research on married couples, Losada et al. [43] found that the same ratio of positive to negative interactions (5 to 1) is the critical differentiator between high-, medium-, and low-performing teams. ...
Positive Psychology has been devoted to enhancing well-being within organizations
during the first two decades of the current millennium. Unfortunately, little data is available on current assessment related to positive psychology practices in the workplace. Therefore, to assess organizational well-being in a valid and reliable way, a new scale has been created and validated by the Institute for Wellbeing and Happiness at Tecmilenio University in Mexico: the BEAT Questionnaire, whose main contribution to previous models is the element of meaningful work. EFA and CFA were carried out to determine and confirm the scale’s structure; internal consistency tests were performed too; additionally, convergence with measures of engagement, labor resources, and worker relations were also confirmed, and discriminant validity was tested by comparing associations with job search intentions and negative relationships in the workplace, yielding an instrument with four clearly defined latent dimensions, composed by 24 highly consistent items, convergent with three other valid and reliable scales. All procedures complied with statistical requirements, delivering a valid and reliable instrument for measuring well-being in the workplace.
... As our study highlights the importance of positive emotions for idea generation and promotion, managers may want to stimulate a positive organizational climate that instigates positive feelings among employees. For instance, organizational climates that are oriented on learning from errors and stimulating a growth mindset in employees have been found to encourage work-related flow experiences and thereby positive emotions (Caniëls et al., 2020;Losada & Heaphy, 2004 ...
Being able to deal with change and setbacks at work is a major reason why many people generate, promote and implement new ideas at work, supporting organizations in their strive for success including innovation outcomes. Yet, surprisingly little research has examined the underlying mechanisms through which trait resilience influences innovative behaviour at work. Drawing upon control theory in conjunction with the affect‐as‐information perspective, we theorize why resilience as a core personality trait affects innovative behaviour at work. Performing cross‐lagged analyses on two‐wave data, our analyses demonstrate that resilience positively relates to employees' innovative work behaviour due to increased levels of positive emotions. We conclude that being able to deal with change and setbacks at work generates a powerful pool of emotions that can boost innovative behaviour at work, offering meaningful implications for research on innovation and the dynamics of personality and emotions at work.
Objectives: There are several definitions of strengths within psychology, united by a common theme: strengths are what people do best and most easily. Research shows that actively using strengths provides a range of benefits, and suggests that strengths-based coaching is a valuable approach. This study’s purpose was to investigate strengths-based coaching using qualitative methods, concentrating on the experience of the coachee.
Design: The study explored what happened when six women in financial services practised using their strengths at work, through a coaching intervention and the VIA strengths inventory. Through three semi-structured interviews centred around a coaching intervention, participants described their experience using strengths, and the effects of greater awareness and practice of strengths.
Methods: The data was analysed using grounded theory. The value of strengths emerged as the central phenomenon, consisting of eight sub-themes: positive emotion, inspiring action, attention to the positive, feeling authentic, awareness of own value, valuing difference, sense of achievement and positive reflections from others.
Results: The study found that all participants derived value from using strengths. This appeared to lead to a ‘virtuous circle’: this positive benefit reduced the intervening factors that previously impeded using strengths. The virtuous circle was not identical for each participant, but all experienced it.
Conclusions: The study finds ways in which women may use strengths and gain value from using strengths in the workplace. This has practical implications for those wishing to improve their workplace experience and increase engagement with work, and for those who coach and employ them.
Az iskolai kudarcnak (school failure) igen sok értelmezése vált ismertté az elmúlt évtizedekben, melyek nemcsak bővítették e kudarcélmény okainak eredetileg szűk körét, hanem lehetővé tették személyes (kognitív és nem kognitív) és környezeti (családi és iskolai) dimenziók szerinti értelmezését, illetve ezen dimenziók egymásra gyakorolt hatásának vizsgálatát is. A kutatások eredményei rámutattak arra, hogy egy igen komplex jelenségről van szó, melynek egyéni és rendszerszintű kezelése kizárólag e komplexitás figyelembevételével lehet hatékony és eredményes (pl. Berliner, 2009; Herbert, 1996; Keddie, 1973; Petridou & Karagiorgi, 2016;Paksi et al., 2020; Turkheimer et al., 2003).Az elméleti tanulmány célja bemutatni az iskolai kudarc főbb értelmezési kereteit, kiemel-ten azokat, amelyek a társas kontextusban jelentkező kognitív pszichológiai jellemzők mellett hangsúlyosabban foglalkoznak a nem kognitív jellemzőkkel, hiszen egyre több vizsgálati eredmény (pl. Heckman & Rubinstein, 2001; Ibabe, 2016; Paksi et al., 2020) hívja fel a figyelmet e jellemzők kudarcélményben és iskolai lemorzsolódásban (dropping out) játszott szerepére. A tanulmányban ismertetjük az ezen megközelítések mentén általunk kialakított kutatási modellt is, mely alapját képezi egy 2021–2025 között megvalósítandó négyéves longitudinális kutatásnak és fejlesztési munkának általános iskolai (7–14 éves) tanulók és pedagógusaik körében.
The need for SME owner/managers to engage in building and maintaining collaborative business relationships is paramount for their success and the resilience of these relationships can be viewed as a crucial factor in successful supply chain management for SMEs. The present study investigates the relationship between the social intelligence of the SME owner/manager and relationship resilience between firms with which they do business. The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between four components of social intelligence (situational awareness, situational response, cognitive empathy, and social skills) of small to medium sized business owners/managers on the resilience of their supply chain relationships. A survey was conducted, and responses gathered from small business owner/managers and the data was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The study provided evidence that the four components of social intelligence are positively associated with relationship resilience.
Objectives:. This study tests the null hypotheses that overall sentiment and gendered words in verbal feedback and resident operative autonomy relative to performance are similar for female and male residents.
Background:. Female and male surgical residents may experience training differently, affecting the quality of learning and graduated autonomy.
Methods:. A longitudinal, observational study using a Society for Improving Medical Professional Learning collaborative dataset describing resident and attending evaluations of resident operative performance and autonomy and recordings of verbal feedback from attendings from surgical procedures performed at 54 US general surgery residency training programs from 2016 to 2021. Overall sentiment, adjectives, and gendered words in verbal feedback were quantified by natural language processing. Resident operative autonomy and performance, as evaluated by attendings, were reported on 5-point ordinal scales. Performance-adjusted autonomy was calculated as autonomy minus performance.
Results:. The final dataset included objective assessments and dictated feedback for 2683 surgical procedures. Sentiment scores were higher for female residents (95 [interquartile range (IQR), 4–100] vs 86 [IQR 2–100]; P < 0.001). Gendered words were present in a greater proportion of dictations for female residents (29% vs 25%; P = 0.04) due to male attendings disproportionately using male-associated words in feedback for female residents (28% vs 23%; P = 0.01). Overall, attendings reported that male residents received greater performance-adjusted autonomy compared with female residents (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:. Sentiment and gendered words in verbal feedback and performance-adjusted operative autonomy differed for female and male general surgery residents. These findings suggest a need to ensure that trainees are given appropriate and equitable operative autonomy and feedback.
O estudo se torna relevante pela busca das abordagens mais apropriadas para o desenvolvimento pedagógico dos novos recursos da tecnologia da informação, aplicáveis ao ensino interativo de música - por exemplo, ensinar a tocar um instrumento musical com o uso de um programa de computador. O objetivo do estudo é considerar a interatividade, a interação em rede e a implementação de funções educacionais como principais recursos das tecnologias de computador da música (MCT). Essas tecnologias podem ajudar a desenvolver uma metodologia eficaz para treinamento apropriado e novos sistemas de software e hardware com os quais os alunos podem aprender três dos componentes mais importantes da habilidade musical: o teclado de um instrumento específico, notação musical e teoria musical. Os autores concluem que o MCT pode e deve atuar como um ambiente educacional de rede interativa, e é necessário preparar uma lista de repertórios para o processo educacional nessas condições, bem como buscar formas organizacionais legais dessa atividade.
Objectives: Executive coaches are often involved in working with executive managers. The objective of this study is to investigate whether teams are more engaged and productive when led by an optimistic manager. Furthermore, we hypothesise that optimistic managers embody positive leadership – employing a strengths-based approach, maintaining a positive perspective, and frequently providing recognition and encouragement – which increases the engagement and productivity of their employees.
Design: The study used a cross-sectional survey design at two time points.
Method: The researchers developed a survey to measure this concept of positive leadership. In addition, two measures were used: the Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R) to measure optimism and the Gallup Organisation’s Q ¹² to measure engagement.
Results: In a cross-sectional study of 86 employees and 17 managers in an Information Technology (IT) organisation, positive leadership correlated with employee optimism, engagement, and project performance. When we looked at a subset of this data prospectively, with 39 employees and 14 managers, manager optimism predicted project performance.
Conclusions: Our data support the claim that positive leadership is correlated with employee engagement and performance, and further extends the importance of optimism in the workplace. Coaching implications are also discussed, in terms of exploring how coaching psychologists can work with executives to develop their managerial style.
Coaching is increasingly being used in the health sector, with staff and patients. Despite this increase there is only a small body of empirical evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of coaching in health care settings.
Objectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a workplace coaching programme (WCP) aimed at enhancing the work behaviours and well-being of 17 managers in a large Australian teaching hospital.
Design: A within-group, pre-post test study design was used.
Methods: The WCP consisted of needs-based workshops and group and individual coaching over a six-month period. Positive social science provided the theoretical underpinning for the WCP, and this was applied through an integrated solution-focused, cognitive-behavioural methodology. A questionnaire was used to collect data at two time points. Data was analysed using the Wilcoxon Sign Rank Test.
Results: Participation in coaching was associated with significantly enhanced proactivity, core performance, goal-attainment, self-insight, motivation, positive affect, and autonomy. Significant effects on self-reflection, negative affect and psychological well-being were not found.
Conclusion: The study provides preliminary evidence in favour of workplace coaching as an effective approach for facilitating work effectiveness. Further research utilising larger sample sizes and controlled study designs is warranted.
Purpose
This study investigates whether the artificial neural network approach, when used on a large organizational soft HR performance dataset, results in a better (R ² /RMSE) model compared to the linear regression. With the use of predictive modelling, a more informed base for managerial decision making within soft HR performance management is offered.
Design/methodology/approach
The study builds on a dataset (n > 43 k) stemming from an annual employee MNC survey. It covers several soft HR performance drivers and outcomes (such as engagement, satisfaction and others) that either have evidence of a dual-role nature or non-linear relationships. This study applies the framework for artificial neural network analysis in organization research (Scarborough and Somers, 2006).
Findings
The analysis reveals a substantial artificial neural network model performance (R ² > 0.75) with an excellent fit statistic (nRMSE <0.10) and all drivers have the same relative importance (RMI [0.102; 0.125]). This predictive analysis revealed that the organization has to increase six of the drivers, keep two on the same level and decrease one.
Originality/value
Up to date, this study uses the largest dataset in soft HR performance management. Additionally, the predictive results reveal that specific target values lay below the current levels to achieve optimal performance.
본 연구의 목적은 주관적 경력성공을 매개로 하여, 성장지향성이 삶의 만족에 미치는 영향을 검증하는데 목적이 있다. 구체적으로 첫째, 성장지향성과 주관적 경력성공 및 삶의 만족 간의 관계를 살펴보았다. 둘째, 성장지향성이 삶의 만족에 영향을 미치는데 있어 주관적 경력성공의 매개효과를 확인하였다. 셋째, 성장지향성과 주관적 경력성공 간의 관계에서 긍정리더십의 조절효과를 검증하였다. 마지막으로 성장지향성이 삶의 만족에 영향을 미치는 과정에서 긍정리더십의 조절된 매개효과를 검증하였다. 이를 위해, 20-60대 직장인 255명(남 124명, 여 131명)을 대상으로 성장지향성, 삶의 만족, 주관적 경력성공, 긍정리더십의 정도를 묻는 온라인 설문조사를 실시하였고, 수집된 자료는 SPSS 23.0와 PROCESS macro v3.0, AMOS 23.0으로 분석하였다. 분석 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 주관적 경력성공은 성장지향성과 삶의 만족 간에 관계를 매개하는 것으로 나타났다. 둘째, 성장지향성과 주관적 경력성공 간의 관계를 상사의 긍정리더십이 유의하게 조절하는 것으로 나타났다. 셋째, 상사의 긍정리더십 수준이 높을수록 성장지향성이 주관적 경력성공을 통해 삶의 만족에 미치는 정적관계가 더 강하게 나타나 조절된 매개효과가 유의한 것으로 검증되었다. 이러한 연구결과를 토대로 연구의 의의와 제한점 및 실무적 시사점, 한계점 및 추후연구에 대해 제언하였다.
This chapter deals with the leader’s own mindset. How to recognize the factors that have influenced a person/leader throughout his/her life, that made him/her become and think the way he/she does now. Leaders are invited to reflect and dig into their own mindsets, and as thoughts, attitudes and perceptions can be changed, so can every person that wants to dig a bit deeper into their own existing mindsets. Numerous tools and techniques to be used at the workplace are being presented here and in most chapters of this book. For instance, techniques on how to increase your own levels of positive emotions, build your own resilience and how to grow a growth-mindset and -perspective. The reader will also receive a research-based presentation about how authentic leadership increases employees work engagement. As in every chapter, concrete techniques from positive psychology are given.
What is this new science of positive psychology really about, and how can we – and why should we – apply it in the workplace? What are the characteristics of organizations and teams that have highly motivated employees scoring high in well-being and perform at their best? And what are some of the techniques that successful businesses like Google, Disney and Microsoft are using to build and develop their work cultures? The science of positive psychology gives the reader knowledge about how to identify and implement factors that contribute to positive cultural transformation and increased performance at work. This first chapter starts with presenting the foundations of positive psychology and sets it into the organizational scene. The focus is on teams, work culture, leadership and organizational development. Positive psychology is thereafter presented and compared with some of the existing organizational and motivational theories and put into the big picture of organizational theories. Results and examples from Google, Disney and Microsoft are presented.
In this chapter, five important elements in the leader’s executive leadership tasks are presented. For instance the element of communication and how our words are creating our realities. Research results from how positive communication leads to higher levels of performance is presented along with concrete techniques on how to work with the culture of communication.The leader is also given an overview of and a description on how to do a SOAR, SWOT, Appreciative Inquiry analysis as well as an organizational analysis in his/her own organization. The leader is hired to lead the culture at the workplace, and as the leader one must continue to build, strengthen, live it out, protect and fight for it. In this chapter the leader gets ideas on how to motivate, inspire and build culture at his/her workplace. Throughout the whole book, as well as in this chapter, the concrete positive psychology techniques a leader can implement in his/her own organization are presented. All from how to do job crafting, build collective optimism, how to reframe situations, learn active-constructive responding and create a culture of appreciation.
With the development of the digital age, enterprises have invested a lot of financial and material resources to develop information systems to survive industry competition. Innovative work behaviour and job performance are important for enterprises to develop their core competitiveness and ensure survival. Therefore, based on the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions and the system to value chain framework, this study explores the influence of end-user computing satisfaction on job performance through high-activated positive emotions and innovative work behaviour. The study demonstrates the positive effect of information systems on employees and provides a basis for decision-making in enterprises to improve the performance and innovation of their employees. Ultimately, enterprises can enhance their core competitiveness and adapt to changes in the digital age.
Does a chief executive officer’s (CEO’s) ability to manage and motivate their direct reports impact firm financial performance? Good or bad, CEO leadership research is increasingly romanticized, leading to investigations of CEO traits as visionary and transformational behaviors at the expense of understanding whether the mundane, everyday management of a top management team (TMT) is important for firm performance. In this paper, we developed and tested a model linking CEO performance management behaviors and firm performance through two mediating mechanisms. We hypothesized and found a positive relationship between CEO performance management behaviors and TMT flourishing. TMT flourishing related to TMT overall job attitudes and subsequently firm performance. Additionally, performance management behaviors were related to TMT overall job attitudes via TMT flourishing and performance management behaviors related to firm performance via TMT flourishing and job attitudes. Our analyses were based on a unique sample of 105 CEOs and 519 TMT members (60% response rate for CEOs and 90% response rate for TMT members). These findings provide important research directions for CEO research, performance management, upper echelons, and positive psychology research, highlighting the importance of CEO managerially oriented behaviors to create more optimally functioning environments for the TMT and organization.
Solution‐focused coaching is increasingly used by leaders, managers, and human resource professionals as well as professional coaches. Although the principles underpinning solution‐focused coaching are simple, some people find it difficult to put those principles into practice in a systematic manner – simple is not the same as easy. Although there are a number of models designed to help guide solution‐focused coaching conversations, to date little attention has been paid to the process of teaching solution‐focused coaching skills. This is especially the case when teaching solution‐focused coaching skills in organisational settings where time is limited and where individuals, particularly those with high levels of technical expertise may find it challenging to switch roles from manager to leader‐as‐coach. This article gives a short overview of key solution‐focused principles, discusses some of the common challenges facing leaders, managers, consultants and other professionals as they learn solution‐focused coaching approaches, and presents a simple step‐by‐step structured process for teaching, learning and practising solution‐focused coaching
Teamarbeit ist eine weit verbreitete Form der Zusammenarbeit in Organisationen, deren Beliebtheit stetig wächst. Dabei werden Begriffe wie (Arbeits)Gruppen und Teams oft synonym verwendet. Doch gerade ein Team ist mehr als die (mitunter nur räumliche) Verbindung von Einzelpersonen und mehr als die Vernetzung ihrer individuellen Fähigkeiten und Fertigkeiten. Teams stellen eine besondere Form der Gruppe dar, die sich insbesondere durch spezifische Aufgaben-, Ziel- und Leistungsorientierung auszeichnen. Auch Leitungskräfte versprechen sich durch Teamarbeit vielfältige Vorteile, so z. B. im Bereich der kompetenzorientierten Arbeitsteilung und Flexibilität, der besseren Steuerung und gegenseitigen Unterstützung sowie der Stärkung von Kooperation, Kommunikation, Kreativität. Damit sollen auch Erfolge im Umgang mit Komplexität, steigender Veränderungsgeschwindigkeit sowie der Förderung von Innovationen erzielt werden. Empirische Forschungsergebnisse zeigen Vorteile von Teamarbeit auf, weisen jedoch zugleich auf einige Problemfelder hin. Denn die Annahme, dass Teams automatisch mehr als die Summe ihrer Einzelteile sind, ist nicht eindeutig belegt. In Teams entstehen Reibungsverluste, u. a. durch notwendige und nicht immer gut funktionierende Abstimmungsprozesse, unterschiedliche bzw. unklaren Ziele, Rollen- und Aufgabenverständnisse oder den Rückzug von Teammitgliedern sowie unzureichender Teamführung. Teams können auch sehr erfolgreich sein, was jedoch nicht selbstverständlich ist und nachhaltig gepflegt werden muss. Neben gemeinsam geteilten Zielen, wirksamer Kommunikation, psychologischer Sicherheit und Teamzusammenhalt, sind vor allem eine gute Teamführung, teamförderliche Rahmenbedingungen sowie bestimmte Eigenschaften der Teammitglieder wichtig für den nachhaltigen Teamerfolg. Das Feld der Teamentwicklung bietet hierzu Gestaltungsansätze im Bereich der Umwelt von Teams, der Arbeitsaufgabe bzw. der Zielsteuerung und insbesondere Aspekte, die das Team selbst wie die Führungskraft betreffen. Wie im individuellen Führungskontext gilt auch hier: humaner Erfolg ist die Basis von Teamerfolg. Für die Führungskraft ist entscheidend, eine angemessene Balance zu finden zwischen integrierendem Coach, Moderator*in und Autonomieunterstützer*in auf der einen Seite und zielorientiertem Teamleader auf der anderen Seite, um die vereinbarten Ziele innerhalb der Organisation zu erreichen und zugleich einen guten, resilienten Teamspirit zu entwickeln bzw. zu erhalten.
Stärkenorientierung ist ein zentrales Konzept innerhalb von «Positive Leadership», der Anwendung von Erkenntnissen wissenschaftsbasierter positiver Psychologie auf die Führung von Mitarbeitenden und Organisationen. Dabei handelt es sich weder um eine für sich allein stehende, spezifische Art von Leadership und People Management noch um einen singulären Aspekt davon, sondern wir haben es hier mit einer grundsätzlich andersartigen Perspektive auf Führung und Entwicklung zu tun. Sie stellt die jahrzehntelange Erfahrung, Ausbildung und «best practice» von Human-Resources-Fachleuten und Linienführungskräften infrage, um sie neu zu gestalten und dadurch wirksamer zu machen. Während klassische Führungs- und Organisationsentwicklung von Defiziten, das heisst von negativen Abweichungen von einem gewünschten Soll-Zustand ausgehen, ist der Ausgangspunkt für Entwicklung und Optimierung im Rahmen stärkenorientierter Führung das, was bereits besonders gut funktioniert. Stärkenorientierung in der Führung hat nichts mit trivialem «positiven Denken» zu tun, sondern sie nutzt das einmalige, individuelle Potenzial von Mitarbeitenden und Organisationen maximal und nachhaltig, was einen entscheidenden Wettbewerbsvorteil darstellt.
The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) is based in the United Kingdom but is a global organisation with members and fellows worldwide. In this invited article, the chair of the RCR Radiology Events and Learning (REAL) panel recounts his experience in looking at radiological errors. He starts with his personal work auditing his own mistakes as a junior consultant, describes what he learned in his departmental role in a large teaching hospital running a Radiology Events and Learning Meeting (REALM) and gives an overview of some of the work done over the last two decades by the RCR. This includes publishing national guidelines which set standards for running a REALM, setting up the REAL panel which produces a quarterly newsletter of cases from RCR members, and running an annual conference to share information with local radiology departments around the country. A review of the literature describing the drivers for this work and looking at the parallels with industry lies alongside the practical tips he found useful which he hopes would be helpful to anyone setting up their own departmental errors or discrepancy meeting.
Many authors have stressed the existence of continuous processes of convergence and divergence, stability and instability, evolution and revolution in every organization. This article argues that these processes are embedded in organizational characteristics and in the way organizations are managed. Organizations are presented as nonlinear dynamic systems subject to forces of stability and forces of instability which push them toward chaos. When in a chaotic domain, organizations are likely to exhibit the qualitative properties of chaotic systems. Several of these properties—sensitivity to initial conditions, discreteness of change, attraction to specific configurations, structural invariance at different scales and irreversibility—are used to establish six propositions. First, because of the coupling of counteracting forces, organizations are potentially chaotic. Second, the path from organizational stability to chaos follows a discrete process of change. Third, when the organization is in the chaotic domain, small changes can have big consequences that cannot be predicted in the long term. Fourth, from chaos, new stabilities emerge—the strange attractors—which are assimilated to organizational configurations. Fifth, similar patterns should be found at different scales. Finally, during one single organizational life span or between two different organizations similar actions should never lead to the same result.
This study provides a comparative test of two psychological theories concerning the relationship between affect and performance. Managerial simulations are used to test whether people who are positive in disposition perform better or worse on both decisional and interpersonal tasks. Results are consistent in supporting the happier-and-smarter as opposed to the sadder-but-wiser hypothesis, since they show positive relationships between dispositional affect and performance. The results are discussed in terms of their relevance to both the older literature on links between satisfaction and performance and the more recent controversy over the dispositional approach to job attitudes.
Reviews research in psychology, sociology, and organizational behavior to develop a conceptual framework that specifies how positive emotion (PE) helps employees obtain favorable outcomes at work. It is proposed that feeling and expressing PEs on the job have favorable consequences on (1) employees, independent of their relationships with others (e.g., greater persistence); (2) reactions of others to employees (e.g., "halo," or overgeneralization to other desirable traits); and (3) reactions of employees to others (e.g., helping others). Results from an 18-mo study of 272 employees indicate that PE on the job at Time 1 is associated with evidence of work achievement (more favorable supervisor evaluations and higher pay) and a supportive social context (more support from supervisors and coworkers) at Time 2. PE at Time 1 is not significantly associated with job enrichment at Time 2. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Positive emotions are hypothesized to undo the cardiovascular aftereffects of negative emotions. Study 1 tests this undoing effect. Participants (n = 170) experiencing anxiety-induced cardiovascular reactivity viewed a film that elicited (a) contentment, (b) amusement, (c) neutrality, or (d) sadness. Contentment-eliciting and amusing films produced faster cardiovascular recovery than neutral or sad films did. Participants in Study 2 (n = 185) viewed these same films following a neutral state. Results disconfirm the alternative explanation that the undoing effect reflects a simple replacement process. Findings are contextualized by Fredrickson's broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions (B. L. Fredrickson, 1998).
The greater power of bad events over good ones is found in everyday events, major life events (e.g., trauma), close relationship outcomes, social network patterns, interpersonal interactions, and learning processes. Bad emotions, bad parents, and bad feedback have more impact than good ones, and bad information is processed more thoroughly than good. The self is more motivated to avoid bad self-definitions than to pursue good ones. Bad impressions and bad stereotypes are quicker to form and more resistant to disconfirmation than good ones. Various explanations such as diagnosticity and salience help explain some findings, but the greater power of bad events is still found when such variables are controlled. Hardly any exceptions (indicating greater power of good) can be found. Taken together, these findings suggest that bad is stronger than good, as a general principle across a broad range of psychological phenomena.
There has long been interest in describing emotional experience in terms of underlying dimensions, but traditionally only two dimensions, pleasantness and arousal, have been reliably found. The reasons for these findings are reviewed, and integrating this review with two recent theories of emotions (Roseman, 1984; Scherer, 1982), we propose eight cognitive appraisal dimensions to differentiate emotional experience. In an investigation of this model, subjects recalled past experiences associated with each of 15 emotions, and rated them along the proposed dimensions. Six orthogonal dimensions, pleasantness, anticipated effort, certainty, attentional activity, self-other responsibility/control, and situational control, were recovered, and the emotions varied systematically along each of these dimensions, indicating a strong relation between the appraisal of one's circumstances and one's emotional state. The patterns of appraisal for the different emotions, and the role of each of the dimensions in differentiating emotional experience are discussed.
Emotional processes influence a wide range of mental and physical systems, which makes them difficult to understand from a single perspective. In this special issue of the Review of General Psychology, contributing authors present 4 articles that draw from several areas within psychology in the service of understanding a topic relevant to emotion. In this overview, the authors argue that the long neglect of the scientific study of complex processes such as emotion might be linked, in part, to the fractionation of the field into specialized subdisciplines. Just as emotions were of central concern in the early years of psychology (which was a generalist's era), as psychology moves toward more integration in the late 20th century broad phenomena such as emotions are once again central interests. The 4 articles of this special issue are briefly reviewed as exemplars of an integrated approach to understanding emotional phenomena.
Previous research has identified nonobvious, cognitive indexes of including other in the self (self-other overlap) that differentiate close from nonclose relationships. These indexes include a reaction time measure and a measure focusing on attributional perspective. This study demonstrated for the first time that these cognitive indices differentiated among romantic relationships of varying degrees of closeness, suggesting that self-other overlap is not an either-or phenomenon. Further, the degree of self-other overlap was associated with subjective feelings of closeness, but little if at all with amount and diversity of interaction, suggesting that cognitive self-other overlap is not a direct product of behavioral interaction. Finally, these indexes predicted relationship maintenance and other variables over 3 months and correlated with self-reports of love, suggesting a broad linkage of cognitive self-other overlap to other aspects of relational experience.
In this article, the author describes a new theoretical perspective on positive emotions and situates this new perspective within the emerging field of positive psychology. The broaden-and-build theory posits that experiences of positive emotions broaden people's momentary thought-action repertoires, which in turn serves to build their enduring personal resources, ranging from physical and intellectual resources to social and psychological resources. Preliminary empirical evidence supporting the broaden-and-build theory is reviewed, and open empirical questions that remain to be tested are identified. The theory and findings suggest that the capacity to experience positive emotions may be a fundamental human strength central to the study of human flourishing.
In this article, the author describes a new theoretical perspective on positive emotions and situates this new perspective within the emerging field of positive psychology. The broaden-and-build theory posits that experiences of positive emotions broaden people's momentary thought-action repertoires, which in turn serves to build their enduring personal resources, ranging from physical and intellectual resources to social and psychological resources. Preliminary empirical evidence supporting the broaden-and-build theory is reviewed, and open empirical questions that remain to be tested are identified. The theory and findings suggest that the capacity to experience positive emotions may be a fundamental human strength central to the study of human flourishing.
Based on concomitant time-series analyses, the results of this study support distinct social interaction correlates for the mood dimensions of negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA). Participants (N = 25) completed structured diaries three times daily for 4 weeks assessing their PA, NA, and participation in five types of social interaction. A significant number of participants' data series evidenced significant positive correlations between PA and fun/active and necessary/informational types of social interaction, and between NA and arguing/confronting and receiving help/support, during synchronous diary periods. Providing help/support was not related to NA or PA. No hypothesized time-lagged relations between mood and social interaction variables were present suggesting that, if these associations exist, they may be at intervals shorter than the one third day recording frequency used in this study. Results are discussed in the context of research on mood, social interaction, and time-series analysis.
Posted 3/2000. This commentary adopts a dialectical systems perspective on creativity and presents a critique of key points in B. L. Fredrickson's (see record 2000-03082-001) article on positive emotions. Fredrickson links the building of new skills primarily to the expansive or "broadening" properties of positive emotions. The connection of positive emotions to such divergent thought processes is not disputed; however, other theoretical frameworks are introduced to illustrate how the "narrowing" functions of negative emotions can also play an important role in the creative process. In other words, the creative, skill-building process is thought to be a complex or dialectical one that broadens and narrows information depending on the task at hand and the specific point in time. The commentary concludes by discussing the relative advantages of developing more integrative models and avoiding positive-negative dichotomies.
This book, based on lectures given at the Accademia dei Lincei, is an accessible and leisurely account of systems that display a chaotic time evolution. This behaviour, though deterministic, has features more characteristic of stochastic systems. The analysis here is based on a statistical technique known as time series analysis and so avoids complex mathematics, yet provides a good understanding of the fundamentals. Professor Ruelle is one of the world's authorities on chaos and dynamical systems and his account here will be welcomed by scientists in physics, engineering, biology, chemistry and economics who encounter nonlinear systems in their research.
The connectivity of a team is highly correlated with its performance. Connectivity is measured by the strength and number of cross-correlations among time series of the coded speech acts of meeting participants. Connectivity is used as a control parameter in a nonlinear dynamical model derived from the observed time series. Different types of attractors occur in phase space depending on the team's connectivity and performance level: low performance teams show point attractors, medium performance teams show limit cycles, and high performance teams show low-dimensional chaotic attractors.
BACK COVER: Traditional approaches to social psychology have proven highly successful in identifying causal mechanisms underlying human thought and behavior. Now, with the advent of the dynamical approach, it is possible to assemble sets of such mechanisms into coherent systems. Grounded in classic and contemporary theories of social psychology, this book uses innovative concepts and tools to illuminate the processes by which individuals, groups, and societies evolve and change in a systemic, self-sustaining manner, at times seemingly independent of external influences.
Posted 3/2000. This commentary adopts a dialectical systems perspective on creativity and presents a critique of key points in B. L. Fredrickson's (see record
2000-03082-001) article on positive emotions. Fredrickson links the building of new skills primarily to the expansive or "broadening" properties of positive emotions. The connection of positive emotions to such divergent thought processes is not disputed; however, other theoretical frameworks are introduced to illustrate how the "narrowing" functions of negative emotions can also play an important role in the creative process. In other words, the creative, skill-building process is thought to be a complex or dialectical one that broadens and narrows information depending on the task at hand and the specific point in time. The commentary concludes by discussing the relative advantages of developing more integrative models and avoiding positive-negative dichotomies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The purpose of this chapter is to review briefly the most valued traits of personhood recognized in our culture as well as in others. We shall claim that the trait of psychological complexity meets the specifications for the central dimension of personhood. Then we shall examine how complexity unfolds through the life cycle, beginning with its manifestations in old age. By starting at the end of the life span and working our way back to childhood, it will be easier to recognize the patterns that are more likely to result in a successful unfolding of the potentialities for personhood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
presents some of the findings regarding the impact of mild positive affect on thinking and motivation / explores the processes underlying them and the circumstances under which they are likely to be observed / focus is on decision making, but in order to understand affect's influence on decisions, it is helpful to consider its impact on cognitive organization (or the way material is thought about and related to other material) and on motivation (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
discuss several promises as well as potential problems with the circumplex model of emotion / while this model promises to organize much of what we know about emotion, it is nevertheless open to misinterpretation / before detailing these particular strengths and weaknesses, we begin by describing how a circumplex model is applied in the emotion domain / by advocating the circumplex model, a claim is made that the majority of emotional experience can be captured by two affect dimensions [positive affect and negative affect]
despite the promise a circumplex model holds for aiding our understanding of emotion, a number of problems need to be understood / one set of problems relates to specific interpretational issues concerning the emotion circumplex: are there basic dimensions in the circumplex and how should the dimensions be named / the second set of problems is broader: what does the circumplex fail to do in describing and explaining the relationships between emotions, and what are the shortcomings of the extant data / we will consider first the interpretational issues and, after that, the broader issues (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
We analyzed group collaborative behavior by detecting patterns of interactive sequences in meetings using time series analysis. This is in contrast to previous work in which frequency counts of interactions were analyzed. Researchers have reported a decrease of these interaction frequencies associated with the use of computer-supported collaborative technology [Appl86, McGu87, Sieg86, Wats88]. We found that if group process feedback is given to people participating in a computer-supported collaborative technology meeting, the number of socio-emotional interactive sequences increases significantly above the expected level determined by log-linear analysis. In contrast, when using collaborative computer technology alone (no feedback), there is a substantial reduction in the number of socio-emotional interactive sequences below the expected level. These findings have implications for the efficient use of computer technology in terms of maximizing its collaborative potential.
In contrast to the punctuated equilibrium model of change, this inductive study of multiple-product innovation in six firms in the computer industry examines how organizations engage in continuous change. Comparisons of successful and less-successful firms show, first, that successful multiple-product innovation blends limited structure around responsibilities and priorities with extensive communication and design freedom to create improvisation within current projects. This combination is neither so structured that change cannot occur nor so unstructured that chaos ensues. Second, successful firms rely on a wide variety of low-cost probes into the future, including experimental products, futurists, and strategic alliances. Neither planning nor reacting is as effective. Third, successful firms link the present and future together through rhythmic, time-paced transition processes. We develop the ideas of "semistructures," "links in time," and "sequenced steps" to crystallize the key properties of these continuously changing organizations and to extend thinking about complexity theory, time-paced evolution, and the nature of core capabilities.
Two studies tested the hypothesis that certain positive emotions speed recovery from the cardiovascular sequelae of negative emotions. In Study 1, 60 subjects (Ss) viewed an initial fear-eliciting film, and were randomly assigned to view a secondary film that elicited: (a) contentment; (b) amusement; (c) neutrality; or (d) sadness. Compared to Ss who viewed the neutral and sad secondary films, those who viewed the positive films exhibited more rapid returns to pre-film levels of cardiovascular activation. In Study 2, 72 Ss viewed a film known to elicit sadness. Fifty Ss spontaneously smiled at least once while viewing this film. Compared to Ss who did not smile, those who smiled exhibited more rapid returns to pre-film levels of cardiovascular activation. We discuss these findings in terms of emotion theory and possible health-promoting functions of positive emotions.
This article opens by noting that positive emotions do not fit existing models of emotions. Consequently, a new model is advanced to describe the form and function of a subset of positive emotions, including joy, interest, contentment, and love. This new model posits that these positive emotions serve to broaden an individual's momentary thought-action repertoire, which in turn has the effect of building that individual's physical, intellectual, and social resources. Empirical evidence to support this broaden-and-build model of positive emotions is reviewed, and implications for emotion regulation and health promotion are discussed.
Los autores plantean una propuesta de proceso para facilitar la formulación e implementación de una planeación estratégica, que permita imprimir la visión de la firma dentro de toda la organización.
The abstract for this document is available on CSA Illumina.To view the Abstract, click the Abstract button above the document title.
A variety of investigators in recent years have proposed models of psychological systems based on the concepts of chaos, nonlinear dynamics, and self-organization. Unfortunately, psychologists in general have little understanding of these important ideas. These terms are defined, and their relationships are discussed. The value of applying these concepts to psychological systems is demonstrated by exploring their utility in areas ranging from neuroscience to clinical psychology. Some of the difficulties in using nonlinear concepts and methodologies in empirical investigations are also discussed.
In this paper, I question the assumption that emotions are first and foremost individual reactions, and suggest instead that they are often best viewed as social phenomena. I show that many of the causes of emotions are interpersonally, institutionally or culturally defined; that emotions usually have consequences for other people; and that they serve interpersonal as well as cultural functions in everyday life. Furthermore, many cases of emotion are essentially communicative rather than internal and reactive phenomena. Previous research has often underestimated the importance of social factors in the causation and constitution of emotion. In conclusion, I recommend that existing cognitive and physiological approaches to emotional phenomena be supplemented or supplanted by social psychological analysis.