Joanne M. Chung’s research while affiliated with University of Toronto and other places

Effective and efficient Wellbeing measurement is essential within the social sciences and public health. Wellbeing is described as a three-factor construct composed of Life Satisfaction, Positive Affect, and Negative Affect, yet there are few measurement models validated for the increasingly popular use of longitudinal, app-based assessment. We explored Wellbeing measurement in a postsecondary student sample, including two mechanistic indicators described in Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory: Decentering and Positive Reappraisal. Across two studies, we compared and validated popular measurement models for each construct. The most parsimonious Wellbeing model indicated only a two-factor structure comprised of positive (e.g., happiness, life satisfaction, and flourishing) and negative dimensions (e.g., anger, sadness, and anxiety). A third study revealed that a three-factor structure for Wellbeing was only supported when sampling a greater diversity of positive emotions than the earlier studies. Furthermore, while the Mindfulness-to-Meaning pathway to Wellbeing was replicated, only some operationalizations of Decentering and Reappraisal accounted for variance in Wellbeing. Concrete recommendations for the longitudinal assessment are provided. This research contributes not only to our understanding of Wellbeing, but also informs its optimal assessment in longitudinal research such as clinical trials and experience sampling studies.

Peer review serves to evaluate the scientific validity and quality of research by other researchers within the same field. Psychology, like many other disciplines, uses peer review to determine whether researchers’ work is published, where it is published, and in what form. However, the peer review system is imperfect, often perpetuating harm, exclusion, and inequities. We believe these problems hinder psychology from becoming a truly representative and valid science. In this paper, we uncover the historical roots of the peer review system in psychology and describe how these roots persist today. Then, using personality psychology as an exemplar, we leverage a social justice lens to: (1) document key contemporary problems in the peer review system; (2) identify global challenges in peer review; and (3) provide recommendations and guiding questions that might help the field become more equitable, diverse, just, and inclusive. To do so, we draw upon three sources of information: our personal experiences, qualitative and quantitative data from 104 self-identifying personality psychologists, and the prior literature. Ultimately, the goal of this work is to give voice to those who have been harmed in peer review, and to inform how we might reimagine peer review in personality psychology and beyond.

Objective People value solitude in varying degrees. Theories and studies suggest that people's appreciation of solitude varies considerably across persons (e.g., an introverted person may value solitude more than an extraverted person), and solitude experiences (i.e., on average, people may value some functions of solitude, e.g., privacy, more than other functions, e.g., self‐discovery). What are the unique contributions of these two sources? Method We surveyed a quota‐based sample of 501 US residents about their perceived importance of a diverse set of 22 solitude functions. Results Variance component analysis reveals that both sources contributed to the variability of perceived importance of solitude (person: 22%; solitude function: 15%). Crucially, individual idiosyncratic preferences (person–by‐solitude function interaction) had a substantial impact (46%). Further analyses explored the role of personality traits, showing that different functions of solitude hold varying importance for different people. For example, neurotic individuals prioritize emotion regulation, introverted individuals value relaxation, and conscientious individuals find solitude important for productivity. Conclusions People value solitude for idiosyncratic reasons. Scientific inquiries on solitude must consider the fit between a person's characteristics and the specific functions a solitary experience affords. This research suggests that crafting or enhancing positive solitude experiences requires a personalized approach.

Young adults differ in their self-esteem change during the university-to-work transition. The short-term processes (such as state changes) which are related to individual variability in change are not yet fully understood. In this pre-registered study, we examined experiences of pride as an emotional process underlying state self-esteem change in a sample of 232 Dutch master students over 8 months across their university-to-work transition. We used dynamic and multilevel structural equation models to analyze three waves of 14-day experience sampling data, examining momentary and daily associations between pride and state self-esteem on the within-person level. We examined correlated change in pride and state self-esteem, and the extent to which pride predicted variability in state self-esteem change. Results indicated positive within-person associations and considerable individual differences in pride–state self-esteem associations across moments and days. Across months, changes in pride and state self-esteem were positively correlated, but pride before graduation did not predict variability in later state self-esteem change. Pride–state self-esteem associations remained robust after accounting for feelings of joy, transitional valence, and timing of the transition. Findings indicated that pride uniquely predicted state self-esteem change during the education-to-work transition, which suggests that pride is a key emotion underlying self-esteem change.

The purpose of peer review is to assess novel research contributions and encourage avenues for future research. However, peer review can be problematic, when it contains culturally-insensitive, racialized, sexualized, classist, homo- and transphobic, xenophobic, and biased comments, typically based on the identity(s) of the researcher or the populations studied. Our panel will feature five flash talks (5-8 minutes each) summarizing historical harms of and problems with peer review. We will present qualitative and quantitative data from personality psychologists on their challenging and rewarding experiences with peer review, as well as the personal and professional impacts of these experiences. Attendees will then be invited to participate in structured small-group discussions designed to foster scholarly dialogue and pave the way for needed changes to the peer review system. Actionable ideas generated during discussions will be aggregated and submitted to ARP to contribute to a rigorous, encouraging, and inclusive personality science.

In this paper, we argue that who one is and wants to become is closely related to whom one admires. Although the links between identity formation and exemplars have been largely neglected, we claim that integrating both literature studies provides interesting new insights. First, exemplars can play an important role in and constitute a powerful tool for people’s identity construction. Second, insights into identity formation processes can help better understand how people select, evaluate, and replace their exemplars. Third, we explore the ways in which external factors such as possible selves, social relationships, and emotions affect both exemplars and identity formation. Finally, we discuss how stigma, marginalization, and do-gooder derogation can prevent exemplars from playing a positive role in identity formation. By integrating existing perspectives on identity formation and exemplars, we explain how people obtain their personal commitments and what exactly can inspire their attempts to change or maintain their identity.

People value solitude in varying degrees. Theories and studies suggest that perceived importance of solitude varies considerably due to two sources: the person and the function of solitude experiences (e.g., privacy, creativity). What are the unique contributions of these two sources? In the current research, participants evaluated the importance of a variety of solitude functions. Building on a pilot study (1,542 US college students, 6 solitude functions), we collected a quota-based US representative sample (501 US residents, 22 solitude functions). Variance component analysis reveals that both individual variation (22%) and differences between solitude functions (15%) contributed to the variability of perceived importance of solitude. Crucially, the interaction between individual and solitude function accounted for a substantial amount of variance (46%). We further explored the personality predictors of people’s perceived importance of solitude. Contrary to the literature’s focus on Extraversion as the only relevant Big Five dimension for solitude, all five dimensions were relevant predictors. The magnitude and direction of the associations depended on specific solitude functions. These results suggest that the key to understanding people’s perceived value of solitude is people’s idiosyncratic priorities. Scientific inquiries on solitude must consider the fit between a person’s characteristics and the specific functions a solitary experience affords.

Objective: There is a growing body of research regarding the situations that are linked to personality expression in daily life. We examined racialized young adults' experiences of racial and ethnic cues, and variables from prior personality expression research. Method: We assessed Big Five personality states in racialized undergraduate students (N = 180) in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada using experience sampling methodology. Participants (Mage = 19.85-years-old; 51% South Asian, 17% East Asian, 11% African, 10% Middle Eastern, 10% Southeast Asian; 8% Black-North American; 5% Caribbean, 3% Afro-Caribbean, 2% Central American, 2% White/European, 1% South American, 1% North African, 1% South and Central American, 1% Afro-European, 3% another) provided five assessments daily over 12 days (Nobservations = 6,980). Results: We observed within-person associations from past personality expression research (e.g., participants exhibited greater conscientiousness when at school). Racial and ethnic cues from previous studies of racial and ethnic identity, stereotyping, discrimination, and prejudice were associated with situational characteristics (e.g., being in a majority White space was associated with being in public), and with Big Five personality states (e.g., racial identity salience was associated with extraversion). Conclusion: Results suggest that assessing sociocultural variables beyond the individual provides an opportunity for better understanding personality expression.

Young adults differ in their self-esteem change during the university-to-work transition. The short-term processes related to individual variability in change are not yet fully understood. We examined experiences of pride in daily life as a dynamic process underlying self-esteem change. We followed 238 Dutch master students over 8 months across their university-to-work transition. We used dynamic and multilevel structural equation models to analyze three waves of 14-day experience sampling data. We first examined momentary and daily associations between pride and self-esteem on the within-person level. We then examined the correlation between change in pride and change in self-esteem across months, and the extent to which pride predicted variability in self-esteem change. Results indicated positive within-person associations between pride and self-esteem at the momentary level, but not at the daily level, suggesting that these short-term processes may predominantly unfold across moments. The direction and the magnitude of these short-term associations between pride and self-esteem differed substantially across individuals. Across months, changes in pride were positively correlated with changes in self-esteem, however, pride experiences before graduation did not predict variability in later self-esteem change. Findings suggest that pride may help explain self-esteem change during the university-to-work transition.