Here, There, and Everywhere: Applying Vignettes to Investigate Appraisals of Job Demands

The job characteristics literature has revealed that job demands can be differentiated into hindrance and challenge demands. However, there has been little consensus on this categorization. Additionally, studies have revealed that job demands can be perceived as hindering and challenging at the same time. The present study aims to bring nuance to this topic by investigating two job demands (i.e., time pressure and emotionally demanding situations) and to what degree they are appraised as challenging and hindering for two occupational groups (i.e., nurses and real estate agents). This study also investigates the impact of emotional dispositions on demand appraisals. A convenience sample (N = 851 Norwegian students) read vignettes and reported their appraisals for six different job situations. A factor analysis revealed that our measures of demand appraisals differed from those reported in previous studies. We therefore labeled the two kinds of appraisals as hindrance-like and challenge-like since they overlap without being identical to the previously reported labels of hindrance and challenge, respectively. Furthermore, we found that job demands were appraised as hindrance-like and challenge-like at the same time but to different degrees. Job demands for core tasks were typically appraised as more challenge-like than hindrance-like. Job demands for non-core tasks were typically appraised as more hindrance-like than challenge-like. Positive trait emotions predicted challenge-like appraisals. By documenting how imagined job demands appear as hindrances and challenges, our study supports previous studies showing that challenge-like demands may play a role in the motivational process in the job demands–resources model. Limitations to vignette studies are discussed.

In search of state and trait emotion markers in mobile-sensed language: a field study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Emotions and mood are important for our overall well-being. The search for continuous, effortless emotion prediction methods is, therefore, an important field of study. Mobile sensing provides a promising tool and can capture one of the most telling signs of emotions: language. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to examine the separate and combined predictive value of mobile-sensed language data sources for detecting both momentary emotional experience as well as global individual differences in emotional traits and depression. METHODS In a two-week experience sampling method study, we collected self-report emotion ratings and voice recordings 10 times/day, continuous keyboard activity, and trait depression severity. We correlated state and trait emotions/depression and language, distinguishing between speech content (spoken words), speech form (voice acoustics), writing content (written words), and writing form (typing dynamics). We also investigated how well these features predict state and trait emotions using cross-validation to select features and a hold-out set for validation. RESULTS Overall, reported emotions and mobile-sensed language demonstrated weak correlations. Most significant correlations were found between speech content and state emotions and speech form and state emotions, ranging to 0.25. Speech content provided the best predictions for the state emotions. None of the trait emotion-language correlations remained significant after correction. Among the emotions studied, valence and happiness displayed the most significant correlations and the highest predictive performance. CONCLUSIONS While using mobile-sensed language as emotion marker shows some promise, correlations and predictive R²s are low.

Application of Chaos Theory in the Assessment of Emotional Vulnerability and Emotion Dysregulation in Adults

In this work, we propose an interdisciplinary chaos analysis of emotion dysregulation (ED) and emotional vulnerability in adults. One of the main goals was the assessment of incongruences that occur in the evaluation of one’s own emotional dysregulation mechanisms in the presence of an extremely weak stimulus (Butterfly Effect). Thus, we considered a “flavor” of the Lyapunov Function method based on the assumption that the effort of answering to the test is itself a small perturbation. In this context, we calculated the “instability coefficient” Δ defined as the Euclidean distance between the pairs of vectors that include similar and reverted items of a test. The relationship between Δ, ED, and emotional characteristics as quality (positive/negative) and type (trait/state) was highlighted. We hypothesized that a higher level of Δ should be significantly related with a higher ED and with the type and the quality of emotions. The results suggest that Δ is significantly correlated with trait emotions (positively with negative emotions, and negatively with positive ones) and with ED. Moreover, Δ significantly predicts ED in adults. Thus, we consider that this approach is promising with respect to the evolution of emotional mechanisms across time. The presence of an initial instability to a weak perturbation might predict future abnormal emotional functioning, which could put at risk the mental or psychosomatic systems.

Trait emotional experience in individuals with schizophrenia and youth at clinical high risk for psychosis

Background Disturbances in trait emotions are a predominant feature in schizophrenia. However, less is known about (a) differences in trait emotion across phases of the illness such as the clinical high-risk (CHR) phase and (b) whether abnormalities in trait emotion that are associated with negative symptoms are driven by primary (i.e. idiopathic) or secondary (e.g. depression, anxiety) factors. Aims To examine profiles of trait affective disturbance and their clinical correlates in individuals with schizophrenia and individuals at CHR for psychosis. Method In two studies (sample 1: 56 out-patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and 34 demographically matched individuals without schizophrenia (controls); sample 2: 50 individuals at CHR and 56 individuals not at CHR (controls)), participants completed self-report trait positive affect and negative affect questionnaires, clinical symptom interviews (positive, negative, disorganised, depression, anxiety) and community-based functional outcome measures. Results Both clinical groups reported lower levels of positive affect (specific to joy among individuals with schizophrenia) and higher levels of negative affect compared with controls. For individuals with schizophrenia, links were found between positive affect and negative symptoms (which remained after controlling for secondary factors) and between negative affect and positive symptoms. For individuals at CHR, links were found between both affect dimensions and both types of symptom (which were largely accounted for by secondary factors). Conclusions Both clinical groups showed some evidence of reduced trait positive affect and elevated trait negative affect, suggesting that increasing trait positive affect and reducing trait negative affect is an important treatment goal across both populations. Clinical correlates of these emotional abnormalities were more integrally linked to clinical symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia and more closely linked to secondary influences such as depression and anxiety in individuals at CHR. Declaration of interest None.

Fear of crime, personality and trait emotions: An empirical study

In recent years, scientific research has neglected the importance of personality and trait emotions in explaining fear of crime. Through a survey administered to 205 individuals, this study explored the relationship between individual variables and abstract fear of crime, perception of victimization risk (cognitive dimension), and behavioral expressions. A positive correlation between neuroticism (a personality dimension) and the abstract fear of crime was observed but not with the cognitive and behavioral dimensions. It was also found that trait fear emotion correlated only with the abstract fear of crime. Contrary to what was hypothesized, social desirability was positively correlated with abstract fear of crime, cognitive dimensions and behavioral dimensions in both men and women. Lastly, regression models revealed that distinct variables explaining each of the fear of crime dimensions exist. The implications of the findings are discussed herein.