Development and empirical validation of a motivational model of life-satisfaction regulation
Final Report Abstract
In our project, we developed and tested a motivational model of CWB. We found evidence for the central motivational mechanisms. CWB was consistently and robustly associated with motivational outcomes such that higher CWB was associated with a decreased desire for change and a lower probability to experience actual changes, and lower CWB was associated with an increased desire for change and with a higher probability to experience actual changes. We further showed that CWB should not be conceptualized as either domain satisfaction or life satisfaction, as it was done in previous work, but that both components of CWB should be examined simultaneously to disentangle their unique effects. Our results also showed that the tested mechanisms were independent of AWB. Contrary to what we expected based on motivational life-span theories, perceived control did not significantly moderate the tested pathways. Taken together, the project generated important insights into the motivational consequences of CWB and indicates that CWB should be integrated into theories of life goals and life decisions. From a methodological point of view, we used a multimethod approach using different types of designs, different types of measures and different types of data sources. Based on the experiences in this project, we recommend using longitudinal designs rather than experimental designs to study the regulation of life satisfaction in future research.
Publications
- (2017). The motivational consequences of life satisfaction. Motivation Science, 3(1), 51-75
Luhmann, M., & Hennecke, M.
(See online at https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/mot0000048) - (2018, July). The motivational consequences of life satisfaction. 19th European Conference on Personality, Zadar, Croatia, July 17- 21, 2018
Kaiser, T., Luhmann, M. & Hennecke, M.
- (2018, September). The motivational consequences of life satisfaction. 51st Congress of the German Psychological Society (DGPs), Frankfurt, Germany, September 15-20, 2018
Kaiser, T., Luhmann, M. & Hennecke, M.
- (2020). The interplay of domain-and life satisfaction in predicting life events. PloS one, 15(9), e0238992
Kaiser, T., Hennecke, M., & Luhmann, M.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238992) - (2020, February). Nothing going on? Exploring the role of non-events in changes in subjective well-being and the Big Five personality traits. Annual Convention of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP), New Orleans, USA, February 27-29, 2020
Luhmann, M., Buecker, S., Kaiser, T., & Beermann, M.
- Nothing going on? Exploring the role of missed events in changes in subjective well-being and the Big Five personality traits. Journal of Personality
Luhmann, M., Buecker, S., Kaiser, T., & Beermann, M.
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12539)
