Social Indispensability or Social Comparison: On the underlying processes of the Koehler motivation gain effect

Modeling Motivation Gain in Teams through Social Comparison: A Regulatory Focus Perspective

Academy of Management Proceedings ◽

10.5465/ambpp.2012.11072abstract ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 (1) ◽

pp. 11072

Author(s):

Herbert K.S. Leung

Keyword(s):

Social Comparison ◽

Regulatory Focus ◽

Motivation Gain

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Epistemic and relational conflicts in sharing identical vs. complementary information during cooperative learning

Swiss Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1024//1421-0185.61.3.139 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 61 (3) ◽

pp. 139-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Céline Darnon ◽

Céline Buchs ◽

Fabrizio Butera

Keyword(s):

Cooperative Learning ◽

Social Comparison ◽

Positive Relationship ◽

Learning Task ◽

Control Group ◽

Complementary Information ◽

Relational Conflict ◽

The Social ◽

The University

When interacting on a learning task, which is typical of several academic situations, individuals may experience two different motives: Understanding the problem, or showing their competences. When a conflict (confrontation of divergent propositions) emerges from this interaction, it can be solved either in an epistemic way (focused on the task) or in a relational way (focused on the social comparison of competences). The latter is believed to be detrimental for learning. Moreover, research on cooperative learning shows that when they share identical information, partners are led to compare to each other, and are less encouraged to cooperate than when they share complementary information. An epistemic vs. relational conflict vs. no conflict was provoked in dyads composed by a participant and a confederate, working either on identical or on complementary information (N = 122). Results showed that, if relational and epistemic conflicts both entailed more perceived interactions and divergence than the control group, only relational conflict entailed more perceived comparison activities and a less positive relationship than the control group. Epistemic conflict resulted in a more positive perceived relationship than the control group. As far as performance is concerned, relational conflict led to a worse learning than epistemic conflict, and - after a delay - than the control group. An interaction between the two variables on delayed performance showed that epistemic and relational conflicts were different only when working with complementary information. This study shows the importance of the quality of relationship when sharing information during cooperative learning, a crucial factor to be taken into account when planning educational settings at the university.

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Intraindividual Variability and Stability of Affect and Well-Being

GeroPsych ◽

10.1024/1662-9647/a000094 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 26 (3) ◽

pp. 185-199 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Christina Röcke ◽

Annette Brose

Keyword(s):

Age Differences ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Emotional Experiences ◽

Short Term ◽

Regulatory Processes ◽

Functional Implications ◽

Methodological Approaches ◽

Underlying Processes

Whereas subjective well-being remains relatively stable across adulthood, emotional experiences show remarkable short-term variability, with younger and older adults differing in both amount and correlates. Repeatedly assessed affect data captures both the dynamics and stability as well as stabilization that may indicate emotion-regulatory processes. The article reviews (1) research approaches to intraindividual affect variability, (2) functional implications of affect variability, and (3) age differences in affect variability. Based on this review, we discuss how the broader literature on emotional aging can be better integrated with theories and concepts of intraindividual affect variability by using appropriate methodological approaches. Finally, we show how a better understanding of affect variability and its underlying processes could contribute to the long-term stabilization of well-being in old age.

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