Challenge Appraisals Research Articles

감정표현규칙이 서비스 직원의 소진에 미치는 영향: 도전적 평가와 방해적 평가의 매개효과를 중심으로

Emotional display rules are official and unofficial requirements on how people
 should express their emotions to others in organizations, playing crucial roles
 in emotional management. According to the job demand-resources model,
 emotional display rules can cause job stress and burnout because they are
 job demands. However, in light of the challenge-hindrance job stress model,
 the effect of job demands on burnout may differ according to whether people
 perceive them as challenges or hindrances. The purpose of this study is to
 determine the causal relationship among emotional display rules, challenge
 appraisal, hindrance appraisal, and service worker burnout. In this study, we
 postulate that emotional display rules increase burnout, while challenge and
 hindrance appraisals mediate the display rules-burnout relationship. A total
 of 213 survey responses were collected from frontline workers in the service
 industry, and an analysis of results revealed that emotional display rules are
 positively associated with burnout, while challenge appraisal negatively mediates
 the display rules-burnout relationship. We also found that hindrance appraisal
 did not mediate between emotional display rules and burnout, while perceived
 organizational support and self efficacy did not moderate the relationship
 between emotional display rules and burnout. These results may demonstrate
 the possibility that service worker burnout can be buffered with the perception
 of emotional display rules as challenging rather than hindering job demands.
 In addition, they imply that service workers’ perceptions and mind controls
 are more important than external factors like organizational support in managing
 job demands, such as emotional display rules. This study shows the importance
 of job appraisal in understanding service workers’ stresses and burnout.

Psychometric Validation of the Stress Appraisal Measure in a Sample of Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) must often cope with a high level of stress. Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) stress-appraisal-coping theory described the importance of stress appraisals to determine which behavioral responses and coping strategies an individual draws upon following stressful events. One of the most highly validated stress appraisal measures is the Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM; Peacock and Wong, 1990), which was primarily developed as a dispositional measure,SAM-Revised(SAM-R: Roesch and Rowley, 2005). However, it has not been validated in adults with MS. The purpose of this study was to confirm the measurement structure and psychometric properties of theSAM-Rwith a sample of adults with MS. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to examine the factor structure ofSAM-Rin 477 adults with MS. CFA confirmed the three-factor structure:χ2/df= 3.94 (less than 5), comparative fit index = .95 (higher than .90), root mean square error of approximation = 0.079 (90% confidence interval [0.070, 0.087]; less than .08), and the standardized root mean square residual = .046 (less than .08). The three factors include (a) challenge appraisal, (b) threat appraisal, and (c) centrality appraisal. Correlations among these three factors and external measures of related concepts provided evidence of the validity of these factors. TheSAM-Ris a psychometrically validated measure that can be incorporated in rehabilitation counseling, mental health, and healthcare settings to assess the stress appraisal style. Rehabilitation and health professionals can use it to evaluate the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in helping people with MS to manage stressful life events and improve their mental health.

Effects of perceived illegitimacy of interrupting tasks on employees’ cognitive and affective experiences: the mediating role of stress appraisals

ABSTRACT Employees are frequently interrupted when doing their work, sometimes with tasks that seem unreasonable or unnecessary. Drawing on stress-as-offence-to-self and stress appraisal theories, we expected that perceived illegitimacy of an interrupting task is detrimental to employees’ affective (i.e., anxiety, fatigue, vitality) and cognitive (i.e., task focus, attention residue) reactions to an interruption, because such interruptions are appraised as more of a hindrance and less of a challenge. To test this, we first used a within-persons recall study, where participants (N = 144) recalled two interrupting tasks, one perceived as legitimate, and one illegitimate. As expected, perceived illegitimacy of the interrupting task was associated with more anxiety and less task focus, because of more hindrance appraisal. Perceived illegitimacy also was associated with less vitality, task focus, and more attention residue, because of less challenge appraisal. Second, using a between-persons manipulation of an interrupting task in a work simulation (N = 231), perceived illegitimacy was associated with more anxiety, fatigue, attention residue, and less task focus, because of more hindrance appraisal. Furthermore, participants performed worse on the interrupting task because of more hindrance appraisal and less task focus. Overall, interrupting tasks perceived as illegitimate can be more negatively impacting, because such interruptions are appraised as hindering.

Enduring education and employment: Examining motivation and mechanisms of psychological resilience.

Resilience, the ability to bounce back from difficult events, is critical for an individual to negotiate stressors and adversity. Despite being widely studied, little is known about the processes involved in the development of resilience. The goal of the studies are to investigate the relationship between motivation orientation, emotional intelligence, cognitive appraisals, and psychological resilience. Two studies, using self-report questionnaires were conducted with employed young adults also enrolled in post-secondary studies (pre- and during the pandemic) to test the tenability of our proposed models. Study 1 and Study 2 showed that emotional intelligence and challenge appraisals were mediators of autonomous motivation and resilience. Study 2 revealed statistically significant differences in mean scores of autonomous motivation and emotional intelligence between non-pandemic students and pandemic students. Based on the findings, it is suggested that autonomous motivation, emotional intelligence, and challenge appraisals are important aptitudes for the development of resilience. Furthermore, findings suggest that social isolation caused by the pandemic may have affected levels of emotional intelligence. Ultimately, the research expands the literature on both self-determination theory and resilience by offering a unique multiple mediation model for predicting the development of resilience within the employed undergraduate population.

Latent profiles of challenge, hindrance, and threat appraisals on time pressure and job complexity: Antecedents and outcomes

This research challenges the a priori classification of time pressure and job complexity as challenge stressors and seeks to illuminate the emergence of different appraisal configurations using a latent profile approach. The sample consisted of 629 employees (66.1% male). Employees who appraised time pressure and job complexity as challenges reported higher job satisfaction and work engagement and felt less emotionally exhausted and mentally stressed compared to those with dominant hindrance/threat appraisals. Employees who report to be more resilient and have autonomy are more likely to fall into a Dominant Challenge Appraisal profile. Those who face high emotional demands are more likely to be in a Dominant Hindrance/Threat Appraisal profile. This research offers a fresh perspective on why it is essential for employers to consider their teams’ perceptions and resources when introducing new tasks or deadlines. By providing employees with adequate resources, organizations can promote a more adaptive approach to work challenges. JEL Classification: L20, L29, L00

Stressors–performance relationship in public accounting firms: a quasi-longitudinal study

PurposeThis study aims to examine the changes in the correlations between stressors and performance in French chartered and accounting firms.Design/methodology/approachThe linkages between role stressors and performance were analyzed through a quasi-longitudinal study of 476 chartered public accountants and trainee-chartered accountants surveyed before and after the busy season, using the partial least squares approach.FindingsOnly challenge appraisals are positively related to motivation before and after the 2018 busy season. Stress arousal is positively associated with burnout and physical symptoms. However, the associations between role ambiguity and conflict, and hindrance appraisals became insignificant after the busy season. The challenge appraisals–role ambiguity linkage persisted but reduced significantly. The burnout–performance association was insignificant in the two time periods.Practical implicationsA busy season with its increased challenge stressors has positive effects on performance through motivation but also negative effects through strains, which explains the observed insignificant net impact.Originality/valueThis quasi-longitudinal study first suggests the role of appraisals, motivation and physical symptoms as mediators of the effects of role stressors on performance. Then, it aids in the broad generalization of certain findings from previous studies. Finally, it demonstrates the applicability of the partial least squares approach, which has been hitherto under-used in behavioral accounting.

Challenge or Threat? The Effects of the Standard and a Second-Generation Mindfulness Intervention with Buddhist Practices on Cognitive Appraisals of Stress: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Experiment Performed in Switzerland.

Contemplative approaches rooted in Buddhist traditions have been linked to the attenuation of response to social stress. Anticipatory cognitive appraisals of social situations potentially represent a mechanism explaining the stress-reducing effects of contemplative practices. The cognitive appraisal of threat is associated with an anticipated loss of social self-esteem. In contrast, the cognitive appraisal of challenge involves recognizing the potential for gain or growth in stressful situations and is associated with a more adaptive cardiovascular response. In this secondary analysis of a randomized controlled experiment performed in Switzerland, we evaluated the effects of two contemplative interventions on cognitive appraisals of challenge and threat and associated physiological profiles. The interventions were a standard Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program and a new program (MBSR-B), which included several elements from Buddhist practices. After an eight-week intervention, participants completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and underwent the assessment of primary cognitive appraisals and cardiovascular response to stress. The results demonstrated greater challenge appraisal in the MBSR (n = 20) and MBSR-B (n = 21) groups compared to Control (n = 24), and MBSR-B participants scored higher on the challenge than threat appraisal. At the physiological level, the groups did not differ on changes in cardiac output and total peripheral resistance. Still, an exploratory analysis demonstrated that the MBSR-B group's cardiovascular profile best resembled challenge appraisal. The results suggest that contemplative approaches foster challenge appraisal, contributing to a more adaptive response to stress.

Unpacking dual effects of ambivalence toward technologies in online live streaming learning

PurposeShifting to OLSL classes during the pandemic can bring learners ambivalent experiences: negative, positive or both appraisals toward the technologies. However, few studies have examined how ambivalent experiences can influence students' learning behaviors, specifically cyberslacking and active participation. Using the challenge-hindrance stressor framework, this study investigates the impact of challenge and hindrance appraisals on these learning behaviors.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a mixed methods approach to answer research questions. An interview was conducted to identify the key components of ambivalent appraisals, and a survey was conducted to empirically examine the impact of challenge and hindrance appraisals on learners' behaviors in online live streaming learning (OLSL) contexts. The data of 675 university students were analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsThis study found that hindrance appraisal leads to cyberslacking while challenge appraisal leads to active participation, but it can also cause cyberslacking. Social presence has a double-edged effect, acting as both a facilitator and inhibitor, strengthening the effect of hindrance appraisal on cyberslacking and the impact of challenge appraisal on active participation.Originality/valuePrior studies have primarily focused on the negative side (techno-distress) of technology appraisals. This study simultaneously examines the positive side, techno-eustress, on learners' behaviors in OLSL contexts, and explores the moderating effects of social presence. This study contributes to the technostress and technology adaptation literature by revealing how technology-induced ambivalent appraisals impact behavioral responses. It offers important theoretical and practical implications for education tool designers.

Emotional Processes and Performance

This study investigates the interplay between stress perception and its intensity concerning performance in a professional setting. Contrary to our initial hypothesis of an interaction between stress perception and intensity, our results reveal that individuals perceiving stress as a challenge exhibit higher performance levels, while those viewing stress as a threat experience significantly lower performance, irrespective of stress intensity. This underscores the importance of how individuals interpret stress in the workplace. Our findings have crucial implications for management, employees, and human resources, suggesting that fostering a positive perception of stress as a challenge could enhance overall performance.
 Drawing on Lazarus and Folkman's transactional model, stress is viewed as a dynamic relationship between individuals and environmental demands. Stress emerges from the subjective appraisal of events rather than the events themselves. This study distinguishes between threat and challenge appraisals, positing that threat perceptions decrease performance, while challenge perceptions enhance it. Additionally, Hanin's stress intensity theory suggests an optimal performance zone unique to each individual.
 Eighty-five participants (62 men, 25 women) completed a questionnaire assessing stress perception, intensity, and professional performance. Stress perception was manipulated using the Appraisal of Life Events Scale, measuring threat, challenge, and loss. Intensity was assessed with a single item. Professional performance was measured using the Attainment of Sport Achievement Goals Scale.Contrary to expectations, there was no interaction between stress perception and intensity. Threat perception correlated with decreased performance, while challenge perception correlated with increased performance. No significant effects were observed for loss perception. Satisfaction with performance did not align with increased performance levels.
 Our hypothesis of an interaction effect was not supported, highlighting the impact of stress perception on performance. Positive stress appraisal correlated with enhanced performance, aligning with Lazarus and Folkman's appraisal approach. However, high-performance levels did not necessarily translate into satisfaction, potentially influenced by self-critical tendencies associated with positive perfectionism. Limitations include subjective performance measurement and reliance on self-reporting, suggesting the need for future research combining subjective and physiological measures.This study emphasizes the influence of stress perception on workplace performance, urging managers to consider employees' interpretations of situations. Fostering a challenge perception and providing clear goals may enhance performance and well-being, acknowledging the unique responses of individuals to stress.

Perfection behind the whistle: Perfectionism and perceived performance in soccer referees

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between self-oriented perfectionism, socially prescribed perfectionism, cognitive appraisals, psychobiosocial experiences, and self-evaluated performance in soccer referees, using the multi-states (MuSt) theory as the theoretical framework. MethodParticipants were 67 soccer referees (57 men and 10 women, Mage = 23.03 years, SD = 2.71) with 3–15 years (M = 7.36, SD = 2.44) of refereeing experience in first-class, promotion, or excellence matches. They completed questionnaires assessing perfectionism, competitive appraisals, and psychobiosocial experiences two days before a game, and self-evaluated their performance one day after the event. ResultsResults revealed significant positive correlations (r > 0.20) between self-oriented perfectionism and socially prescribed perfectionism with challenge appraisals, functional psychobiosocial experiences, and self-evaluated performance. Serial multiple mediation analyses showed positive indirect effects of both self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism on self-evaluated performance via challenge appraisals and psychobiosocial experiences (β = 0.023, 95 % CI = 0.000, 0.097, and β = 0.097, 95 % CI = 0.003, 0.253, respectively). ConclusionThe findings suggest that both dimensions of perfectionism may positively influence perceived performance when viewed as a positive challenge and associated with functional experiences. The study advances our understanding of the effects of perfectionism on perceived performance in the context of soccer refereeing. Practical implications for referee training programs are provided.

Patterns of engagement in digital mental health intervention for LGBTQ+ youth: a latent profile analysis

Engagement is a key metric that researchers can use to assess whether participants received the intended dose of a digital health intervention. However, the prevailing approach has predominantly focused on individual paradata metrics, resulting in a fragmented understanding of overall engagement. To address this limitation, our study utilizes person-centered approaches that allow for the simultaneous capture of multiple engagement metrics within imi–a web application specifically designed to support the mental health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minority youth (LGBTQ+ youth). This person-centered approach enabled us to explore the association between engagement patterns and stress appraisal outcomes within the imi intervention arm. Utilizing latent profile analysis, we classified users into two engagement forms: overall engagement (total number of sessions, pages visited, and external links clicked and their cumulative time spent using imi) and content engagement (number of pages viewed across imi's four core guides: gender, stress, queerness, and stigma). We identified two profiles for each form: a “high engagement” profile and an “average engagement” profile, with the majority of participants assigned to the “average engagement” profile. Our analyses revealed a significant association between overall engagement profiles and stress appraisals, with the “high engagement” profile demonstrating higher challenge appraisals and marginal improvements in threat appraisals compared to the “average engagement” profile. However, no such associations were observed for content engagement profiles and stress appraisal outcomes. The two person-centered approaches used were consistent with prior results utilizing a variable-centered approach, indicating a stronger intervention effect among individuals who exhibit higher engagement in digital health interventions. Although both methods yielded comparable findings, the person-centered approach mitigates concerns related to multi-collinearity and adds additional nuance and context to the study of digital engagement.

Is it all about the personal resources? The moderating role of resilience on daily stress appraisal and emotion

ABSTRACT Recent reviews of occupational resilience have called for this personal resource to be included as both a predictor and moderator of the stress appraisal-emotion relationship. This research addresses these calls by investigating how employees’ self-reports of daily challenge, hindrance, and threat appraisals relate to their daily work-related positive affect, anger, and anxiety, while assessing both the main and moderating effects of resilience. Data were collected through daily diaries from 318 employees over five consecutive workdays (1,502 daily observations). Results were supportive of the distinct appraisal-emotion relationships, as daily challenge appraisal positively predicted daily work-related positive affect, daily hindrance appraisal positively predicted daily work-related anger, and daily threat appraisal positively predicted daily work-related anxiety. Results of the moderating effect of resilience on these relationships were mixed. Despite resilience positively predicting positive affect and negatively predicting anger and anxiety, resilience only appeared to buffer the daily hindrance-anger relationship. While further research is required to understand which personal resources are the most effective in promoting employee wellbeing, this research is supportive of the influence of both stressor appraisal and resilience in understanding occupational wellbeing, particularly the benefit of challenge appraisal and resilience in promoting emotional wellbeing.

Good performance in difficult times? Threat and challenge as contributors to achievement emotions and academic performance during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as one of the most formidable global crises, leading to the disruptions to education systems worldwide and impacting learning attitudes and psychological well-being of various learner groups, including university students. In this context, students' appraisals of adverse learning situations play a key role. It is not just the learning situation, but rather students' appraisal of it which impacts their emotions, attitudes, and behaviors in academic context. The aim of the present study was to investigate how university students' challenge and threat appraisals were related to emotional learning experiences and learning outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the study focuses on the role of personal and external resources for learning in this context. Altogether, 428 students, who attended a Psychology lecture at one Austrian university, filled in a questionnaire about their challenge and threat appraisals of learning circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic, achievement emotions they experienced during this time as well as gender, proneness to anxiety, academic self-concept, and learning resources. Additionally, students' performance in the examination was recorded. The structural equation model emphasizes a crucial role of challenge and threat appraisals for students' achievement emotions in learning and exam preparation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Challenge appraisals were the strongest predictor for pleasant emotions and threat appraisals were strongest predictor for unpleasant emotions. Proneness to anxiety was related to threat appraisal as well as to experience of more unpleasant and, surprisingly, to positive emotions in adverse learning situation. Academic self-concept and learning resources were identified as important resources for learning in adverse learning situation. Unpleasant achievement emotions were directly and negatively related to academic performance and may thus be seen as a critical variable and crucial obstacle to academic performance. The present study provides implications for learning and instructions which could be implemented by universities in order to support learning and learning attitudes among university students in adverse learning situations.

Gig worker's perceived algorithmic management, stress appraisal, and destructive deviant behavior.

With the advance of data technologies, gig platforms have applied data and algorithms to their management and put more stringent requirements on gig workers through algorithmic management. Gig workers might perform destructive deviant behavior when coping with algorithmic management. It is meaningful to examine how the algorithmic management applied to gig platforms could lead to gig workers' destructive deviant behavior. Based on the challenge-hindrance framework, we developed a research model and validated it with survey data collected from 423 food delivery riders. We employed multi-level linear regression analysis in data analysis and found that perceived algorithmic management was appraised as both a hindrance and a challenge. As a hindrance, it elicits working/family deviant behavior; as a challenge, it helps reduce working/family deviant behavior. Regulatory focus (a prevention focus vs. a promotion focus) moderates the effect of perceived algorithmic management on stress appraisals (hindrance appraisals vs. challenge appraisals). This study explains algorithmic management's impact on gig workers' destructive deviant behavior through the appraisal of algorithmic management as both a challenge and a hindrance. It also provides practical advice to gig platforms, gig workers and policymakers on how to balance the challenge and hindrance roles of algorithmic management in gig work.

Self-construals and health communications: The persuasive roles of guilt and shame

We investigate the roles of guilt and shame appeals in health communications depending on recipients’ self-construal. Although guilt and shame are negative self-conscious emotions, we hypothesize that guilt appeals are more effective in leveraging compliance among recipients with independent self-construals, whereas shame appeals are more persuasive among recipients with interdependent self-construals. The findings across four experimental studies are consistent with this hypothesis, with guilt (shame) appeals motivating participants with independent (interdependent) self-construals in domains of eating healthy, responsible drinking, quitting smoking, and staying-at-home intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further, we provide evidence that challenge (threat) appraisal mediates the effect of guilt (shame) appeals among independents (interdependents). These findings have meaningful implications, more broadly in the use of emotions in health communications, and offer social marketers, government officials, and policymakers a better recognition of how to persuade individuals to improve their own and society’s well-being.

The mediating role of proactive coping in the relationships between stress mindset, challenge appraisal tendencies, and psychological wellbeing.

Stress is ubiquitous and how individuals view the nature of stress can influence psychological wellbeing. The present study aimed to investigate the mediating role of proactive coping on the relationships between stress mindset and challenge appraisal tendencies and examine how this in turn related to psychological wellbeing. A secondary aim was to investigate if there were any differences in stress mindset between athletes and non-athletes. It was hypothesised that stress mindset would be indirectly positively associated with challenge appraisal tendencies through proactive coping, that a challenge appraisal tendency would positively relate to vitality, and that vitality would negatively relate to depressive symptoms. It was also hypothesised that athletes would possess more facilitative views of stress compared with non-athletes. Two hundred and seven individuals (n = 101 athletes, n = 106 non-athletes, Mage = 22.76 years, SD = 4.94) completed an online questionnaire pack assessing stress mindset, proactive coping, challenge appraisal tendencies, vitality, and depressive symptoms. Using path analysis, the hypothesised model demonstrated a good fit to the data and the positive relationship between stress mindset and challenge appraisal tendencies was mediated by proactive coping. Challenge appraisal tendencies were positively associated with vitality, which was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Athletes reported a significantly greater 'stress-is-enhancing' mindset, greater vitality, and fewer depressive symptoms than non-athletes. Findings offer support for the role that stress mindset has in potentially influencing psychological wellbeing and offer the novel suggestion that this mechanism may operate through proactive coping and challenge appraisal tendencies.

How Do Problem-Solving Demands Influence Employees’ Thriving at Work: An Explanation Based on Cognitive Appraisal

In globalized markets, it is important for companies to cultivate a thriving workforce that is motivated to grow and develop. Based on the transactional theory of stress, we discussed how the way people appraise their problem-solving demands, either as a challenge or a hindrance, impacts employees’ thriving at work. Data were collected from employees of a state-owned enterprise in China at two separate points with a 4-week interval. The results showed that problem-solving demands have a positive impact on employees’ thriving at work through challenge appraisal and a negative impact on employees’ thriving at work through hindrance appraisal. Additionally, we observed a moderated mediation effect in which organizational identity strengthened the positive effects of problem-solving demands on challenge appraisal, which in turn promoted employees’ thriving at work. The findings highlight the role of cognitive appraisal in interpreting employees’ responses to work stress.

Medical Artificial Intelligence Information Disclosure on Healthcare Professional Involvement in Innovation: A Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping Model

Complicated medical AI innovation activities call for healthcare professionals with more practical experience, who can propose their functional requirements for AI technology and products and provide useful feedback. Medical AI information disclosure is closely related to healthcare professionals. It is critical but may be a mixed blessing in promoting their participation in medical AI innovation. Based on the transactional theory of stress and coping, this study explored the influential mechanism of medical AI information disclosure on healthcare professional involvement in AI innovation. To examine the research model, the 356 valid responses of Chinese healthcare professionals were collected by two-stage online survey. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the effect of information disclosure on healthcare professional involvement and the mediation effect of challenge appraisal and hindrance appraisal. Ordinary least squares regression was used to examine the moderation effect of subjective norm. Results indicated that medical AI information disclosure through challenge appraisal was positively related to healthcare professional involvement, whereas it through hindrance appraisal negatively affected healthcare professional involvement. Moreover, subjective norm of AI use moderated negatively the impacts of medical AI information disclosure and challenge appraisal but moderated positively the impacts of medical AI information disclosure and hindrance appraisal. This study discussed medical AI information disclosure as a kind of stressor and expanded the application of the transactional theory of stress and coping in the smart healthcare context. It enriched the associations amongst tech-stressor, appraisal outcomes and individuals’ coping strategies and contributed to the development of medical AI innovation

Coping with Homogeneous Information Flow in Recommender Systems: Algorithmic Resistance and Avoidance

Despite being able to predict accurate user-item interactions, recommender systems also lead to homogeneous information flow, resulting in negative online experiences. However, users’ coping processes for this stressful event remain basically unclear. Drawing on coping theory, this study examines how users appraise two stressors (information narrowing and information redundancy) in homogenous information flow, especially in different user experiences, and thus adopt algorithmic resistance and avoidance coping strategies. Data (N = 407) were collected based on a survey. The empirical results indicate that information narrowing and information redundancy are significantly and negatively related to challenge appraisal, and exert significant and positive effects on threat appraisal. The moderating effect denotes that user experience strengthens the relationship between information narrowing and information redundancy to threat appraisal. Threat appraisal further triggers algorithmic resistance and avoidance of users. The paper provides several implications for theory and research by revealing the mechanism through which recommender systems users cope with homogeneous information flow. Our findings also provide new insights for designers of recommender systems platforms.

Running toward my challenges: Day-level effects of physical activity before work on appraisal of the upcoming workday and employee well-being.

Previous research has typically conceptualized physical activity as a recovery activity after work that promotes well-being by allowing employees to detach from work and replenish their resources. Here, we aimed to go beyond this framework by proposing a new theoretical model of how physical activity in the morning before work affects employee well-being. Drawing upon the transactional theory of stress, we theorized that physical activity before work shapes employees' appraisal of their upcoming workday which, in turn, affects their well-being. In a preregistered study (N = 269), we utilized a within-person daily experience sampling approach to test our model. Results showed that two types of appraisals are particularly important for explaining the effects of physical activity before work on employee well-being: First, challenge appraisal mediated the effects of physical activity before work on work engagement. Second, we found an indirect effect via threat appraisal of physical activity before work on job-related anxiety. Exploratorily, we found that threat appraisal also mediated the effect of physical activity before work on emotional exhaustion. In conclusion, our results show that physical activity before work is beneficially related to several types of well-being outcomes by increasing challenge appraisal and decreasing threat appraisal. Furthermore, our study advances theoretical understanding on physical activity and work stress by shedding light on the mechanisms underlying the effect of physical activity on employee well-being and showing that physical activity before work benefits well-being by shaping how employees appraise their work situation on a day-to-day basis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).