Intrapersonal Benefits Research Articles

The curse of objectivity: Choosing objectively better products hinders consumers from receiving help

AbstractConsumers who desire to be ‘rational’ tend to rely on reason and resist affective influences and thus choose objective options that are superior on quantifiable and measurable attributes but inferior on subjective and malleable attributes. Existing research reveals that consumers experience intrapersonal benefits from choosing objective options. Beyond these benefits, this study reveals the novel and interpersonal curse of choosing objective options that hinders consumers from receiving help. Six studies found that, compared to subjective‐option choosers, objective‐option choosers were considered less warm and received less help. Moreover, this social curse was attenuated when consumers’ choices did not reflect their own preferences. The current research contributes to the literature on objectivity–subjectivity trade‐offs by extending it from the intrapersonal to the interpersonal perspective, and to the literature on helping by revealing how consumption reduces future help received in irrelevant contexts beyond current consumption.

“This place does a lot more than produce milk”: a reflexive thematic analysis of staff experiences of supporting prison dairy workers

ABSTRACT Correctional practice has seen a proliferation of prison animal programmes over the last two decades, but scant attention has been paid to the impact of prison farm animal work. Five members of prison dairy farm staff in the UK were interviewed about their experiences of supporting prison workers, including their perceptions of its potential impact for supporting rehabilitation from offending. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify three overarching themes: the positive human-bovine relationship; strengthening interpersonal skills and intrapersonal benefits. This paper suggests that prison dairy work has the potential to support desistance from further offending by facilitating the transition towards a non-offending identity, cultivating and enabling compassionate behaviour, and improving wellbeing. Future research could include: an analysis of the recidivism data of prison farm livestock workers; qualitative explorations of prison livestock workers’ experiences (including those working with cows and other food/production animals); and research with a specific focus on the transferability of compassionate and caring attitudes towards self and others away from the farm setting. Findings from this exploratory study inform debate about the value and transferability of prison farm animal work and should be used to contribute to a larger body of work on this topic.

“Learning is Like a Preservative”: Lifelong Learning as Leisure

Lifelong learning is an activity undertaken throughout one’s life to gain knowledge, skills, and values. Lifelong learning plays a significant role in society as well as in the lives of older adults. This study aimed to explore the concept of lifelong learning as leisure and the lifelong learning experiences of middle-aged and older adults. We recruited 14 lifelong learning students (male: 7, female: 7), whose ages ranged from 50 to 78 years (mean age = 54.9 years). We conducted in-depth interviews and used interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to derive five central themes, namely, from leisure to work, challenges of learning, the joy of efforts, interpersonal and intrapersonal benefits, and student identity. The findings demonstrate the value of lifelong learning in later life and the benefits of lifelong learning as leisure.

Success with a twinge of distress: Antecedents and consequences of outperformance‐related discomfort

AbstractAlthough outperforming others brings intrapersonal benefits, it may also carry interpersonal costs. The term Sensitivity about being the Target of a Threatening Upward Comparison (STTUC) captures the discomfort that outperformers may feel when they perceive that their success upsets an outperformed person. This paper reviews 20+ years of research on STTUC. It begins by defining STTUC and its three essential criteria. It then delineates situation and person variables that explain variability in STTUC. It follows by describing outperformers' varied reactions to STTUC and then explains the potential social function of STTUC.

The Experiences of Counselors-in-Training in A Semester-Long Ecotherapy Course: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT A growing body of research examines the impact of the natural world on mental health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to analyze experiences of counselors-in-training (CITs) in a semester-long ecotherapy course. CITs were exposed to theoretical constructs and interventions used to conceptualize clients and conduct therapy within an ecotherapy framework. Consensual qualitative research approach was used to explore how CITs understand and make meaning of the course content, as well as how participants integrated the concepts of ecotherapy into their counselor identity and clinical experiences. Results of the data analyzed produced the following domains: benefits, intent to take the class, class experiences, impact of the pandemic, class cohesion, and relationship to the natural world. Intrapersonal benefits and the effects of nature were two of the most prevalent themes detected.

Therapeutic music interventions with people with dementia living in residential aged care: Perspectives of residents, family members and care home staff from a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Despite growing support for the benefits of music interventions in dementia care, the perspectives of people with dementia, their families and carers are often missing from the research. This study explored multiple perspectives and first-person experiences of group music interventions delivered within a large cluster randomised controlled trial examining the effectiveness of group music therapy (GMT) and recreational choir singing (RCS) with people with dementia living in residential-aged care (RAC) settings. Focus group and individual interviews with residents with dementia (n=4), family members (n=5) and care home staff (n=15) were conducted following completion of the 6-month GMT and/or RCS intervention and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Three main themes were identified as follows: (1) direct and indirect intrapersonal benefits, (2) direct and indirect interpersonal benefits and (3) therapeutic music interventions versus entertainment. GMT and RCS supported residents' mood, enjoyment, engagement and connectedness to self and others within and post-sessions, with flow-on effects to family members, care staff and the care home environment. Participants differentiated GMT and RCS from other forms of music engagement in the RAC facilities and described feelings of post-programme loss, highlighting ongoing meaning in active therapeutic music interventions. This research highlights the need for increased access to sustainable and meaningful activities, such as purposefully designed therapeutic music interventions in RAC. Improving knowledge about the distinct benefits of therapeutic music interventions compared with other forms of music engagement in RAC may assist nursing staff to make appropriate treatment planning decisions regarding therapeutic music programmes to meet the complex needs of residents with dementia.

Be smart, play dumb? A transactional perspective on day-specific knowledge hiding, interpersonal conflict, and psychological strain

Research on knowledge hiding, the intentional attempt to withhold knowledge that others have requested, strikingly shows its detrimental consequences. But, if it has only negative effects, why do employees hide knowledge in their everyday work at all? With this diary study, we address this question, shedding light on the instrumentality of knowledge hiding. Specifically, placing it within the transactional stress model, we argue that deceptive knowledge hiding (playing dumb and evasive hiding) may function as coping, relating negatively to psychological strain responses to experienced interpersonal conflict. Accordingly, we tested evasive hiding and playing dumb as mediators of the day-specific relationship between conflict and end-of-work exhaustion and negative affect. Based on data of 101 employees who reported on 615 workdays, results of multilevel path analyses showed relationship conflict positively related to evasive hiding and playing dumb. Playing dumb was negatively related to end-of-work psychological strain responses, resulting in inconsistent mediation. Evasive hiding was unrelated to psychological strain. Showing the potential intrapersonal benefits of playing dumb, this article helps to better understand the occurrence of enacted ‘negative’ interpersonal work behaviors, yielding important implications for research and practice.

In Search of Narcissus.

Narcissism, a trait reflecting egocentric exceptionalism and social selfishness, has captured scholarly interest due to its intricate composition and social implications. The construct is polyhedric, comprising several key forms: grandiose versus vulnerable, agentic versus communal, admirative versus rivalrous, collective versus individual. These forms can be integrated into structural models that add predictive power or process models that add explanatory power. The narcissistic nucleus is argued, and partly shown, to be brittle in the face of self-threat. The nucleus may derive from being overvalued, or inconsistently socialised, by parents. Narcissism entails intrapersonal benefits, as it can confer psychological health, buffer against adversity, and facilitate performance. But it can also be an interpersonal and societal liability, partly remediable with narcissism-reduction interventions.

Transforming Personal Narratives: An Evaluation of a Songwriting Workshop for Rural Women

The purpose of this article was to evaluate the contribution to the social and emotional well-being of rural women of a 3-day songwriting workshop. Six participants wrote songs and performed these locally and at the Women of the World Festival. Guided by narrative inquiry and transformative learning theory, this case study included data from reflective journals, one-on-one interviews, and written songs. Vignettes of the women’s key life moments were constructed and analyzed thematically. Four themes were identified: the importance and influence of personal experiences on songwriting, learning from process and one another, intrapersonal benefits, and interpersonal benefits. The article argued songwriting workshops provide opportunities for participants to reflect on experiences and to transform their worldviews. That is, songs and the songwriting process can help participants to restory their lives and enhance their sense of social and emotional well-being.

“Wrap It Up!” Discourse on Condom Use among African American College-Attending Men in the Southern US

Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are in a unique position to impact the incidence and awareness of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and prevention on campus. HBCUs, particularly in the South, have been associated with disproportionately high rates of STIs. In light of sexual activity, condom use remains the most effective prevention strategy. We sought to explore the facilitators of male condom use among college-attending African American men in the South. Six focus groups (N = 36) were conducted and analyzed. Thematic analysis resulted in eight emergent themes: Condom Use Avoids Pregnancy, STIs as Undesirable, Assertive Pro-Condom Partners, Condom Use Endorsements, Condom Non-use: Feelings and Timing, Condom Availability, Condom Use versus PrEP and Curability, and HIV Promotion on Campus. Recommendations include: gaining college leadership for STI and condom use awareness, incorporating peer education in prevention efforts, and capitalizing upon the intrapersonal benefits of condom use.

Practicing Self-Compassion Weakens the Relationship Between Fear of Receiving Compassion and the Desire to Conceal Negative Experiences from Others

Disclosure of personal distress is linked to important interpersonal and intrapersonal benefits. However, people who tend to view self-disclosure as being risky are likely to conceal their feelings and forgo opportunities to receive valuable social support. One such group of people may be those who fear receiving compassion. The current study of 85 female undergraduates investigated (a) whether fear of receiving compassion would predict decreased distress disclosure and (b) whether inducing a self-compassionate mindset could help to temper the association between fear of receiving compassion and perceived risks of revealing one’s distress to others. Participants completed self-report questionnaires to measure trait-like fears of receiving compassion as well as general distress disclosure tendencies. They were then enrolled in a laboratory experiment in which they recalled a personal past negative experience and were randomly assigned to write about it in a self-compassionate, self-esteem enhancing, or non-directive way. Finally, they rated how risky disclosing their experience would feel and disclosed the event in a written letter to another person. At a trait level, results indicated that the more participants feared receiving compassion, the less they tended to disclose. Moreover, self-compassion training—but neither of the comparison conditions—significantly weakened the positive link between fear of receiving compassion and perceived risks of distress disclosure. These novel findings suggest that practicing self-compassion could help to neutralize the maladaptive relationship between fear of receiving compassion and perceived risk of disclosure.

The benefits and challenges of academic writing retreats: an integrative review

ABSTRACTThe immediate drivers to increase publication outputs in higher education are government and research funding, organisational status, performance expectations and personal career aspirations. Writing retreats are one of a range of strategies used by universities to boost publication output. The aims of this integrative review were to synthesise the available evidence, identify the attributes, benefits and challenges of academic writing retreats and examine the components that facilitate publication output. The review was based on a systematic search of six electronic databases. Of the 296 articles identified, 11 primary research papers met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis of the data highlighted a raft of personal, professional and organisational benefits of writing retreats. The five key elements of writing retreats conducive to increasing publication output were protected time and space; community of practice; development of academic writing competence; intra-personal benefits and organisational investment. Participants involved achieved greater publication outputs, particularly when provided ongoing support. Further research is required to examine more substantively the feasibility of writing retreats, their cost-effectiveness and the features that increase publication outcomes.

The Process of Personal Transformation for Adolescents Practicing Mindfulness Skills in an Alternative School Setting

This qualitative study examined the experiences of alternative school students as they participated in a mindfulness skills program. A 7-month school-based mindfulness skills program was integrated into the Grade 10 curriculum for high school students (N = 19; 10 boys and 9 girls, ages 15–17). Students engaged in mindfulness practices twice weekly during class time. Students practiced breath awareness, and seated, walking, and lying mindfulness meditation during the course of the program. Students completed initial and final questionnaires about their experiences as well as written journal entries based on their experiences in the program. At the completion of the program, 14 of the 19 program completers were interviewed (6 boys and 8 girls). Data analysis yielded two broad areas of perceived benefits of participation in the mindfulness skills program: intrapersonal benefits and interpersonal benefits. Intrapersonal benefits included themes of self-awareness and self-regulation (including cognition, emotions, and behavior). Interpersonal benefits included themes of building relationships (with peers, family members, and teachers) and learning to trust. These findings may be useful when planning school-based mindfulness programs and may serve as a guide for researchers studying mindfulness practices for youth.

Broadening Horizons: Self‐Expansion in Relational and Non‐Relational Contexts

AbstractThe self‐expansion model posits that individuals are motivated to broaden their sense of self by acquiring new identities, developing new perspectives, enhancing capabilities, and gaining resources. The self‐expansion motivation is driven by individuals' desire to increase their potential self‐efficacy and ability to accomplish goals. In this article, we discuss two main ways individuals self‐expand – by forming relationships and including the other in the self and through engaging in novel activities that are challenging and/or interesting either on one's own or with a relationship partner. We provide an overview of recent research detailing the numerous interpersonal and intrapersonal benefits and implications of self‐expansion. Additionally, we differentiate self‐expansion from a series of potentially associated constructs.

Understanding donation experiences of unspecified (altruistic) kidney donors

Kidney donation from a living donor to an unknown recipient has been legal in the UK since 2006. Yet there is little research into the experiences of unspecified kidney donors (UKDs) in interaction with the health care systems. This article explores the experiences of 14 UKDs recruited through four regional transplant co-ordinating centres in England. At interview, they were invited to share their donation stories and discuss the antecedents, social, and psychological processes involved. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Transcripts were analysed using a grounded theory approach employing a constant comparison methodology. Themes emerging from the data were named to form categories organized around the central focus of the research, forming an analytical story of UKDs' experiences. Two major categories emerged: 'connected to others' and 'uneasy negotiations with others'. 'Connected to others' encompasses the motivations and psychological and social consequences of UKD. 'Uneasy negotiations with others' refer to the concerns and conflicts that arose during the donation process. This study highlights the importance of social relationships on the process and outcomes of UKD. These UKDs report both intra- and interpersonal benefits from donation. The donation process, however, also created interpersonal stress, and conflicting messages about the acceptability of their donation were experienced in UKDs' personal lives and in their interactions with health care services. Findings are discussed with reference to the wider literature on UKD and altruism and in relation to implications for clinical practice. What is already known on this subject? Unspecified living kidney donation is an under-researched area with only three research papers published worldwide that report on the motivations and experiences of donors. These studies indicate that donors endorse pro-social values and receive positive interpersonal and intrapersonal benefits from donation. What does this study add? UKDs' experiences are made explicit and provide a framework for future research. Social connections (capital) are an important precursor to and outcome from donation. Assumptions of pathological motivations were encountered by donors in their personal life and within the NHS.

Self-Forgiveness and Restoration of an Offender Following an Interpersonal Transgression

While the intrapersonal benefits of self-forgiveness have begun to be explored, there is little empirical research to suggest how self-forgiveness relates to the offenders' interpersonal restoration. Furthermore self-forgiveness research has been limited by reliance on cross-sectional designs and measures that assess self-forgiveness as an end-state (i.e., a positive self). The present research adopts a process-oriented approach and conceptually distinguishes between three possible responses to the self following an interpersonal transgression: self-punitiveness, pseudo self-forgiveness and genuine self-forgiveness. Study 1, using a prospective design, indicates the limitations of end-state measures in that these fail to capture genuine self-forgiveness, and provides preliminary evidence of the benefits of genuine self-forgiveness for intrapersonal (self-esteem) and interpersonal restoration (empathy). Study 2, again with a prospective design but based on an extended measure of the tri-partite self-forgiveness concept, considered a wider range of indicators of intrapersonal and interpersonal restoration of a transgressor. Results suggest that both self-punitive and pseudo self-forgiving responses have no benefits for restoration, but some negative implications for both intra and interpersonal restoration. In contrast, genuine self-forgiveness (involving effort to work through one's offense, responsibility taking, and self-acceptance while acknowledging failure) is associated with positive restorative outcomes for both the offender and their victim.

Odyssey's end: Lay conceptions of nostalgia reflect its original homeric meaning.

Nostalgia fulfills pivotal functions for individuals, but lacks an empirically derived and comprehensive definition. We examined lay conceptions of nostalgia using a prototype approach. In Study 1, participants generated open-ended features of nostalgia, which were coded into categories. In Study 2, participants rated the centrality of these categories, which were subsequently classified as central (e.g., memories, relationships, happiness) or peripheral (e.g., daydreaming, regret, loneliness). Central (as compared with peripheral) features were more often recalled and falsely recognized (Study 3), were classified more quickly (Study 4), were judged to reflect more nostalgia in a vignette (Study 5), better characterized participants' own nostalgic (vs. ordinary) experiences (Study 6), and prompted higher levels of actual nostalgia and its intrapersonal benefits when used to trigger a personal memory, regardless of age (Study 7). These findings highlight that lay people view nostalgia as a self-relevant and social blended emotional and cognitive state, featuring a mixture of happiness and loss. The findings also aid understanding of nostalgia's functions and identify new methods for future research.

Developing foreign language skills, competence and identity through a collaborative creative writing project

This study examined the effects of a collaborative creative writing project on identity formation and overall language proficiency development among advanced Hebrew students. In an exercise called ‘The Zoning Committee’, college students created the fictional Israeli-American town of Beit Shemesh, located in northern Michigan. Qualitative data collection methods consisting of semi-structured group interviews, observation and text analysis of story drafts showed that the writing project gave students an opportunity to explore significant issues about the Jewish community and their personal lives as manifested in themes and motifs in their fiction. In addition to the social and intrapersonal benefits, the project was beneficial to language proficiency development: it increased confidence and classroom morale, required strategy use, improved writing level and honed listening and speaking skills.

What are the benefits of mindfulness? A practice review of psychotherapy-related research.

Research suggests that mindfulness practices offer psychotherapists a way to positively affect aspects of therapy that account for successful treatment. This paper provides psychotherapists with a synthesis of the empirically supported advantages of mindfulness. Definitions of mindfulness and evidence-based interpersonal, affective, and intrapersonal benefits of mindfulness are presented. Research on therapists who meditate and client outcomes of therapists who meditate are reviewed. Implications for practice, research, and training are discussed.