Longitudinal Field Study Research Articles

Recycle right: How to decrease recycling contamination with informational point-of-disposal signage

AbstractPlastic pollution represents a grand challenge facing society, yet the amount of plastic being recycled is only about 5%. This recycling crisis has intensified with the growing problem of recycling contamination (i.e., incorrect placement of unrecyclable materials in recycling receptacles). This research investigates the potential for informational point-of-disposal recycling signage to decrease recycling contamination. In a longitudinal field study and three experiments, the authors demonstrate that providing schema-congruent prescriptive information (“Recycle these items”) does not reduce recycling contamination and may inadvertently lead to over-recycling. In contrast, the presence of proscriptive information that is moderately incongruent with established schemas (“Do not recycle these items”) prompts more effortful, piecemeal processing. This encourages individuals to integrate the information into their recycling decisions, diminishing their dependence on pre-existing beliefs and expectations regarding recycling and, consequently, lowering contamination rates. Recycling expertise is found to moderate the effects of point-of-disposal recycling signage. By examining such nuanced recycling communication strategies, this research aims to shift the conversation from “recycle more” to “recycle right.”

Effects of Smart Glasses on the Visual Acuity and Eye Strain of Employees in Logistics and Picking: A Six-Month Observational Study.

The usage of smart glasses in goods logistics and order picking has mainly been studied through cross-sectional experimental studies. Our longitudinal field study investigated the effects of smart glasses on the eyesight of 43 employees at two German companies. We combined ophthalmological examinations and questionnaire surveys at two points in time, six months apart. The vision of the employees was examined before and after each work shift. Mixed effects logistic regression was conducted to determine the associations between smart glasses use and effects on visual acuity. In the baseline examination, differences in eyesight before and after shifts were small and not statistically significant. However, some individuals experienced deteriorations, especially in visual acuity at near distances (n = 7 for the right eye, n = 6 for the left). Participants over 40 years of age had 16.1 times higher odds of deterioration compared to those under 40 years (95% CI: 2.7-95.9, p = 0.002). The most commonly reported eye strains were eye fatigue (n = 32), rubbing (n = 25), and burning (n = 24). If smart glasses are to be implemented in logistics companies, it is recommended to offer employees eye tests with an industrial physician in advance.

From unknown to familiar: An exploratory longitudinal field study on occupational exoskeletons adoption

Occupational exoskeletons hold promise in preventing musculoskeletal disorders, but their effectiveness relies on their long-term use by workers.This study aims to characterize the adoption process of occupational exoskeletons by analyzing the experiences of 25 operators. Using a mixed-methods approach, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected before and during a four-week familiarization period. We primarily focused on users' expectations, subjective assessments over time, and initial experiences.Findings elucidate shifts in operators' perceptions of the devices over time. Through their narratives, we highlight how exoskeleton use impact operators' movements and the subsequent adaptations. Operators demonstrated diverse exploratory behaviors, indicating their efforts to get to grips with the effects of exoskeletons in their own ways.This study offers insights into the initial stages of occupational exoskeleton adoption, thus enriching our comprehension of rejection patterns and pathways toward their widespread acceptance.

Changing Culture through Pro-Environmental Messaging Delivered on Digital Signs: A Longitudinal Field Study

Delivering effective messages is critical to creating a more sustainable and resilient culture. The explosion of social media has enhanced information access but has often reinforced and polarized pre-existing viewpoints and norms. In contrast, digital signs are an “in your face in your space” technology that have the potential to deliver common content to a diverse local audience. Environmental Dashboard (ED) is a communications platform and set of content applications that combines information on current environmental conditions, real-time resource consumption, positive actions being taken by community members, and a community calendar. We conducted a longitudinal study to assess whether ED content delivered via digital signs in public locations would result in desirable psychological changes within a community. Participants completed surveys in six designated signage locations prior to installation (N = 174) and following two years of continuous exposure (N = 133). We observed increases in pro-environmental social norms among people of color (a demographic emphasized); enhanced awareness of and sense of connection with the local community and ecology; increased self-reported electricity conservation; and increased perception of youth engagement (another demographic emphasized). Changes were mediated by exposure to digital signage. These findings support the hypothesis that content delivered through digital signs can strengthen pro-environmental and pro-social culture within communities.

Quantifying the seasonal reproductive cycle in three species of Malagasy fruit bats with implications for pathogen and population dynamics.

Bats (order Chiroptera) are hosts for highly virulent zoonotic pathogens. Many bats demonstrate seasonally varying antiviral responses, including antibody responses which have been observed to peak during the nutritionally depleted dry-season and female gestation periods, suggesting some impact of resource deficits on bat virus immunity. Given the frequent overlap in these energetically demanding periods, it is likely that endocrinological changes associated with pregnancy might partially explain the aforementioned pattern in antibody dynamics. Regardless, we know little about the seasonality of reproduction in many fruit bat species, despite the importance of reproductive biology to informing conservation management (e.g. population viability) and disease dynamics. Here, we aimed to elucidate the reproductive biology of three species of endemic fruit bat native to the island of Madagascar: Pteropus rufus, Eidolon dupreanum, and Rousettus madagascarensis. To do so, we leveraged plasma samples collected in part with a longitudinal field study, from 2018 to 2020. We adapted three standard reproductive assays previously validated in humans to quantify seasonal changes in reproductive hormones for bats and applied a mixture model approach to determine hormone cutoffs for pregnancy. As expected, we found that pregnant females showed the highest levels of estradiol and progesterone and adult males the highest levels of testosterone. Additionally, female P. rufus and R. madagascariensis showed clear seasonality in reproduction with peaks in estradiol and progesterone in August and October, respectively. Seasonality was less clearly discernible in the female E. dupreanum and male data. In general, we found that the commercially available assays were successful in quantifying endocrinological hormones for bats; when paired with histological embryo sections or field data, these offer a powerful tool to elucidate bat reproductive calendars.

The Association of Delayed Milk Ejection with Milking Performance in Holstein Cows in a Large Dairy Herd with Suboptimal Premilking Teat Stimulation.

The primary objective was to investigate the association between delayed milk ejection (DME) and the average milk flow rate, milking unit-on time, and duration in a low milk flow rate in Holstein dairy cows in a large dairy herd with suboptimal premilking teat stimulation. Our second objective was to study the association between peak lactation milk yield and the occurrence of DME. This longitudinal field study was conducted at a 4300-cow dairy farm with a thrice-daily milking schedule over a 1-week period. We analyzed data from 61,677 cow milking observations from 2937 cows. Delayed milk ejection was defined as present if the 30-60 s milk flow rate was ≤3.1 kg/min. The mean average milk flow rate (MAMF, kg/min), mean milking unit-on time (MMUT, s), and mean duration of a low milk flow rate (MLMF, s) were calculated as the mean values from the 21 milking observations. General linear multivariable models revealed associations of DME with MAMF, MMUT, and MLMF. A multivariable ordinal logistic regression model revealed an association between peak lactation milk yield and DME. Cows with lower peak lactation milk yield had greater odds of exhibiting a higher frequency level of DME. The observed associations between DME and milking performance indices suggest that DME can negatively affect milking and parlor efficiency. Peak lactation milk yield may serve as a proxy to estimate cows' risk of recurrent DME. Future research is warranted to test if alleviating DME through, for example, a modified milking routine influences the milking performance indices described herein.

Neosporosis in Naturally Infected Sheep Herds, a Prospective Cohort Study over Three Years

Background: Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite and a main cause of abortions in cattle worldwide. However, its role in abortions and decreased fertility in sheep is not completely understood, especially due to the complex, multifactorial etiology of abortions. This study aimed to perform a longitudinal field study to investigate the epidemiology of neosporosis and its effect on fertility in endemic sheep herds. Methods: Serological (IFAT) and clinical (outcome of pregnancy) data from 153 ewe-lambs was collected in four intensive management farms in Israel during three consecutive pregnancies. Results: The seroprevalence in ewe-lambs at different farms varied between 24% and 93%. The overall seroprevalence increased from 50% in ewe-lambs to 96.6% at the end of the third pregnancy. Horizontal infection was observed in all farms, with seroconversion in 59% of seronegative sheep. Abortion rates were lower (p = 0.004) in seropositive ewes in the first pregnancy and not significantly higher in seropositive sheep in consecutive pregnancies. Seropositivity or seroconversion were not associated with abortions or repeated abortions; however, many aborting ewes were removed from the flock. Conclusions: No direct short- or long-term association was found between Neopsora infection and abortions. The variations between flocks and pregnancies suggest a more complex etiology.

Timing Is Everything: An Imprinting Framework for the Implications of Leader Emotional Expressions for Team Member Social Worth and Performance

Leader emotional expressions have profound implications for team members. Research has established that how frequently leaders express positive and negative emotional expressions shapes team member performance through conveying critical social-functional information about team member social worth. Yet, this social-functional approach to emotions has not fully considered how the timing of leader emotional expressions during a team’s lifecycle can also shape the information conveyed to individual team members about their social worth. In this paper, we integrate the social-functional approach to emotions with imprinting theory to propose that the temporal context of leader emotional expressions has performance implications for individual team members through two distinct facets of social worth: respect and status. Specifically, our imprinting framework explains how positive leader emotional expressions during the early team phase have the most beneficial performance implications through imprinting respect in individual team members. We then propose that these positive implications are amplified by more frequent than average negative leader emotional expressions during the midpoint phase. When filtered through earlier positive expressions, negative emotional expressions during the midpoint phase may signal opportunities for respect and status gains rather than respect and status losses. We find general support for our model in a pre-registered four-wave longitudinal archival study of consulting teams at a leading professional services company and a four-wave longitudinal field study at a NCAA Division 1 sports program. Our work highlights that the temporal context of leader emotional expressions is an important performance predictor through social worth.

Promoting solidarity based collective action through increasing hope using nonviolent communication intervention

AbstractThe present study explores the impact of nonviolent communication (NVC) intervention on advantaged group members’ actual participation in collective action on behalf of disadvantaged outgroups, also known as solidarity‐based collective action (SBCA). It also examines the mediating role of hope and empathy in this process. Using an experimental longitudinal field study in the context of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Jewish Israelis (N = 220) were randomly assigned either to an NVC or to a control condition. Results indicated that, relative to the control, participants in the NVC condition showed an increased tendency to engage in activities that are considered part of SBCA 6 weeks after the intervention. Furthermore, the NVC intervention affected both hope and empathy by maintaining higher levels of hope 6 weeks after intervention and by increasing empathy immediately after intervention. Yet hope, but not empathy, mediated the effect of the NVC intervention on participation in SBCA. Theoretical and applicable implications are discussed.

A data-driven agent-based model of occupants’ thermal comfort behaviors for the planning of district-scale flexible work arrangements

In a global context of increasing flexibility in the way workplaces and the districts in which they are located are used, there is a need for occupant-driven approaches to plan urban energy systems. Several authors have suggested the use of agent-based models (ABM) of building occupants in urban building energy simulations due to their ability to reproduce emergent behaviors from individual agents’ actions. However, few works in the literature take full advantage of the ABM paradigm, accounting for both occupant presence and energy-relevant behaviors at the district scale. In this work, we propose a methodology to develop a data-driven, agent-based model of building occupants’ activities and thermal comfort in an urban district. Our methodology combines the use of campus-scale Wi-Fi data to derive feasible occupant activity and location plans, along with thermal preference profiles derived from a longitudinal field study where off-the-shelf, non-intrusive sensors were used to capture the right-here-right-now thermal preference of 35 participants in the same case study district. Our model is then used to explore how different district operation strategies could affect building energy performance in the context of increased workspace flexibility. Our results show that by providing a diversity of building operation conditions, with different buildings having different set point temperatures, occupants’ thermal comfort hours could be improved by an average of about 10% with little effect on district energy performance. Meanwhile, a 6%–15% average decrease in space cooling energy use intensity was observed when implementing occupant-driven ventilation and setpoint controls, regardless of location choice scenario.

Employee recognition giving in crisis: a study of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeEmployee recognition systems are ubiquitous in organizations (WorldatWork, 2019) and have positive effects on work outcomes (e.g. Stajkovic and Luthans, 2001). However, psychologically meaningful recognition relies on the recognition giver being motivated to observe and recognize coworkers. Crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic may impact recognition giving in varying ways, yet little research considers this possibility.Design/methodology/approachThis longitudinal field study examined the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on recognition and acknowledgment giving among frontline and nonfrontline healthcare workers at daily and aggregated levels. We tested the relationships between publicly available daily indicators of COVID-19 and objectively measured daily recognition and acknowledgment giving within a web-based platform.FindingsWe found that the amount of daily recognition giving was no different during the crisis compared to the year before, but fewer employees gave recognition, and significantly more recognition was given on days when COVID-19 indicators were relatively high. In contrast, the amount of acknowledgment giving was significantly lower in frontline staff and significantly higher in nonfrontline staff during the pandemic than before, but on a daily-level, acknowledgment was unrelated to COVID-19 indicators.Practical implicationsOur results suggest that organizational crises may at once inhibit and stimulate employee recognition and acknowledgment.Originality/valueOur research is the first to empirically demonstrate that situational factors associated with a crisis can impact recognition giving behavior, and they do so in ways consistent with ostensibly contradictory theories.

Factors Associated with the Prevalence of Salmonella, Generic Escherichia coli, and Coliforms in Florida’s Agricultural Soils

Limited data exist on the environmental factors that impact pathogen prevalence in the soil. The prevalence of foodborne pathogens, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, and the prevalence and concentration of generic E. coli in Florida’s agricultural soils were evaluated to understand the potential risk of microbial contamination at the preharvest level. For all organisms but L. monocytogenes, a longitudinal field study was performed in three geographically distributed agricultural areas across Florida. At each location, 20 unique 5 by 5 m field sampling sites were selected, and soil was collected and evaluated for Salmonella presence (25 g) and E. coli and coliform concentrations (5 g). Complementary data collected from October 2021 to April 2022 included: weather; adjacent land use; soil properties, including macro- and micro-nutrients; and field management practices. The overall Salmonella and generic E. coli prevalence was 0.418% (1/239) and 11.3% (27/239), respectively; with mean E. coli concentrations in positive samples of 1.56 log CFU/g. Farm A had the highest prevalence of generic E. coli, 22.8% (18/79); followed by Farm B, 10% (8/80); and Farm C 1.25% (1/80). A significant relationship (p < 0.05) was observed between generic E. coli and coliforms, and farm and sampling trip. Variation in the prevalence of generic E. coli and changes in coliform concentrations between farms suggest environmental factors (e.g. soil properties) at the three farms were different. While Salmonella was only detected once, generic E. coli was detected in Florida soils throughout the duration of the growing season meaning activities that limit contact between soil and horticultural crops should continue to be emphasized. Samples collected during an independent sampling trip were evaluated for L. monocytogenes, which was not detected. The influence of local environmental factors on the prevalence of indicator organisms in the soil presents a unique challenge when evaluating the applicability of more global models to predict pathogen prevalence in preharvest produce environments.

A longitudinal field study of commercial honey bees shows that non-native probiotics do not rescue antibiotic treatment, and are generally not beneficial

Probiotics are widely used in agriculture including commercial beekeeping, but there is little evidence supporting their effectiveness. Antibiotic treatments can greatly distort the gut microbiome, reducing its protective abilities and facilitating the growth of antibiotic resistant pathogens. Commercial beekeepers regularly apply antibiotics to combat bacterial infections, often followed by an application of non-native probiotics advertised to ease the impact of antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis. We tested whether probiotics affect the gut microbiome or disease prevalence, or rescue the negative effects of antibiotic induced gut dysbiosis. We found no difference in the gut microbiome or disease markers by probiotic application or antibiotic recovery associated with probiotic treatment. A colony-level application of the antibiotics oxytetracycline and tylosin produced an immediate decrease in gut microbiome size, and over the longer-term, very different and persistent dysbiotic effects on the composition and membership of the hindgut microbiome. Our results demonstrate the lack of probiotic effect or antibiotic rescue, detail the duration and character of dysbiotic states resulting from different antibiotics, and highlight the importance of the gut microbiome for honeybee health.

Level-adaptive sound masking in the open-plan office: How does it influence noise distraction, coping, and mental health?

In the open-plan office, intelligible speech is a major distractor, reducing cognitive performance. Sound masking emits an electronic broadband sound to increase the background sound level in a controlled manner. To date, most studies on sound masking are short-term laboratory studies that do not consider aspects of mental health. The current study aims to evaluate, using a longitudinal field study with intervention (N = 42) and control (N = 41) floors at two organizations, whether level-adaptive sound masking could reduce intelligible speech and increase mental health, while being exposed to level-adaptive sound masking for two to three months. The study consists of two subjective measurements, prior- and post-intervention, using survey questions on coping strategies, noise distraction, and ten mental health indicators (short-and long-term consequences). The increase in background noise level (at company 1 from 28.7 dB(A) to 41.9 dB(A) and at company 2 from 32.4 dB(A) to 42.6 dB(A)) at both organizations significantly reduced intelligible speech distraction. Short-term mental health aspects were rated more positively, and level-adaptive sound masking also reduced the frequency with which people put on radio or headphones to cope with noise.

Just be real with me: Perceived partner authenticity promotes relationship initiation via shared reality

Relationships are a critical component of professional life, yet people often experience difficulties forming workplace bonds. We examine the impact of perceiving one’s interaction partner as authentic in an initial encounter as a key driver of relationship initiation through shared reality. Study 1, a longitudinal field study of professional networking events, revealed that perceived partner authenticity predicted relationship initiation four weeks later. Study 2 found pre-registered experimental evidence for the relationship between perceived partner authenticity and relationship initiation. Study 3 replicated these effects between pairs of new acquaintances working on a collaborative task and found that shared reality mediated the link between perceived partner authenticity and relationship initiation. In Study 4, these effects persisted for observable authenticity behaviors in conversations. Finally, Studies 5a-5b tested the causal effect of perceived partner authenticity on relationship initiation through increased shared reality. Overall, our results suggest that perceiving one’s partner as authentic during initial professional encounters promotes relationship initiation by fostering shared reality.

The mediating role of self-regulatory emotions in the relationship between peer coaching and student learning in higher education

ABSTRACT Drawing on Bandura's (1986. Social Foundations of Thought and Action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall) social cognitive theory, this study examines the relationship between peer coaching and students’ learning performance, mediated by self-regulatory emotions, in a higher education setting. In a longitudinal field study, data was collected from 297 undergraduate students enrolled at a government-funded university in Hong Kong, and was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings reveal significant associations between facilitation and guidance coaching, as well as their interactive effects, and four self-regulatory emotions: cheerfulness, dejection, quiescence, and agitation. Importantly, the two coaching styles indirectly influence students’ learning performance through the mediating effects of dejection and agitation. This research contributes to existing knowledge by illuminating the theoretical and practical implications of academic coaching, students’ emotions, and learning in higher education.

If you build it, will they come? Insect community responses to habitat establishment at solar energy facilities in Minnesota, USA

Global declines in insect populations have important implications for biodiversity and food security. To offset these declines, habitat restoration and enhancement in agricultural landscapes could mutually safeguard insect populations and their pollination services for crop production. The expansion of utility-scale solar energy development in agricultural landscapes presents an opportunity for the dual use of the land for energy production and biodiversity conservation through the establishment of grasses and forbs planted among and between the photovoltaic solar arrays (‘solar-pollinator habitat’). We conducted a longitudinal field study across 5 years (2018–2022) to understand how insect communities responded to newly established habitat on solar energy facilities in agricultural landscapes by evaluating (1) temporal changes in flowering plant abundance and diversity; (2) temporal changes in insect abundance and diversity; and (3) the pollination services of solar-pollinator habitat by comparing pollinator visitation to agricultural fields near solar-pollinator habitat with other agricultural field locations. We found increases over time for all habitat and biodiversity metrics: floral rank, flowering plant species richness, insect group diversity, native bee abundance, and total insect abundance, with the most noticeable temporal increases in native bee abundance. We also found positive effects of proximity to solar-pollinator habitat on bee visitation to nearby soybean (Glycine max) fields. Bee visitation to soybean flowers adjacent to solar-pollinator habitat were comparable to bee visitation to soybeans adjacent to grassland areas enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program, and greater than bee visitation to soybean field interior and roadside soybean flowers. Our observations highlight the relatively rapid (<4 year) insect community responses to grassland restoration activities and provide support for solar-pollinator habitat as a feasible conservation practice to safeguard biodiversity and increase food security in agricultural landscapes.

High prevalence and diversity of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in feral cat feces from coastal California.

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite that can cause severe morbidity and mortality in warm-blooded animals, including marine mammals such as sea otters. Free-ranging cats can shed environmentally resistant T. gondii oocysts in their feces, which are transported through rain-driven runoff from land to sea. Despite their large population sizes and ability to contribute to environmental oocyst contamination, there are limited studies on T. gondii oocyst shedding by free-ranging cats. We aimed to determine the frequency and genotypes of T. gondii oocysts shed by free-ranging domestic cats in central coastal California and evaluate whether genotypes present in feces are similar to those identified in sea otters that died from fatal toxoplasmosis. We utilized a longitudinal field study of four free-ranging cat colonies to assess oocyst shedding prevalence using microscopy and molecular testing with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). T. gondii DNA was confirmed with primers targeting the ITS1 locus and positive samples were genotyped at the B1 locus. While oocysts were not visualized using microscopy (0/404), we detected T. gondii DNA in 25.9% (94/362) of fecal samples. We genotyped 27 samples at the B1 locus and characterized 13 of these samples at one to three additional loci using multi locus sequence typing (MLST). Parasite DNA detection was significantly higher during the wet season (16.3%, 59/362) compared to the dry season (9.7%; 35/362), suggesting seasonal variation in T. gondii DNA presence in feces. High diversity of T. gondii strains was characterized at the B1 locus, including non-archetypal strains previously associated with sea otter mortalities. Free-ranging cats may thus play an important role in the transmission of virulent T. gondii genotypes that cause morbidity and mortality in marine wildlife. Management of free-ranging cat colonies could reduce environmental contamination with oocysts and subsequent T. gondii infection in endangered marine mammals and people.

The Longitudinal Effect of Digitally Administered Feedback on the Eco-Driving Behavior of Company Car Drivers

In the global fight against climate change, stimulating eco-driving could contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions. Company car drivers are a main target in this challenge as they represent a significant market share and are typically not motivated financially to drive more fuel efficiently (and thus more eco-friendly). As this target group has received little previous research attention, we examine whether digitally administered feedback and coaching systems can trigger such company car owners to drive eco-friendly. We do so by using respondents (employees of a financial services company (N = 327)) that voluntarily have a digital device (‘dongle’) installed in their company car, which monitors and records driving behavior-related variables. In a longitudinal real-life field study, we communicate eco-driving recommendations (e.g., avoid harsh braking, accelerate gently, etc.) to the respondent drivers via a digital (computer) interface. Over a 21-week time frame (one block of seven weeks before the intervention, seven weeks of intervention, and seven weeks after the intervention), we test whether eco-driving recommendations in combination with personalized, graphical ‘eco-score index evolution’ feedback increase eco-driving behavior. We also experimentally evaluate the impact of adding social comparison elements to the feedback (e.g., providing feedback on a person’s eco-driving performance compared to that of the same car brand users). Structural Equation Modeling (in MPlus 8.4) is used to analyze data. Our results show that digitally administered personal performance feedback increases eco-driving behavior both during and after the feedback intervention. However, we do not observe increased effects when social comparison information is added to the feedback. As this latter element is surprising, we conclude with a reflection on possible explanations and suggest areas for future research. We contribute to the sustainable eco-driving literature by researching an understudied group: company car drivers. More specifically, we contribute by demonstrating the effectiveness of digitally administered personal performance feedback on eco-driving for this group and by observing and reflecting on the (in)effectiveness of feedback containing social comparison information.

Gerotranscendence and wisdom in Polish older adults. The longitudinal mediation analysis of forgiveness

Objectives: The goal of the present study was to investigate whether forgiveness played a mediating role in the relationships between gerotranscendence and wisdom among people in late adulthood. Method: The study included 416 participants aged 60 to 75 years. The following measures were used: the Gerotranscendence Scale Type 2 (GST2), the Heartland Forgiveness Scale and the Self-Assessed Wisdom Scale (SAWS). To verify the hypothesis, a longitudinal three-wave field study was conducted. Results: The results suggest that an increase in gerotranscendence is associated with an increase in forgiveness and wisdom. In addition, greater willingness to forgive co-occurs with higher levels of wisdom. Moreover, dispositional forgiveness mediates the relationship between gerotranscendence and wisdom – a higher gerotranscendence leads to a higher wisdom through an increase in forgiveness. Conclusion: The results of our research add to the knowledge of the mechanism of the relationship between gerotranscendence and wisdom and support the thesis that late adulthood presents individuals with new challenges and opportunities for creative personal development.