Passionate Activity Research Articles

Latent Profiles of Passion and Categories of University Students' Passionate Activities: Difficulties in the Empirical Systematisation of Passion

ABSTRACTBoth classical and contemporary definitions of education emphasise the development of learners and the discovery of their potential. The period of systemic education at all stages is an opportunity to seek this potential both at school and outside it. These are the circumstances of the development of abilities, interests and passions. In the educational process and in the modern world, the most valued are people who are creative, entrepreneurial, open to new experiences and have a passion—since it provides energy, gives wings, is a source of a sense of freedom and meaning and helps maintain well‐being. This study aimed to explore passion profiles, considering their dimensions and categories, and the respondents' field of study and gender, in a sample of Polish university students (n = 2720). The online Self‐Report Passion Inventory (SRPI) was used. Cluster analysis identified three latent profiles, differentiated by the perceived benefits of passion, its origin and its balance with other life activities. In addition, we identified categories of passionate activities typical of each profile. Field of study and gender were represented in similar ways in the distinguished profiles, indicating the universal nature of passion. The qualitative analysis of the results revealed potential reasons for the difficulties respondents experienced while categorising passionate activities.

Gaming as a Representation of Urge and Passion: A Thematic Analysis of Online Gamers

The meaning of playing online games is important to explore to understand why playing online games is a passionate activity for enthusiastic and problematic gamers. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 20 gamers (Male, 19-24 years old) who intensely play online games. Through the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) technique, the meaning of the essential or basic things from the participants life experiences was sought. The results showed that the experience of craving and urge emerged as themes in the decision-making process to continue playing online games even though they realized the negative impact of being too fixated on playing games. Keywords: craving, passion, problematic gamers, thematic analysis, urge

O przydatności pasji w wychowaniu

Aim: The aim of this article is to present the ways in which students in pedagogic and therapeutic courses of study explain the meaning of a passionate activity for man’s development and its implication for the effectiveness of the upbringing process. Methods: Organisation of the research process and subsequent analysis of the collected research material focused on the question how students in pedagogic and therapeutic courses of study described the importance of one’s engagement in some passion for the effectiveness of upbringing. The diagnostic survey method was employed. Having determined the assumptions and methods used for the attainment of the research process, empirical data, obtained from 191 students from courses of study: pedagogics, special pedagogics, logopedics, as well as animals in recreation, education and therapy, were set and compared. Results: The analysis of the collected replies to the survey enabled us to identify a coherent manner of identifying and justifying the role of passion when used for educational interactions. It is worth noting that the respondents confirmed their belief in the presence of a connection between the above two categories while still being at the educational stage in their lives, which can be a significant predictor of their future professional activities. Conclusions: The study enabled us to describe the way in which the respondents perceived opportunities of using passions pursued by children and their educators in the process of planning and implementing upbringing interactions. Oryginality: This approach favours individualisation of education and strengthens the engagement of each side of the process, which can therefore improve the effectiveness of undertaken activities. Key words: passion; activity; development; upbringing; students; creation; education

Pursuing, developing, and letting go of a passionate activity when facing adversity during a pandemic: Associations with well-being and ill-being

This research explored the role of passion when facing the COVID-19 pandemic. In three studies, we investigated the role of engaging in a pre-existing passionate activity (Studies 1 and 2), developing a new passionate activity (Studies 2 and 3), and letting go of an unavailable passionate activity (Study 3) during the pandemic. Emotions experienced when engaging in the passionate activity were examined as mediators in the relationships between the passionate engagement and psychological health. Results showed that harmonious passions (HPs) for pre-existing (Studies 1 to 3) and new activities (Studies 2 and 3) were positively related to well-being via positive emotions. HPs for pre-existing (Study 1) and new activities (Studies 2 and 3) were also negatively related to ill-being through their negative relationships with negative emotions and the positive link between a HP for a new activity and disengagement from an unavailable passionate activity (Study 3). Conversely, obsessive passions (OPs) for pre-existing (Study 1) and new activities (Study 2) were positively related to well-being, but also to negative emotions and ill-being (Studies 1 to 3). In sum, when facing a major negative event, HPs for pre-existing and new activities were positively related to more positive psychological outcomes than OPs.

Small-Scale Marijuana Growing: Deviant Careers as Serious Leisure

Previous research on marijuana growers in the United States has primarily focused on those who have been incarcerated for the activity (Weisheit, 1990; 1998). These growers tend to produce large amounts of the product. It may be that large scale marijuana growers who have been arrested may differ in their reasons for growing, their style of growing and distributing and in how they view marijuana growing as an activity from different types of growers; namely small-scale, indoor hydroponic growers who grow primarily for personal use and enjoyment. Our study analyzes one social network of marijuana growers in central and northern Florida. Through intensive field observations and qualitative interviews with 8 people involved in this closed social network of marijuana growers, we discovered that the growers all followed a similar pattern of initial trial and error, learning new techniques from one another to improve their product, to finally maintaining techniques that enabled them to maximize taste, potency and yield. All of the growers in our sample were white middle class men (6) and women (2) with at least a college degree who had already or planned to enter white collar occupations (e.g., a teacher or business owner). Although profitable, the growers greatly downplayed the importance of making money as a reason for growing, describing the endeavor as a passionate activity they performed for enjoyment, to save their own money, and for the high regard they have of plants in general. Discontinuing the activity (thus exiting the deviant career) is often influenced by such contingencies as risk of detection, commitment to family, and conventional occupations. Future research is needed to compare and contrast different kinds of marijuana growers including those whose growing activities are legitimated by state law.

More Questions About Multiple Passions: Who Has Them, How Many Do People Have, and the Relationship Between Polyamorous Passion and Well-being

People are often passionate toward multiple activities in their lives. However, more has been learned about passion toward any single activity than about passion toward multiple activities. Relying on the dualistic model of passion (Vallerand in The psychology of passion: a dualistic model, Oxford University Press, New York, 2015), this research addressed the antecedents and consequences of polyamorous passion. In three pre-registered studies (total N = 1322) and one mini meta-analysis, we found that (a) people tend to report being passionate for between 2 and 4 activities; (b) harmonious passion becomes a less potent predictor of well-being as it is directed toward less-favored activities; (c) harmonious passion does not contribute to the prediction of well-being beyond a second-favorite activity; and (d) openness to experience is a personality trait that is positively associated with the number of passionate activities that people have in their lives. These results contribute to our understanding of who has multiple passions, how many passionate activities people tend to have, and the relationship between polyamorous passion and well-being.

In memoriam: Thomas A. Reppetto, PhD (1931–2020)

Thomas Anthony Reppetto passed away on 5 May 2020, at age 88, due to heart failure. Dr Reppetto was known worldwide for his diverse brilliant, passionate activities to improve urban criminal justic...

Passion for an activity: a new predictor of sleep quality.

The present research examines the relationship between people's frequent involvement in an activity they like and find important (i.e., a passion) and the quality of their sleep. Research on the dualistic model of passion has widely documented the relationship between individuals' type of passion-harmonious versus obsessive-and the quality of their mental and physical health. However, research has yet to examine the relationship between passion and sleep quality. Building on prior research has shown that obsessive (vs harmonious) passion is related to depressive mood symptoms-an important factor associated with sleep problems-we hypothesized that obsessive passion would be associated with overall worse sleep quality, whereas harmonious passion would predict better sleep quality. A sample of 1,506 Americans filled out an online questionnaire on sleep habits and passion. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Hierarchical linear regressions and mediation analyses were carried out with results confirming our hypotheses. Obsessive passion for an activity was associated with worse sleep quality, whereas harmonious passion was associated with better sleep quality, adjusting for demographics, the type of passionate activity and its self-reported importance, alcohol and tobacco consumption, BMI, self-reported health, and diagnosed health conditions. The relationship between both types of passion and sleep quality was mediated by depressive mood symptoms. Our study presents evidence of a strong relationship between sleep quality and passion, opening the door for future research to create new interventions to improve people's sleep and, consequently, their well-being.

Dancing with passion: A look at interpersonal relationships

Drawing from the dualistic model of passion for activities (Vallerand et al., 2003), this research investigated the role of passion for social partnered dancing in relationships quality with other dancers as well as outside of the dance community, in a romantic relationship. Study 1 showed that harmonious passion (HP) was related to enjoyment while dancing with a novice partner, whereas obsessive passion (OP) was associated with negative interactions with an incompetent partner. Study 2 showed that HP was positively related to relationship quality with a preferred dance partner and the dance community through mastery-approach and social connection goals, whereas the opposite effect characterized OP. Also, OP was negatively related to relationship quality with both a dance partner and a romantic partner through conflict, whereas the reverse trend characterized HP. This research identified mechanisms through which passion may affect relationships within and outside a passionate activity such as dance.

Savoring and Dampening with Passion: How Passionate People Respond when Good Things Happen

How do people react when they experience a positive event while pursuing a passionate activity? In this research, we conducted three studies to test if the extent to which people respond to positive events by engaging in savoring (i.e., attempting to maintain or enhance positive emotions) and dampening (i.e., attempting to down-regulated or stifle positive emotions) is predicted by levels of harmonious and obsessive passion for an activity. Study 1 (n = 321) and Study 2 (n = 547) both showed that harmonious passion positively predicted savoring, whereas obsessive passion predicted less savoring and greater dampening. Moreover, in Study 2, savoring mediated the relationships between both passion varieties and well-being outcomes. In Study 3, we extended these findings and tested if these relationships depended on whether a positive event was a result of an in-progress or completed achievement. Soccer fans (n = 394) imagined how they would react if their favorite team won either the semi-final (in-progress condition) or final (completed condition) of the ongoing UEFA champions league. In both scenarios, harmonious passion was a stronger predictor of savoring than obsessive passion. Obsessive passion also showed strong relationships with dampening in both scenarios, although this relationship was attenuated in the completed condition. Overall, these results reveal that passion varieties matter for predicting how people manage their good feelings following positive events, a finding that has implications for our understanding of the pathways that link passion varieties with well-being outcomes.

How passionate individuals regulate their activity with other life domains: A goal-systemic perspective.

People that pursue a passionate activity obsessively (vs. harmoniously) tend to neglect (vs. integrate) other important life domains, yet research has been silent on the psychological mechanism explaining these differences in self-regulation. The purpose of this research was to address this gap by testing the role of alternative goal suppression. Four studies tested whether harmonious passion is characterized by the pursuit of multifinality, the preference for means that gratify multiple goals simultaneously, whereas obsessive passion is characterized by the pursuit of counterfinality, the preference for means that serves a focal goal to the detriment of other pursuits. Underlying this relationship is the tendency to suppress goals conflicting with one's passion. Study 1 found cross-sectional support for these hypotheses. Study 2 replicated Study 1 and extended it by demonstrating that the relationship between obsessive passion and counterfinal means is mediated by alternative goal suppression. Study 3 replicated these findings using an experimental manipulation of passion. Study 4 found similar results by experimentally manipulating alternative goal suppression, the mediator, to demonstrate its causal influence on means evaluation. Collectively, the present results demonstrate that passion plays a significant role in the type of means-ends relations preferred for goal pursuits.

More than Shared Love: Does Sharing a Passionate Activity with a Romantic Partner Strengthen the Relationship?

The Dualistic Model of Passion (Vallerand et al. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85, 756–767, 2003) suggests the existence of two types of passion: harmonious (HP) and obsessive (OP). Previous research in positive psychology has shown that passion can be oriented toward activities, as well as romantic partners, and that both are important for people’s well-being and relationships. The purpose of the present research was to integrate these two areas of passion by examining how one’s type of passion for a joint activity and for a romantic partner influences the experience of positive and negative emotions during the joint activity, and its impact on the strengthening of the relationship. Results from a path analysis (N = 205) revealed that HP for the joint activity and for the romantic partner both positively predicted the experience of positive emotions during the joint activity that, in turn, positively predicted the strengthening of the relationship. Conversely, OP for the joint activity and for the romantic partner both positively predicted the experience of negative emotions during the joint activity that, in turn, negatively predicted the strengthening of the relationship. These findings suggest that these two domains of passion make an important and unique contribution to romantic relationships.

Understanding the cognitive and motivational underpinnings of sexual passion from a dualistic model.

Sexual passion has always been conceptualized as a one-dimensional phenomenon that emerges from interactions with partners. Drawing from the literature on passionate activities, sexual passion was defined in terms of its intrapersonal motivational and cognitive components and examined from a dualistic perspective. More specifically, in 5 studies, we investigated how 2 types of sexual passion, harmonious and obsessive, can lead to clearly distinct subjective, relational, and cognitive outcomes. Study 1 validated a scale measuring harmonious and obsessive sexual passion, and showed that each type of sexual passion leads to common, but also distinct, subjective consequences during sexual activity engagement for both singles and romantically engaged individuals. Studies 2 and 3 differentiated the constructs of harmonious and obsessive sexual passion from competing constructs existing in the literature and provided evidence for its predictive validity regarding various relational outcomes, including relationship sustainability over time. Finally, Studies 4 and 5 investigated the cognitive consequences of each type of sexual passion by showing how they reflect distinct levels of integration of sexual and relational representations, and how they can lead to biased processing of sexual information (Study 4) and conflict with ongoing sex-unrelated goals (Studies 5a and 5b). Overall, the present series of studies provides a new look at sexual passion from a motivational and cognitive intrapersonal perspective that is not restricted to interpersonal ramifications with partners. (PsycINFO Database Record

Passion Types and Subjective Well-Being for Saudi Women:Exploratory Study

The type of the engagement in performed activity might play an important role in subjective well-being (SWB). For example, with old adults, the engagement in favorite activities was related positively to SWB, while practicing a non-favorite activities was unrelatedto SWB (Reich, Zautra, & Hill, 1987). Numerous studies have given experimental support which proved the positive relationship between engagement in activity and SWB with aging persons (Leventhal, Rabin, Leventhal, & Bums, 2001; Rousseau & Vallerand, 2008). However, the relationship between engagement in activity and SWB is complex and numerous factors might influence the degree to which engagement is beneficial for aging persons (McAuley, Blissmer, Katula, Duncan, & Mihalko, 2000; Netz, Wu, Becker, & Tenenbaum, 2005). On the basis of these, it is possible to conclude that high levels of engagement in activity eventually lead to greater levels of SWB (Kozma, Stone, & Stones, 2000). To sum up, results are probably needed to identify more variables that may increase the likelihood that adult persons will benefit from an active lifestyle.The Dualistic Model of Passion (DMP): In the line with the Self-Determination Theory (DMP), individuals engage in a variety of activities to explore their environment and grow as individuals (Genevieve A Mageau & Vallerand, 2007; Vallerand et al., 2003; Vallerand et al., 2006). Of these, few will be perceived as agreeable, enjoyable and having resonance with how persons see themselves. From these few activities, one or more favorite activity will eventually be preferred and will develop to be come a passion. Furthermore, the Self-Determination Theory and literature have shown that elements from the environments can be internalized in an independent or controlled variable (Grolnick, Deci, & Ryan, 1997). Passion can be composed of two types: Obsesseive Passion (OP) and Harmonious Passion (HP).Obsesseive Passion (OP) is a result of controlled internalization of the desired activity into the individual's identity. Due to Vallerand et al. (2007), controlled internalization results from intra and/or interpersonal pressure, mostly because certain contingencies are attached to feelings of social acceptance as a needed and desired activity and/ or even because of the sense of excitement that is derived from engagement in activity which is uncontrollable. On the contrary, Harmonious Passion (HP) results from autonomous internalization of the activity representative of the person's identity. Autonomous internalization happens when an individual has openly accepted the activity as important to him/her with no or little contingencies. This type of internalization emanates from the intrinsic and integrative tendencies of the self (Ryan & Deci, 2003). It makes a motivational force to take part in the action energetically and induces a feeling of volition and personal endorsement about pursuing the activity. When HP is at play, the individual does not experience an uncontrollable urge to engage in the passionate activity, but rather freely chooses to do so. With this sort of passion, the activity occupies a significant, yet not overpowering space in the individual's identity and is in harmony with different aspects of the individual's life.Accordingly, passion is described as having a harmonious passion. Yet, there is another sort of passion which is obsessive passion. Those who are obsessively passionate feel an uncontrollable urge to engage in their activity and experience a conflict between their passion and other aspects of their lives (Vallerand, 2012a). The literature review supports the concept of harmonious and obsessive passion. More than one hundred studies have supported the concept of passion and focused on a host of cognitive, affective, behavioral, relational, and performance outcomes experienced through hundreds of desired activities. Previous research reveals that HP predicts more adaptive outcomes than OP. …

Harmonious passions support cognitive resources

Passionate activities can be a source of pleasure and meaning. According to the Dualistic Model of Passion individuals can have either a harmonious or an obsessive passion for an activity. Where harmonious passions provide positive emotional experience, obsessive passions do not. Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory holds that ongoing positive experience have general and lasting cognitive benefits; accordingly this should accrue more strongly to those reporting harmonious passions. In a survey (N = 141), we examined self-reported attention, executive functioning, and life quality and contrast these by individuals’ passion orientation. In a cross-sectional survey we found that harmoniously passionate individuals differed from the obsessively passionate across questionnaire measures of attention, executive functioning, and life quality. We find that these differences correspond well to that which would be predicted on the basis of the broaden-and-build theory, however the observed effects are not large and do not correspond to clinical differences.

Obsessive Passion: A Compensatory Response to Unsatisfied Needs.

The present research investigated the role of two sources of psychological need satisfaction (inside and outside a passionate activity) as determinants of harmonious (HP) and obsessive (OP) passion. Four studies were carried out with different samples of young and middle-aged adults (e.g., athletes, musicians; total N = 648). Different research designs (cross-sectional, mixed, longitudinal) were also used. Results showed that only a rigid engagement in a passionate activity (OP) was predicted by low levels of need satisfaction outside the passionate activity (in an important life context or in life in general), whereas both OP and a more favorable and balanced type of passion, HP were positively predicted by need satisfaction inside the passionate activity. Further, OP led to negative outcomes, and HP predicted positive outcomes. These results suggest that OP may represent a form of compensatory striving for psychological need satisfaction. It appears important to consider two distinct sources of need satisfaction, inside and outside the passionate activity, when investigating determinants of optimal and less optimal forms of activity engagement.

A Successful Creative Process: The Role of Passion and Emotions

The creative process refers a sequence of thoughts and actions leading to a novel, adaptive production (Lubart, 2000). It demands love, time, and devotion, and, therefore, creators are passionate toward their creative work. The Dualistic Model of Passion (Vallerand et al., 2003) defines passion as a strong inclination for a self-defining activity that people love and find important, and in which they invest a significant amount of time and energy. Two types of passion are proposed, where harmoniously passionate (HP) individuals engage in the passionate activity with free choice, and obsessively passionate (OP) individuals feel an uncontrollable urge to partake in the activity, leading to positive and negative consequences respectively. This research explored the role of emotions and passion during a successful creative process. Study 1 (N = 82) looked at positive emotions experienced by passionate artists at each phase of their creative process. Study 2 (N = 114) replicated Study 1 and also assessed negative emotions. Results revealed that positive emotions facilitate creativity and that moderate and high levels of activation of positive emotions serve different functions. Negative emotions were relatively absent of the successful creative process. Finally, HP artists presented an emotional experience that was more positive than OP artists.

The romance of work: Gender and aspirational labour in the digital culture industries

Despite widespread interest in the changing technologies, economies and politics of creative labour, much of the recent cultural production scholarship overlooks the social positioning of gender. This article draws upon in-depth interviews with 18 participants in highly feminized sites of digital cultural production (e.g. fashion, beauty and retail) to examine how they articulate and derive value from their passionate activities. I argue that the discourses of authenticity, community building and brand devotion that they draw on are symptomatic of a highly gendered, forward-looking and entrepreneurial enactment of creativity that I term ‘aspirational labour’. Aspirational labourers pursue productive activities that hold the promise of social and economic capital; yet the reward system for these aspirants is highly uneven. Indeed, while a select few may realize their professional goals – namely to get paid doing what they love – this worker ideology obscures problematic constructions of gender and class subjectivities.

Passion and psychological skill usage among professional sports players in Goa

Sport is highly specialized activity. The participation in sports warrants fundamental desire to compete and surpass others (Coffman & Gilligan, 2002). Every sport activity depends on performance improvement through various techniques such as counselling, selection classification, psychological skills, training and behavior modification and also to improve physical and mental health of athlete (Demakis & McAdams, 1994).Competitive sports is 85-90 % mental game (Wrisberg & Anshel, 1989), but unfortunately, many times physical aspect of the game is magnified at the expense of the other. Combining the two elements mental training and technical training, gives the players an opportunity to establish consistent, peak performance every time they step on the field (P lagenhoff, 1971).Most top athletes and coaches believe that psychological factors play as crucial role as physical attributes and learned skills in the make-up of champions (Piers & Harris, 1964). When physical skills are evenly matched as they tend to be in competitive sport the competitor with greater control over his or her mind will usually emerge as the victor (Engel, 1959). Mental strength is not going to compensate for lack of skill, but in close contests it can make the difference between winning and losing (Landers, 1980).ConceptualframeworkPassion: Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion (Hegel, 1770,1831)Dr. Robert Vallerand (2010) has done extensive work into defining passion as modem psychological construct. He defined passion as, a strong inclination towards self-defining activity that people love, that they consider important, and in which they devote significant amounts of time and A self-defining activity means one that contributes significantly to person's identity the difference between being clarinettist (a passion) and playing clarinet (a pastime).Dr. Vallerand describes two types of passion, with differing impacts on the people who own them. In line with the above, Vallerand et al. (2003) conceptualize passion as strong inclination toward self-defining activity that one likes and finds important, and in which one invests significant amount of time and energy. Moreover, the dualistic model of passion (Vallerand et al., 2003) posits two distinct types of passion, harmonious and obsessive passion, which can be differentiated in terms of how the passionate activity has been internalized into one's identity. Identity refers to an individual's relevant characteristics and experiences, as well as the social and self-regulation functions that such features serve (Schlenker, 1985).Harmonious passion refers to strong desire to engage in the activity freely and results from an autonomous internalization of the activity into the person's identity. This process occurs when individuals have willingly accepted the activity as important. With harmonious passion, the activity occupies an important but not overwhelming space in one's identity. Consequently, harmonious passion for an activity should not instigate conflict with one's other life domains and should allow the person to engage in the passionate activity with an openness that is favorable to positive experiences (Hodgins & Knee, 2002).Obsessive passion results from controlled internalization of the activity into one's identity. This process originates from intrapersonal and/or interpersonal pressure either because particular contingencies are attached to the activity, such as self-esteem, or because the excitement derived from activity engagement becomes uncontrollable. While the controlled internalization leads the activity to be part of the person's identity, the values and regulations related to the activity are then only partially internalized in identity (Vallerand, 2008). In other words, obsessive passion does represent an important part of one's identity; however individuals with obsessive passion are not completely in control of the activity since it is not properly integrated. …

Can Passion be Polyamorous? The Impact of Having Multiple Passions on Subjective Well-Being and Momentary Emotions

Having a harmonious passion (HP) can contribute to overall subjective well-being (Philippe et al. in Appl Psychol Health Well Being 1:3–22, 2009). We examined if people who had two passions in life reported even higher levels of well-being, and tested if these relationships depended on the extent to which the passions were harmonious or obsessive (OP). Undergraduates (N = 1,218) completed measures of HP and OP for their favorite and second favorite activities, along with assessments of well-being. In a follow-up study, a subsample of students (N = 62) who reported having an HP for one activity but an OP for another participated in an experiment in which we measured momentary emotions after priming either their HP, OP or a control activity. We found that students with at least one HP reported higher levels of well-being compared to those without an HP, and those with two HPs reported higher levels of well-being compared to those with only one HP, independent of the total time spent in passionate activities. In the follow-up study, participants’ levels of momentary positive and negative affect depended on whether their HP or OP was primed. These results suggest that, rather than introducing conflict or dividing a fixed sum of activity-related potential, having two HPs creates novel opportunities for subjective well-being.