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Sun Y, Kinsella EL, Igou ER. On Cultural Differences of Heroes: Evidence From Individualistic and Collectivistic Cultures. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY BULLETIN 2024; 50:841-856. [PMID: 36727610 PMCID: PMC11080389 DOI: 10.1177/01461672221150238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Building on earlier research that examined the characteristics people associate with heroes, our research examined similarities and differences of the hero stereotype across cultures. Specifically, in Study 1 (N = 209) and Study 2 (N = 298), we investigated lay perceptions of heroes among participants from a collectivistic culture. In Study 3 (N = 586), we examined whether group membership could be determined by participants' centrality ratings of the combined set of hero features. In Study 4 (N = 197), we tested whether the hero features that distinguish American and Chinese participants, when used to describe a target person, influence the impression that the target person is a hero. In Study 5 (N = 158) and Study 6 (N = 591), we investigated cultural differences in perceptions of different types of heroes (e.g., social, martial, civil) and the influence of individualism and collectivism on the perception of those heroes.
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Dharani B, Giannaros M, April K. Alleviating state boredom through search for meaning and affirmation of workplace heroes. MANAGEMENT RESEARCH REVIEW 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/mrr-08-2020-0490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
Employee boredom is of concern to organizations because of its impact on employees’ quality of work life and productivity. This study aims to test the regulation of workplace boredom through meaning in life by workplace heroes to contribute to theory by examining the relationships between the variables and to practice by uncovering the potential of workplace heroes in alleviating state boredom.
Design/methodology/approach
Using online surveys and structured interviews for a mixed-method study, data were collected for state boredom, meaning in life and hero affirmation at work for a quantitative study, and data from the open-ended questions provided further insights regarding hero affirmation at work for a qualitative study.
Findings
Spearman rank-order correlations concluded correlations between state boredom and meaning in life. However, unlike personal heroes that influence meaning in life, workplace heroes were found not to. The qualitative analysis revealed three prime differences between workplace and personal heroes: proximity, symbolic representation of ideologies and qualities admired in the heroes. These reasons entailed that state boredom was not regulated by workplace heroes.
Originality/value
The model of Coughlan et al. (2019) explored trait boredom regulation through meaning in life by personal heroes. This study tested for the regulation of state boredom through meaning in life by workplace heroes; thus, contributing to theory through a nuanced model with enhanced usefulness in practice. The study also further dissects the concept of heroes by uncovering differences between workplace and personal heroes that perpetrated the differences in the findings.
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Maher PJ, Igou ER, van Tilburg WA. Nostalgia relieves the disillusioned mind. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jesp.2020.104061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Moynihan AB, Igou ER, van Tilburg WAP. Existential escape of the bored: A review of meaning-regulation processes under boredom. EUROPEAN REVIEW OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/10463283.2020.1829347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew B. Moynihan
- Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, Limerick, Republic of Ireland V94 T9PX
| | - Eric R. Igou
- Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, Limerick, Republic of Ireland V94 T9PX
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Ulqinaku A, Sarial‐Abi G, Kinsella EL. Benefits of heroes to coping with mortality threats by providing perceptions of personal power and reducing unhealthy compensatory consumption. PSYCHOLOGY & MARKETING 2020; 37:1433-1445. [PMID: 32836727 PMCID: PMC7405095 DOI: 10.1002/mar.21391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Mortality threats are among the strongest psychological threats that an individual can encounter. Previous research shows that mortality threats lead people to engage in unhealthy compensatory consumption (i.e., overeating), as a maladaptive coping response to threat. In this paper, we propose that reminders of heroes when experiencing mortality threat increases perceptions of personal power, which in turn buffers the need to engage in unhealthy compensatory consumption. We test and find support for our predictions in a series of four studies that include real-world Twitter data after a series of terrorist attacks in 2016-2017, and three experimental studies conducted online and in the field with behavioral measures after Day of the Dead and during COVID-19 pandemic. These findings advance the literature on compensatory consumption, mortality threats, and the psychological functions of heroes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aulona Ulqinaku
- Marketing DepartmentLeeds University Business School, University of LeedsLeedsUK
| | - Gülen Sarial‐Abi
- Marketing DepartmentCopenhagen Business SchoolFrederiksbergDenmark
| | - Elaine L. Kinsella
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Social Issues ResearchUniversity of LimerickLimerickIreland
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Kılıç A, Tilburg WA, Igou ER. Risk‐taking increases under boredom. JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION MAKING 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/bdm.2160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayşenur Kılıç
- Psychology Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN)King's College London London United Kingdom
| | - Wijnand A.P. Tilburg
- Psychology Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN)King's College London London United Kingdom
| | - Eric R. Igou
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Limerick Limerick Republic of Ireland
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Schindler S, Pfattheicher S, Reinhard MA, Greenberg J. ‘Heroes aren’t always so great!’ – Heroic perceptions under mortality salience. SOCIAL INFLUENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/15534510.2019.1656668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Schindler
- Department of Psychology, University of Kassel, Kassel 34127, Germany
| | - Stefan Pfattheicher
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus C 8000, Denmark
| | | | - Jeff Greenberg
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
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van Tilburg WA, Igou ER, Maher PJ, Lennon J. Various forms of existential distress are associated with aggressive tendencies. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2019.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Igou ER, van Tilburg WAP, Kinsella EL, Buckley LK. On the Existential Road From Regret to Heroism: Searching for Meaning in Life. Front Psychol 2018; 9:2375. [PMID: 30559695 PMCID: PMC6286989 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated whether regret predicted the motivation to act heroically. In a series of studies, we examined the relationship between regret, search for meaning in life, and heroism motivation. First, Study 1 (a and b) investigated the association between regret and search for meaning in life, considering regret as a whole, action regret, and inaction regret. As expected, regret correlated positively with search for meaning in life. In two additional studies (Study 2 and 3), we examined whether regret predicted heroism motivation and whether this effect was mediated through search for meaning in life. Study 2 confirmed this hypothesis for individual differences in regret, using a correlational design. Study 3 confirmed the hypothesis for temporary experiences of regret, using an experimental design. In addition, in Study 3 we found that heroism motivation was stronger for people with high self-enhancement needs than for those with lower self-enhancement needs. We discuss the relationship between regret and heroism in light of these results and explore their implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric R. Igou
- Advancing Social Cognition Lab, Department of Psychology, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | | | - Elaine L. Kinsella
- RISE Lab, Department of Psychology, Centre for Social Issues Research Institute, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Laura K. Buckley
- Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
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Van Tongeren DR, Hibbard R, Edwards M, Johnson E, Diepholz K, Newbound H, Shay A, Houpt R, Cairo A, Green JD. Heroic Helping: The Effects of Priming Superhero Images on Prosociality. Front Psychol 2018; 9:2243. [PMID: 30532719 PMCID: PMC6265661 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Two experiments examined how exposure to superhero images influences both prosociality and meaning in life. In Experiment 1 (N = 246) exposed individuals to scenes with superhero images or neutral images. Individuals primed with superhero images reported greater helping intentions relative to the control group, which, in turn, were associated with increased meaning in life (indirect effect only; no direct effect). In Experiment 2 (N = 123), individuals exposed to a superhero poster helped an experimenter in a tedious task more than those exposed to a bicycle poster, though no differences were found for meaning in life. These results suggest that subtle activation of superhero stimuli increases prosocial intentions and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachel Hibbard
- Department of Psychology, Hope College, Holland, MI, United States
| | - Megan Edwards
- Department of Psychology, Hope College, Holland, MI, United States
| | - Evan Johnson
- Department of Psychology, Hope College, Holland, MI, United States
| | - Kirstin Diepholz
- Department of Psychology, Hope College, Holland, MI, United States
| | - Hanna Newbound
- Department of Psychology, Hope College, Holland, MI, United States
| | - Andrew Shay
- Department of Psychology, Hope College, Holland, MI, United States
| | - Russell Houpt
- Department of Psychology, Hope College, Holland, MI, United States
| | - Athena Cairo
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Jeffrey D. Green
- Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
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Situational meaninglessness and state boredom: Cross-sectional and experience-sampling findings. MOTIVATION AND EMOTION 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11031-018-9693-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Abstract
Abstract. High (vs. low) levels of boredom are associated with greater (vs. lesser) impulsiveness. It is important to examine the psychological processes that link boredom and impulsiveness to understand this relationship. We propose that heightened impulsiveness in response to boredom partly stems from people’s attempts to deal with meaninglessness when bored. In Studies 1–2, we found that perceived meaninglessness, characteristic of boredom, mediated the relationship between boredom and impulsiveness. In Study 3, we additionally hypothesized that self-awareness serves as a catalyst of boredom-induced impulsiveness by highlighting meaninglessness. Accordingly, Study 3 showed that manipulated boredom promoted impulsiveness through meaninglessness, particularly at greater levels of self-awareness. These studies support our hypothesis that impulsiveness is a response to boredom and the meaninglessness that boredom signals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric R. Igou
- Department of Psychology, University of Limerick, Republic of Ireland
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