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Spontaneous self‑affirmation predicts more meaning and less boredom
Date
2024
Abstract
Chronic boredom is associated with many negative psychological outcomes, including undermining perceived meaning in life. Meanwhile, emerging research suggests that spontaneous self-affirmation, that is, an inclination to self-affirm, is linked to greater well-being and buffers against psychological threats. We investigated the relationship between spontaneous self-affirmation, perceptions of meaning in life, and boredom proneness with four correlational studies. Study 1a (N=166) demonstrated that people inclined to self-affirm experience greater perceptions of meaning in life. Study 1b (N =170) confirmed that spontaneous self-affirmation is associated with lower levels of boredom proneness. Study 2a (N=214) and Study 2b (N=105) provided evidence for our central hypothesis, showing that spontaneous self-affirmation predicts lower levels of boredom proneness via greater perceptions of meaning in life. These findings confirm that elevating meaning in life through psychological resources, like spontaneous self-affirmation, may limit boredom. Our work extends the emerging well-being benefits of spontaneous self-affirmation, by demonstrating associations with higher meaning in life and lower boredom proneness.
Supervisor
Description
Publisher
Springer
Citation
Motivation and Emotion, 2024, 48, pp. 237-247
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Files
Funding code
Funding Information
Open Access funding provided by IReL.
Sustainable Development Goals
External Link
Type
Article
Rights
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/