Hanging in the Balance

Cavanaugh, Arezou Ghane; Sweeny, Kate

doi:10.1177/0146167211429806

Pers Soc Psychol Bull

2011

DOI: 10.1177/0146167211429806

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Hanging in the Balance

Arezou Ghane Cavanaugh

Kate Sweeny

Abstract: People inevitably face moments of uncertainty as they await feedback regarding self-relevant life outcomes, but they react to this uncertainty with varying amounts of anxiety. Self-construal abstractness (SCA) may be one key predictor of anxiety in the face of uncertain outcomes. SCA refers to a broad self-concept based on generalizations rather than a detailed, low-level self-concept that is based on specific behaviors or events. The current studies examined SCA and anxiety over self-relevant uncertainty. Stu… Show more

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Cited by 3 publications

References 26 publications

(42 reference statements)

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A better distraction: Exploring the benefits of flow during uncertain waiting periods.

Rankin¹,

Walsh²,

Sweeny³

2019

Emotion

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A worrisome period of uncertainty frequently precedes important life events, and many of the coping strategies people employ during such waiting periods are ineffective. Distraction can be efficacious, but individuals awaiting uncertain news often fail to lose themselves in a sufficiently diverting activity. Across three studies-two observational and one experimental-we test whether flowinducing activities provide a better distraction and improve the waiting experience. In Study 1, law graduates (N ϭ 125) who experienced more flow while awaiting their bar exam results reported less worry, fewer negative emotions, and more positive emotions. However, they were often unable to accurately identify personally relevant flow-inducing activities. Study 2 replicated these findings in a longitudinal study of doctoral-level students in the academic job market (N ϭ 141). Study 3 experimentally tested the effects of engaging in a flow activity (via an adaptive Tetris game) on undergraduate participants (N ϭ 309) waiting for peers to rate their physical attractiveness. Study 3 successfully replicated the findings of Studies 1 and 2 with a measure of subjective flow experiences, but the manipulation was only effective for bolstering positive emotion and mitigating negative emotions; it did not reduce worry. Our findings point to challenges in moving people toward flow but suggest that engaging in flow may boost well-being during a period of uncertainty and make waiting a little easier.

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A better distraction: Exploring the benefits of flow during uncertain waiting periods.

Rankin¹,

Walsh²,

Sweeny³

2019

Emotion

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The Effects of Expectation Disconfirmation on Appraisal, Affect, and Behavioral Intentions

Sweeny

Dillard

2013

Risk Analysis

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People's risk perceptions can have powerful effects on their outcomes, yet little is known about how people respond to risk information that disconfirms a prior expectation. We experimentally examined the affective, cognitive, and behavioral consequences of expectation disconfirmation in the context of risk perceptions. Participants were randomly assigned and then prompted toward either a high or low personal risk estimate regarding a fictitious health threat. All participants then received the same risk feedback, which presented either a negative disconfirmation experience (i.e., worse than expected) in the high-risk estimate condition or a positive disconfirmation experience (i.e., better than expected) in the low-risk estimate condition. Participants who experienced the negative disconfirmation reported stronger intentions to prevent the threat in the future compared to participants who experienced the positive disconfirmation. This effect was mediated by both disappointment about the risk feedback and perceptions of the severity of the threat. These findings have implications for risk communication, suggesting that the provision of objective risk information may improve or diminish the likelihood of behavior change depending on people's initial expectations and their emotional and cognitive reactions to the information.

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Is Waiting the Hardest Part? Comparing the Emotional Experiences of Awaiting and Receiving Bad News

Sweeny

Falkenstein

2015

Pers Soc Psychol Bull

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Awaiting uncertain news is stressful, but is it more stressful than receiving bad news? We compared these emotional experiences in two studies. Participants in Study 1 reflected on a personal experience awaiting news that ultimately turned out badly, and participants in Study 2 were law graduates awaiting their results on the bar exam who ultimately failed the exam. In Study 1, participants were ambivalent as to whether awaiting or receiving bad news was more difficult, and emotion ratings in both studies confirmed this ambivalence. Anxiety was higher in anticipation of bad news (at least at the moment of truth) than in the face of it, whereas other negative emotions were more intense following the news than during the waiting period. Thus, whether waiting is "the hardest part" depends on whether one prefers to be racked with anxiety or afflicted with other negative emotions such as anger, disappointment, depression, and regret.

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Hanging in the Balance

Cited by 3 publications

References 26 publications

A better distraction: Exploring the benefits of flow during uncertain waiting periods.

A better distraction: Exploring the benefits of flow during uncertain waiting periods.

The Effects of Expectation Disconfirmation on Appraisal, Affect, and Behavioral Intentions

Is Waiting the Hardest Part? Comparing the Emotional Experiences of Awaiting and Receiving Bad News

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