| 1. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(författare)
-
Adolescents’ affective temperaments : Life satisfaction, interpretation, and memory of events
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Journal of Positive Psychology. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1743-9760 .- 1743-9779. ; 4:2, s. 155-167
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study investigated differences in adolescents’ life satisfaction (LS), apprehension of personal and non-personal events, and the influence of recalled life events on LS. The affective temperament (AFT) classification was the framework for the research. Seventy male and 65 female adolescents participated. AFTs were developed through self-reported affect, generating four temperaments: self-actualizing, high affective, low affective, and self-destructive. LS was also self-reported. Apprehension for events was assessed through two tasks: (1) life event recollection and (2) interpretation and recognition of words in a short story. High and low affectives interpreted and remembered events as both self-actualizers and self-destructives. All AFTs, with the exception of self-destructives, showed positive biases. Only individuals with high positive affect were positively primed for non-personal events. Life events predicted self-destructives’ and low affectives’ LS. Self-actualizers showed higher LS, measured for a second time in a sub-sample, than self-destructives. The importance of the AFTs is discussed.
|
|
| 2. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(författare)
-
Adolescents’ psychological well-being and memory for life events : Influences on life satisfaction with respect to temperamental dispositions
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Journal of Happiness Studies. - : Springer. - 1389-4978 .- 1573-7780. ; 10:4, s. 407-419
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of the present study was to explore how the number of recalled life events (positive and negative) predicts psychological well-being (PWB) and how PWB predicts life satisfaction (LS). In addition, participants were categorized into one of four different affective temperaments (self-actualizing, high affective, low affective, and self-destructive). One hundred and thirty-five high school students participated in completing the SWLS (LS), PWB (short-version), PANAS (to create affective temperaments), and the life events recollection task. Results indicated that adolescents with high positive affect also had high PWB; adolescents with low affective profiles also had high PWB. Positive and negative life events predicted PWB for self-destructive temperaments, whereas positive life events predicted PWB for low affective temperaments. PWB predicted LS for all temperaments except the self-actualizing group. In conclusion, the temperament combinations may allow the individual to achieve PWB and LS. Even more importantly, self-acceptance may foster LS regardless of temperament and may have more impact on LS than life events.
|
|
| 3. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(författare)
-
Adolescents’ psychological well-being and memory for life events: Influences on life satisfaction with respect to temperamental dispositions
- 2008
-
Ingår i: 29th International Congress of Psychology.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim of the present study was to explore how the number of recalled life events (positive and negative) predicts psychological well-being (PWB) and how PWB predicts life satisfaction (LS). One hundred and thirty five high school students participated in completing the SWLS (LS), PWB (short-version), PANAS (to create AFT) and the life events recollection task. Results indicated that adolescents with high PA also indicated high PWB. In addition adolescents with low affective profiles had high PWB. Positive and negative life events predicted PWB for self-destructive temperaments; positive life events predicted PWB for low affective temperaments. PWB predicted LS for all temperaments except for the self-actualizing group.
|
|
| 4. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(författare)
-
Adolescents Satisfaction with Life: Affective Personalities Interpretation and Memory for Events
- 2007
-
Ingår i: Xth European Congress of Psychology.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The present study investigated adolescents temperamental dispositions described in terms of affective personalities, and how these affective personalities differ in their satisfaction with life, how they recall and recognize and interpret events. Furthermore, the study examined to what extent memories of life events predicts the affective personalities satisfaction with life. A total of 70 male and 65 female high- school students with an age mean of 17 years participated in the study. The affective personality classification was developed through The Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scales, satisfaction with life was measured with The Satisfaction With Life Scale, interpretation and memory for events was assessed by life events recollection and interpretation and recognition of words in a short story. High and low affective adolescents showed a tendency to interpret and remember events as self-actualizing adolescents and self-destructive adolescents as well. Although all personalities, self- destructive not included, showed positive biases; only individuals with high positive affect were primed for positive stimuli. Life events predicted only self-destructive and low affective adolescents satisfaction with life. The self-actualizing personality emerged as the only ones to remain more satisfied with life in the long term. To conclude, the study acknowledges individual differences in temperamental dispositions and its relation to satisfaction with life.
|
|
| 5. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(författare)
-
It is what adolescents make of themselves intentionally that makes them happy: Temperament, Character and Happiness Enhancing Strategies
- 2008
-
Ingår i: 4th European Conference on Positive Psychology.
-
Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In order to predict future changes in Subjective Well-Being (SWB) three major determinants may be considered: (1) the person’s genetic set point or set range (which reflects personality), (2) the person’s current circumstances (demographic, geographic, and contextual), and (3) the person’s current intentional activities (behavioral, cognitive, and motivational). In this context, personality can be described as a psychobiological construct, composed of temperament and character. While temperament describes what grabs our attention and how intensely we react, character is defined as a reflection of personal goals and values. Two studies were conducted in order to examine the relationship between personality (Temperament and Character Inventory; TCI), happiness enhancing strategies and SWB (Satisfaction With Life Scale, SWLS; Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale, PANAS) in a sample of 100 Swedish adolescents. The first study measured temperament, character and SWB. The second study measured SWB (SWLS and PANAS) six months later and asked participants how often they used different happiness enhancing strategies. The results show that both temperament (mainly Harm Avoidance, HA) and character (mainly Self- Directedness, SD) predicted SWB at time one and two. TCI scores were related to different strategies, however only the strategies of social affiliation, active leisure, direct attempts, passive leisure, instrumental goal pursuit and mental control predicted individuals’ SWB. When character (SD) was controlled for the relationship between temperament (HA) and SWB (mainly negative affect) vanished. Finally, when the happiness enhancing strategies mentioned above were controlled for the temperament (HA) – SWB (Life satisfaction, positive affect and negative affect) relationship disappeared. Thus, what people makes of themselves intentionally, character, may involve individual differences in self-concepts about goals and values, in contrast to the temperaments that involve differences in automatic emotional reactions and habits. Such self-concepts modify the significance or meaning of what is experienced, hence also changing SWB.
|
|
| 6. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(författare)
-
On Lions and Adolescents : Affective Temperaments and the Influence of Negative Stimuli on Memory
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Journal of Happiness Studies. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1389-4978 .- 1573-7780. ; 11:4, s. 477-495
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The present study investigated the relation between reaction to negative stimuli and memory for stimuli. The relation was further investigated using as a framework individuals' affective temperaments (AFTs). Eighty adolescents participated in the study. The AFTs are based on selfreported affect and categorizes individuals in four temperaments: self-actualizing, high affective, low affective and self-destructive. Reaction to negative stimuli was measured by interpretation of specific words in a short story. Two days later, participants were presented with a list of words and asked which of them were present in the short story. Individuals' AFTs were expected to predict the promotion of pleasure or the prevention of displeasure. On a general level, reaction to negative stimuli predicted memory for negative, positive and neutral words. At an individual level, self-actualizers and high affectives' negative reaction predicted the memory of positive words (i.e., promotion). In contrast, low affectives' negative and positive reaction predicted the memory of neutral words (i.e., prevention).
|
|
| 7. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(författare)
-
Temperament and Character as Determinants in Adolescents’ Subjective Well-Being: A One Year Study
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Book of Abstracts, 5th European Conference on Positive Psychology. 23-26 June 2010. Copenhagen, Denmark..
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Personality is considered a major determinant of adults and adolescents Subjective Well-Being (SWB); probably due to its relation to emotional reactivity, individual differences in intensity to responses to emotional events, and to the duration of emotional reactions. However, personality as presented above involves almost only differences in automatic emotional reactions and habits (i.e., temperament). Nevertheless, empirical research has shown that temperamental dispositions do not account for personality development (for a review see Cloninger, 2004). Since measuring temperament involves differences in automatic emotional reactions and habits. In other words, temperament is a biological disposition that does not account for environmental learning experiences. As a result temperament alone may not be adequate in the prediction of affective disorders (for a review see Gunderson, Triebwasser, Phillips, & Sullivan, 1999). If it is so, temperament alone is probably not adequate in the prediction of high levels of SWB. For instance, Diener and Seligman (2002) found that extraversion, among other factors, is recurrent in both very happy and very unhappy adults. This has lead to the conclusion that extraversion seems to be necessary but not sufficient for high levels of SWB (Diener & Seligman, 2002). Temperament together with learning experiences from different life events may be responsible for the development of personal goals, values, and even defense mechanisms (i.e., character). Consequently, research among adults suggests that mature character development is, rather than temperament, related to the recollection of good and meaningful life experiences and that adolescence seems to be an important period in the development of character (for a review see McAdams, 2001). Hence, the study of personality as a psychobiological construct composed of temperament and character (Cloninger, 2004), in the context of adolescence may be important to the understanding of adult’ SWB. Moreover, although happiness (i.e., high levels of SWB) by itself appears to be an attractive goal; adolescents that experience high levels of happiness show less emotional and behavioral problems. Two studies were conducted a year apart among 109 high school pupils. The studies goals were to examine how personality (Temperament and Character Inventory, TCI) was related to SWB (Satisfaction With Life Scale, SWLS; Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale, PANAS). Temperament (Harm Avoidance) and character (Self-Directedness) predicted SWB (T1 and T2). Moreover, Self-Directedness predicted small but significant increases in SWB at T2. The results are in concordance with research that shows the influence of temperament on SWB (i.e., that individuals with highly reactive temperament are prone to variations in their levels of happiness). The specific role of Self-Directedness is important, since low levels of Harm Avoidance did not resulted in increases of SWB. Adolescents that are self-directed develop good habits and automatically behave in accordance with their long-term values and goals. Such self-concepts probably modify the significance or meaning of what is experienced, hence also changing SWB. The authors discuss the inclusion of character as a determinant of SWB.
|
|
| 8. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(författare)
-
The Happy Personality: A Tale of Two Philosophies
- 2013
-
Ingår i: Psychology of Personality. E. F. Morris & M-A. Jackson (Eds.). - New York : Nova Science Publishers. - 9781622572885 ; , s. 41-59
-
Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Research on well-being has for the last two decades focused on the happy people. Some of the questions that positive psychologists try to answer are: What makes people happy and fully functional? Who are the happy people? Hedonism and Eudaimonism are the two perspectives that are most salient in the field of positive psychology. While Hedonism defines well-being as the experience of pleasure versus displeasure, Eudaimonism points out wellbeing as full engagement and optimal performance in existential challenges of life. This chapter reviews both perspectives underlying theories and research with respect to, adaptation, cultural worldview, and a person’s values and goals. We also highlight some limitations of current research and present an innovative new approach, although controversial, to the happy personality. This approach is based on emotional differences and is called The Affective Temperaments Model.
|
|
| 9. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(författare)
-
The Role of Character in the Relationship between Personality and Well-Being in Teens
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Sixth Self Biennial International Conference. Quebec, Canada..
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Personality is considered a major determinant of adolescents’ well-being; probably due to its relation to emotional reactivity, individual differences in intensity to responses to emotional events, and to the duration of emotional reactions. The traits of Neuroticism and Extraversion have constantly been the strongest personality predictors of well-being. McAdams (2001, p. 111), however, suggested that personality traits may be limited to traits that “are global, stable, linear and comparative dimensions of human individuality”. Instead, character (i.e., what individuals make of themselves intentionally) probably modifies the significance or meaning of what is experienced, in turn, influencing well-being (Cloninger, 2004). Although the concept of the self holds a major position in psychology (e.g., Allport, 1955; Rogers, 1959), most research on adolescents’ well-being has focused on traits models of personality. A total of 100 high school pupils self-reported personality using two models of personality: the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the NEO Personality Inventory - Revised (NEO-PI-R). Well-being was measured as Psychological Well-Being (PWB) and Subjective Well-Being (Life Satisfaction, LS; Positive Affect, PA; Negative Affect, NA). Regression analyses show that while Neuroticism was strongly related to PWB, the character construct of Self-Directedness also was strongly related. More importantly, Self-Directedness was strongly related to LS and to the absence of NA overruling the positive relationship between Extraversion and PWB, the negative relationship between Neuroticism and LS and the positive relationship between Neuroticism and NA. The authors discuss the inclusion of character as a determinant of SWB and PWB.
|
|
| 10. |
- Garcia, Danilo, 1973, et al.
(författare)
-
Tomorrow I could be in trouble…but the sun will come out next year: The effect of temporal distance on adolescents' judgments of life satisfaction
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Journal of Adolescence. - : Wiley. - 0140-1971 .- 1095-9254. ; 34, s. 751-757
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In a series of three studies, we examined adolescents’ judgments of temporal life satisfaction (LS). We based our predictions in the notion of temporal distance influence in the level of construal of near- and distant-future events. In Study 1 we found that adolescents enhance future and present LS while devaluating past LS. Manipulating temporal distance in Study 2 and 3 and examining differences between- and within-subjects, respectively, we found that adolescents expected to be more satisfied with their life in the distant- than in the near-future. Moreover, framing LS in the near-future led adolescents to expect lower LS than they reported one week earlier. In contrast, expectations for own LS in the distant-future were not higher than self-reported LS measured one week before the experiment. The authors discuss implications for theory development and implications in the study of adolescents’ LS.
|
|
