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Mental calibration and the enjoyment of action

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Date Issued:
1995
Summary:
Two studies tested the optimality hypothesis of action identification theory (Vallacher & Wegner, 1985). This model predicts that personally difficult activities are enjoyed when they are identified in relatively low-level, "how-to" terms, whereas personally easy activities are enjoyed when they are identified in higher level, comprehensive terms. In Study 1, participants (N = 172) attempted to solve either high- or low-difficulty anagrams under various identities for their behavior. In Study 2, expert and novice artists (N = 55) drew a picture under either a high or low identity for the act of drawing. In both studies, results provided support for action identification theory's model of task enjoyment.
Title: Mental calibration and the enjoyment of action.
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Name(s): Rudich, Eric A.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Vallacher, Robin R., Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1995
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 79 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Two studies tested the optimality hypothesis of action identification theory (Vallacher & Wegner, 1985). This model predicts that personally difficult activities are enjoyed when they are identified in relatively low-level, "how-to" terms, whereas personally easy activities are enjoyed when they are identified in higher level, comprehensive terms. In Study 1, participants (N = 172) attempted to solve either high- or low-difficulty anagrams under various identities for their behavior. In Study 2, expert and novice artists (N = 55) drew a picture under either a high or low identity for the act of drawing. In both studies, results provided support for action identification theory's model of task enjoyment.
Identifier: 15222 (digitool), FADT15222 (IID), fau:11994 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1995.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Subject(s): Motivation (Psychology)
Cognition
Action theory
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15222
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.