Is it okay to feel this way? Exploring the joint effect of emotional experiences and expectations on life satisfaction

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cris.lastimport.scopus2025-08-29T03:13:29Z
dc.abstract.enThis research investigates the joint effect of individual emotional experiences and societal expectations on life satisfaction. Inspired by the Affect Valuation Theory and Self-Discrepancy Theory, we explored how discrepancies between actual emotional experiences and what society believes we “ought” to feel are linked with life satisfaction. A total of 301 U.S. online participants rated their emotional experiences and societal expectations for emotions, along with measures of life satisfaction. Response surface analyses were used to assess the effect of emotional experience-norm congruence on life satisfaction. Findings revealed that the highest life satisfaction reported by individuals infrequently experiencing negative emotions but perceiving high societal expectations for these emotions, while congruence effects were not supported. These findings suggest the potential benefits of a societal shift toward greater acceptance of a wider range of negative emotions. The study may potentially stimulate interventions to enhance individuals' life satisfaction by reconsidering societal beliefs about emotions.
dc.affiliationInstitute of Psychology
dc.affiliationInstytut Psychologii
dc.contributor.authorYeung, June Chun
dc.contributor.authorRoczniewska, Marta
dc.contributor.authorKrys, Kuba
dc.date.access2024-02-28
dc.date.accessioned2024-05-27T08:37:04Z
dc.date.available2024-05-27T08:37:04Z
dc.date.created2024-02-06
dc.date.issued2024-02-28
dc.description.abstract<jats:p>This research investigates the joint effect of individual emotional experiences and societal expectations on life satisfaction. Inspired by the Affect Valuation Theory and Self-Discrepancy Theory, we explored how discrepancies between actual emotional experiences and what society believes we “ought” to feel are linked with life satisfaction. A total of 301 U.S. online participants rated their emotional experiences and societal expectations for emotions, along with measures of life satisfaction. Response surface analyses were used to assess the effect of emotional experience-norm congruence on life satisfaction. Findings revealed that the highest life satisfaction reported by individuals infrequently experiencing negative emotions but perceiving high societal expectations for these emotions, while congruence effects were not supported. These findings suggest the potential benefits of a societal shift toward greater acceptance of a wider range of negative emotions. The study may potentially stimulate interventions to enhance individuals' life satisfaction by reconsidering societal beliefs about emotions.</jats:p>
dc.description.accesstimeat_publication
dc.description.grantnumber2019/34/H/HS6/00597
dc.description.physical1-8
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume15
dc.identifier.doi10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1305812
dc.identifier.eissn1664-1078
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/694
dc.identifier.weblinkhttps://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1305812/full
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOPEN_JOURNAL
dc.subject.enemotional experience
dc.subject.ensocietal expectation
dc.subject.enemotional norms
dc.subject.enlife satisfaction
dc.subject.enresponse surface analysis
dc.swps.sciencecloudsend
dc.titleIs it okay to feel this way? Exploring the joint effect of emotional experiences and expectations on life satisfaction
dc.title.journalFrontiers in Psychology
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle