Instrumental Goal Pursuit as an Individual-Difference Dimension in the Seeking of Happiness

The purpose of the present study was an attempt, by examining in more detail the use of the specific strategy of instrumental goal pursuit with the development of the Instrumental Goal Pursuit Scale (IGPS), to extend previous research on the self-selected strategies individuals employ in an attempt to seek happiness. The IGPS consists of five items characterized by happiness-enhancement strategies designed to meet personal goals (e.g., “Attempt to reach my full potential”). Although no gender difference was found, scores on the IGPS correlated significantly (p \u3c .001) with measures of life satisfaction and positive affect. Compared to those with low scores, those in the High-IGPS group maintained personal beliefs reflective of being more satisfied with their current state of happiness, feeling more optimistic about the future, and expressing greater control over their happiness, as well as a greater (p \u3c .001) frequency of use of the more constructive happiness-enhancement strategy categories of Purposeful Leisure, Social Affiliation, Mental Control, and Religious/Reflective. The overall pattern of results suggests initial support for the construct validity of the IGPS. Future research based on instrumental theories linking personality to subjective well-being should focus on individual differences in the underlying dynamics (e.g., goal construction/implementation) and practical implications (e.g., happiness interventions; goal-pursuit training) to examine more thoroughly the validity and utility of the IGPS

What Elderly Adults Do to Cope with Feelings of Shyness: A Content Analysis and Evaluation of Self-Selected Coping Strategies

Previous research has documented a consistent pattern of the self-selected strategies that shy adolescents (Carducci et al. 2003; Carducci, Elbedour, and Alsubie 2015) and adults (Carducci 2009; Carducci and Bocchiaro 2011) use to deal with their shyness. The purpose of the present study was to extend this previous research by attempting to identify and assess the self-selected strategies used by elderly adults to deal with shyness. The participants in the present study were 95 individuals (25 males and 70 females, with mean ages of 59.9 and 56.3 years, respectively) who completed a self-report inventory examining various intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions of shyness. Consistent with previous research, the most frequently used strategies by elderly adults to deal with shyness tended to include “forced extraversion” (e.g., willfully going to social events), “cognitive self-reassurance” (e.g., self-affirming statements to build confidence), “sought professional help” (e.g., counseling and psychotherapy), and “educational extraversion” (e.g., read self-help book). The overall pattern of results documents the extent to which elderly adults respond to shyness in a manner similar to shy adolescents and adults. Suggestions for how shy elderly adults might improve the effectiveness of these self-selected strategies for dealing with shyness are also presented

Delay of Gratification

Delay of gratification is defined as a cognitive and motivational mechanism that leads to the choice of a later or more distant reward when a person is confronted with an immediate or close reward. Delay of gratification is one of the most important regulatory processes determining successful self-regulation. Neuroimaging studies proved that the ability to delay has biological foundations, and high-delayers revealed much better inhibitory control; i.e. a more active prefrontal cortex in tasks demanding inhibition, than low-delayers. Delay of gratification measured in childhood predicts life outcomes, because it assesses the ability to self-regulate, rather than intelligence

Game dynamics that support snacking, not feasting

Player experience research tends to focus on immersive games that draw us into a single play session for hours; however, for casual games played on mobile devices, a pattern of brief daily interaction—called snacking—may be most profitable for companies and most enjoyable for players. To inform the design of snacking games, we conducted a content analysis of game mechanics in successful commercial casual games known to foster this pattern. We identified five single-player game dynamics: Instant Rewards, Novelty, Mission Completion, Waiting, and Blocking. After situating them in theories of motivation, we developed a game in which game mechanics that foster each dynamic can be included individually, and conducted two studies to establish their relative efficacy in fostering the behavioural pattern of snacking, finding significant potential in Novelty and Waiting. Our work informs the design of games in which regular and brief interaction is desired

Game dynamics that support snacking, not feasting

\u3cp\u3ePlayer experience research tends to focus on immersive games that draw us into a single play session for hours; however, for casual games played on mobile devices, a pattern of brief daily interaction—called snacking—may be most profitable for companies and most enjoyable for players. To inform the design of snacking games, we conducted a content analysis of game mechanics in successful commercial casual games known to foster this pattern. We identified five single-player game dynamics: Instant Rewards, Novelty, Mission Completion, Waiting, and Blocking. After situating them in theories of motivation, we developed a game in which game mechanics that foster each dynamic can be included individually, and conducted two studies to establish their relative efficacy in fostering the behavioural pattern of snacking, finding significant potential in Novelty and Waiting. Our work informs the design of games in which regular and brief interaction is desired.\u3c/p\u3