IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v14y2013i2p635-654.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

What Is the Optimal Way to Deliver a Positive Activity Intervention? The Case of Writing About One’s Best Possible Selves

Author

Listed:
  • Kristin Layous
  • S. Katherine Nelson
  • Sonja Lyubomirsky

Abstract

A 4-week-long experiment examined the effects of a positive activity intervention in which students wrote about their “best possible selves” (BPS) once a week. We manipulated two factors that might affect the success of the happiness-increasing activity—whether the positive activity was administered online versus in-person and whether the participant read a persuasive peer testimonial before completing the activity. Our results indicated that the BPS activity significantly boosted positive affect and flow and marginally increased feelings of relatedness. No differences were found between participants who completed the positive activity online versus in-person. However, students who read a testimonial extolling the virtues of the BPS activity showed larger gains in well-being than those who read neutral information or completed a control task. The results lend legitimacy to online self-administered happiness-increasing activities and highlight the importance of participants’ beliefs in the efficacy of such activities for optimum results. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Kristin Layous & S. Katherine Nelson & Sonja Lyubomirsky, 2013. "What Is the Optimal Way to Deliver a Positive Activity Intervention? The Case of Writing About One’s Best Possible Selves," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 635-654, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:14:y:2013:i:2:p:635-654
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-012-9346-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10902-012-9346-2
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-012-9346-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi & Jeremy Hunter, 2003. "Happiness in Everyday Life: The Uses of Experience Sampling," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 185-199, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Milena M. Grishutina & Vasily Yu. Kostenko, 2021. "Variety Of Possible Selves: The Role Of Agency And Empirical Evidence Review," HSE Working papers WP BRP 126/PSY/2021, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    2. John Coffey & Laura Wray-Lake & Debra Mashek & Brittany Branand, 2016. "A Multi-Study Examination of Well-Being Theory in College and Community Samples," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 187-211, February.
    3. Lukasz Kaczmarek & Jolanta Enko & Małgorzata Awdziejczyk & Natalia Hoffmann & Natalia Białobrzeska & Przemysław Mielniczuk & Stephan Dombrowski, 2016. "Would You Be Happier If You Looked Better? A Focusing Illusion," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 357-365, February.
    4. Johannes Bodo Heekerens & Kathrin Heinitz, 2019. "Looking Forward: The Effect of the Best-Possible-Self Intervention on Thriving Through Relative Intrinsic Goal Pursuits," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(5), pages 1379-1395, June.
    5. Valesca Y. Tobias & Marianne Woerkom & Maria Christina Meyers & Piety Runhaar & Arnold B. Bakker, 2023. "Thriving on Strengths: Effects of a Strengths Intervention for Younger and Older Teachers," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 1121-1144, March.
    6. Riches, Brian R. & Benavides, Celina M. & Dubon, Valeska X., 2020. "Development of a fostering purpose intervention," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    7. Schippers, M.C., 2017. "IKIGAI: Reflection on Life Goals Optimizes Performance and Happiness," ERIM Inaugural Address Series Research in Management EIA-2017-070-LIS, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam..
    8. Erin M. Fekete & Nathan T. Deichert, 2022. "A Brief Gratitude Writing Intervention Decreased Stress and Negative Affect During the COVID-19 Pandemic," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2427-2448, August.
    9. Meera Padhy & Kavya Chelli & Ruth Angiel Padiri, 2015. "Optimism and Psychological Well-Being of Police Officers With Different Work Experiences," SAGE Open, , vol. 5(2), pages 21582440155, April.
    10. Maike Neuhaus & Tarli Young & Laura J. Ferris & Charlotte L. M. Grimmel & Natasha Reid, 2022. "A Narrative Review of Peer-Led Positive Psychology Interventions: Current Evidence, Potential, and Future Directions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-15, June.
    11. Bond, Sue & van Breda, Adrian, 2018. "Interaction between possible selves and the resilience of care-leavers in South Africa," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 88-95.
    12. Weiwei Wang & Yan Sun & Yong Chen & Ya Bu & Gen Li, 2022. "Health Effects of Happiness in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-15, May.
    13. Alba Carrillo & Ernestina Etchemendy & Rosa M. Baños, 2021. "My Best Self in the Past, Present or Future: Results of Two Randomized Controlled Trials," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 955-980, February.
    14. Penfornis, Kristell M. & Gebhardt, Winifred A. & Rippe, Ralph C.A. & Van Laar, Colette & van den Putte, Bas & Meijer, Eline, 2023. "My future-self has (not) quit smoking: An experimental study into the effect of a future-self intervention on smoking-related self-identity constructs," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    15. Kate Sweeny & Kyla Rankin & Xiaorong Cheng & Lulu Hou & Fangfang Long & Yao Meng & Lilian Azer & Renlai Zhou & Weiwei Zhang, 2020. "Flow in the time of COVID-19: Findings from China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-12, November.
    16. Alba Carrillo & María Rubio-Aparicio & Guadalupe Molinari & Ángel Enrique & Julio Sánchez-Meca & Rosa M Baños, 2019. "Effects of the Best Possible Self intervention: A systematic review and meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(9), pages 1-23, September.
    17. Robert Hurling & Peter Murray & Cyrena Tomlin & Alannah Warner & Joy Wilkinson & Godfrey York & P. Alex Linley & Helen Dovey & Rebecca A. Hogan & John Maltby & Timothy T. C. So, 2016. "Short Tips Delivered “in the Moment†Can Boost Positive Emotion," International Journal of Psychological Studies, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 9(1), pages 1-88, March.
    18. Paula M Loveday & Geoff P Lovell & Christian M Jones, 2018. "The Best Possible Selves Intervention: A Review of the Literature to Evaluate Efficacy and Guide Future Research," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 607-628, February.
    19. Steinert, Janina Isabel & Cluver, Lucie Dale & Meinck, Franziska & Doubt, Jenny & Vollmer, Sebastian, 2018. "Household economic strengthening through financial and psychosocial programming: Evidence from a field experiment in South Africa," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 443-466.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hedin, Lena & Höjer, Ingrid & Brunnberg, Elinor, 2011. "Settling into a new home as a teenager: About establishing social bonds in different types of foster families in Sweden," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(11), pages 2282-2289.
    2. Hajdu, Tamás & Hajdu, Gábor, 2011. "A hasznosság és a relatív jövedelem kapcsolatának vizsgálata magyar adatok segítségével [Examining the relation of utility and relative income using Hungarian data]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(1), pages 56-73.
    3. Flores, Gabriela & Ingenhaag, Michael & Maurer, Jürgen, 2015. "An anatomy of old-age disability: Time use, affect and experienced utility," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 150-160.
    4. Jiri Zuzanek & Tamara Zuzanek, 2015. "Of Happiness and of Despair, Is There a Measure? Time Use and Subjective Well-being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 839-856, August.
    5. Matthew D Rablen, 2012. "The promotion of local wellbeing: A primer for policymakers," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 27(3), pages 297-314, May.
    6. Gamze Dane & Aloys Borgers & Tao Feng, 2019. "Subjective Immediate Experiences during Large-Scale Cultural Events in Cities: A Geotagging Experiment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-19, October.
    7. Easterlin, Richard A., 2006. "Life cycle happiness and its sources: Intersections of psychology, economics, and demography," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 463-482, August.
    8. Lisbeth Ku, 2015. "Development of Materialism in Adolescence: The Longitudinal Role of Life Satisfaction Among Chinese Youths," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 124(1), pages 231-247, October.
    9. Hideaki Sakawa & Fumio Ohtake & Yoshiro Tsutsui, 2015. "Activity, Time, and Subjective Happiness: An analysis Based on an Hourly Web survey," ISER Discussion Paper 0926, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    10. Heller-Sahlgren, Gabriel, 2018. "Smart but unhappy: Independent-school competition and the wellbeing-efficiency trade-off in education," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 66-81.
    11. Nicholas J. L. Brown & Julia M. Rohrer, 2020. "Easy as (Happiness) Pie? A Critical Evaluation of a Popular Model of the Determinants of Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 1285-1301, April.
    12. John Helliwell & Shun Wang, 2014. "Weekends and Subjective Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 116(2), pages 389-407, April.
    13. Paul Dolan & Daniel Kahneman, 2008. "Interpretations Of Utility And Their Implications For The Valuation Of Health," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 118(525), pages 215-234, January.
    14. Anna Matysiak & Letizia Mencarini & Daniele Vignoli, 2015. "Work-family Conflict Moderates the Impact of Childbearing on Subjective Well-Being," Carlo Alberto Notebooks 435, Collegio Carlo Alberto.
    15. Maja Tadić Vujčić & Eduardo Garcia-Garzon & Buse Gonul & Irina Gioaba, 2022. "From Teachers’ Work Engagement to Pupils’ Positive Affect: a Weekly Diary Study on the Role of Pupils’ Autonomous Motivation," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(2), pages 613-633, April.
    16. Adorée Durayappah, 2011. "The 3P Model: A General Theory of Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(4), pages 681-716, August.
    17. van de Wetering, E.J. & van Exel, N.J.A. & Brouwer, W.B.F., 2010. "Piecing the jigsaw puzzle of adolescent happiness," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 923-935, December.
    18. Andreas Knabe & Steffen Rätzel & Ronnie Schöb & Joachim Weimann, 2010. "Dissatisfied with Life but Having a Good Day: Time-use and Well-being of the Unemployed," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 120(547), pages 867-889, September.
    19. Gregor Gonza & Anže Burger, 2017. "Subjective Well-Being During the 2008 Economic Crisis: Identification of Mediating and Moderating Factors," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 1763-1797, December.
    20. Avinash Auliah & Lei Mee Thien & Siaw Hui Kho & Nordin Abd Razak & Hazri Jamil & Mohammad Zohir Ahmad, 2021. "Exploring Positive School Attributes: Evidence From School Leader and Teacher Perspectives," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:14:y:2013:i:2:p:635-654. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.