IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jhappi/v25y2024i1d10.1007_s10902-024-00710-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Responsiveness, Social Connection, Hope, and Life Satisfaction in Everyday Social Interaction: An Experience Sampling Study

Author

Listed:
  • Andy J. Merolla

    (Department of Communication at the University of California)

  • Andreas B. Neubauer

    (DIPF Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education)

  • Christopher D. Otmar

    (Department of Communication at the University of California)

Abstract

What are the specific everyday communication experiences—from across people’s social networks—that contribute to well-being? In the present work, we focus on the effects of perceived partner responsiveness in social interactions on various well-being outcomes. We hypothesized that everyday moments of responsiveness indirectly support two key estimates of well-being (hope and life satisfaction) through feelings of social connection. Data were obtained in an experience sampling study collected across ten days (N = 120). Results of dynamic structural equation modeling (DSEM) showed that responsive interaction predicted increases in hope (but not life satisfaction) through social connection. Results also identified reciprocal within-person links between responsive interaction and social connection throughout the day. These findings underscore the importance of responsive everyday communication for fostering social connection across different types of relationships and for supporting people’s capacity for a hopeful life. We discuss the implications of these results for continued research of responsiveness, hope theory, and well-being from a social interaction lens. On a practical level, the mediation pathway involving hope suggests how small changes in our patterns of everyday social interaction can be consequential to the quality of our lives.

Suggested Citation

  • Andy J. Merolla & Andreas B. Neubauer & Christopher D. Otmar, 2024. "Responsiveness, Social Connection, Hope, and Life Satisfaction in Everyday Social Interaction: An Experience Sampling Study," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 1-20, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:25:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s10902-024-00710-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-024-00710-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10902-024-00710-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10902-024-00710-5?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. Liad Uziel & Tomer Schmidt-Barad, 2022. "Choice Matters More with Others: Choosing to be with Other People is More Consequential to Well-Being than Choosing to be Alone," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2469-2489, August.
    2. TeKisha M. Rice & Madoka Kumashiro & Ximena B. Arriaga, 2020. "Mind the Gap: Perceived Partner Responsiveness as a Bridge between General and Partner-Specific Attachment Security," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-16, September.
    3. Jordan A. Booker & Julie C. Dunsmore & Robyn Fivush, 2021. "Adjustment Factors of Attachment, Hope, and Motivation in Emerging Adult Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(7), pages 3259-3284, October.
    4. Achraf Ammar & Hamdi Chtourou & Omar Boukhris & Khaled Trabelsi & Liwa Masmoudi & Michael Brach & Bassem Bouaziz & Ellen Bentlage & Daniella How & Mona Ahmed & Patrick Mueller & Notger Mueller & Hsen , 2020. "COVID-19 Home Confinement Negatively Impacts Social Participation and Life Satisfaction: A Worldwide Multicenter Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-17, August.
    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. Yong Zhan & Xiaoyi Zhan & Min Wu, 2025. "From Financial Assistance to Emotional Care: The Impact of Intergenerational Support on the Subjective Well-Being of China’s Elderly," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 1-28, February.

    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. Federica Gentili & Giulia Cafiero & Marco Alfonso Perrone & Massimiliano Bianco & Annamaria Salvati & Ugo Giordano & Stefani Silva Kikina & Paolo Guccione & Andrea De Zorzi & Lorenzo Galletti & Fabriz, 2021. "The Effects of Physical Inactivity and Exercise at Home in Young Patients with Congenital Heart Disease during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-10, September.
    2. Cleofas, Jerome Visperas, 2023. "Internet access as a moderator of mental health and satisfaction with life during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from young Filipino undergraduates from income-poor households," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    3. Francesca Vitali & Elisa Bisagno & Marinella Coco & Alessia Cadamuro & Nelson Mauro Maldonato & Donatella Di Corrado, 2022. "A Moderated Mediation Analysis of the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Well-Being and Sport Readiness of Italian Team Sports Players: The Role of Perceived Safety of the Training Environment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-15, February.
    4. David Jungwirth & Daniela Haluza, 2023. "Sports and the Pandemic: The Impact of COVID-19 on Active Living and Life Satisfaction of Climbers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-12, January.
    5. Joohyun Justine Park & Ah-Hyun Angela Lee & Lynne Soon-Chean Park & Rebekah Jaung & Changzoo Song, 2024. "Korean Residents’ Experiences of Racism in Germany During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Association with Life Satisfaction and Sense of Belonging," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 25(4), pages 2299-2320, December.
    6. Isabela Coelho Ponciano & Mariana Balbi Seixas & Tiago Peçanha & Adriano Luiz Pereira & Patrícia Fernandes Trevizan & Raquel Rodrigues Britto & Lilian Pinto da Silva, 2022. "Maintenance of Physical Activity Behavior by Individuals with Prediabetes and Diabetes during the COVID-19 Pandemic after Completing an Exercise Intervention in Brazil," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-14, July.
    7. Jinho Kim & Sujeong Park & S. V. Subramanian & Taehoon Kim, 2023. "The Psychological Costs of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Heterogeneous Effects in South Korea: Evidence from a Difference-in-Differences Analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 455-476, February.
    8. Cătălina Radu & Alecxandrina Deaconu & Iudith-Anci Kis & Adela Jansen & Sorina Ioana Mișu, 2023. "New Ways to Perform: Employees’ Perspective on Remote Work and Psychological Security in the Post-Pandemic Era," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-19, March.
    9. Catharina Sjödahl Hammarlund & Anna Norlander & Christina Brogårdh, 2023. "Experiences of People with Cardiovascular Disease during COVID-19 in Sweden: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-11, April.
    10. Souhail Hermassi & El Ghali Bouhafs & Nicola Luigi Bragazzi & Shiro Ichimura & Khaled E. Alsharji & Lawrence D. Hayes & René Schwesig, 2021. "Effects of Home Confinement on the Intensity of Physical Activity during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Team Handball According to Country, Gender, Competition Level, and Playing Position: A Worldwide Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-21, April.
    11. Raziye Yüksel Doğan & Emine Nilgün Metin, 2023. "Exploring the Relationship between Mindfulness and Life Satisfaction in Adolescents: The Role of Social Competence and Self-Esteem," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 16(4), pages 1453-1473, August.
    12. Christina Brogårdh & Catharina Sjödahl Hammarlund & Frida Eek & Kjerstin Stigmar & Ingrid Lindgren & Anna Trulsson Schouenborg & Eva Ekvall Hansson, 2021. "Self-Perceived Life Satisfaction during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Sweden: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-14, June.
    13. Jeong-Hyun Nam & Soo-Hyun Nam, 2022. "Multifaceted Work-to-Life Negative Spillover and Depressive Symptoms among Working Women: The Moderating Effect of Social Activities Satisfaction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-11, September.
    14. Paula Rodríguez-Fernández & Josefa González-Santos & Mirian Santamaría-Peláez & Raúl Soto-Cámara & Esteban Sánchez-González & Jerónimo J. González-Bernal, 2021. "Psychological Effects of Home Confinement and Social Distancing Derived from COVID-19 in the General Population—A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-18, June.
    15. Anita Padmanabhanunni & Tyrone Pretorius, 2021. "The Loneliness–Life Satisfaction Relationship: The Parallel and Serial Mediating Role of Hopelessness, Depression and Ego-Resilience among Young Adults in South Africa during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-10, March.
    16. Katsuo Oshima & Hiroko Miura & Rumi Tano & Hideki Fukuda, 2022. "Factors Associated with Regular Dental Checkups’ Discontinuation during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-11, March.
    17. Jerónimo J Gonzalez-Bernal & Paula Rodríguez-Fernández & Mirian Santamaría-Peláez & Josefa González-Santos & Benito León-del-Barco & Luis A. Minguez & Raúl Soto-Cámara, 2021. "Life Satisfaction during Forced Social Distancing and Home Confinement Derived from the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-10, February.
    18. Ewa Kupcewicz & Marzena Mikla & Helena Kadučáková & Elżbieta Grochans, 2022. "Loneliness and Satisfaction with Life among Nursing Students in Poland, Spain and Slovakia during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-16, March.
    19. Peter C. Terry & Renée L. Parsons-Smith & Albertas Skurvydas & Aušra Lisinskienė & Daiva Majauskienė & Dovilė Valančienė & Sydney Cooper & Marc Lochbaum, 2022. "Physical Activity and Healthy Habits Influence Mood Profile Clusters in a Lithuanian Population," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-16, August.
    20. Thi Truong An Hoang & Andreas Knabe, 2025. "Social contacts, unemployment, and experienced well-being: evidence from time-use data," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 38(1), pages 1-28, March.

    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:25:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s10902-024-00710-5. 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.