Weiss et al. (1999): study US 1996

Publication

Author(s):

Weiss, H.M.; Daus, C.; Nicholas, J.P.

Title:

An Examination of the Joint Effects of Affective Experiences and Job Beliefs on Job Satisfaction and Variations in Affective Experiences over Time.

Source:

Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes , 1999, Vol. 78, 1 - 24

Investigation

Public

Managers, United States, followed 16 working days, 1996

Survey name

Unnamed study

Sample

Non-probability self-selected

Respondents

N = 64

Non Response

Assessment

Multiple assesment methods
dairy and questionnaires

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:

Self report on two questions:

A
Use the list below to answer the following question: IN GENERAL, HOW HAPPY OR UNHAPPY DO YOU USUALLY FEEL? Check the one statement that best describes your average happiness.
10  extremely happy (feeling ecstatic, joyous, fantastic!)
9    very happy (feeling really good and elated!)
8    pretty happy (spirits high, feeling good)
7    mildly happy (feeling fairly good and somewhat cheerful)
6    slightly happy ( just a bit above neutral)
5    slightly unhappy (just a bit below neutral)
4    mildly unhappy (just a bit low)
3    pretty unhappy (somewhat "blue", spirits down)
2    very unhappy ( depressed, spirits very low)
1    extremely unhappy (utterly depressed, completely down)

B)
Consider your emotions a moment further. On the average, what percentage of the time do you feel Happy? What percent of the time do you feel unhappy? What percent of the time do you feel neutral (neither happy nor unhappy)? Write down your best estimate, as well as you can, in the space below. Make sure the figures add-up to equal 100%
The percent of time I felt happy       _____%
The percent of time I felt unhappy   _____%
The percent of time I felt neutral      _____%

Summation: (A .100)+(B % happy)/2

Name: Fordyce's 'Happiness measure'

Classification:

A-Sum-g-mq-*-111-b

Author's label:

Dispositional happiness

Page in publication:

8

Error estimates:

Cronbach's alpha = 0.81

Observed distribution

Summary Statistics

On original range 0 - 110 On range 0-10

Mean:

66.38 6.03

SD:

15.53 1.41

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Overall job satisfaction Satisfaction with work-as-a-whole Pleasantness at work Feeling cheerful (vs gloomy)
Mood during work
Hedonic tone in affect Activation Feeling energetic (vs lethargic, tired)
Activation
Mood during work Valence-Instrumentality-Expectancy job belief Reasons for working
Perceived instrumentality of current job Affect intensity Intensity of affects Pleasantness cyclicity Variability of affects
Mood variability Activation cyclicity Variability of affects
Mood variability Mood variability at work Variability of affects
Mood variability Variability in feeling active at work Variability of affects
Feeling energetic (vs lethargic, tired)