Wright & Staw (1999): study US 1994

Publication

Author(s):

Wright, T.A.; Staw, B.M.

Title:

Affect and Favorable Work Outcomes: Two Longitudinal Tests of the Happy - Productive Worker Thesis.

Source:

Journal of Organizational Behavior, 1999, Vol. 20, 1 - 23

Investigation

Public

Social welfare department employees, USA, 199?, followed 4 years

Sample

Non-probability chunk sample

Respondents

N = 81

Non Response

35%

Assessment

Questionnaire: Paper & Pencil Interview (PAPI)
Work performance rated by departmental manager.

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:

Self report on 8 questions:

Here is a list that describes some of the ways people feel at different times. How often do you feel each of these ways?
A  On top of the world
B  Very lonely or remote from other people
C  Particularly excited or interested in something
D  Pleased about having accomplished something
E  Bored
F  Depressed or very unhappy
G  So restless that you could not sit long in a chair
H  Vaguely uneasy about something without knowing why

Response options:
0  never
1  sometimes
3  often

Scoring:
PA   =  A+C+D           (range 0-9)
NA   =  B+E+F+G+H  (range 0-15)
ABS =  PA-NA           (range 1-7)

Name: Index of Psychological Wellbeing

Classification:

A-BB-u-mq-v-3-e

Author's label:

Affective disposition

Remarks:

T1: N= 44 M =3,5 SD =1,3   T2: N= 45 M= 3,5 SD = 1,5

Page in publication:

6

Error estimates:

Cronbach alpha: T1: 0.73 T2: 0.70

Observed distribution

Summary Statistics

On original range 1 - 7 On range 0-10

Mean:

3.50 8.50

SD:

1.30 -

Full text:

Self report on 20 questions.

This scale consists of a number of words that describe different feelings and emotions. Read each item and mark the appropriate answer in the space next to that word. Indicate to what extend you felt this way today....?

A  nervous
B  distressed
C  afraid
D  jittery
E  irritable
F  upset
G  scared
H  ashamed
I  guilty
J  hostile
K  excited
L  active
M  determined
N  inspired
O  enthusiastic
P  alert
Q  attentive
R  proud
S  strong
T  interested

Answer options:  
1  very slightly or not at all
2  a little
3  moderately
4  quite a bit
5  extremely

Negative affect score (NAS): A to J
Positive affect score (PAS): K to T
Affect Balance Score  (ABS): PAS - NAS
Name: Watson et al's PANAS ('today' version)

Classification:

A-BW-md-mq-v-5-b

Author's label:

positive and negative mood

Remarks:

Affect Balance: at T2 M= 1,2   
                         at T3 M =1,6   
Positive Affect subscale: at T2  M= 3,1 SD =0,8
                                        at T3  M= 3,2  SD=0,7
Negative Affect subscale: at T2 M= 1,9  SD=0,9
                                          at T3 M=1,6  SD=0,7

Page in publication:

8

Error estimates:

Cronbach alpha: positive mood T2: 0.91 T3: 0.86 negative mood T2: 0.93 T3: 0.90

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Composite rated performance Change in work-performance
Later work-performance
Supervisor rating of job performance Support Later attentiveness Goal emphasis Later goal emphasis Team building Later social functioning at work Work facilitation Later creativeness Global rated performance Later work-performance
Supervisor rating of job performance Positive and Negative mood Past happiness ( 1 to 10 years ago)
Mood during the day of interview