This study aims to investigate the effects of exercise-intensity on divergent creativity. It is hypothesized that exercise of moderate and high intensity enhance creativity more effectively than...Show moreThis study aims to investigate the effects of exercise-intensity on divergent creativity. It is hypothesized that exercise of moderate and high intensity enhance creativity more effectively than exercise of lower intensity. The study also investigates if arousal, positive high-arousal affect, and negative high-arousal affect serve as intermediary variables in this relationship. Scarce previous research has suggested a relationship between exercise-intensity and creativity, but studies comparing different exercise-intensities on creativity and potential underlying mechanisms were lacking. To address this knowledge gap, this study compares different intensities, namely low-intensity (cycling at 55% of maximum heart rate), moderate-intensity (cycling at 70% of maximum heart rate), high-intensity (cycling at 85% of maximum heart rate) and a control group, on divergent creativity (i.e., number and uniqueness of creative ideas); And looks at affect and arousal as underlying mechanisms. Happy (positive), elated (positive), upset (negative), tense (negative) and stressed (negative) are used as indicators for high-arousal affect and feelings of wakefulness and alertness as indicators for arousal. Participants in this study completed two appointments, of which the first appointment consisted of a fitness test to measure participants’ maximum heart rate. During the second appointment, participants were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions and their affect and arousal were measured before and after the exercise or control task. Creativity was measured after the exercise or control task was completed. A Kruskal-Wallis Test showed that participants in the moderate-intensity and high-intensity exercise did not show higher creativity. Further, macro PROCESS model 4 revealed a significant effect of moderate-intensity and high-intensity exercise on arousal in comparison to low-intensity exercise and a significant effect of moderate-intensity exercise on positive high-arousal affect, in comparison to the control group. Other than this, the model revealed that none of the mediators significantly explained a relationship between exercise-intensity and creativity. This study thus suggests that exercise-intensity does not play a significant role in creativity enhancement, nor does arousal or high-arousal affect. However, future research is needed to confirm this for other modes of exercise, regular exercise instead of acute bouts of exercise and for different individual characteristics, such as age and gender.Show less
If employees are not able to deal effectively with their emotions, negative consequences may occur such as absenteeism, turnover, and poorer physical and mental health. Therefore this study aimed...Show moreIf employees are not able to deal effectively with their emotions, negative consequences may occur such as absenteeism, turnover, and poorer physical and mental health. Therefore this study aimed to investigate if exercise fosters emotion regulation. It was hypothesized that 1) exercise would lead to less negative emotions; 2) this relationship is mediated by adaptive emotion regulation strategies, and 3) this effect would be greater for individuals high versus low in sensory processing sensitivity. To investigate this, an experimental, between-subjects design was used. A total of 134 students were recruited from Dutch universities, who were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: exercise, active control (making a puzzle), or passive control (rest). During the experiment, all participants filled out a questionnaire measuring background variables, negative state emotions, and trait sensory processing sensitivity. After this, participants underwent a negative emotion induction task to elicit negative emotions and create a need to regulate emotions. They then spent thirty minutes on a cycle ergometer, doing a puzzle, or resting in a chair, after which adaptive emotion regulation strategies and negative emotions were measured. A mixed ANCOVA was conducted to test whether participants in the exercise condition experienced less negative emotions after cycling for thirty minutes than the participants in the control conditions, which was not supported by the data. The SPSS extension ,,PROCESS” was used to test the second (model 4) and third (model 7) hypothesis. Support was found for the expectation that participants in the exercise condition make more use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies after cycling for thirty minutes, and therefore experience less negative emotions than the participants in the puzzle or rest condition (significant full mediation effect). Lastly, the hypothesis that the effect of exercise on negative emotions via emotion regulation would be greater for those scoring higher on sensory processing sensitivity than for those scoring lower on this trait, was not supported. These findings further our knowledge on the interdependence of these variables, since inconsistencies found in the literature may be explained by the indirect effect found in this study. The role of adaptive emotion regulation may be key to understanding the underlying mechanisms of how exercise influences emotions. This could potentially impact the development of creating (workplace) interventions, where combining an exercise intervention with increasing the knowledge of the employees about adaptive emotion regulation strategies might be most effective. However, more research in this area is needed to test how generalizable this effect is, since there is reason to believe gender differences and natural preferences (versus lab imposed conditions) may influence these findings.Show less
While research has proven that exercise can boost creativity, the optimal exercise intensity for predicting creativity and the underlying mechanism in this relationship, is still unknown. This...Show moreWhile research has proven that exercise can boost creativity, the optimal exercise intensity for predicting creativity and the underlying mechanism in this relationship, is still unknown. This study posits that exercising at a moderate-intensity (compared to low- and high-intensity) is best to increase creativity (i.e., divergent thinking), and that positive affect serves as a potential underlying mechanism in this relationship. Furthermore, it is hypothesised that moderate and high exercise intensities result in higher positive affect among individuals high in autonomous than individuals who have more controlled exercise motivation, which would, in turn, predict higher creativity levels. To these ends, an experimental between-subjects design with three experimental conditions (low-, moderate-, and high-intensity exercise) and a control condition (rest) was employed. Participants included healthy university students (N = 75) who were randomly allocated to the following 25-minute tasks: low-intensity exercise (55% of maximum heart rate), moderate-intensity exercise (70% of maximum heart rate), high-intensity (85% of maximum heart rate) or rest. Participants’ maximum heart rate was obtained during a maximal fitness test. At the start of the experiment, participants’ motivation for exercise was measured. After the 25-minute task, positive affect and creativity were measured. A one-way ANOVA revealed no difference in creativity between the different conditions. A mediation analysis using PROCESS, showed no support for positive affect as a mediating variable between exercise intensity and creativity, although participants in the moderate-intensity exercise condition showed higher levels of positive affect compared to participants in the control condition. Furthermore, autonomous motivation did not emerge as a moderator in the relationship between exercise intensity and positive affect, nor a moderator in the indirect relationship between exercise intensity, positive affect, and creativity. In conclusion, this study’s findings suggest that exercise intensity does not impact one’s creativity. Additionally, the questions regarding the underlying mechanism and the potential beneficiaries of this relationship remain unanswered. Further research could include a larger and more diverse sample, and an exploration of other potential mediators and moderators of the exercise intensity – creativity relationship.Show less
The match between a person and one’s work environment is important for work outcomes, such as emotional exhaustion in burnout. This is illustrated by the person-environmental fit (PE fit) model,...Show moreThe match between a person and one’s work environment is important for work outcomes, such as emotional exhaustion in burnout. This is illustrated by the person-environmental fit (PE fit) model, which consists, amongst others, of person-job fit (PJ fit) and person-group fit (PG fit). The relationship between these measures and emotional exhaustion could be moderated by cultural factors. In this research two cultural values are considered on an individual level, as PE fit is a subjective measure and thus dependent on individual values. Also, cultural values can differ between individuals within the same country. Firstly, the dimension masculinity/femininity was considered as a moderator between PJ fit and emotional exhaustion. This entails amongst others the importance of assertiveness and whether there is a difference between what men and women should achieve in a career. Secondly, the dimension collectivism/individualism was considered as a moderator between PG fit and emotional exhaustion. This entails the amount to which the group is more important than the individual. Two regression analyses were done using a sample of 161 participants (20 to 65 years old) who work for at least 24 hours a week. Nine participants were not entirely Dutch. The results showed that low PJ fit significantly predicts high emotional exhaustion, but masculinity/femininity did not significantly influence this relationship. Next, the participants without a work group were filtered out, resulting in 136 participants. Then, the results showed that there is no significant relationship between PG fit and emotional exhaustion, and that collectivism/individualism had no significant influence. Thus, in the organizational field, PJ misfit can be used as a risk factor in the secondary prevention of burnout. In the Dutch population, the two cultural values do not seem to play a role in the specific relationships. In future research one should consider other cultural values, PE fit measures and work outcomes, to generate an overview of risk factors for negative work outcomes.Show less
Background. Emergency department (ED) nurses are prone to develop burnout, however, they also tend to be engaged in their work. The goals of this study were twofold: (1) to establish the frequency...Show moreBackground. Emergency department (ED) nurses are prone to develop burnout, however, they also tend to be engaged in their work. The goals of this study were twofold: (1) to establish the frequency of ED nurses in four burnout - work engagement profiles, and (2) to investigate which work characteristics best separated the four burnout – work engagement profiles. Method. A cross-sectional study was done among 967 ED nurses working in one of 28 hospitals in the Netherlands (response rate 74%). The data was gathered using an online questionnaire. A frequency analysis and a descriptive discriminant analysis were performed. Two separate analyses were done for emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Results. For emotional exhaustion, the engaged profile was most prevalent among the ED nurses in this sample, followed by the burnout, unengaged and engaged-burnout profiles. For depersonalization, the engaged profile was also most prevalent, followed by the burnout, engaged-burnout and unengaged profiles. Two functions were generated by the descriptive discriminant analysis: (1) the Job Demands-Resources (JDR) function and (2) the mastery function. The JDR function separated the burnout from the engaged profile. When nurses scored high on job demands and low on job resources, they were more likely to be in the burnout profile, and vice versa for the engaged profile. Work-time demands and autonomy were primarily responsible for group separation for burnout overall. For emotional exhaustion staffing was also primarily important, whereas for depersonalization, educational and developmental possibilities and (financial) appreciation were also primarily important for group separation. The mastery function separated the engaged-burnout from the unengaged profile. When nurses had educational and developmental possibilities, and experienced a higher frequency of emotionally demanding and conflict/aggression situations, they were more likely to be in the engaged-burnout profile, and vice versa for the unengaged profile. Conclusion. This study provided insight in the interplay between burnout, work engagement, job demands and job resources. This study shows the importance to improve the ED working environment as many nurses are burned out, and showed that ED nurses can be burned out and engaged simultaneously. The findings support the Job Demands-Resources Model, and show that enhancing job demands and job resources is important to facilitate engaged ED nurses.Show less
Presenteeism has negative consequences for both the individual and the employer, such as increased levels of stress and poorer psychological health. It can be found across countries and in various...Show morePresenteeism has negative consequences for both the individual and the employer, such as increased levels of stress and poorer psychological health. It can be found across countries and in various professions. Millennials will soon comprise the majority of the global workforce, however, this costly phenomenon is poorly understood in this population. The predictors and the reasoning behind opting for presenteeism in working millennials (n=192) were investigated in this study. Self-reports were used to measure presenteeism, neuroticism, optimism, and job satisfaction. Relationships between the variables were explored using partial correlations and hierarchical regression. The moderation pathway was examined using PROCESS macro. The results showed that job satisfaction was able to predict presenteeism regardless of the employee's age, level of education, and general health. Neuroticism and optimism shared significant negative associations with presenteeism but were unable to predict it. Optimism was also not found to moderate the relationship between job satisfaction and presenteeism. A qualitative exploration suggested that the most likely reason millennials opt for working while sick is not feeling sick enough or feeling able to work despite their illness. The findings of this study suggest that being satisfied with one’s job plays a more significant role in presenteeism, while personality characteristics such as optimism and neuroticism might not. Predictors of presenteeism should be further investigated in the millennial workforce. Finally, suitable interventions should be explored in order to decrease the negative effects of presenteeism.Show less
The purpose of this research was to determine if different objectively manipulated exercise intensity levels (i.e., no, low, moderate, and high) were related to different creativity levels. It was...Show moreThe purpose of this research was to determine if different objectively manipulated exercise intensity levels (i.e., no, low, moderate, and high) were related to different creativity levels. It was expected that moderate intensity was best to increase creativity. Further, it was hypothesized that positive activated affect and affective shift were underlying factors in this relationship. In addition, it was expected that individuals with higher levels of physical fitness reacted with more positive affect to higher exercise intensity which in turn possibly favored their creativity. To test the hypotheses, individuals were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions: no, low, moderate, or high exercise (N = 76). ANOVA and regression analyses were used to analyze the data. A manipulation check revealed that the participants in each condition showed different exercise intensities. This research has shown that the different exercise intensities were not related to different creativity levels. In addition, positive activated affect and affective shift could not explain the relationship between exercise intensity and creativity, and physical fitness did not moderate it. Moderate intensity of exercising, however, led to higher levels of positive affect than low-intensity and no exertion exercising. The research did not find support for the idea that different exercise intensities could predict different creative performance. For future research, it is advised to include other indicators of creativity such as convergent creativity and improve the design of the study by increasing the sample size, enlarging the exercise duration, looking at the retention time and, changing the exercise type.Show less
Previous research neglected the influence of descriptive norms on work-life balance crafting among entrepreneurs, whereas the influential power of descriptive norms on health maintenance behaviors...Show morePrevious research neglected the influence of descriptive norms on work-life balance crafting among entrepreneurs, whereas the influential power of descriptive norms on health maintenance behaviors has been widely demonstrated (e.g., Chung & Rimal, 2016; Cialdini et al., 1991; Rimal & Real, 2005). The present study aimed to investigate whether descriptive norms from the community of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial self-efficacy can predict entrepreneurs’ engagement in work-life balance crafting behaviors. Additionally, the moderating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy in the relationship was examined. The online survey was completed by 145 entrepreneurs. Data showed that descriptive norms positively predicted work-life balance crafting behaviors and entrepreneurial self-efficacy moderated this relationship. Interestingly, the moderation showed that when entrepreneurial self-efficacy was high, the effect of descriptive norms decreased and vice versa. The results implied that entrepreneurs either rely on descriptive norms or on their own entrepreneurial self-efficacy in order to engage in their work-life balance.Show less
Based on the recovery paradox (RP) paradigm, the present study investigated a bi-directional (i.e., “typical” and “reverse”) relationship between employees’ job stressors appraised as threatening,...Show moreBased on the recovery paradox (RP) paradigm, the present study investigated a bi-directional (i.e., “typical” and “reverse”) relationship between employees’ job stressors appraised as threatening, strain reactions, and engagement in recovery activities. Namely, it was expected that there would be a positive relationship between one’s appraisal of workload as a threat stressor and one’s level of anxiety, and a negative relationship between one’s level of anxiety and one’s engagement in physical activity. Furthermore, the present study investigated the potential of job resources to alleviate the RP. Namely, it was expected that the “typical” relationship of the RP would be weaker for individuals who have higher levels of social (i.e., supervisor) support. These expectations were tested in a sample of 227 Dutch-speaking employees by using a weekly longitudinal study design consisting of an intake survey administered once and a subsequent questionnaire administered three times with a one-week time interval. Longitudinal effects were examined by using (moderated) mediation statistical analyses performed with the SPSS-extension PROCESS. Contrary to the expectations, analyses showed that although the relationships between the study’s variables trended in the expected directions, no significant bi-directional relationship was found between one’s appraisal of workload as a threat stressor, level of anxiety, and engagement in physical activity. In addition, no significant influence of supervisor support on the “typical” relationship between the variables was shown. Nevertheless, according to the expectations, analyses showed a significant effect of one’s level of anxiety on one’s appraisal of workload as a threat stressor (p = .012). This finding suggests that employee strain reaction impacts employee perception of their job stressors. With the present study being among the first ones to examine the complete indirect relationships between the RP components and the alleviating effect of supervisor support on the “typical” relationship of the RP, I discuss the contributions of the study’s findings to the existing literature and how it can encourage further investigation of the RP and its alleviation to promote employee well-being.Show less
Gender differences in negotiation behaviours and outcomes have been widely studied, reflecting societal stereotypes. These stereotypes associate men with assertiveness and women with agreeableness....Show moreGender differences in negotiation behaviours and outcomes have been widely studied, reflecting societal stereotypes. These stereotypes associate men with assertiveness and women with agreeableness. Such gendered socialization has led to distinct negotiation styles, often influenced by contextual factors like negotiation roles and subjects. Additionally, balancing negotiators’ gender influences behaviours; women tend to be more prosocial when negotiating with women. Research shows that experimenter gender can activate stereotypes in this same way, impacting negotiation behaviours. However, there is limited understanding of how experimenter gender affects female negotiation behaviour. This study examines the influence of experimenter gender and social motive on female participants' first offers and concession size. Employing a 2 x 2 design, female participants (N = 97) engaged in an online, chat-based negotiation, had a pro-social or individual motive, and a female or male experimenter. While no significant effects emerged for the independent variables on first offer, social motive significantly influenced concession size on the first negotiation issue. A significant interaction effect of social motive and experimenter gender was found for the first negotiation issue as well. These findings suggest that experimenter gender alone does not affect female negotiation behaviour, but social motives and their interaction with experimenter gender does. Contextual and demographical factors need to be considered when researching the interplay between experimenter gender and female negotiation behaviour. The results of this study can be used by professionals, as well as negotiation trainers and women in general to increase awareness and decrease the effect of gender stereotypes on female negotiation behaviour.Show less
The aim of this study is to extend the knowledge of the direct and indirect relations of the recovery paradox among employees on the recovery potential of recovery activities instead of the...Show moreThe aim of this study is to extend the knowledge of the direct and indirect relations of the recovery paradox among employees on the recovery potential of recovery activities instead of the engagement in such activities. It is based on the Conservations of Resources theory, Effort-Recovery theory and the study by Breevaart et al. (2020). Expectedly, strained employees may still engage in recovery activities but gain less recovery from such activities in the presence of strain. It is hypothesized that workload perceived as a hindrance (as strain factor) could cause a decrease in the recovery potential of physical activities and sleep, via rumination and fatigue as underlying mechanisms. A total of N = 143 employees, working at least 32-hours per week, participated in a longitudinal survey about weekly fluctuating work- and personal resources and stable health behaviors. It consisted of four questionnaires at 1-week intervals. Respondents were recruited via snowball sampling. Results from the multiple hierarchical regression analysis showed that workload perceived as hindering and rumination were directly negatively related to the recovery potential of sleep. Results from the mediation analysis showed no significant outcomes between workload perceived as hindering and the recovery potential of physical activity or sleep via rumination and fatigue. Therefore, most hypotheses were rejected. However, knowledge about the (in)direct relationships of the workload, the recovery potential of physical activities and underlying mechanisms was expanded. Practical implications to prevent or lower rumination and/or fatigue in employees are mindfulness training, vitality program or peer-group sessions (which an organization could facilitate). Future research could investigate in mechanisms underlying the recovery potential of recovery activities to uncover the indirect effects of the recovery paradox.Show less
The aim of this research was to examine the influence of the perceived incongruence between sexual orientation and the gender-typed field on perceived resilience coping ability of entrepreneurs....Show moreThe aim of this research was to examine the influence of the perceived incongruence between sexual orientation and the gender-typed field on perceived resilience coping ability of entrepreneurs. This was studied among entrepreneurs recruited from Prolific ID with an online experimental study that employed a 2x2 between participants design (N = 173). An ANCOVA was selected for the statistical tests. Results showed that a significant difference between the perceived resilience ability of homosexual men operating a male-typed business and that of heterosexual men operating a male-typed business was not found. A significant difference between the perceived resilience ability of homosexual men operating a male- typed business and that of homosexual men operating a female-typed business was not found either. This implies that perceived incongruence between sexual orientation and gender-typed field did not significantly affect perceived resilience ability of entrepreneursShow less
Background: Despite a strong theoretical background suggesting that physical exercise reduces negative emotions, methodological shortcomings produced inconsistent evidence for this relationship....Show moreBackground: Despite a strong theoretical background suggesting that physical exercise reduces negative emotions, methodological shortcomings produced inconsistent evidence for this relationship. Studies indicate adaptive cognitive emotion regulation (ER) as a mediator in this relationship and suggest that trait emotional intelligence (EI) may moderate the relationship between exercise and adaptive cognitive ER. Aim: While improving methodological shortcomings, this experiment aimed to clarify and extend previous research investigating the exercise-negative emotions relationship. To allow for stronger causal conclusions, this study was the first to explore adaptive cognitive ER as a mechanism. As another theoretical extension, it examined whether trait emotional intelligence strengthens the relationship between exercise and adaptive cognitive ER. Method: 103 participants completed a measure of negative emotions and trait EI before recalling a negative personal event to induce negative emotions. After indicating their negative emotions again, they were randomly allocated to one of three conditions: An experimental condition in which participants exercised by cycling at a moderate intensity, an attentional control condition in which participants completed a puzzle and a no-attention control condition in which participants relaxed. While completing their respective task, participants were instructed to reflect on their negative personal event. After task completion, negative emotions and adaptive cognitive ER were assessed. Results: Contrary to expectations, a one-way ANCOVA showed that negative emotions were not lower after exercising compared to puzzling or relaxation. An exploratory analysis revealed that all participants, regardless of their condition, experienced less negative emotions from before to after exercise, puzzling or relaxing. However, PROCESS showed partial support for an indirect effect: Compared to participants who puzzled, those who exercised engaged in more adaptive cognitive ER and consequently experienced less negative emotions. Finally, trait EI did not strengthen the relationship between exercise and adaptive cognitive ER. Conclusion: Exercise reduces negative emotions as well as puzzling and relaxation. This effect may be due to mechanisms not assessed in this study. However, this study provides preliminary evidence that exercise indirectly lowers negative emotions via adaptive cognitive ER. Future studies are needed to clarify the potential of exercise to reduce negative emotions by employing larger and more diverse samples, such as clinical samples, as well as including other – theoretically sound – underlying mechanisms. Practically, this study suggests that different strategies effectively reduce negative emotions, regardless of how emotionally intelligent individuals are.Show less
The current study tests the Job Demands-Resources model for physicians (N = 350) from fourteen different organizations in the Netherlands. Understanding which job demands influence burnout...Show moreThe current study tests the Job Demands-Resources model for physicians (N = 350) from fourteen different organizations in the Netherlands. Understanding which job demands influence burnout complaints and which job resources moderate these negative effects can help reduce burnout in physicians. This study also compares the three largest occupational groups in the sample (municipal health care doctors, psychiatry, hospital physicians) on the experienced job demands and resources. All participants filled out several validated questionnaires (including the Burnout Assessment Tool) about their job demands, job resources and burnout symptoms. Regression analyses revealed time pressure and work-family conflict as significant predictors. There was a negative effect of the job resources developmental opportunities, role clarity, and internal communication on burnout. A moderation analysis revealed a moderating relationship between staff availability and work-family conflicts: when there was less staff, and high work-family conflict, burnout complaints were highest. Surprisingly, the analysis also revealed that high appreciation and high time pressure led to higher burnout complaints. The occupational subgroups were analyzed using a multivariate analysis of variance. They did not differ in burnout levels, but out of the three groups, hospital physicians experienced the most demands and fewest resources. Job demands and resources differ per subgroup, but have the same effect on burnout. Future research should investigate the role of resources in regard to work engagement and the role of high appreciation on burnout complaints. Interventions increasing job resources and decreasing job demands should be developed to improve physician wellbeing.Show less
Abstract Person-environment (PE) fit is simply defined as the match between an individual and the environment. PE-fit fit has proven to be an important predictor of work related outcomes. A...Show moreAbstract Person-environment (PE) fit is simply defined as the match between an individual and the environment. PE-fit fit has proven to be an important predictor of work related outcomes. A Perceived Person-Environment Fit Scale is developed, which distinguishes four dimensions of PE-fit. Therefore the present research has investigated two of those dimensions in relation to work related outcomes. The present research has examined the relation between person-organization (PO) fit and person-group (PG) fit with the work related outcomes job satisfaction and turnover intention. Furthermore, it was examined whether the strength of those relations is influenced by the individual cultural values uncertainty avoidance and collectivism. In addition, it was also tested whether job satisfaction positively mediates the negative effect of PO-fit and PG-fit on turnover intention. To examine these effects an online survey study was conducted among the general Dutch working population (N = 163). The analyses were performed with IBM SPSS Statistics 28. It was predicted and found that PO-fit has a positive effect on job satisfaction and a negative effect on turnover intention, the negative effect on turnover intention was also mediated by job satisfaction. Furthermore, it was also predicted and found that PG-fit has a positive effect on job satisfaction. However, a relation between PG-fit and turnover intention was not found and neither was the mediating effect of uncertainty avoidance and collectivism found. The findings of this research are interesting for organizations. The relations found between the PE-fit dimensions with job satisfaction and turnover intention can be used strategically. By improving employees’ PO-fit and PG-fit job satisfaction can be enhanced and turnover intention reduced.Show less
Earlier research has shown that certain stressors at work cause strain reactions among employees. Recovering from work to undo these strain reactions is important for employee health. Healthy...Show moreEarlier research has shown that certain stressors at work cause strain reactions among employees. Recovering from work to undo these strain reactions is important for employee health. Healthy behaviors can help employees to recover from work and thus reduce these strain reactions, which in turn may help to be better able to cope with work stressors. Paradoxically, research also shows that it is more difficult to engage in healthy behaviors when employees face strain reactions. This study aims to contribute to existing knowledge by investigating the process of the recovery paradox and the reversed recovery process more thoroughly. First, the process of job stressors eliciting strain reactions, which may, in turn, make it more difficult to engage in healthy behaviors will be investigated. Second, the process of healthy behaviors reducing strain reactions, which makes it more likely that stressor at work is perceived as less stressful will be examined. Furthermore, exercise habit will be included as a moderator on both processes. The main results showed nonsignificant results in both processes. The first process outcomes indicate that perceived workload did not predict fewer engagement in sports activities through its increase in fatigue or rumination. The second process outcomes indicate that engagement in sports activities was not related to a change in perceived workload through its decrease in fatigue or rumination. Exercise habit did not moderate both processes, indicating no differences based on the level of engagement in sports activities. Given the limitations of this current study, future research can be done by measuring the concept of workload more extensively to enhance the validity and reliability of this scale by using simple time-lagged relationships between the variables instead of using changes scores. Although existing literature describes workload as a concept with effects on strain and health, we did not find (bi-) directional relationships of the recovery paradox. Practically, this research gives employees and employers insight into employee recovery processes and why it might be difficult to engage in healthy behaviors on a weekly level.Show less
This study examined how social motives and power-differences influence the outcome of a dyadic negotiation task. It was predicted that both social motives and power-differences influence the extent...Show moreThis study examined how social motives and power-differences influence the outcome of a dyadic negotiation task. It was predicted that both social motives and power-differences influence the extent to which extra value is added to the negotiation (i.e. ‘expanding the pie’). In the “Sandwich Heaven” negotiation task (N = 192), participants negotiated according to the “Mandatory-Optional Issue Paradigm”. Participants had to agree on the five mandatory issues and had the option to include three additional issues. Dyads were randomly assigned to one of four conditions of the two (power: equal versus difference) x 2 (social motive: prosocial versus proself) design. The manipulations of power and social motive were operationalized through the instructions. Results showed that both social motive, and the combination of social motive and power, did not have a significant effect on the negotiated outcome. Prosocial oriented people were found to add more additional issues to the deal than proself oriented people.Show less
