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The current research addresses two related theoretical questions: 1) do feelings of authenticity experienced during an activity predict motivation to engage in that activity, and 2) does that motivation translate to actual engagement behavior? We examined both questions in a 12-week longitudinal study preceding and following the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. Each week we assessed feelings of authenticity, motivation for civic engagement, and self-reported civic engagement. Results showed that the felt authenticity of civic engagement predicted greater engagement motivation, which, in turn, predicted higher engagement frequency the following week. Overall, these findings demonstrate the relevance of authenticity for important social outcomes and yield new theoretical insights into the nature of subjective authenticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A sense of meaning in life (MIL) is thought to help protect people against experiencing explicit anxiety about death. However, the experience of meaning is complex and subjective and may relate to death anxiety in nuanced ways. We examine how self‐alienation—a feeling of not knowing/being disconnected from one's self—might moderate the relationship between MIL and death anxiety. Method: Across five studies, we tested the hypothesis that MIL would negatively predict death anxiety more strongly for people relatively low in self‐alienation. These studies were similar in design and included exploratory, confirmatory, and pre‐registered tests. Results: A meta‐regression across our five studies (N = 2001) provided clear evidence that MIL was most strongly associated with lower death anxiety at low self‐alienation. We also observed that MIL was positively associated with death anxiety at high self‐alienation. These effects were consistent in direction but inconsistent in strength. Conclusions: We interpreted these results as evidence that MIL is existentially protective when experienced in combination with a relatively strong, clear, and connected sense of self. In contrast, MIL may be existentially problematic when people feel relatively unaware and disconnected from themselves. These findings align with aspects of terror management theory and highlight the potentially complex ways that MIL might relate to death anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we explored the temporal stability of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), which has not been comprehensively reexamined since it was first published. Our three specific aims were to determine the utility of PAI indicators of basic protocol validity (inconsistent responses [ICN] and highly unusual/unlikely responses [INF]) in identifying suspect responding; calculate the stability coefficients for each PAI scale and subscale across 3-, 6-, and 9-week spans; and explore whether profile stability across four measurements could be prospectively predicted. We administered the PAI to a sample of undergraduates (N = 579) at four separate timepoints. ICN and INF effectively identified likely attriters and inconsistent responders. All PAI full scales and subscales evidenced good test–retest reliability, with some small exceptions. Finally, all PAI clinical scales were correlated with profile instability although many of these correlations were no longer significant when controlling for mean clinical elevation of the profile. We interpreted these results as evidence for the utility of PAI validity scales, the temporal reliability of the PAI, and the role of psychopathology in response variability over time. We also discussed some preliminary evidence that this variability can be prospectively predicted, suggesting that it in part reflects substantive changes rather than random error variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many factors likely impact how people create meaning out of their lives. Certain psychological disorders may affect these processes, necessitating the reliance on atypical meaning-making strategies. Across two studies, we tested the hypothesis that the tendency to engage in mental fantasies would be associated with higher meaning in life for people with elevated symptoms of depression. In Study 1 (N = 455Mturk workers), fantasy proneness positively predicted meaning at high levels of depression, but was unrelated at low levels of depression. We replicated this pattern in Study 2 (N = 367), which was preregistered, using the baseline survey of a multi-wave design. In addition, across six weekly measurements, we observed that depression moderated the relationship between fantasy and meaning at the between-person, but not within-person, level. These findings have implications for understanding idiosyncrasies in meaning-making, the role of depression in meaning-making processes, and the potential positive functions of fantasy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current studies tested whether self-essentialist beliefs (SEBs; that is, believing one's identity is defined by enduring, inherent properties) enhance self-perceptions and psychological well-being. In Studies 1A (n = 208) and 1B (n = 305), we found that SEBs predicted self-perceptions and well-being, even with related variables controlled. Study 2 (n = 129) replicated and extended these findings in a short longitudinal design. In Studies 3A (n = 488), 3B (n = 404), 4 (n = 232), and 5 (n = 390), we manipulated SEBs and tested for effects on self-perceptions and well-being. Our manipulations successfully influenced SEBs, but generally did not directly affect self-perceptions and well-being. However, we consistently found indirect effects of the manipulations (via manipulation-check measures) in the predicted directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of college students was investigated in a cross-sectional design using the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991, 2007). Three large samples of college students were recruited for research purposes and given standard instructions: 825 students from two universities assessed in the 2021–2022 academic year (postpandemic), 558 students from three universities assessed between 2016 and 2019 (prepandemic), and 1,051 students from seven universities assessed in 1989 and 1990 (college norms). Comparisons of PAI scores with the prepandemic cohort revealed several significantly higher scores in the postpandemic cohort, especially for scales related to anxiety and depression. Comparisons with the college norms revealed significantly higher scores on several PAI scales in the prepandemic cohort, and these differences were largest for scales related to anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms. PAI scales related to impulsivity, alcohol use, and other behavior problems showed no changes or decline from earlier to later cohorts. Taken together, the findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified problems with anxiety and depression that existed before the pandemic. Public Significance Statement: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the lives of college students, creating public concern about its impact on their mental health. The present study compared self-ratings of symptoms and problems between three cohorts of students. Students assessed postpandemic reported significantly more symptoms of anxiety and depression than students assessed prepandemic, and these two cohorts are reporting more symptoms in many areas than a cohort of students assessed 25 years earlier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined whether Dark Triad (DT) traits moderate people's tendency to associate moral traits with their true self. We hypothesized that people high in DT traits would show a weaker tendency to view moral (vs. immoral) characteristics as central to their identity. Undergraduate participants (N = 345) rated the perceived identity centrality of positive/negative traits in domains of morality/competence, and completed measures of psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. Positive moral (vs. immoral and positive competence) traits were seen as more identity central overall, but this effect was weaker among participants high in DT traits. Further, all DT traits negatively (positively) predicted the identity centrality of moral (immoral) traits. These findings extend work on true self-perceptions and moral identity in the Dark Triad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a relatively common and often disabling disorder in adults. However, feigning ADHD symptomatology is both easy and potentially common. We explored the most effective strategies for A) identifying individuals who had been diagnosed with ADHD based on existing PAI symptom indicators, and B), discriminating between feigned and genuine ADHD symptoms using PAI negative distortion indicators. Our sample consisted of 463 college aged participants who had been diagnosed with ADHD (n = 60), were asked to feign ADHD (n = 71), and a control group (n = 333). Self-reported diagnosis and successful feigning were corroborated by the CAARS-S: E scale. We first compared two PAI-derived ADHD indicators to determine which best differentiated between our ADHD and Control groups. Next, we compared seven negative distortion indicators to determine which could best distinguish between real and feigned ADHD symptoms. Our results revealed that the PAI-ADHD scale was the most effective symptom indicator. Further, the Negative Distortion Scale (NDS) and the Item-FAA scale were the most effective for identifying feigners. When assessing ADHD based on the PAI, the PAI-ADHD scale appears promising as an indicator of symptomatology, while the NDS and Item-FAA appear useful to rule-out feigning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the relationship between parenting practices and the experience of subjective authenticity in the parenting role. Based on work showing that authenticity responds to violations of broad social expectations, we predicted that mothers would feel more authentic than fathers. We also predicted, however, that parenting practices that conflicted with broad gender norms would differentially predict authenticity for mothers and fathers. We tested this prediction in a single study of U.S. parents recruited from an internet research panel service (N = 529). Parents completed online measures of authenticity and parenting practices on three separate occasions. We assessed the within-person association between parenting practices and parent-role authenticity. Authoritarian parenting practices negatively predicted parent-role authenticity for mothers, whereas permissive practices negatively predicted parent-role authenticity for fathers. Authoritative practices positively predicted authenticity regardless of parent gender, and, overall, women felt more authentic in the parenting role than men. These findings contribute to emerging theoretical perspectives on authenticity and gender role congruence and highlight how different parenting practices relate to the well-being of mothers and fathers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Previous research demonstrates that perceived authenticity is positively associated with psychological health and security in the face of threats. The current research extends this work by testing whether perceived authenticity promotes recovery from the negative mental health consequences of collective trauma (e.g., a natural disaster). Methods: We recruited a sample of undergraduates (N = 570), many of whom reported direct or indirect exposure to Hurricane Harvey, to complete surveys at two time points. We assessed exposure to the disaster, acute stress, post-traumatic stress, coping, and authenticity twice, once approximately 1 month after Hurricane Harvey (Time 1) and again approximately 9 weeks after Hurricane Harvey (Time 2). Results: We employed multilevel modelling to explore whether authenticity would aid in recovery from collective trauma. Results showed that perceived authentic living at Time 1 predicted a variety of indicators of stress related to the hurricane at Time 2. Specifically, those participants who reported low authentic living at Time 1 reported greater levels of stress at Time 2, compared to individuals who reported higher levels of authentic living. Importantly, these effects remained even when controlling for known predictors of stress (e.g., levels of stress at Time 1 and coping strategies). Discussion: Findings provide preliminary insight into authenticity as a part of a likely larger network of interrelated psychosocial qualities that have the potential to help one navigate recovery from trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In three studies, we examined how attributing the criminal actions of a drug-addicted offender to their "true self" influences perceptions of their blameworthiness. Study 1 revealed that attributing a drug-addicted offender's crime (theft) to his true self positively predicted judgments of the offender's blameworthiness for the crime. Study 2 employed an experimental design and revealed that information connecting a crime (vs. not connecting) to an addicted offender's true self led to greater judgments of blame, whereas learning that the offender had (vs. did not have) a genetic predisposition to addiction mitigated blame. In Study 3, participants read a vignette about a drug-addicted thief whose addiction began with a doctor's prescription, a drug-addicted thief whose addiction began with recreational drug use, or a thief with no mention of addiction. Participants in the prescription condition, but not the recreational use condition, attributed theft to the offender's true self less and ascribed less blame for the crime, relative to the no addiction condition. Furthermore, participants attributed the addiction less to the offender's true self and assigned less blame to the offender for his addiction in the prescription (vs. recreation) condition. Overall, our studies suggest that lay intuitions about true selves robustly guide people's judgments about blame in the context of crimes involving drug-addicted offenders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-alienation is a component of authenticity robustly connected to psychological flourishing. Building on theorizing about the importance of an experiential sense of self-ownership for feeling connected to one's true self, we tested whether intentional and unintentional mindwandering differentially correlate with the experience of self-alienation. Participants (N = 278) completed a baseline measure of trait self-alienation, followed by 6 weekly assessments of self-alienation and mindwandering. Weekly fluctuations in intentional mindwandering were negatively associated with self-alienation and weekly fluctuations in unintentional mindwandering were positively associated with self-alienation. These findings advance what is known about the link between self-alienation and mindwandering, and provide evidence for the importance of volition for self-alienation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current evidence suggests that mental health across the globe has suffered significantly during the COVID-19 global pandemic, and that disadvantaged communities are suffering these impacts more acutely. Lower income, female gender, and younger age have all been associated with worse psychopathology during COVID-19. The goal of this study was to determine whether these disparities are more pronounced in places where the pandemic is more severe. We analyzed self-report data and objective metrics from a large global sample (N = 11,227) in order to test the hypothesis that country-level severity of COVID-19 moderates the relationship between the target demographic variables (Subjective SES, gender and age) and psychopathology indicators. Severity of the pandemic emerged as a significant moderator of the relationship between these demographic variables and mental health outcomes. This pattern was extremely consistent for Subjective SES and gender, but slightly more nuanced for age. Overall, we interpreted our data as suggesting that mental health disparities are greater in countries with more severe COVID-19 outbreaks. These findings are critical for understanding the ways that the ongoing pandemic is affecting global mental health, and contribute to the broader literature surrounding collective trauma. • Are mental health inequalities greater in countries where COVID-19 is more severe? • We examined this question in a large global sample (N = 11,227). • Income, gender and age were all risk factors for worse mental health. • Mental health disparities were larger in countries with higher pandemic severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We tested whether women's sense of authenticity can be compromised by the expression of masculine characteristics and whether feelings of authenticity directly or indirectly connect masculine expression to a diminished sense of interest in a science position. In Study 1 (N = 105), we randomly assigned female undergraduates to present themselves as possessing traditionally high masculine characteristics or possessing non-masculine characteristics. They recorded a video "interview" for a science laboratory position and reported on their feelings of authenticity. Women in the masculine-expression condition reported less authenticity, which was in turn associated with less interest in the position. Study 2 (N = 240 women) showed that expressing masculine characteristics in a written "application" led to lower levels of authenticity and, in turn, less interest in the position. This effect occurred most strongly among women relatively high in feminine identification and low in masculine identification. These studies indicate that women who express masculine characteristics in science settings may experience less authenticity, which can in turn contribute to diminished interest in a science position. These findings suggest that efforts to improve women's experiences in stereotypically masculine settings should focus on mitigating psychological connections between gender and success in those settings. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available on PWQ 's website at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/0361684320947648 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the association of parents' genetic causal beliefs and parenting behaviors, hypothesizing a positive association between parents' genetic causal beliefs and their use of psychological control. Study 1 (N = 394) was a cross-sectional survey and revealed that parents' genetic essentialism beliefs were positively associated with their self-reported use of harsh psychological control, but only for parents who reported relatively high levels of problem behaviors in their children. Study 2 (N = 293) employed a 4-day longitudinal design and revealed that parents' genetic causal beliefs positively predicted the use of psychological control, especially on days when they perceived relatively high problem behaviors in children. Overall, the studies demonstrated that parents' genetic causal beliefs about character positively predicted psychologically controlling and harsh responses to child problem behaviors, which may ultimately be detrimental to child development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]