Two Levels of Motivation and Two Types of Well-Being: Relations Between General and Goal-Specific Motivations, and Eudaimonic and Hedonic Well-Being

In this thesis I assess the individual and joint predictive associations and effects between multiple motivation and well-being concepts. In particular, three pairs of motivation concepts (intrinsic/extrinsic, approach/avoidance, and eudaimonic/hedonic) are assessed simultaneously at two levels of analysis (disposition and goal) and examined in relation to two types of well-being (eudaimonic and hedonic) in two studies, one correlational and the other experimental. Study 1: Using a correlational design, participants (N = 325, M age = 19.10, 87% female) completed self-report measures assessing six motivation and two well-being concepts. Exploratory factor analyses were used to assess patterns of associations among the motivational constructs. Results indicated that constructs displaying conceptual and empirical similarities co-occur, particularly, intrinsic, approach and eudaimonic motivation. Regression models were used to assess predictive relations between the motivational constructs and well-being. Both types of well-being were predicted by approach and avoidance dispositions, and hedonic goals. Additionally, eudaimonic well-being was uniquely predicted by eudaimonic dispositions and goals, and intrinsic dispositions; and hedonic well-being was uniquely predicted by extrinsic dispositions and approach goals. The patterns of associations among motivational constructs, and similarities and differences in the ways they predict each type of well-being, are discussed. Study 2: Using an experimental design, participants (N = 447, M age = 19.30, 88% female) were randomly assigned to one of eight experimental conditions, each involving a manipulation aimed at priming combinations of the three pairs of motivational constructs at the goal level. Participants then completed measures of both types of well-being. ANOVAs were used to assess the main effects and interactions of experimental condition for each of the three pairs of motivational constructs on well-being. Main effects of experimental conditions were non-significant. However, results indicated that focus on each of the three pairs of motivational constructs predicted well-being and that the manipulation impacted well-being indirectly, through experimentally-shifted motivational focus. Few interactions emerged. Implications for future experimental research and the conceptual integration of motivation and well-being constructs are discussed. In conclusion, Studies 1 and 2 inform the motivation and well-being fields in novel ways and provide preliminary steps towards studying these fields from an integrated and comprehensive motivational framework.

Informing the structure of subjective well-being through examining changes in life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect

Subjective well-being (SWB) refers to how individuals evaluate and experience their lives in positive ways, and encompasses global judgments of life satisfaction (LS), as well as the frequency of positive and negative affect (PA and NA, respectively) in one’s life. To inform the current ambiguity concerning the structure of SWB, the aim of this Masters thesis was to evaluate the structure of SWB based on whether the three components of SWB change together or independently naturally, over time and following experimental manipulation. In Study 1, associations among changes in LS, PA, and NA were evaluated using a longitudinal approach tracking natural changes in the components over periods of three months and three years. Results indicated that change in one component was related to change in the other two components. In Study 2, an experimental design was used to manipulate each SWB component individually, and evaluate changes in all three components following each manipulation. Manipulation materials designed to target LS only were effective (i.e., led to heightened focus on LS, and not PA or NA) and created an increase in both LS and PA. Manipulation materials designed to target PA and NA only were not effective (i.e., led to heightened focus on the target component, as well as on LS). Furthermore, in both studies the strength of an individual’s SWB (assessed in terms of structural consistency and structural ambivalence in Study 1 and Study 2, along with subjective ambivalence in Study 2) did not consistently moderate the degree to which changes in the components were associated with one another. Together, these findings indicate that the structure of SWB may be complex and dynamic, rather than static. Alternatively, the components of SWB may not be easily manipulated in isolation of one another. Implications for existing structural models of SWB are discussed.

Mindfulness Practices and Children’s Emotional and Mental Well-Being: Activities to Build and Strengthen Everyday Resilience Adapted for Primary School Teachers

This project reviewed current research on mental health and Canadian children, and then examined the practice of mindfulness as a means of supporting well-being and circumventing the potential detrimental effects of mental health problems. By contextualizing these findings within the recently released educational vision of the Ontario Ministry of Education (2014), which identifies well-being as one of the core principles of education in Ontario, this project investigated how mindfulness-based practices can be brought into the primary grade classroom. The ultimate purpose of this project is the development of a handbook for Ontario teachers of students in grades 1 to 3 (ages 6 to 8). This resource was developed from a comprehensive literature review and provides educators with easy-to-follow activities to use in the classroom to encourage the development of resilience and emotional well-being through mindfulness. The handbook also includes additional information and resources regarding both mindfulness and mental health that may be helpful to teachers, students, and parents.

Student Perspectives of the Context of Recess; Implications for Student Well-Being

With most students in Canada spending approximately 180 days a year in school, averaging more than six hours a day (Morrison & Kirby, 2011), Wei, Szumilas and Kutcher (2011) argue that this places educational institutions in an unique position in terms of influencing the health and well-being of students. This brings forth the need for school environments to be utilized in ways that are conducive to promoting student development. Much of the educational and developmental components embedded within the school system as well as experiences within greatly influence student’s health and well-being. A national statement was made a concerning American children’s education and mental health that is greatly applicable to the Canadian school system. It was stated that schools “must be active partners in the mental health care of our children” because of the “important interplay between emotional health and school success” (Lazarus & Sulkowski, 2011, pp. 15-16). This identifies the need to ensure that all students, as much as possible, are being provided with safe environments and sufficient support in order to encourage positive developmental trajectories of student health and well-being.

HG 186.9-187.0 D.E.

Coarse grained sediment with a few fine grained matrices. Brown sediment with small to medium sized clasts. Clasts range from sub-angular to sub-rounded. Organic material present. It contains rotation structures throughout as well as edge-to-edge grain crushing. Fine grained clay domains are present and lineations can also be seen. Minor amounts of grain stacking can also be seen.

HG 195.45-195.55 Thin Section

Dark brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to large. The grains are sub-angular. Two main domains can be seen. Both are coarse grained, but one contains larger grains and potentially more clay material. Lineations are present throughout the sample in multiple directions. Minor rotation around a few larger clasts can be seen, as well as comet structures.

HG 226.50-226.60 Thin Section

Dark brown sediment with manly small sized clasts. Some medium and large clasts also present. Clasts range from sub-angular to sub-rounded. Lineations can be seen throughout the sample. Minor patches of clay/organic rich domains can also be seen as well as minor grain stacking.

HG 253.60-253.70

Coarse grained sample, with generally medium sized clasts. Clasts were sub-angular to sub-rounded. Many rotation structures, as well as large amounts edge-to-edge grain crushing are also present.

HG 264.30-264.45

Coarse grained sample with clasts that range from small to large in size. The clast shape ranges from angular to rounded, and many grains are fractured. Grain crushing is present in large amounts. This includes edge-to-edge crushing as well as grains that are crushed into one another. Rotation structures are also common among the clasts that are sub-rounded to rounded. Areas of finer sediment can also be seen.

HG 384.60-384.70

Dark brown sediment with scattered amounts of small clasts and medium clasts as well. Clast shape ranges from sub-angular to sub-rounded. Lineations and water escape structures are abundant in this sample.

HG 404.20-404.30

Brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to medium in size. The clast shape ranges from angular to sub-rounded. Lineations are abundant in this sample. Faint water escape structures can also be seen as well as grain crushing/stacking.

HG 421.50-421.60

Light brown sediment with clasts that range from small to large in size. The clast shape ranges from sub-angular to sub-rounded. Lineations and rotation structures are abundant in this sample. Edge-to-edge grain crushing is present as well. There are areas of light and dark sediment throughout the sample. A few comet structures can also be seen.

HG 35.0-35.10

Brown sediment with clasts that range from small to medium in size. The grain shape ranges from angular to sub-rounded. Lineations and rotation structures were the most common throughout the sample. Grain crushing/stacking and a few comet structures were also present. Clay material was also dispersed throughout the sample.

HG 114.40-114.50

Brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to medium in size. Clast shape ranges from angular to sub-rounded. Lineations are the most abundant microstructure, but this sample also includes some comet and rotation structures as well.

HG 182.65-182.75

Light brown sediment with clasts ranging from small to medium in size. The clast shape ranges from sub-angular to sub-rounded. Rotation structures can commonly be seen, along with some comet structures as well. A few lineations and edge-to-edge grain crushing can also be observed. There is also the inclusion of a fine grained domain that is a darker brown (tanned-brown).