The effects of listening on speaker and listener while talking about character strengths: an open science school-wide collaboration
Abstract
Listening is understood to be a foundational element in
practices that rely on effective conversations, but there is
a gap in our understanding of what the effects of highquality
listening are on both the speaker and listener.
This registered report addressed this gap by training one
group of participants to listen well as speakers discuss
their character strengths, allowing us to isolate the role
relational listening plays in strengths-based conversations.
Participants were paired and randomly assigned to a highquality
listening (experimental) or moderate-quality listening
(comparison) condition manipulated through a validated
video-based training. High-quality listening predicted a
more constructive relational experience; specifically, positivity
resonance. Intrapersonal experiences (perceived authenticity
and state anxiety) were not affected. Those who engaged
in high-quality listening expressed a behavioural intention
to continue listening, but condition did not predict a
behavioural intention for speakers to continue applying
character strengths. This is the first evidence of positivity
resonance as a shared outcome between both a speaker and listener when the listener conveys high-quality (as opposed to ‘everyday’) listening. These early
findings merit further study with stronger listening manipulations to explore the potential role
of listening within interpersonal communication, and inform the applied psychological sciences
(counselling, psychotherapy, coaching, organizational, education).
Executive function deficits mediate the relationship between employees’ ADHD and job burnout
Yaara Turjeman-Levi, Guy Itzchakov and Batya Engel-Yeger
Organizational Behavior and Social Psychology
Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often face significant
deficits in executive function and adverse work-related outcomes. This study aimed to explore the
role of executive function deficits in job burnout of employees with ADHD. We hypothesized that
employees with ADHD, relative to employees without ADHD, will experience higher levels of job
burnout and deficits in executive function. We also hypothesized that the ADHD-job burnout
relationship would be mediated through executive function deficits, specifically by selfmanagement to time and self-organization/problem-solving. A field study with 171 employees
provided support for the research hypotheses and mediation model in which the employees’
ADHD-job burnout relationship was mediated through executive function deficits. Additional
mediation analyses indicated that the specific executive function of self-management to time and
self-organization/problem-solving mediated the effect of ADHD on job burnout and its facets.
Specifically, for physical fatigue, the mediation was realized through self-management to time,
and for emotional exhaustion and cognitive weariness, the mediation was significant through selforganization/problem-solving. The present findings shed light on the relevance of referring ADHD
among employees, their vulnerability to job burnout, and the role of executive function deficits in
job burnout of employees with ADHD.
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Listening and perceived responsiveness: Unveiling the significance and exploring crucial research endeavors
Guy Itzchakov and Harry T. Reis
Listening
Abstract
Listening and perceived responsiveness evoke a sense of
interpersonal connection that benefits individuals and groups
and is relevant to almost every field in Psychology, Management, Education, Communication, and Health, to name a few.
In this paper, we, researchers who have devoted their careers
to studying listening (first author) and perceived responsiveness (second author), address the necessity of integrating the
two constructs. Moreover, we offer several questions for future
research that we believe are crucial to produce a more profound and comprehensive understanding of this important
process. These research questions include empirical issues,
cross-cultural and inter-racial interactions, age differences, the
emergence of new technologies, and opportunities to bridge
political, ethnic, and social divides. By highlighting the undeniable impact of listening and perceived responsiveness on
interpersonal connection across diverse domains, we emphasize the need to integrate these constructs in future research.
Our proposed set of eight pivotal research questions is intended as a starting point for gaining a deeper and more holistic
understanding of this critical study area while building a strong
empirical foundation for interventions. By addressing these
questions, we can foster meaningful advances that have the
potential to bridge gaps, improve relationships, and enhance
the well-being of individuals and communities alike.
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