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Volatility in Expectations While Awaiting Important News
1University of California, Riverside, USA.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|March 21, 2023
Summary
Experiencing fluctuating expectations during uncertain waits increases worry and negative emotions. Managing expectation volatility can help reduce anxiety when awaiting significant news.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Waiting for important outcomes is a common human experience.
- Emotional and cognitive fluctuations are typical during periods of uncertainty.
- Little is known about the impact of expectation volatility on emotional well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between expectation volatility and emotional responses during waiting periods.
- To examine the causal impact of expectation volatility on worry.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Law graduates (N=248) tracked their outcome expectations for the bar exam bi-weekly.
- Study 2: Participants (N=444) awaiting the 2020 US presidential election results had their expectation volatility manipulated.
- Both studies measured worry and negative emotionality.
Main Results:
- Greater expectation volatility was associated with increased worry and negative emotions in Study 1.
- Constrained (less volatile) expectations causally reduced worry compared to volatile expectations in Study 2.
- Findings were consistent across different waiting contexts.
Conclusions:
- Volatility in outcome expectations exacerbates worry and negative emotionality.
- Managing expectation volatility may be a strategy to mitigate distress while awaiting important news.
- Understanding expectation dynamics is crucial for psychological well-being during uncertainty.
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