How Intellectual Humility Enhances Affective Well-Being: Daily Diary Studies on the Mediating Roles of Daily Uplift...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Personality Psychology

Background:

• Intellectual humility (IH) is a recognized cognitive construct.
• Its impact on affective well-being is not fully understood.
• Research explores the relationship between IH and emotional states.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between trait intellectual humility and daily positive and negative affect.
• To examine potential mechanisms, such as moderating affective reactions or influencing daily experiences.
• To understand how IH contributes to affective well-being in daily life.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 7-day daily diary data from two studies (N participants = 738).
• Examined the relationship between trait IH and daily positive/negative affect.
• Tested moderation and mediation hypotheses regarding daily events and affective well-being.

Main Results:

• Intellectual humility (IH) was associated with reduced daily negative affect.
• The link between IH and positive affect was not significant after controlling for Big Five personality traits.
• IH did not moderate affective reactivity to daily uplifts or stressors.
• Mediation analyses indicated IH led to more daily uplift exposure, which predicted less negative affect.

Conclusions:

• Intellectual humility (IH) supports affective well-being by shaping the frequency and nature of daily experiences.
• IH contributes to emotional well-being through increased exposure to positive events.
• Findings highlight the practical implications of IH for everyday emotional health.