Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Studying Food Reward and Motivation in Humans
Published on: March 19, 2014
Is capacity for pleasure associated with executive career success?
Abstract:
Executives with a low capacity for pleasure were examined to determine if they evidence less occupational and social success than those with normal or high capacity. Data on pleasure capacity and depressive symptoms were collected from 88 senior executive officers, and scores were compared with independent ratings of career success. The 11% of executives with serious work-related or personal problems showed significantly higher pleasure scores than the rest. It is hypothesized that the relatively high pleasure scores of the least successful executives reflect a defensive process of denial or reaction formation rather than an excessively joyful personality trait. A longitudinal study of executives is proposed to clarify whether the high pleasure capacity scores of the least successful executives change situationally over time.
More Related Videos
08:24The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
07:35How Virtual Celebrity Characteristics Drive Purchase Intention: Testing the Stimulus-Organism-Response Framework with Structural Equation Modeling
Published on: March 3, 2026
Related Concept Videos
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Secondary Motives: Power Motivation and Achievement Motivation
Power motivation is characterized by the desire to influence, control, or have an impact on others. It is shaped by an individual's experiences, social environment, and cultural context. People with high power motivation are...
Optimal Arousal Theory
Inverted U-Shaped Performance Curve
The...
Self-Regulation
The Influence of Affect on Cognition
Factors Influencing Attraction V: Social Skills