Name: Yuhua Li

Master’s Thesis Proposal Meeting

Date: Thursday, September 1st, 2022
Time: 9:00 AM

Location: Click here to join the meeting

Advisor:

Christopher Wiese, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech)
 

Thesis Committee Members: 

Christopher Wiese, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech)

Kimberly French, Ph.D. (Georgia Tech)

Lindsay Dhanani, Ph.D. (Rutgers University) 

Title: The Mediating Role of Work Ruminations in the Relationship between Work Demand Appraisals and Basic Psychological Need Fulfilment  

Abstract: Fulfilment of the three Basic Psychological Needs (BPNs) proposed in Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is essential for individual growth and well-being. Extant research leveraged Challenge-Hindrance Stressor framework (CHSF) to understand the distinct relationships between differential job demands and BPNs fulfilment. While recent theoretical advancements in CHSF encouraged inclusion of threat demands and demand appraisals in empirical research to better predict well-being outcomes (LePine, 2022), those efforts have not been made in relation to BPNs fulfilment. The proposed study adopts the concept of challenge-hinderance-threat appraisals from the recently advanced CHSF to gain a comprehensive understanding of work demand appraisals and BPNs fulfillment. Further, I expand this framework by incorporating workers’ cognitive processes as a nuanced mechanism that extends the influence of work demand experiences on BPNs fulfilment. Leveraging the work rumination theory (Cropley & Zijlstra, 2011), I propose that workers likely engage in distinct ruminations (problem-solving pondering vs. affective rumination) due to their work demand experiences. Such ruminations should in turn influence BPNs fulfilment. To examine these hypotheses, I will use an experience sampling design to test within-person variations in work demand appraisals, ruminations, and BPNs fulfilment.