Inspiration as a psychological construct.
Abstract
Inspiration has received little theoretical or empirical attention within psychology. Inspiration is conceptualized herein as a general construct characterized by evocation, motivation, and transcendence. In Studies 1a and 1b, a trait measure of inspiration was developed and was found to have strong psychometric properties. Studies 2a-2c documented a nomological network consistent with the present conceptualization. Study 3 related inspiration to the holding of U.S. patents. Study 4 linked trait inspiration to daily experiences of inspiration, extended the nomological network to the state level, documented antecedents and consequences, and established incremental validity. This research provides a foundation for further study of inspiration, both as a general construct and in specific content domains (e.g., religion, creativity, interpersonal relations).
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Positive affect and high self-esteem are crucial antecedents of inspiration.
“Thrash and Elliot's (2003) findings suggest that PA and high self-esteem are crucial antecedents of inspiration.”
From Nostalgia-Evoked Inspiration: Mediating Mechanisms and Motivational Implications (2015) · cites this paper as Thrash and Elliot's (2003)
Positive affect and self-esteem are antecedents of inspiration.
“Research has now established that PA and self-esteem are antecedents of inspiration (Thrash & Elliot, 2003)”
From Nostalgia-Evoked Inspiration: Mediating Mechanisms and Motivational Implications (2015) · cites this paper as Thrash & Elliot, 2003
The daily experience of inspiration predicts work mastery and creativity.
“the daily experience of inspiration predicts work mastery and creativity (Thrash & Elliot, 2003).”
From Nostalgia-Evoked Inspiration: Mediating Mechanisms and Motivational Implications (2015) · cites this paper as Thrash & Elliot, 2003
Self-esteem is an antecedent of inspiration.
“Self-esteem, in turn, is an antecedent of inspiration (Thrash & Elliot, 2003).”
From Nostalgia-Evoked Inspiration: Mediating Mechanisms and Motivational Implications (2015) · cites this paper as Thrash & Elliot, 2003
PA and self-esteem are antecedents of inspiration.
“Thrash and Elliot (2003) identified PA and self-esteem as antecedents of inspiration.”
From Nostalgia-Evoked Inspiration: Mediating Mechanisms and Motivational Implications (2015) · cites this paper as Thrash & Elliot, 2003
Self-esteem augments inspiration.
“our findings were consistent with prior theory and evidence that social connectedness nurtures self-esteem (Bowlby, 1982;Crocker & Wolfe, 2001;Leary, 2005;Pyszczynski et al., 2004), which in turn augments inspiration (Thrash & Elliot, 2003).”
From Nostalgia-Evoked Inspiration: Mediating Mechanisms and Motivational Implications (2015) · cites this paper as Thrash & Elliot, 2003
Inspiration involves evocation, transcendence, and an approach orientation; it can be general or specific.
“We defined inspiration as an experience that involves evocation (triggering by a stimulus beyond the self), transcendence (moving away from the routine and becoming aware of possibilities), and an approach orientation (feeling ready for enacting a new idea or plan; Thrash & Elliot, 2003, 2004).Inspiration can be general (”
From Nostalgia-Evoked Inspiration: Mediating Mechanisms and Motivational Implications (2015) · cites this paper as Thrash & Elliot, 2003
Inspiration and positive affect (PA) are positively correlated.
“Although inspiration and positive affect (PA) are positively correlated (Thrash & Elliot, 2003), inspiration is distinct from PA and has unique antecedents, correlates, and consequences (Thrash, 2007).”
From Nostalgia-Evoked Inspiration: Mediating Mechanisms and Motivational Implications (2015) · cites this paper as Thrash & Elliot, 2003
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“In other words, across days, do individuals’ departures from their own baseline in inspiration covary with departures from baseline on other variables? We computed within-person correlations separately for each individual and combined them meta-analytically (see Reis, Sheldon, Gable, Roscoe, & Ryan, 2000 ).”
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Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., Arndt, J., & Routledge, C. (2006) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.91.5.975 · Cited by 1,252 · see citing works
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Augmented reality marketing: How mobile AR-apps can improve brands through inspiration
Rauschnabel, P. A., Felix, R., & Hinsch, C. (2019) · Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services · doi:10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.03.004 · Cited by 747 · see citing works
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The mnemonic mover: Nostalgia regulates avoidance and approach motivation
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Inspiration and wellness tourism: The role of cognitive appraisal
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Nostalgia: An impactful social emotion
Juhl, J., & Biskas, M. (2023) · Current Opinion in Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101545 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Know Your Preferences: Self-Regulation as Need-Congruent Goal Selection
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Xie, L., Liu, C., Li, Y., & Zhu, T. (2023) · Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services · doi:10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103448 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
- Authors
- Thrash, T. M., & Elliot, A. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Rochester (US)
- ORCID
- Elliot, Andrew J.
- Venue
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Published
- 2003-04
- Volume
- 84
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 871-889
- ISSN
- 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1315
- OpenAlex
- W2079033860
- Cited by
- 705
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 59 · 2025: 60 · 2024: 56 · 2023: 66 · 2022: 73 · 2021: 60 · 2020: 100 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 28 · 2017: 36 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 4.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Creativity in Education and Neuroscience
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Psychological and Educational Research Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Leadership, Courage, and Heroism Studies
- Keywords
- inspiration, evocation, motivation, transcendence, nomological network, incremental validity, creativity, interpersonal relationships
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Female, Humans, Male, Models, Psychological, Motivation, Patents as Topic, Pilot Projects, Surveys and Questionnaires
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