Katagelasticism, decisional fit, and happiness: is there a dark pathway to happiness via decisional fit?

  • Simone Stevenson

Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis

Abstract

It was theorized in this dissertation that the feeling of happiness may be used to self-validate and excuse negative behaviours. It is argued that the feeling of happiness may not always be a reliable mechanism for determining positive adaptive outcomes. To investigate a possible darker side to happiness the variable of katagelasticism was introduced meaning a scornful, derisive, humour style that, given certain conditions, is construed as social bullying (an amoral behaviour). This was used to test whether decisional fit enhancement effects of hedonic happiness, and certainty with choice occur only under conditions of personal morality where there is no interference caused by cognitive dissonance, or if decisional fit enhancements are apparent in amoral decisions as well.

Study one investigated two types of happiness theories (hedonic and eudemonic) and drew upon fit theory (Frank, 1971; Holland, 1997) to investigate whether hedonic happiness, and certainty with choice were enhancement effects associated with decisional fit. Person-environment fit theory explains that when a person and the environment are optimally matched an enhancement effect is created. Betsch & Kunz (2008) claim decisional fit acts as a buffer against regret associated with incorrect decisions. However, there is a paucity of research into this phenomenon and the current dissertation sought to investigate other possible enhancement effects resulting from decisional fit. The main research questions were: 1) Are there differences in the type of happiness generally sought between the individuals who show a disposition for a particular thinking style? 2) Are happiness as well as certainty with decision enhancement effects of decisional fit? 3) Do the enhancement effects of decisional fit operate the same way for rational and intuitive thinkers?

By testing paid Qualtrics-recruited participants (N = 208 M = 45%, F = 55% @ $10.00 each) responding to an online questionnaire, the individual preference for thinking style and decision-making style could be determined. Pretest happiness assessments within and between groups were compared with happiness self-reports during a decision-making experiment with participants rating levels of happiness with decision, and certainty with choice. Happiness levels were compared from pretest, during the experiment, and posttest under conditions of decisional fit and decisional misfit for both rational and intuitive thinking groups. Fluctuations in happiness occurring as a consequence of decisional fit could then be captured. Analysis was conducted on the preference for a decision-making style, decisional fit, happiness with decision, and certainty with choice. A mixed factorial design using a 2(decision making style: rational, intuitive) x 2(decisional fit, decisional misfit) multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) followed by a series of analysis of variance (ANOVA’s) confirmed the first hypothesis showing decisional fit increased hedonic momentary pleasure, but not long-term abiding happiness associated with eudemonic happiness. Results also showed that the rational thinking decisional fit group showed a more positive increase in situational hedonic happiness when compared to the intuitive thinking group. Additionally, a significant interaction of certainty with choice was found for rational thinkers who experienced decisional fit. This research addresses a current gap in the literature which has found that decisional fit decreased regret with decisions but, there are no previous findings that specifically address increases in hedonic happiness or certainty with choice as enhancement effects of decisional fit.

Study two built upon the findings from study one and tested to see whether the enhancement effects of decisional fit still occurred when the variable of katagelasticism was introduced. Katagelasticism was used to test whether decisional fit enhancement effects of hedonic happiness and certainty with choice occur only under conditions of personal morality where there is no interference caused by cognitive dissonance, or if decisional fit enhancements are apparent in amoral decisions as well. To better understand the decision-making process used prior to engaging in an amoral behaviour (katagelasticism) three main questions were asked: 1) Is there a relationship between katagelasticism and dispositional thinking style? 2) Is there a relationship between katagelasticism and happiness type? For the purposes of this thesis happiness included both hedonic and eudemonic happiness unless otherwise stated. 3) Are there differences between thinking style groups and katagelasticist/non katagelasticist groups and levels of socially desirable behaviour?

Australian panel participants (N = 213; M = 44%, F = 56% paid @ $10.00 each) were recruited through Qualtrics and allocated into two groups based on the disposition for thinking style. The relationships between thinking style, katagelasticism, happiness, and social compliance were explored. A series of hierarchical multiple regressions found positive associations between rational thinking, katagelasticism, and hedonic happiness. Rational thinkers showed negative associations for eudemonic happiness and social compliance. Intuitive thinkers showed positive relationships with eudemonic happiness and social compliance. There was no relationship found between a disposition for intuitive thinking and katagelasticism. The hypotheses from this study were confirmed.

Study three examined the literature for relationships between katagelasticism and other traits which may alter the decisional fit effect. Specifically, rational, and intuitive thinkers had differing drives and motivations for the types of happiness generally sought, and differing perceptions of morality. With a cluster of features associated with thinking styles, happiness, and katagelasticism, additional variables were tested for possible relationships. These were pride, illusory superiority, and Raskolnikov morality (non-conforming self-created code of moral values, Knobe, 2005). Based on the findings and methodology of study 2 a decisional fit experiment was conducted to investigate three research questions; 1) Do rational and intuitive thinkers show differences between groups on the variables of happiness, pride, illusory superiority, Raskolnikov morality (making up one’s own moral code) and social compliance? 2) Do katagelasticists (versus non- katagelasticists) show differences between groups on the variables of happiness, pride, illusory superiority, Raskolnikov morality, and social compliance? 3) Are there differences in happiness types generally sought between thinking style groups, katagelasticists, and those participants who showed high Raskolnikov moral tendency?

Australian panel participants (N = 221; M = 30%; F = 70% paid @ $10.00 each) were recruited by Qualtrics and grouped according to disposition for either rational or intuitive thinking style. Participants were then tested for katagelasticist tendency (50.2%), and four groups were formed: Rational katagelasticists, rational non-katagelasticists, intuitive katagelasticists, and intuitive non-katagelasticists. An experimental measure of humourous decisional style was used to capture the effects of decisional fit. The enhancement effects of fit were calculated on scores of hedonic happiness, certainty with choice, and satisfaction with decision. Comparisons between katagelasticist groups (high and low) thinking style groups (rational and intuitive) and between decisional fit and non-decisional fit were analysed.

The results from correlational analysis and independent samples participant’s t test found confirmation of rational katagelasticists showing higher levels of hedonic happiness, pride, Raskolnikov morality, illusory superiority, and low levels of social compliance. Results also confirmed the hypothesis that intuitive thinking non-katagelasticists would be related to higher eudemonic happiness, high social compliance, and lower illusory superiority.

Part two of this study was a humourous decision-making experiment where participants were given rational and intuitive decision-making tasks on the disposition for katagelasticist mean humour and non-katagelasticist (affiliative humour) and enhancement effects of decisional fit were measured at the end of each question. Testing of the hypotheses that rational thinkers would prefer rationally biased jokes and that intuitive thinkers would prefer intuitively biased jokes, resulted in decisional fit being confirmed. Significant positive enhancement effects were found for both thinking groups. It was also hypothesised that katagelasticists would prefer the mean katagelasticist humour and that non-katagelasticists would prefer the more uplifting affiliative humour, but these results were not confirmed. The present study revealed that participants found the incongruent style of humour significantly funnier than the congruent humour thus, preventing katagelasticist decisional fit from occurring.

Implications and future directions related to the application of decisional fit as a stable decision-making strategy were discussed and presented as an area for future research to explore. This could be viewed as an intrapersonal signature strength that increases happiness and certainty with choice when decisions are made consistent with the preferred thinking style.
Date of Award8 Feb 2024
Original languageEnglish
SupervisorMark Bahr (Supervisor), Richard Hicks (Supervisor) & Alan Patching (Supervisor)

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