Personal action constructs and the long term care ombudsman role : linking personal projects and possible selves in personal research

• Main Author: Bolkan, Cory R.
• Other Authors: Hooker, Karen A.
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Ombusdman > Psychology; Personality assessment; Personality development
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1957/31523

This study explored potential linkages between personal projects (Little, 1983) and possible selves (Markus, 1986), two mid-level units of analyses in personality research. The primary goal of this research was to bridge participants' current project as state volunteer ombudsmen for care facilities, to their future, hoped-for selves. This relationship was examined under the framework of Developmental Systems Theory (Ford & Lerner, 1992) using multiple linear regression and correlational analyses. It was theorized that participants' personal project ratings on the volunteer role should be related and congruent with their possible selves. It was also hypothesized that participants who reported a relatedness between their personal project and possible self would indicate they were more satisfied with their ombudsman role. The ombudsman role was specifically identified in 25% of the participants' hoped-for selves. Ombudsman hoped-for selves were also the second most frequently reported selves. The presence of an ombudsman hoped-for self was significantly correlated with two personal project ratings, progress and visibility. Contrary to prediction, the possible selves rating of relatedness was insignificantly correlated with satisfaction. Furthermore, the presence of an ombudsman self was not related to satisfaction. Time devoted to the ombudsman role however, was a significant predictor of satisfaction. Among participants who identified an ombudsman self, the possible selves rating of relatedness was significantly correlated with three personal project ratings, enjoyment, visibility, and challenge. These three variables significantly predicted relatedness. Among all participants, the possible selves rating of relatedness was significantly correlated with one personal project rating, value congruency. The overall domains of meaning and stress were not significant predictors of relatedness. === Graduation date: 2003