Maybe if they are missing home they have a strong family/friend support network who they are missing but perhaps knowing that they have a strong support network might enhance their wellbeing? Just a thought...
Mel
Mel McKendrick
PhD Researcher
School of Psychological Sciences & Health
University of Strathclyde
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________________________________
From: Research of postgraduate psychologists. [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Clare Jonas [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 30 June 2011 20:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: illogical correlation results - mistake
I think Daniel might be on to something with his suggestion of cognitive dissonance. This is just from my own experience, but I had to work really hard to enjoy myself when I was homesick as a student abroad because I didn't want to give up and go home. These students might be lying to themselves, as it were. The other possibility that occurs to me is these students view challenging times as times of personal growth, which might well make them more satisfied with life.
Clare
On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 7:29 PM, Daniel Zahra <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
Hi;
Sounds intriguing...
So people who miss home more are happier and more satisfied with life?
Possibly something to do with a third/moderating variable, or how they interact perhaps? Or some sort of qualitative difference in experience - you can miss home but still be enjoying the experience of studying away?
Is the positive affect from the PANAS? Perhaps the instructions cue people to think about their current mood (enjoying life/the experience now), but the instructions for the missing home scale cue them to think of a different time, unrelated time... So that the two are relatively independent...
Or perhaps it could be a cognitive dissonance thing; if you miss home lots, you have to justify being away by perceiving the experience(s) as much more positive?
Sorry for the ramble; just a few initial ideas :s
-Daniel
________________________________
From: Maryam al-Humairah Adam <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Sender: Research of postgraduate psychologists. <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2011 19:11:15 +0100
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]><[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
ReplyTo: Maryam al-Humairah Adam <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Subject: Fw: illogical correlation results - mistake
Opps! The example was wrong. what I found was actually positive correlation between misisng experience and positive wellbeing indicators, i.e. positve affect and life-satisfaction.
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Maryam al-Humairah Adam <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thu, 30 June, 2011 18:56:42
Subject: illogical correlation results
Dear all,
I am working on examining relationship between international students' perception of 'things they arre missing about home' and 'things enjoyed while studying abroad', and subjective well-being. I found that some of the correlations were highly significant but the direction were illogical, for example positive correlations between enjoyment being abroad and positive affect and life satisfaction. I tried to figure out why that happened, and I had already checked every entry of my data, in case i had mispunched the figure in. I really appreciate any suggestion or help in making sense of this data. Thanks
Warm regards,
Mazni
Mazni Mustapha
University of Plymouth.
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