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Defining HQCs
High quality connections (HQCs) are positive, short-term and dyadic interactions at workplaces. Though interactive experiences are subjective, individuals involved experience a sense of positivity when they encounter each other. As HQCs affect cognitive, emotional and behavioral wellbeing, positive interactions tend to inspire clear thought, competent actions and individual and collective flourishing in the workplace. Additionally, as people are dynamic and social by nature, they need to feel a sense of belonging either through thought or behavior (Gable, 2019). HQCs are integral to the functioning and health of individuals in the workplace hence quality connections not only influence the functioning of the individual, but also ensures that work duties are understood and accomplished successfully.
HQCs are influenced by indicators such as positivity of subjective experience and a connection’s structural features. Subjective experiences include factors such as feelings of vitality in connections, sense of positive regard and degree of felt mutuality (Stephens et al., 2011). These factors not only heighten positive energy, but they also increase engagement in connections and the sense of being cared for (Miller & Stiver, 1997). Some of the structural features that characterize HQCs include emotional capacity of connections formed, the resilience of connections formed and the level of openness to influence and ideas. These features not only reveal the impact high quality connections have on performance, but they also reveal how HQCs influence positive impacts.
HQCs affect behavioral and cognitive processes hence they not only influence individual functioning, but they also affect the overall functioning of all employees in an organization. Moreover, HQCs are crucial in promoting individual growth and development hence they help enrich individual identities
Exploring Long-Term Loving Relationships
Dr. Gottman’s research uses observational data to determine interaction and behavioral patterns that indicate high risk couples and low risk couples. Based on sequential analysis, Dr. Gottman and his colleagues were able to successfully differentiate happily married couple from unhappy married couples. Through his observational coding tools Dr. Gottman was able to determine positive and negative couple interactions.
Based on Dr. Gottman’s research findings the development of long-term loving relationships are possible in instances in which couples have a more positive emotional index than negative emotional index. Therefore, unhappy and unstable couples experience either more negative emotions than positive emotions or have a balance of positive and negative emotions. In contrast, happy and stable couples have more positive emotions than negative emotions. Based on these observations therefore, Dr. Gottman identifies physiological calm, commitment and trust as integral to increasing positive emotions over negative emotions. These factors not only promote effective communication, but they also promote loyalty and greater understanding of partners, traits that help reduce conflict (Gottman, 2018).
Overall, Dr. Gottman identifies the five to one positive to negative ration as the index for long-term loving relations. As such couples should not only focus more on positive emotions, but they should also practice calm, trust and commitment, the three main ingredients for increasing positive emotions. As Dr. Gottman states love relations are important and they result in greater health, wealth, resilience, longevity and successful offspring. As such, couple should focus on maintaining positive emotions that guarantee loving long-term relationships.
Understanding Meaning
Based on psychology, meaning is an individualized pursuit of purpose that is based on one’s perspective. Meaning is based on individualized perspective hence every individual has the primary purpose of understanding what life means to them and subsequently developing their sense of purpose (Steger, 2018). Some of the sources of meaning include motivational drive, mental processes and emotions. Motivational drive involves people’s inclination to set and attain goals. As such, this desire pushes people to set targets they find important and thus attain a sense of meaning when they accomplish said targets (Klinger, 1977). Unlike motivational drive, mental processes involve stimuli, thus people process the information they gather through sight or sound and consequently determine their goals and sense of meaning. Lastly, the use of emotions to determine meaning involves the reliance on emotions to develop a sense of meaning. Consequently, individuals need to constantly feel positive about their lives to develop a sense of meaning.
Some of the benefits of understanding one’s meaning in life include improved well-being. Individuals that have a sense of meaning often experience a greater sense of well-being thus they enjoy important aspects of life such as positive relationships. Moreover, people with a great sense of meaning tend to gravitate towards people with an equal sense of meaning further building positive relationships that are based on support. Other benefits of meaning include longer healthier lives. Just like well-being, individuals with a sense of meaning often avoid negative behavior such as drinking, substance use and exposure to unnecessary risks (Steger et al., 2015). Moreover, people with a greater sense of meaning experience significantly lower levels of stress hence they enjoy better health and live longer lives.
One of the greatest sources of purpose and meaning in my life is taking care of other individuals. The ability to help the people around me either through resources or time not only makes me feel good about my self but it also creates a sense of pride and empowerment. I believe that helping other equates to making the world a better place.
References
Gable, S. L., & Maisel, N. C. (2019). Positive processes in close relationships. In The Oxford Handbook of Positive Psychology.
Gottman, J. (2018, October). The Science of Love [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uazFBCDvVw
Klinger, E. (1977). Meaning and void: Inner experience and the incentives in peoples lives. U of Minnesota Press.
Miller, J.B., & Stiver, I.P. (1997). The healing connection. Boston: Beacon Press.
Steger, M. F. (2018). Meaning and well-being. Handbook of well-being. Salt Lake City, UT: DEF Publishers.
Steger, M. F., Fitch-Martin, A. R., Donnelly, J., & Rickard, K. M. (2015). Meaning in life and health: Proactive health orientation links meaning in life to health variables among American undergraduates. Journal of Happiness Studies, 16(3), 583-597.
Stephens, J. P., Heaphy, E., & Dutton, J. E. (2011). High-quality Connections. Oxford Handbooks Online.
