This study analyzes and reports on the characteristics of writing-triggered
peak experience and other positive human experiences and explores some
possible factors that can bring about such moments. Three basic questions were
explored: Can writing trigger peak experience and other positive human
experiences? How are writing-triggered peak experience and other positive
human experiences best described? What factors influence the occurrence of
writing-triggered peak experience and other positive human experiences?
Participants were asked to write about their happiest moment in writing. The
sample consisted of 270 students enrolled in undergraduate writing classes at a
major southwestern university. Of 270 participants, 119(44%) reported having
had at least one peak experience or similar positive human experience as a result
of writing. Protocols reporting peak experience and other positive human
experiences in writing were analyzed for content, yielding a total of 14 descriptive
attributes. The participants described their writing experiences as flow of the
words, the process of writing is its own reward, peak performance, clarity,
disappearance of negative states of mind, and enhanced sense of power and
personal worth. Content analysis also yielded 13 possible triggers of peak
experience and other positive human experiences including self-expression,
realization, free writing, use of writing for introspection, and creative and
inspirational writing. In addition, personal orientation was explored as a possible
trigger of peak experience and other positive human experiences using a 16-item
questionnaire.
Factor analysis results yielded four factors: (1) aesthetic creative expressive
writing, (2) writing as a thinking and problem solving tool (3) self-discovery, and
(4) not interested in writing. Factor one accounted for the highest variance (37%).
The common elements in this factor were expressive writing, self-related writing
and creative poetic writing with poetic and creative writing having the highest
loading.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/1368 |
| Date | 17 February 2005 |
| Creators | Fatemi, Jaleh |
| Contributors | Goetz, Ernest T. |
| Publisher | Texas A&M University |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Book, Thesis, Electronic Dissertation, text |
| Format | 805559 bytes, electronic, application/pdf, born digital |
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