Sham, Sheza (2025) The Burden of Unfinished Work: How Regulatory Focus Influences Rumination in the Face of Unfinished Tasks. Bachelor thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
Unfinished tasks are a common feature of modern work life, often intruding on employees’ time off and leaving them mentally preoccupied. This study examines why some people engage in more affective rumination than others in response to unfinished tasks, focusing on individual motivation styles—specifically, whether they are driven more by hopes and growth (promotion focus) or by duties and safety (prevention focus). Drawing on theories of goal pursuit and self-regulation, we hypothesized that regulatory focus moderates the relationship between unfinished tasks and affective rumination—such that individuals high in prevention focus would experience more affective rumination, while those high in promotion focus would be less affected. To test this, we conducted a survey among 98 working adults using validated questionnaires. Participants reported how many unfinished tasks they had and how much they engaged in affective rumination, defined as emotionally preoccupied thoughts about work during off-hours. We also assessed their motivational tendencies in terms of regulatory focus (promotion and prevention focus). The results confirmed that unfinished tasks were linked to greater affective rumination. However, contrary to our expectations, individual differences in promotion and prevention focus did not moderate this relationship. Regardless of regulatory focus, people with more unfinished tasks experienced more affective rumination. These findings suggest that unfinished tasks are powerful triggers for affective rumination, cutting across personality differences. While motivational traits may influence how people work, they may matter less once work is left unfinished. This has practical implications: instead of relying on individual resilience, organizations can support well-being by helping employees finish their work or mentally detach after work.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Weigelt, O. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | None [Bachelor Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 07 Jul 2025 10:42 |
| Last Modified: | 07 Jul 2025 10:42 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/5327 |
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