Johannes J Bauer
Biographic Data
| ID | 318784 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Johannes J Bauer |
| GIVEN NAMES | Johannes J |
| FAMILY NAME | Bauer |
| SIGNATURE | BAUER J J |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Dayton |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2912-7980 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 23 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 152 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 23 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2001 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
What might we learn about autobiographical narrative processing from Artificial Intelligence
Human beings are innately storytellers. Large Language Model AI algorithms (LLMs) like ChatGPT are not. But what ChatGPT produces, when instructed to generate or interpret a narrative, is powerful and can provide insight into human narrative processing, because it is trained to produce narratives from human sources. Our paper explores these ideas. In the first section we review key concepts from narrative identity theory and research, including a…
Wise thoughts on phronesis
The Quiet Ego and Human Flourishing
Introduction to the special issue on “Storying the good life: Pathways and pitfalls to adaptive narrative identity”
A good life story: Deconstructing (and integrating) elements of narrative identity and a good life, featuring themes of humanistic growth
A tribute to Will Dunlop
Maturity and Well-Being: The Development of Self-Authorship, Eudaimonic Motives, Age, and Subjective Well-Being
In this article, we investigate psychological maturity and other eudaimonic phenomena to predict subjective well-being (SWB), as well as if age moderate the relationship between psychological maturity and SWB. To assess psychological maturity, we analyzed 223 participants’ narratives of a high point in their life, according to Kegan’s (In over our heads: the mental demands of modern life, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1994) theory of a…
Meaning making, self‐determination theory, and the question of wisdom in personality
Self‐determination theory (SDT) has advanced the most comprehensive model of motives for human flourishing in the field of personality psychology and beyond. In this article, we evaluate SDT relative to the process of meaning making, particularly from a narrative perspective, showing what SDT can and cannot explain about the construction of self‐identity and its relation to human flourishing. On the one hand, SDT explains how subjective assessmen…
What growth sounds like: Redemption, self‐improvement, and eudaimonic growth across different life narratives in relation to well‐being
OBJECTIVE: We disentangled three growth-relevant concepts (redemption, self-improvement, and eudaimonic growth) in personal narratives of high, low, and turning points and tested their relations to well-being. METHOD: In two studies, participants (Study 1 n = 111, Study 2 n = 206; overall ages 17-83, 56% women, 75% white) wrote narratives of high points, low points, and turning points. Researchers coded each narrative for redemption sequences (i.…
Selection Errors of Random Route Samples
Random route samples are widely used in face-to-face surveys. Most previous studies of random route sample quality compare the data collected by random route samples with data from reliable sources, such as the German Microcensus. While these studies usually find few differences in the distributions of demographic variables, it is possible that other substantive variables of interest are biased if random route samples select households with unequ…
Self-actualizing: Where ego development finally feels good
This article addresses a paradox surrounding psychosocial maturity and self-actualizing in relation to well-being. Several stage theories of maturity (notably ego development; Loevinger, 1976) culminate in self-actualizing, which Maslow (1968) characterizes as the pinnacle of psychological health and well-being. However, empirical measures of maturity and well-being do not correlate. In a reanalysis of three datasets, we find preliminary support …
Eudaimonic growth: Narrative growth goals predict increases in ego development and subjective well-being 3 years later
We examine (a) the normative course of eudaimonic well-being in emerging adulthood and (b) whether people's narratives of major life goals might prospectively predict eudaimonic growth 3 years later. We define eudaimonic growth as longitudinal increases in eudaimonic well-being, which we define as the combination of psychosocial maturity and subjective well-being (SWB). College freshmen and seniors took measures of ego development (ED; to assess …
Growth motivation attenuates the self-serving attribution
Narrative identity and eudaimonic well-being
Continuity and Change in the Life Story: A Longitudinal Study of Autobiographical Memories in Emerging Adulthood
If a person's internalized and evolving life story (narrative identity) is to be considered an integral feature of personality itself, then aspects of that story should manifest some continuity over time while also providing evidence regarding important personality change. Accordingly, college freshmen and seniors provided detailed written accounts of 10 key scenes in their life stories, and they repeated the same procedure 3 months and then 3 ye…
Crystallization of Desire and Crystallization of Discontent in Narratives of Life‐Changing Decisions
Two studies of adults examined personal narratives of life-changing decisions in relation to personality and well-being. Participants whose decision narratives emphasized a crystallization of desire (i.e., approaching a desired future) rather than a crystallization of discontent (i.e., escaping an undesired past; Baumeister, 1991, 1994) reported higher well-being, fewer avoidance strivings, lower Neuroticism (in Study 1 only), and better decision…
Interpreting the Good Life: Growth Memories in the Lives of Mature, Happy People
In 2 studies, the authors examined autobiographical memories for the presence of 2 growth orientations that were expected to correspond differentially to maturity and well-being, which are considered to be key facets of "the good life" by L. A. King (2001). Mature participants emphasized integrative memories (conceptual integration and learning), whereas happy participants emphasized intrinsic memories (humanistic concerns). Both kinds of growth …
Personal Growth in Adults' Stories of Life Transitions
This study identified four themes of personal growth (integrative, intrinsic, agentic, and communal) in adults' stories of life transitions in careers and religions. Specific themes were expected to relate differentially to two forms of personality development (social-cognitive maturity and social-emotional well-being) and to transition satisfaction. Integrative themes correlated primarily with social-cognitive maturity (ego development; Loevinge…
Growth Goals, Maturity, and Well-Being
In 2 studies (125 college students and 51 adults), 2 forms of growth goals (exploratory and intrinsic) were compared with 2 forms of personality development (social-cognitive maturity and social-emotional well-being). Participants whose narratives of major life goals emphasized conceptual exploration were especially likely to have high levels of maturity (measured as ego development; J. Loevinger, 1976), whereas those whose goals emphasized intri…
Doing and Being Well (for the Most Part): Adaptive Patterns of Narrative Self‐Evaluation During Bereavement
Narrative self‐evaluation patterns were studied in relation to longitudinal measures of adaptation to the death of a spouse in midlife. Narrative self evaluations, identified in open‐ended interview transcripts at 6 months post‐loss, were coded as either positive or negative and as either doing‐based (evaluations of “what one does”) or being‐based (evaluations of “what one is”). These narrative variables were then compared with separate, clinical…
Continuity amid Discontinuity: Bridging One’s Past and Present in Stories of Conjugal Bereavement
Preview this article: Continuity amid Discontinuity: Bridging One's Past and Present in Stories of Conjugal Bereavement, Page 1 of 1 /docserver/preview/fulltext/ni.11.1.06bau-1.gif
Generativity and Social Involvement among African Americans and White Adults
I Can, I Do, I Am: The Narrative Differentiation of Self-Efficacy and Other Self-Evaluations while Adapting to Bereavement
Personal Growth in Adults' Stories of Life Transitions
This study identified four themes of personal growth (integrative, intrinsic, agentic, and communal) in adults' stories of life transitions in careers and religions. Specific themes were expected to relate differentially to two forms of personality development (social-cognitive maturity and social-emotional well-being) and to transition satisfaction. Integrative themes correlated primarily with social-cognitive maturity (ego development; Loevinge…
Interpreting the Good Life: Growth Memories in the Lives of Mature, Happy People
In 2 studies, the authors examined autobiographical memories for the presence of 2 growth orientations that were expected to correspond differentially to maturity and well-being, which are considered to be key facets of "the good life" by L. A. King (2001). Mature participants emphasized integrative memories (conceptual integration and learning), whereas happy participants emphasized intrinsic memories (humanistic concerns). Both kinds of growth …
Growth Goals, Maturity, and Well-Being
In 2 studies (125 college students and 51 adults), 2 forms of growth goals (exploratory and intrinsic) were compared with 2 forms of personality development (social-cognitive maturity and social-emotional well-being). Participants whose narratives of major life goals emphasized conceptual exploration were especially likely to have high levels of maturity (measured as ego development; J. Loevinger, 1976), whereas those whose goals emphasized intri…
Eudaimonic growth: Narrative growth goals predict increases in ego development and subjective well-being 3 years later
We examine (a) the normative course of eudaimonic well-being in emerging adulthood and (b) whether people's narratives of major life goals might prospectively predict eudaimonic growth 3 years later. We define eudaimonic growth as longitudinal increases in eudaimonic well-being, which we define as the combination of psychosocial maturity and subjective well-being (SWB). College freshmen and seniors took measures of ego development (ED; to assess …
Generativity and Social Involvement among African Americans and White Adults
Growth motivation attenuates the self-serving attribution
Continuity amid Discontinuity: Bridging One’s Past and Present in Stories of Conjugal Bereavement
Preview this article: Continuity amid Discontinuity: Bridging One's Past and Present in Stories of Conjugal Bereavement, Page 1 of 1 /docserver/preview/fulltext/ni.11.1.06bau-1.gif
Selection Errors of Random Route Samples
Random route samples are widely used in face-to-face surveys. Most previous studies of random route sample quality compare the data collected by random route samples with data from reliable sources, such as the German Microcensus. While these studies usually find few differences in the distributions of demographic variables, it is possible that other substantive variables of interest are biased if random route samples select households with unequ…
A good life story: Deconstructing (and integrating) elements of narrative identity and a good life, featuring themes of humanistic growth
Doing and Being Well (for the Most Part): Adaptive Patterns of Narrative Self‐Evaluation During Bereavement
Narrative self‐evaluation patterns were studied in relation to longitudinal measures of adaptation to the death of a spouse in midlife. Narrative self evaluations, identified in open‐ended interview transcripts at 6 months post‐loss, were coded as either positive or negative and as either doing‐based (evaluations of “what one does”) or being‐based (evaluations of “what one is”). These narrative variables were then compared with separate, clinical…
Continuity amid Discontinuity: Bridging One’s Past and Present in Stories of Conjugal Bereavement
Preview this article: Continuity amid Discontinuity: Bridging One's Past and Present in Stories of Conjugal Bereavement, Page 1 of 1 /docserver/preview/fulltext/ni.11.1.06bau-1.gif
Generativity and Social Involvement among African Americans and White Adults
I Can, I Do, I Am: The Narrative Differentiation of Self-Efficacy and Other Self-Evaluations while Adapting to Bereavement
Growth Goals, Maturity, and Well-Being
In 2 studies (125 college students and 51 adults), 2 forms of growth goals (exploratory and intrinsic) were compared with 2 forms of personality development (social-cognitive maturity and social-emotional well-being). Participants whose narratives of major life goals emphasized conceptual exploration were especially likely to have high levels of maturity (measured as ego development; J. Loevinger, 1976), whereas those whose goals emphasized intri…
Personal Growth in Adults' Stories of Life Transitions
This study identified four themes of personal growth (integrative, intrinsic, agentic, and communal) in adults' stories of life transitions in careers and religions. Specific themes were expected to relate differentially to two forms of personality development (social-cognitive maturity and social-emotional well-being) and to transition satisfaction. Integrative themes correlated primarily with social-cognitive maturity (ego development; Loevinge…
Crystallization of Desire and Crystallization of Discontent in Narratives of Life‐Changing Decisions
Two studies of adults examined personal narratives of life-changing decisions in relation to personality and well-being. Participants whose decision narratives emphasized a crystallization of desire (i.e., approaching a desired future) rather than a crystallization of discontent (i.e., escaping an undesired past; Baumeister, 1991, 1994) reported higher well-being, fewer avoidance strivings, lower Neuroticism (in Study 1 only), and better decision…
Interpreting the Good Life: Growth Memories in the Lives of Mature, Happy People
In 2 studies, the authors examined autobiographical memories for the presence of 2 growth orientations that were expected to correspond differentially to maturity and well-being, which are considered to be key facets of "the good life" by L. A. King (2001). Mature participants emphasized integrative memories (conceptual integration and learning), whereas happy participants emphasized intrinsic memories (humanistic concerns). Both kinds of growth …
Continuity and Change in the Life Story: A Longitudinal Study of Autobiographical Memories in Emerging Adulthood
If a person's internalized and evolving life story (narrative identity) is to be considered an integral feature of personality itself, then aspects of that story should manifest some continuity over time while also providing evidence regarding important personality change. Accordingly, college freshmen and seniors provided detailed written accounts of 10 key scenes in their life stories, and they repeated the same procedure 3 months and then 3 ye…
Narrative identity and eudaimonic well-being
Growth motivation attenuates the self-serving attribution
Eudaimonic growth: Narrative growth goals predict increases in ego development and subjective well-being 3 years later
We examine (a) the normative course of eudaimonic well-being in emerging adulthood and (b) whether people's narratives of major life goals might prospectively predict eudaimonic growth 3 years later. We define eudaimonic growth as longitudinal increases in eudaimonic well-being, which we define as the combination of psychosocial maturity and subjective well-being (SWB). College freshmen and seniors took measures of ego development (ED; to assess …
Self-actualizing: Where ego development finally feels good
This article addresses a paradox surrounding psychosocial maturity and self-actualizing in relation to well-being. Several stage theories of maturity (notably ego development; Loevinger, 1976) culminate in self-actualizing, which Maslow (1968) characterizes as the pinnacle of psychological health and well-being. However, empirical measures of maturity and well-being do not correlate. In a reanalysis of three datasets, we find preliminary support …
Selection Errors of Random Route Samples
Random route samples are widely used in face-to-face surveys. Most previous studies of random route sample quality compare the data collected by random route samples with data from reliable sources, such as the German Microcensus. While these studies usually find few differences in the distributions of demographic variables, it is possible that other substantive variables of interest are biased if random route samples select households with unequ…
Meaning making, self‐determination theory, and the question of wisdom in personality
Self‐determination theory (SDT) has advanced the most comprehensive model of motives for human flourishing in the field of personality psychology and beyond. In this article, we evaluate SDT relative to the process of meaning making, particularly from a narrative perspective, showing what SDT can and cannot explain about the construction of self‐identity and its relation to human flourishing. On the one hand, SDT explains how subjective assessmen…
What growth sounds like: Redemption, self‐improvement, and eudaimonic growth across different life narratives in relation to well‐being
OBJECTIVE: We disentangled three growth-relevant concepts (redemption, self-improvement, and eudaimonic growth) in personal narratives of high, low, and turning points and tested their relations to well-being. METHOD: In two studies, participants (Study 1 n = 111, Study 2 n = 206; overall ages 17-83, 56% women, 75% white) wrote narratives of high points, low points, and turning points. Researchers coded each narrative for redemption sequences (i.…
Maturity and Well-Being: The Development of Self-Authorship, Eudaimonic Motives, Age, and Subjective Well-Being
In this article, we investigate psychological maturity and other eudaimonic phenomena to predict subjective well-being (SWB), as well as if age moderate the relationship between psychological maturity and SWB. To assess psychological maturity, we analyzed 223 participants’ narratives of a high point in their life, according to Kegan’s (In over our heads: the mental demands of modern life, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1994) theory of a…
Introduction to the special issue on “Storying the good life: Pathways and pitfalls to adaptive narrative identity”
A good life story: Deconstructing (and integrating) elements of narrative identity and a good life, featuring themes of humanistic growth
A tribute to Will Dunlop
The Quiet Ego and Human Flourishing
Wise thoughts on phronesis
What might we learn about autobiographical narrative processing from Artificial Intelligence
Human beings are innately storytellers. Large Language Model AI algorithms (LLMs) like ChatGPT are not. But what ChatGPT produces, when instructed to generate or interpret a narrative, is powerful and can provide insight into human narrative processing, because it is trained to produce narratives from human sources. Our paper explores these ideas. In the first section we review key concepts from narrative identity theory and research, including a…
Psychology (18 works) · Identity, Memory, and Therapy (16 works) · Social Psychology (15 works) · Narrative (12 works) · Developmental psychology (11 works) · Psychotherapist (9 works) · Eudaimonia (8 works) · Identity (music) (7 works) · Epistemology (6 works) · Personal development (6 works)