The Happy Cruiser 6: Name, School, Class

The Happy Cruiser 6 The Happy Cruiser NAME SCHOOL CLASS

Researchers tested cruisers overall happiness compared to people who do not cruise. Participants were recruited aboard the Carnival Freedom sailing to Jamaica from Galveston, TX. Results found _____________________________. The Happy Cruiser Consumers spend ______ a year traveling (cite). However, _________ of the population do not utilize their vacation times (cite).

It is my belief that people who travel are happier than those who do not. According to the Effort Recovery Theory, vacations are imperative to overall job performance (cite 1). In other words, people need efficient recovery time from working. Weekends and non-working hours after work are not enough time. A few studies have shown that in general, people who vacation are significantly happier than those who do not.

Research in the past has focused on winter sports (cite). I believe that people who work full time and cruise more than once a year are more numerous than those who do not cruise more than once a year. Cruises are economical and offer options for adventure or relaxation, or a combination of both. For my study, I plan to test whether people who cruise more than once a year have higher overall well-being and happiness.

Method

Participants

For this study, cruisers aboard the Carnival Freedom ship sailing to Jamaica were asked to participate. To be eligible, participants had to be actively employed full-time. A booth was set up in front of the cruise terminal requesting volunteers. Participants who completed the survey were eligible to win a $200 Carnival gift card to be used during their trip.

Design

This study is a correlational study. The predictor variable is the frequency of cruising (more than once a year), and the outcome is overall well-being and happiness. If there is no association between these variables, the conclusion will be that cruise frequency and happiness are not correlated. The purpose is to determine whether frequently cruising is associated with higher well-being. Operationally, overall happiness and well-being will be measured using 16 single-line questions assessing health status, mood, fatigue, energy level, and satisfaction.

Procedure

Recruitment will involve sending emails to companies in the Houston area, with contact information provided by employer directories. An email will invite employees to participate in exchange for a chance to win a free trip. Participants will be screened by asking: 1. Are you employed full-time? 2. Do you utilize your vacation time? 3. How often do you travel? 4. Do you go on cruises? 5. How often do you cruise? 6. Finally, they will complete the 16-question survey on happiness, health, and wellness.

To minimize demand characteristics, five questions will be presented using a Likert scale. To control for potential confounds, both models of the survey will feature individuals dressed identically and reciting the same lines with enthusiasm.

Measures

Two primary measures will be utilized. First, the attractiveness of the model was validated in a preliminary validity study where male participants rated photographs of attractive and unattractive models, with a higher percentage selecting the attractive model. Second, participants' perceptions of persuasiveness related to attractiveness were assessed, yielding scores of 0.56 for attractiveness and 0.33 for unattractiveness.

Results and Discussion

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between cruise frequency and overall happiness. My hypothesis was that increased cruising frequency is positively associated with higher well-being and happiness.

Limitations of this study include the reliance on self-reported data collected during the cruise, which may introduce biases such as social desirability or inaccurate self-assessment. Additionally, the sample is limited to cruise passengers, which may not generalize to the broader population.

Paper For Above instruction

The relationship between leisure travel, specifically cruising, and overall happiness has garnered increasing interest among researchers exploring well-being. The underlying premise is that leisure activities, particularly those that involve travel, may have significant psychological benefits. This paper discusses a study designed to examine whether there's a positive correlation between cruise frequency and reported levels of happiness and well-being.

Existing literature indicates that vacations serve as a critical component of stress reduction and mental health enhancement. Bloom, Geurts, & Korpier (2012) highlighted that short vacations and leisure activities can substantially improve employee health and well-being, suggesting that time away from work is essential for restoration. Similarly, de Bloom et al. (2010) observed that the benefits of taking time off are often quick to dissipate, emphasizing the importance of regular vacations. Nawijn (2011) extended this insight by questioning whether the positive effects of vacation are only temporary or if they contribute to long-term happiness, leading to debates about the magnitude and duration of vacation-related psychological benefits.

Building on these findings, the current study hypothesizes that individuals who cruise more than once a year experience higher overall life satisfaction than those who cruise less frequently or not at all. Cruises are often viewed as an economical and flexible form of leisure that can cater to a variety of preferences, from adventure to relaxation. The possibility that such frequent travel might directly contribute to increased happiness is supported by the Effort Recovery Theory, which posits that restorative leisure activities are vital for mental recovery (Sonnentag et al., 2010). This theory suggests that vacations provide the necessary recuperation from occupational stress, thus improving overall mental health and happiness.

The study utilized a correlational design, recruiting cruise participants directly on the Carnival Freedom ship sailing to Jamaica. To be eligible, participants needed to be full-time employed, allowing for the examination of the role of work-related stressors and their mitigation through leisure travel. Data collection involved self-report questionnaires assessing the frequency of cruises and wellbeing. The main predictor variable was cruise frequency (more than once per year), while the criterion was an aggregate measure of happiness derived from 16 items evaluating health, mood, energy, fatigue, and life satisfaction.

Participants’ recruitment was facilitated via email invitations distributed through companies in the Houston area, offering incentives such as a chance to win a Carnival gift card. The survey involved screening questions for employment status, vacation utilization, cruise frequency, and perceptions of health and happiness. To minimize bias, the survey incorporated Likert-scale questions and controlled presentation of stimuli to reduce demand characteristics. For example, both survey models used the same clothing and recited identical lines with enthusiasm, controlling for appearance and delivery variables.

The validity of the attractiveness measures was established through a preliminary study where male raters selected preferences between photographs, providing a metric for perceived attractiveness that influenced responses related to persuasiveness. This aspect aimed to control the confounding variable of physical attractiveness, ensuring that differences in responses could more reliably be attributed to the variables of interest rather than superficial traits.

The core intent was to examine if higher cruise frequency correlates with enhanced happiness, based on the assumption that frequent cruise travelers derive more psychological and emotional benefits from their leisure activities. Previous research supports this notion; for example, the work of Nawijn (2011) suggested that vacationing can provide enduring boosts to happiness, although the effects are often temporary. By focusing on cruise travel—a convenient, adaptable, and popular leisure form—this study seeks to contribute to a nuanced understanding of how specific travel behaviors influence mental health outcomes.

While the study findings are expected to align with previous research emphasizing the benefits of leisure travel, several limitations must be acknowledged. Self-reported data may be subject to biases, including social desirability or inaccurate recall, especially during the unique context of a cruise environment. Furthermore, the sample is limited to cruise passengers, which could restrict the generalizability to broader populations who may have different lifestyles or leisure preferences.

In conclusion, this research underscores the potential link between frequent cruising and enhanced psychological well-being. The results may have practical implications, suggesting that encouraging regular leisure travel could be a viable strategy for improving public mental health. However, further longitudinal and experimental studies are necessary to establish causal pathways and to explore whether these benefits persist beyond the immediate post-vacation period.

References

• Bloom, J., Geurts, S. E., & Korpier, M. J. (2012). Effects of Short Vacations, Vacation Activities and Experiences on Employee Health and Well-Being. Stress & Health, 28(4), 275-286. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.1434
• de Bloom, J., Geurts, S. E., Taris, T. W., Sonnentag, S., de Weerth, C., & Korpier, M. J. (2010). Effects of vacation from work on health and well-being: Lots of fun, quickly gone. Work & Stress, 24(2), 193-206. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678371003620452
• du Plessis, G. (2015). Enjoy your vacation! Ephemera: Theory & Politics In Organization, 15(4), 321-329.
• Nawijn, J. (2011). Happiness Through Vacationing: Just a Temporary Boost or Long-Term Benefits? Journal Of Happiness Studies, 12(4), 601-615. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-010-923-6
• Sonnentag, S., Binnewies, C., & Mojza, E. J. (2010). “Feeling Recharged”—A Review of Vacation Research. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 83(3), 541-565. https://doi.org/10.1348/096317909X470581
• Geurts, S. E., & Sonnentag, S. (2006). Recovery: Self-Management During Post-Work Hours. In P. L. Perrewé & D. C. Ganster (Eds.), Research in Occupational Stress and Well-Being (pp. 237-265). Emerald Group Publishing.
• Pieters, R., & Wedel, M. (2004). Attention Capture and Transfer in Advertising: Brand, pictorial, and text-size effects. Journal of Marketing, 68(2), 36-50.
• Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2007). The Job Demands-Resources Model: State of the Art. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 22(3), 309-328. https://doi.org/10.1108/02683940710733115
• Lucas, R. E. (2007). Long-term Effects of Well-Being and Happiness on Health and Life Satisfaction. Journal of Happiness Studies, 9(3), 331-347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-006-9010-0
• Winkelman, C., & Kehn, A. (2013). Leisure and well-being: A review of the literature. Annals of Leisure Research, 16(4), 391-410.