Webinar with Prof. Dr. Fred Luthans (The Father of PsyCap), May 20, 2025

Webinar with Prof. Dr. Fred Luthans (The Father of PsyCap), May 20, 2025

 

 

 

 

Quesiton & Answer: 

Question: This is Dr. Jerry Choi from University of Maine at Presque Isle: Here is my question. Thanks for your kind sharing your works with me several weeks ago. 

There is an ongoing academic dialogue concerning whether Psychological Capital (PsyCap) serves more appropriately as a mediator or a moderator in various organizational models. I personally support the perspective of PsyCap as a mediator, given its permeable and developmental characteristics, which distinguish it from more stable traits such as personality. I would welcome any alternative theoretical or empirical insights that might offer a stronger rationale for its role.

 

Prof. Dr. Fred Luthans answered my question: 

https://youtube.com/shorts/gJ9bOGwaoes

 

Reference: 

POBI.org (official website)

https://pobi.org/

Home - POBI

Implicit Psychological Capital Questionnaire (iPCQ)

 

 

The 

Implicit Psychological Capital Questionnaire (I-PCQ) is a tool designed to measure psychological capital (PsyCap) in a more implicit way, distinguishing it from traditional self-report measures. 

What is Psychological Capital (PsyCap)?

PsyCap is defined as a positive psychological state of development characterized by four specific constructs: 

• Hope: Having goals and believing one can achieve them, along with the ability to find alternative paths when needed.
• Efficacy: Having confidence in one's abilities to succeed at challenging tasks.
• Resilience: The capacity to bounce back and adapt positively from setbacks and adversity.
• Optimism: Making positive attributions about current and future success. 

How the I-PCQ Differs from the PCQ:

Most PsyCap research has historically relied on the self-report Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ). While valuable, self-report measures can be susceptible to biases like social desirability. 

The I-PCQ, developed by Harms & Luthans, employs a semi-projective technique. It involves presenting respondents with fictional scenarios (positive, negative, or ambiguous) and asking them to evaluate the characters' thoughts and feelings related to PsyCap dimensions. By focusing on perceived thoughts and feelings of others rather than directly asking about one's own, the I-PCQ aims to capture more implicit cognitive schemas related to PsyCap. 

 

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1088&context=managementfacpub

 

 

 

Key Features of the I-PCQ:

• Semi-projective approach: Utilizes fictional scenarios to elicit responses.
• Focus on implicit cognitions: Measures PsyCap through the evaluation of others' thoughts and feelings.
• Includes multiple scenarios: Utilizes positive, negative, and ambiguous situations to assess responses in diverse contexts.
• Likert scale format: Uses a short questionnaire with Likert-style items to score responses.
• Calculated PsyCap score: Derived from specific items related to hope, optimism, resilience, and efficacy across all scenarios. 

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00223891.2018.1480489#:~:text=Measures-,Implicit%20measure%20of%20psychological%20capital,et%20al.%2C%202017%29.

 

Validation and Research Findings:

Research suggests the I-PCQ is a valid measure of PsyCap, showing good structural validity and resistance to response distortion. It has also demonstrated its ability to predict work outcomes above and beyond traditional self-report measures. The I-PCQ offers a valuable alternative for researchers and practitioners interested in assessing PsyCap in a way that minimizes potential biases associated with self-report measures. 

 

 

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Initially Archived: May 20, 2025

Webinar with Fred Luthans on Positive psychological capital (PSYCAP), Turkish Academy of Management (TAOM)
Date & Time	May 20, 2025 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)