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Social context and the shifting nature of judgment worry: An ecological momentary assessment study with first-generation college students.

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Title: Social context and the shifting nature of judgment worry: An ecological momentary assessment study with first-generation college students.
Authors: Homan, Caroline (AUTHOR), Kho, Carmen (AUTHOR), Zawadzki, Matthew J. (AUTHOR), Bentz, Jordan (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology. Jun2026, Vol. 45 Issue 3, p199-226. 28p.
Subjects: Social context, Judgment (Psychology), Evaluation methodology, Social integration, Ecological momentary assessments (Clinical psychology), First-generation college students, Social belonging, Loneliness
Abstract: Introduction: Judgment worry is the proximal appraisal of whether a social evaluation has occurred. Although judgment worry is context-sensitive, there is gap in research examining how momentary shifts in daily experiences are associated with variations in judgment worry. Methods: This study examined whether judgment worry functions as a dynamic state with moment-to-moment variations influenced by social context. These processes were tested among first-generation college students who often face unique academic, cultural, and socioeconomic pressures that may heighten the salience of judgment worry. First-generation college students completed ecological momentary assessments four times a day across 14 days (N = 172; k = 6,352), reporting on momentary judgment worry and aspects of their social environment (e.g., belongingness, loneliness, pleasantness, and connectedness). Results: Multilevel models revealed a substantial amount of the variance in judgment worry (49.7%) occurs within-person. Participants reported that in the moments they experienced greater belongingness, more pleasant social interactions, or greater connectedness with social partners, these were also the moments when they experienced less judgment worry. In contrast, in moments they experienced greater loneliness, they reported more judgment worry. Discussion: Results demonstrate judgment worry as contextually responsive and dynamic, rather than purely trait-like, with changes in social context predictive of this social-evaluative processing sequence. These findings suggest the potential to curate protective contexts for improving the lives and wellbeing of first-generation college students in meaningful ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology is the property of Guilford Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Social context and the shifting nature of judgment worry: An ecological momentary assessment study with first-generation college students.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Homan%2C+Caroline%22">Homan, Caroline</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kho%2C+Carmen%22">Kho, Carmen</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zawadzki%2C+Matthew+J%2E%22">Zawadzki, Matthew J.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bentz%2C+Jordan%22">Bentz, Jordan</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Social+%26+Clinical+Psychology%22">Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 45 Issue 3, p199-226. 28p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+context%22">Social context</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Judgment+%28Psychology%29%22">Judgment (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation+methodology%22">Evaluation methodology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+integration%22">Social integration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ecological+momentary+assessments+%28Clinical+psychology%29%22">Ecological momentary assessments (Clinical psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22First-generation+college+students%22">First-generation college students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+belonging%22">Social belonging</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Loneliness%22">Loneliness</searchLink>
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  Data: Introduction: Judgment worry is the proximal appraisal of whether a social evaluation has occurred. Although judgment worry is context-sensitive, there is gap in research examining how momentary shifts in daily experiences are associated with variations in judgment worry. Methods: This study examined whether judgment worry functions as a dynamic state with moment-to-moment variations influenced by social context. These processes were tested among first-generation college students who often face unique academic, cultural, and socioeconomic pressures that may heighten the salience of judgment worry. First-generation college students completed ecological momentary assessments four times a day across 14 days (N = 172; k = 6,352), reporting on momentary judgment worry and aspects of their social environment (e.g., belongingness, loneliness, pleasantness, and connectedness). Results: Multilevel models revealed a substantial amount of the variance in judgment worry (49.7%) occurs within-person. Participants reported that in the moments they experienced greater belongingness, more pleasant social interactions, or greater connectedness with social partners, these were also the moments when they experienced less judgment worry. In contrast, in moments they experienced greater loneliness, they reported more judgment worry. Discussion: Results demonstrate judgment worry as contextually responsive and dynamic, rather than purely trait-like, with changes in social context predictive of this social-evaluative processing sequence. These findings suggest the potential to curate protective contexts for improving the lives and wellbeing of first-generation college students in meaningful ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Social & Clinical Psychology is the property of Guilford Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=194589278
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        Value: 10.1521/jscp.2026.45.3.199
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Evaluation methodology
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      – SubjectFull: First-generation college students
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      – SubjectFull: Social belonging
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              Text: Jun2026
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              Y: 2026
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