Work

Feelings or Words? Understanding the Content in Self-Report Ratings of Experienced Emotion.

Year: 2004

Type: article

Abstract: People differ in the extent to which their verbal reports of experienced emotion are valence focused or arousal focused. Three multimethod studies are reported to explore whether differential focus reflects individual differences in the cognitive structure of emotion language versus differences in phenomenological experience. Although there was some evidence that valence focus and arousal focus were linked to variations differences in cognitive structure, the findings are also consistent with the view that self-report ratings are being driven by the properties of the feelings that are being reported. Implications for the study of experienced emotion are discussed.

Source: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

DOI: 10.1037/0022-3514.87.2.266

Author: Lisa Feldman Barrett

Institution: Boston College

Language: English

Topic: Emotions and Moral Behavior

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute of Mental Health

Award: Emotional Granularity: A View From Multiple Levels