Decomposing Affect Variability Across Momentary and Daily Timescales
Year: 2017
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Recent research has taken a lifespan developmental perspective on emotion regulation and examined whether there are age differences in variability in emotional experiences. Multiple factors, however, contribute to affect variability - stable individual differences, daily shifts, and momentary fluctuations. This coordinated analysis of seven independent daily diary and ecological momentary assessment studies (age = 18–84 years) decomposed negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA) variability. Within-person variability was sizeable (NA: 45–74%, PA: 24–66%), with most at the momentary level. PA and NA reliability were high (0.77–0.91) despite different items and designs. Heterogeneous variance models by age group indicated greater proportion of momentary variability among older adults. Theorized processes underlying moment-to-moment fluctuations are conceptually distinct from those differentiating good from bad days and one individual’s typical state from another person’s. Imprecise labeling of variability may impede progress when researchers attempt to find the same patterns and predictors across different time scales.
Source: Innovation in Aging
Authors: S.B. Scott, M. Sliwinski
Institutions: Stony Brook University, Pennsylvania State University
Language: English
Subfield: Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,977
OpenAlex ID: W2728779923