The relation between valence and arousal in subjective experience

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Affective Science

Background:

• Affective experience, encompassing valence and arousal, is fundamental to psychological phenomena.
• Previous research has proposed six distinct models for the valence-arousal relationship, but evidence remains inconclusive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review existing literature on the valence-arousal relationship.
• To statistically model and verify proposed valence-arousal relationships across diverse datasets.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review of proposed valence-arousal relations.
• Statistical modeling applied to eight datasets (N=80-1,417).
• Analysis of affective experiences reported in laboratory and naturalistic settings.

Main Results:

• A weak, consistent V-shaped relationship between arousal and valence was observed on average.
• Significant individual-level variations in the valence-arousal relationship were identified.
• The structure of affect demonstrated malleability across individuals and circumstances.

Conclusions:

• The findings challenge the existence of a static, lawful relationship between valence and arousal.
• Individual differences in affect structure are meaningful and correlate with personality and culture.
• Future research must account for affective malleability and individual variations.