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Velocity Explains the Links between Personality States and Affect
Joshua A Wilt1, Wiebke Bleidorn2, William Revelle3
1Case Western Reserve University.
Journal of Research in Personality
|September 30, 2017
Summary
Goal progress, or velocity, mediates how personality states influence emotions. Increased velocity links extraversion to positive feelings, while decreased velocity links neuroticism to negative feelings, supporting self-regulation theories.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Personality Psychology
Background:
- Personality states and affective states are dynamically related.
- Control theories of self-regulation posit that progress toward goals influences emotional experiences.
- Understanding the interplay between personality, goal striving, and affect is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mediating role of perceived goal progress (velocity) in the relationship between personality states and affective states.
- To test if state extraversion is associated with increased velocity and positive affect.
- To examine if state neuroticism is associated with decreased velocity and negative affect.
Main Methods:
- Two experience sampling methodology studies were conducted over two weeks each.
- Multilevel modeling was employed to analyze the data.
- Multilevel path analyses were used to test mediation hypotheses.
Main Results:
- Bivariate links between personality states, velocity, and affective states were supported.
- Mediation hypotheses were confirmed: increased velocity mediated the link between state extraversion and positive affect.
- Decreased velocity mediated the link between state neuroticism and negative affect.
Conclusions:
- Perceived velocity of goal progress is a key mediator between personality states and affective states.
- Findings support control theories of self-regulation and highlight the dynamic interplay between personality and emotion.
- This research offers insights into goal striving and emotional well-being.
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