Initial elevation bias in subjective reports.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical and social sciences research
• Psychological and behavioral measurement
• Subjective reporting methodologies

Background:

• Repeated assessments in research often reveal a puzzling decrease in reported thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
• This phenomenon has been termed the "attenuation effect," implying bias in later reports.
• An alternative explanation, initial elevation bias, suggests reports are higher at the outset.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically investigate the cause of decreased subjective reports over time.
• To differentiate between attenuation effect and initial elevation bias.
• To understand the factors influencing this reporting bias.

Main Methods:

• Conducted four field studies with a total of 2,077 participants (n=870, n=246, n=870, n=141).
• Employed systematic, experimental designs to examine subjective reports across repeated assessments.
• Analyzed patterns in self-reported thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Main Results:

• Findings provide strong evidence for an initial elevation bias, not a later decline.
• This bias is more pronounced for internal states compared to overt behaviors.
• Negative mental states and physical symptoms exhibit a larger initial elevation bias than positive states.

Conclusions:

• The observed decrease in subjective reports over time is likely due to an initial elevation bias.
• Researchers using subjective reports should be aware of and investigate this initial elevation bias.
• Understanding this bias is crucial for accurate interpretation of findings in biomedical and social sciences.