Investigating mixed emotion elicitation across the life span via intensity and networks

Although a relatively common concept in nonacademic spheres, mixed emotions are poorly understood in research. The literature suggests that, despite methodological difficulties, positive and negative states can be experienced together and have health-related implications. Yet, there is a need for additional work including investigations of in-the-moment manifestations and individual factors that lead to more or fewer mixed emotions. In this light, the present study seeks to clarify discord in the literature regarding age differences in mixed emotions using in-the-moment elicitation to evaluate the manifestation and dissipation of mixed emotions via assessments of intensity and emotion networks. We used a reactivity paradigm with a recovery period where participants watched a 4-minute clip from the film Life Is Beautiful (1997). Importantly, all participants experienced more mixed emotions after elicitation, which dissipated after a period of natural affect recovery, but older adults had a higher magnitude of changes in emotions overall. Moreover, emotion networks changed in a consistent manner for all age groups with more significant positive connections between positive and negative items after elicitation. Thus, mixed emotions can be effectively elicited across the life span, perhaps related to age. While additional work is needed to refine elicitation and mixed emotion network modeling, this evidence pushes mixed emotion research forward by extending theory and techniques for examining this underexplored phenomenon. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).