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Within- and Between-Person Differences in Activity Factor Structure: Results From an Ecological Momentary Assessment
Allison A M Bielak1, Jacqueline A Mogle2, Martin J Sliwinski3
1Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.
Summary
This study reveals three common activity patterns in adults aged 41-94, differentiating between daily routines and long-term goals. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) offers unique insights into activity engagement across different timescales.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Existing research on activity participation often uses factor analyses from single time points, limiting understanding of within-person activity clustering.
- This approach primarily highlights between-person differences, neglecting how activities co-occur within an individual across moments or days.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the factor structure of activity participation both between- and within-persons.
- To utilize an expanded set of momentary activity items in middle and older adulthood to achieve this comparison.
Main Methods:
- Employed ecological momentary assessment (EMA) using tablets for data collection.
- 81 adults aged 41–94 years reported activities every 3-4 hours, 5 times daily for 14 days.
- Utilized multilevel factor analysis to compute both intra-individual (within-person) and inter-individual (between-person) factors simultaneously.
Main Results:
- Identified three common factors across both within- and between-person analyses: cognitive (reading, computer work), social (events, mentoring, caregiving), and passive (watching TV/videos, games).
- Found notable differences in a fourth factor, distinguishing between intra- and inter-individual structures.
- Daily activities included social interactions, reading, and computer work, while evening activities predominantly involved watching TV or videos.
Conclusions:
- Three core activity factors (cognitive, social, passive) are consistent within and between individuals over time.
- Divergence in the fourth factor between within- and between-person analyses suggests distinct influences of daily demands versus long-term goals on activity engagement.
- Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) provides valuable insights into activity engagement across different timescales, potentially yielding different results compared to traditional retrospective between-person analyses.
