A multilevel factor structure of emotion beliefs: Evidence for situational relevance and emotion structure beliefs

Researchers typically examine one or two emotion beliefs, without considering how the beliefs may map onto a latent set of emotion beliefs. Examining the factor structure of emotion beliefs may offer a parsimonious and helpful way to conceptualize emotion beliefs and advance empirical work on the topic. We used multilevel exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to test the factor structure of emotion beliefs in two samples (Sample 1: N = 179 community adults; Sample 2: N = 234 undergraduate students) who each completed 1 or 2 weeks of ecological momentary assessment, repeatedly reporting on eight emotion beliefs: justified, fit the situation, helpful, enduring (duration), complex, warranted expression, controllable, and having a clear source. In each sample, we found consistent evidence for a two-factor structure at the within- and between-person level, except the controllability item. The first factor reflected situational relevance beliefs, or the degree to which emotions were evaluated as appropriate for the situation (i.e., justified, fit, helpful, and had clear causes). The second factor reflected emotion structure beliefs, or what people believed about the properties of their emotion experiences (i.e., long-lasting and complex). In the multigroup confirmatory factor analyses including both samples, emotion controllability cross-loading onto both factors (in opposite directions). We present support for convergent and discriminant validity of the two factors. Elucidating the factor structure of emotion beliefs is a critical step forward in the study of emotion beliefs. Future research is needed to examine how these situational relevance and emotion structure beliefs relate to emotion processes and psychological well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).