The dynamic role of personality states in mediating the relationship between extraversion and positive affect.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Internal meta-analysis of observational repeated-measures/experience sampling studies (graded by design analogy).
PubMed 22092066 · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2011.00756.x
What was done
Five experience sampling studies and an internal meta-analysis were conducted in laboratory settings and natural environments with 241 undergraduate participants. Participants provided self-report ratings of trait extraversion, trait positive affect, state-level extraversion, and state-level positive affect to test whether momentary extraverted states mediate the link between trait extraversion and trait positive affect.
What was found
Relationships between trait extraversion and trait positive affect were partially mediated by aggregated extraversion states and aggregated positive affect states across primary studies and the meta-analysis. The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, or test statistics.
Why it matters
This study provides evidence that trait extraversion influences happiness partly through the dynamic enactment of momentary extraverted behaviors. It suggests behavioral regulation of extraverted states could potentially be explored as a strategy to boost positive affect.
Limits
The total sample was limited to 241 undergraduate students across five studies, limiting demographic generalizability. The abstract provides no quantitative metrics or confidence intervals. The experience sampling design is observational, precluding definitive causal conclusions regarding state manipulation.
Cited by
- supports The correlation between day-to-day positive affect (happiness) and extraversion is approximately 0.5.