Development of a Methodology for Assessing Daily Experiences
Abstract
Serious shortcomings in existing instruments for assessing life events coupled with the inadequacy of retrospective designs in evaluating hypotheses concerning the causal impact of experience led to the development of a new methodology for assessing daily occurrences. First, using diary recordings a sample supplied a pool of events. These events were then categorized, arranged in outline form and linked to a set of dimensions used to rate psychological reactions to the events which were experienced. This initial instrument was pilot-tested for two weeks with husbands (targets) reporting their own experiences and their wives completing the form as observers. The instrument allowed husbands to adequately record their daily experiences and several predictions (e.g., desirable events related directly to 'positive' moods) were confirmed. Nonetheless, husband-wife concordance was low and prompted an additional study. Several revisions based on participants' comments and our own experience with the initial form were made and more extensive training was provided to the participants. Additionally, some subjects received phone calls on selected days to allow us to better understand the reasons for low husband- wife concordance. The major source of discordance was that information known to the target was unavailable to the observer. Thus, the instrument appears to be a convenient way of collecting accurate data on daily experience.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA120166
Entities
People
- Arthur A. Stone
- John M. Neale
Organizations
- Stony Brook University