Using the time‐varying autoregressive model to study dynamic changes in situation perceptions and emotional reactions

Objective Assuming personality to be a system of intra‐individual processes emerging over time in interaction with the environment, we propose an idiographic approach to investigate potential changes of intra‐individual dynamics in the perception of situations and emotions of individuals varying in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of personality 2020-08, Vol.88 (4), p.806-821
Main Authors: Casini, Erica, Richetin, Juliette, Preti, Emanuele, Bringmann, Laura F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Change agents
dynamic modeling
Emotional responses
Emotions
idiographic
non‐stationarity
Perceptions
Personality
Personality tests
Personality traits
Psychological processes
Time series
time‐varying autoregressive model
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Summary:Objective Assuming personality to be a system of intra‐individual processes emerging over time in interaction with the environment, we propose an idiographic approach to investigate potential changes of intra‐individual dynamics in the perception of situations and emotions of individuals varying in personality traits. We compared the semiparametric time‐varying autoregressive model (TV‐AR) that takes into account the non‐stationarity of psychological processes at the individual level, with the standard AR model. Method We conducted analyses of individual time series to assess intra‐individual changes in mean levels and inertia on data from two adolescents who completed measures of personality and indicated their situation perceptions and emotions five times a day for 19 days. Results For the less honest, emotional, extraverted, and more agreeable adolescent, the TV‐AR model detected reliable changes in the intra‐individual dynamics of situation perceptions and emotions whereas, for the other individual, the standard AR model was more preferred, given the lack of changes in the intra‐individual dynamics. Conclusions Psychological processes dynamics in situation perception and emotions may vary from person to person depending on their personality. This work constitutes a first step in demonstrating that an idiographic approach has advantages in identifying changes in individuals' perceptions and reactions to situations.
ISSN:0022-3506
1467-6494
DOI:10.1111/jopy.12528