Some Measurement Issues in the Study of Affect

Abstract

Abstract This volume addresses methods in the field of positive psychology. Within that topic, this chapter focuses on methodological issues associated with induced positive affect. In this context, we focus especially on the assessment of induced affect and its impact on other processes and behavior. In the course of this, we discuss several problems that are associated with the traditional self-report measures of affect, describe some conceptual alternatives to self-report measures, and consider some empirical alternative indicators of positive affect. We also consider some theoretical implications of the use of different methods of assessing affect. And we pay some attention to the requirements and limitations, from a measurement perspective, inherent in some of the methods of inducing positive affect that are used in the literature.