 States

are transitory (temporary)

◦Generally caused by the situation
◦Emotion: how you feel RIGHT NOW
 Traits

are patterns of behavior

◦Generally caused by something within the individual
◦Emotion: how you usually feel
 There

are state versions of many individual differences
◦E.g. state versus trait self-esteem

 Differences

in Content

 Differences

in Style

 How easily an emotion can be elicited
 Intensity

 Happiness
2

& life satisfaction

ways to define happiness:

(1) Judgment that life is satisfying
(2) More positive than negative emotions

1---------2----------3---------4----------5----------6
Strongly Moderately Slightly
Slightly
Strongly
Disagree Disagree
Disagree Agree

Moderately
Agree

1. In most ways my life is close to my ideal.
2. If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
3. I am satisfied with my life.
4. So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.
5. The conditions of my life are excellent.

The higher the score, the more satisfied you are

Agree

 Measures

of happiness correlate w/ social desirability scores
◦Positive illusions important to happiness ◦Inflated view of self as good, able, desirable  What

causes people to say they are happy?  Intensity

of happy emotions?
OR
 Frequency of happy emotions?

 Happiness

scores correlate with positive life outcomes
◦Higher income
◦Higher quality marriages
◦Longer life
◦Less abusive & hostile
◦More helpful
◦More creative
◦More energetic
◦More trusting

Expect success
 Attribute success internally
 Start a conversation with a new person
 Like a stranger
 Express interest in leisure activities
(vacations, sporting events, etc.)
 Perceive others as close (self-other overlap)
 Cooperate
 Help


Increases pain threshold
 Lowers blood pressure




Participants induced to feel negative moods… ◦Differentiate between strong and weak arguments ◦Value quality of argument over the source ◦Less likely to rely on stereotypes



People in bad moods less likely to rely on heuristics  Experiment:

measure personality and then do mood induction
 Results
◦Extraversion: Predicts responses to positive stimuli ◦Neuroticism: Predict response to negative stimuli  Easy

to put extraverts in a good mood and neurotic people in a bad mood

 Affect

intensity

◦High intensity

◦Low intensity

DIRECTIONS
The following questions refer to emotional reactions to typical life-events. Please indicate how YOU react to these events using the scale provided. Please base your answers on how YOU react, not on how you think others react or how you think a person should react.

1
Never

2
3
Almost Occasionally
Never

4
Usually

5
6
Almost Always
Always

1. Sad movies deeply touch me.
2. When I’m happy, it’s a feeling of being untroubled and content, rather than being zestful and aroused.
3. When I talk in front of a group for the first time, my voice gets shaky and my heart races.
4. When something good happens, I’m usually much more jubilant than others.
5. My friends might say I’m emotional.

1
2
Never Almost
Always
Never

3
Occasionally

4
Usually

5
Almost

6

Always

6. The memories I like most are those of times when I felt content and peaceful, rather than zestful and enthusiastic.
7. The sight of someone who is hurt badly affects me strongly.
8. When I’m feeling well, it’s easy for me to go from feeling in a tood mood to being really joyful.
9. “Calm