The aim of this research is to develop statistical models for the analysis of subjective experience data as obtained in self-report, ecological momentary assessment, and experience sampling studies. The purpose of these studies is to investigate emotions, cognitions, or behavior over time within the context of a person's everyday routine. The measurement of subjective experiences as they unfold over time in relation to actual occurrences of events raises a variety of fundamental modeling issues that will be addressed by this research. The investigator will develop autoregressive random coefficient models for multivariate discrete-valued data. These models will be used to investigate (a) how subjective experiences (e.g., pleasant and unpleasant emotions) interact over time, and (b) how individual differences (e.g., personality traits) moderate interactions among subjective experiences. These applications will be instrumental for developing and testing psychological theories about the temporal nature of subjective experiences.
