Handbook of Research Methods for Studying Daily Life

Bringing together leading authorities, this unique handbook reviews the breadth of current approaches for studying how people think, feel, and behave in everyday environments, rather than in the laboratory. The volume thoroughly describes experience sampling methods, diary methods, physiological measures, and other self-report and non-self-report tools that allow for repeated, real-time measurement in natural settings. Practical guidance is provided to help the reader design a high-quality study, select and implement appropriate methods, and analyze the resulting data using cutting-edge statistical techniques. Applications across a wide range of psychological subfields and research areas are discussed in detail.

Matthias R. Mehl, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Arizona. He received his doctorate in social and personality psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. Over the last decade, he developed the electronically activated recorder (EAR) as a novel methodology for the unobtrusive naturalistic observation of daily life. He has given workshops and published numerous articles on novel methods for studying daily life. Dr. Mehl is a founding member and the current Vice President of the Society for Ambulatory Assessment.

Tamlin S. Conner, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Otago in New Zealand. She received her doctorate in social psychology from Boston College and completed postdoctoral training in health and personality psychology at the University of Connecticut Health Center. She has published numerous articles on the theory and practice of experience sampling; is a leading expert on ambulatory self-report techniques; and conducts research on well-being, emotions, and the science of self-report. Dr. Conner is a founding member and current executive committee member of the Society for Ambulatory Assessment.