Handbook of Research Methods for Studying Daily Life

by Matthias R. Mehl

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Author: Matthias R. Mehl

Publisher: The Guilford Press

Paperback:
ISBN 10: 1462513050
ISBN 13: 978-1462513055

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.

Review

"If you want to study life as it is lived--and do it by the numbers--then this volume is for you. This invaluable reference presents the latest theories, methods, and topics, and will provide inspiration and guidance for students and seasoned researchers alike. Mehl and Conner have assembled a team of experts at the forefront of the field who demonstrate that naturalistic sampling methods have developed into powerful tools for studying all facets of the human condition. The chapters have that rare combination of conceptual sophistication and methodological precision, making this book indispensable for anyone who wants to investigate how people feel, think, and behave in the moment-to-moment rhythms of their lives."--Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Northeastern University

"This volume--more than any other book published in the last two decades--will change the field of psychology. Psychological scientists have long recognized that ultimately, if their research is to have any meaning, they must venture out of the lab to study psychological processes unfolding in the 'real world.' But until now there has not been a comprehensive resource to show them how. As the first complete, authoritative, and practical guide to studying daily life, this handbook is set to change the way research is done. Every behavioral scientist should own a copy."--Sam Gosling, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin

"This is an excellent and timely work of extraordinary breadth. It is both a primer for those new to daily experience research and a valuable reference for experienced researchers. Coverage ranges from conceptual foundations to applications and statistical methods, with discussions of self-report and objective measures; hardware and software; and research design, execution, and analysis. Rich with practical tips, this is truly a handbook that researchers will want to have close at hand as they navigate this exciting area. The book would serve superbly as a text for a graduate seminar."--Saul Shiffman, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh

"At last, we have diverse, reliable quantitative methods for studying real-life behavior and experience. The methods reviewed here could be as big as or bigger than neuroscience in terms of understanding real-life behavior. From concepts and methods to data analysis, Mehl and Conner present all of the information needed to conduct valid studies of everyday behavior, physiology, feelings, and cognition, including across cultures and groups. This absolutely wonderful book should be read and reread by every social and behavioral scientist. If this happens, we will see huge advances in the decades to come, because the study of everyday life can greatly enrich virtually every field in the human sciences."--Ed Diener, PhD, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Psychology (Emeritus), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

"Over the last decades, as researchers focused on increasingly sophisticated but narrow methods and theories, many forgot that human beings live impressively complex lives outside the laboratory. In the real world, emotions, thinking patterns, biological activity, and social relationships are constantly interacting and changing in ways that are poorly understood. Some new sheriffs are in town. This remarkable handbook brings together some of the most innovative research in all of psychology, pointing to new ways of measuring natural behavior across a wide array of contexts. Expertly written and broad in scope, this book heralds a new generation of real-world research that will touch all of us in the years to come."--James W. Pennebaker, PhD, Regents Centennial Professor of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin

"Recommended. Upper-division graduates through faculty and professionals."

, Choice Reviews Published On: 2012-10-01

About the Author

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.

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Handbook of Research Methods for Studying Daily Life