The psychic costs of intense positive affect.
Recent research indicates that happiness, or affective well-being, is related primarily to the frequency, not to the intensity, of positive affect (PA). The question arises as to why intense positive affect (PI) is not a larger contributor to subjective well-being. Whether processes that yield PI also produce intense negative affect was examined. Studies 1 and 2 suggested that cognitive mechanisms that amplify or dampen affect can carry over from positive to negative events. Study 3 demonstrated that, because of judgment mechanisms, an extremely positive event can make other events less positive. Study 4 revealed that naturally occurring intensely positive experiences are often preceded by negative ones. Study 5 suggested that the more persons valence success at a task, the happier they will be if they succeed, but unhappier if they fail. The 5 studies reveal that intense positive experiences may sometimes have costs that counterbalance their desirable nature.
University of Illinois, Department of Psychology, Champaign 61820.
E
E
Diener
C R
CR
Colvin
W G
WG
Pavot
A
A
Allman
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events