Characteristics

Code:

A-AB-yd-mq-v-2-g

Focus:

Affect: Affect Balance (Various) (A-AB)

Time frame:

yesterday (yd)

Mode:

multiple questions (mq)

Scale Type:

verbal scale (v)

Scale Range:

2

Description

Self report on 6 questions

Did you experience the following feelings during A LOT OF THE DAY yesterday? How about..
A  enjoyment?
B  worry
C sadness
D anger

Now please think about YESTERDAY, from the morning until the end of the day. Think of where you were, what you were doing and how you felt.
E  Did you smile or laugh a lot?
F  Did you feel happy?

Rated:
1 yes
0 no
- no answer, don't know

Computation: % (A+E+F) - %(B+C+D)Computation:
- Average % positive affect = (A+E+F)/3
- Average % negative affect = (B+C+D)/3
- Affect Balance = Average % positive affect - Average % negative affect

Name: Gallup 'Emotional health Index

These questions do not measure hedonic level of affect of individual persons adequately, since yesterday's mood does not always correspond with typical average mood. Yet these questions can be used for measuring hedonic level in aggregates, such as nations, since individual variations balance out in big samples.