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Studies

Wessman & Ricks (1966): study US 1957

Publication

Author(s):
Wessman, A.E.; Ricks, D.F.
Title:
Mood and Personality.
Source:
Holt, Rinehart and Wilson, 1966, New York, USA

Investigation

Public
Female college students, Radcliff USA, followed 6 weeks, 1957
Sample
Respondents
N = 21
Non Response
16%
Assessment
Diary
Mood diary kept 30 days.

Happiness Measure(s) and Distributional Findings

Full text:
Self report on single question, answered every evening before retiring during six weeks (experience sampling)

"On average;  how elated or depressed,  happy or unhappy you felt today....?
10  Complete elation, rapturous joy and soaring ecstasy
9    Very elated and in very high spirits.   Tremendous
      delight and buoyancy
8    Elated and in high spirits
7    Feeling very good and cheerful
6    Feeling pretty good , "OK"
5    Feeling a little bit low. Just so-so
4    Spirits low and somewhat 'blue'
3    Depressed and feeling very low.
      Definitely 'blue'
2    Tremendously depressed.
      Feeling terrible, really miserable, "just awful"
1    Utter depression and gloom. Completely down.
      All is black and leaden. Wish it were all over.

Name:  Wessman & Ricks'  `Elation - depression scale'
Classification:
A-ARE-md-sqr-v-10-b
Author's label:
Hedonic level
Observed distribution
Summary Statistics
On original range 1 - 10 On range 0-10
Mean:
6.14 5.70
SD:
0.98 -

Correlational Findings

Author's label Subject Description Finding Affective complexity Complexity of affect-pattern Energy vs fatigue Feeling energetic (vs lethargic, tired) Hedonic level of most elated moments Intensity of affects Hedonic level of most depressed moments Intensity of affects Fulness vs emptinessof life Feeling full (vs empty) Harmony vs anger Feeling friendly (vs hostile) Love and sex Feeling love (vs not) Personal moral judgement Feeling morally good (vs guilty) Present work Satisfaction with work-as-a-whole Receptivity towards the world Feeling receptive Own sociability (vs withdrawal) Feeling sociable (vs withdrawn) Thought processes Feeling clear (vs dull, confused) Tranquility vs anxiety Feeling tranquil (vs restless) Physical health Feeling healthy Menstruation Pregnant Pressure of academicwork Perceived pressure of school-work
Current hassles