Handbook of Research Methods for Studying Daily Life [Hardcover]

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.

"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 compl“.