Author:

Keywords:

Social Sciences, Psychology, Social, Psychology, affect, anticipation, emotion, expectations, experience sampling, SOCIAL STRESS, HARDEST PART, WORRY, EXPECTATIONS, RESPONSES, BENEFITS, OPTIMISM, COSTS, MODEL, Humans, Stress, Psychological, Emotions, Ecological Momentary Assessment, Surveys and Questionnaires, Affect, C14/19/054#55213456, 1701 Psychology, 1702 Cognitive Sciences, Social Psychology, 5201 Applied and developmental psychology, 5205 Social and personality psychology

Abstract:

INTRODUCTION: Lay wisdom suggests feeling negative while awaiting an upcoming stressor-anticipatory negative affect-shields against the blow of the subsequent stressor. However, evidence is mixed, with different lines of research and theory indirectly suggesting that anticipatory negative affect is helpful, harmful, or has no effect on emotional outcomes. In two studies, we aimed to reconcile these competing views by examining the affective trajectory across hours, days, and months, separating affective reactivity and recovery. METHODS: In Study 1, first-year students (N = 101) completed 9 days of experience sampling (10 surveys/day) as they received their first-semester exam grades, and a follow-up survey 5 months later. In Study 2, participants (N = 73) completed 2 days of experience sampling (60 surveys/day) before and after a Trier Social Stress Test. We investigated the association between anticipatory negative affect and the subsequent affective trajectory, investigating (1) reactivity immediately after the stressor, (2) recovery across hours (Study 2) and days (Study 1), and (3) recovery after 5 months (Study 1). RESULTS: Across the two studies, feeling more negative in anticipation of a stressor was either associated with increased negative affective reactivity, or unassociated with affective outcomes. CONCLUSION: These results run counter to the idea that being affectively ready for the worst has psychological benefits, suggesting that instead, anticipatory negative affect can come with affective costs.