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The Value of Experience Sampling Methodologies

Experience sampling methodologies (ESM) refer to a method of data collection whereby participants respond to repeated assessments in real time. Although this approach has existed for several decades, with early work published by Csikszentmihalyi, Brandstaetter, and Diener and Larsen, new technological advances have led to spike in the use of ESM in psychological research.

But why? Some may be familiar with the “daily diary” approach in psychological assessment in which participants complete daily diaries or assessments, providing repeated measures of whichever construct is of interest. Although similar in nature, ESM presents a number of advantages over this traditional method, and these will be discussed below.

However, it is first important to note that there are three broad types of ESM. Perhaps this will also serve to clarify the concept.

• Interval-Contingent Sampling: Participants complete the assessment after a specified interval of time. For example, a participant may complete the measure every three hours.
• Event-Contingent Sampling: Participants complete the assessment after a specified event. For example, a participant may complete the measure each time they have a social interaction.
• Signal-Contingent Sampling: Participants complete the assessment after a specified, random signal. For example, a participant may complete the measure each time a pre-set alarm sounds.

Now that the concept has been clearly outlined, what advantages and disadvantages might such a methodology have?

Advantages:

• You can explore the contingencies of behaviour, meaning in what context, or in what situation, the particular behaviour takes place. It thus comes closer than other methodologies to capturing the interaction between person and situation.
• ESM has greater ecological validity. Because measures are taken in real time as participants go about their daily lives, the results obtained are more readily generalizable than results obtained in a laboratory study.
• It allows for within-person analyses which may reveal patterns which could not be detected at the mean level. This may also be of special use as a clinical tool.
• It reduces the risk of memory biases which are an inherent concern when researchers employ retrospective measures.

Disadvantages:

• Experimenters run the risk of encountering a self-selection bias. Such studies require a significant time commitment, and it is possible that those willing to participate in such studies are systematically different in some way.
• Again due to the time commitment and the longitudinal nature of these studies, attrition is a major concern.
• It may not be suitable for all populations, such as the elderly, the sick, or the mentally ill.
• Not all participants may be fully compliant with the instructions and may not complete, or may not adequately complete, all the measures.
• ESM can yield an enormous quantity of data which is difficult to manage and analyze.

Despite these limitations, it seems that the careful application of ESM can allow psychologists to glean important information that traditional methods cannot capture, especially with regard to the interaction between person and situation, which can be examined both within and between persons when employing experience sampling. Thus, it seems that ESM is a promising methodology which will continue to develop as an important tool in psychological research.

Scollon, C. N., Kim-Prieto, C., & Diener, E..(2003). Experience sampling: promises and pitfalls, strengths and weaknesses. Journal of Happiness Studies, 4(1), 5–34.

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