Issues in dimensional structure of affect--Effects of descriptors, measurement error, and response formats: Comment on Russell and Carroll (1999).

David Watson, University of Iowa
Auke Tellegen

Abstract

In their article "On the Bipolarity of Positive and Negative Affect," J. A. Russell and J. M. Carroll (1999; see record 1998-03256-001) correctly noted that several factors--including the use of a strictly unipolar item response format--can obscure the underlying bipolarity of certain positive and negative affect pairs. However, some of their other conclusions require clarification. First, bipolarity is evident even in uncorrected data obtained with unipolar formats. Second, polychoric correlations and appropriate item-analytic models can circumvent problems that may be associated with unipolar scales; consequently, it is unnecessary (and undesirable) to use bipolar formats in affect assessment. Third, no evidence supports their claim that general mood ratings are less valid than other measures of long-term affect. Finally, aspects of their circumplex model are not well supported by the data; in its place, the authors suggest a more inclusive 3-level hierarchical structure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved)