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Control and Causation as Factors in the Affective Value of Positive Events

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Abstract

Positive events were differentiated according to their degree of categories of personal control and causation and were related to positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA), and to the degree of the PA–NA relationship. Arthritis patients and healthy controls were interviewed for 12–20 weeks on life events and PA and NA. Baseline measures on extraversion and neuroticism also were assessed as possible confounds in multilevel modeling tests of events and affect relationships. Results showed that positive controllable and internally caused events (PCI) and positive uncontrollable and externally caused events (PUE) were related to increased PA. PUE were related to increased NA, while PCI events were related to reduced NA. As predicted, there was a significant interaction of PCI events on the PA–NA relationship, relating to a reduced inverse correlation between the affects. The data suggest that causation of positive events is a significant factor in emotional complexity. Implications of the results are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, University of Oslo, POB 1111, Oslo, N-0317, Norway

    Elin B. Strand

  2. Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

    John W. Reich & Alex J. Zautra

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  1. Elin B. Strand
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  2. John W. Reich
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Correspondence to Elin B. Strand.

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Strand, E.B., Reich, J.W. & Zautra, A.J. Control and Causation as Factors in the Affective Value of Positive Events. Cogn Ther Res 31, 503–519 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-006-9028-7

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