Skip to main content
Log in

A Chaotic Systems Analysis of Rhythms in Feeling States

  • Published:
The Psychological Record Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study examines temporal patterns in the mood polarities of pleasure and pain as well as excitation and relaxation as chaotic in nature. For 3 weeks 5 participants recorded Likert scale estimates of these 2 variables every 30 min while awake. Resulting values were analyzed using two-dimensional attractor reconstructions, Fourier frequency analyses, and fractal dimension estimates. The reconstructions in combination with the frequency analyses disclosed distinct individual patterns which the dimension estimates show to be chaos-like in structure.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • ABRAHAM, F. D., ABRAHAM, R. H., & SHAW, C. D. (1990). A visual introduction to dynamical systems theory for psychology Santa Cruz, CA: Aerial Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • ABRAHAM, R. H., & SHAW, C. D. (1992). Dynamics—the geometry of behavior. New York: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • ALMAGOR, M., & EHRLICH, S. (1990). Personality correlates and cyclicity in positive and negative affect. Psychological Reports, 66, 1159–1169.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • BASAR, E. (1990). Chaotic dynamics and resonance phenomena in brain function: Progress, perspectives, and thoughts. In E. Basar (Ed.) Chaos in brain function (pp. 1–26). New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • BENDLER, J., & SHLESINGER, M. (1991). Fractal clusters in the learning curve. Physica, 177, 585–588.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CASTI, J. L. (1992). Reality rules: I; Picturing the world in mathematics—The fundamentals. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • COOPER, C., & MCCONVILLE, C. (1990). Interpreting mood scores: Clinical implications of individual differences in mood variability. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 63, 215–225.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • CRUTCHFIELD, J., DOYNE, F., PACKARD, N., & SHAW, R. (1986). Chaos. Scientific American, 46–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • DIENER, E., & IRAN-NEJAD, A. (1986). The relationship in experience between various types of affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 1031–1038.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • GLENNY, R., & ROBERTSON, H. (1991). Fractal modeling of pulmonary blood flow heterogeneity. Journal of Applied Physiology, 70, 1024–1030.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • HALL, D., SING, H., & ROMANISKI, A. (1991). Identification and characterization of greater mood variance in depression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 148, 1341–1345.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • HANNAH, T. (1991). Mood fluctuations and daily stress: The contribution of a dynamical systems approach. Paper presented at the Inaugural meeting of The Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology, San Francisco, Ca.

    Google Scholar 

  • HARTH, E. (1983). Order and chaos in neural systems: An approach to the dynamics of higher brain functions. Ieee transactions on systems, man, and cybernetics, 13, 782–789.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • KENOUGH, K., HYAM, P., PINK, D., & QUINN, B. (1991). Cell surfaces and fractal dimensions. Journal of Microscopy, 163, 95–99.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • KING, C. (1991). Fractal and chaotic dynamics in nervous systems. Progress in Neurobiology, 36, 279–308.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • LARSEN, R. (1987). The stability of mood variability: A spectral analytic approach to daily mood assessments. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 1195–1204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LARSEN, R., & DIENER, E. (1987). Affect intensity as an individual difference characteristic: A review. Journal of Research in Personality, 21, 1–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • LARSEN, R., & KASIMATIS, M. (1990). Individual differences in entrainment of mood to the weekly calendar. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58, 164–171.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • LEVINE, R., & FITZGERALD, H. (Eds.) (1992). Analysis of dynamic psychological systems (Vol. 1–2). New York: Plenum.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • LOYE, D., & EISLER, E. (1987). Chaos and transformation: Implications of nonequilibrium theory for social science and society. Behavioral Science, 32, 53–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • PETERS, E. (1991). Chaos and order in capital markets. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • MEHRABIAN, A., & RUSSELL, J. (1974). An approach to environmental psychology. Cambridge, MA: Mit press.

    Google Scholar 

  • RAPP, P. (1993). Chaos in the neurosciences: Cautionary tales from the frontier. Biologist. 4.(2), 89–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • RAPP, P., BASHORE, T., MARTINERIE, J., ALBANO, A., ZIMMERMAN, I., & MEES, A. (1989). Dynamics of brain electrical activity. Brain Topography.

    Google Scholar 

  • ROSSI, A., & ROSSI, D. (1977). Body time and social time: Mood patterns by menstrual cycle phase and day of the week. Social Science Research, 6, 277–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ROSSI, E. (1986). Altered states of consciousness in everyday life: The ultradian rhythms. In B. B. Wolman & M. Ullman (Eds.), Handbook of states of consciousness (pp. 97–131). New York: Van Nostrand.

    Google Scholar 

  • RUSSELL, J. (1978). Evidence of convergent validity on the dimensions of affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 1152–1168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • RUSSELL, J. (1979). Affective space is bipolar. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 345–356.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SARRAILLE, J., & DIFALCO, P. (1992). Fd3 fractal factory software. Department of Philosophy & Cognitive Studies. 80. West Vista Ave., Turlock, Ca. 95381.

    Google Scholar 

  • SCHAFFER, W., TRUTY, G., & FULMER, S. (1988). Dynamical Systems Software. R O. Bo. 35241. Tucson, Az 85740.

    Google Scholar 

  • WATSON, D., & TELLEGEN, A. (1985). Toward a consensual structure of mood. Psychological Bulletin, 98, 219–235.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • WESSMAN, A., & RICKS, D. (1966). Mood and personality. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • WINKLER, M., & COMBS, A. (1993, July). A chaotic systems analysis of individual differences in affect. Paper presented at the 24th Interamerican Congress of Psychology, Santiago, Chile.

    Google Scholar 

  • WINKLER, M., COMBS, A., & DALEY, C. (1992, August). Further dynamical analysis of individual mood cycles. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for Chaos Theory in Psychology, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • WUNDT, W. (1897). Outlines of psychology Leipzig: Wilhelm Engelmann.

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

We thank the following persons for invaluable advice and encouragement throughout this project: Fred Abraham, Tom Gentry, Thomas Hannah, Paul Rapp, and John Sarraille.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Combs, A., Winkler, M. & Daley, C. A Chaotic Systems Analysis of Rhythms in Feeling States. Psychol Rec 44, 359–368 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395920

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395920

Navigation