Thesis
A HOT TOPIC: EXAMINING PERSONALITY AND AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IN PREDICTING AFFECT
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
05/2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000007373
Abstract
As world temperatures hit a record high for the year 2024, there is increasing concern about heat waves and how to identify individuals who might be vulnerable to temperature-based phenomena. While there is extensive documentation on how physical health is impacted by heat stress, there is much less research documenting the psychological and mental components of how people respond and react to heat. As an example, personality traits might function as an indicator of why some individuals respond to heat-related stressors more strongly, especially in the case of manifesting emotions. However, this has previously been underexplored. Based on the preliminary results from an experience sampling study, the Big Five personality trait neuroticism shows potential as a person-stable predictor of increased negative affective states in response to heat. Using the Emotion Construction Theory, this study explores the conceptual mechanisms through which personality might predict affect in uncomfortably hot environments from an experimental basis (N = 78). Results from this study show the trait of neuroticism predicted changes in positive affect over time when experiencing heat stress compared to individuals lower in this personality trait. Neuroticism was also a predictor of baseline positive and negative affect but found no relationship with reported comfort levels. This work provides further information on other populations that may be particularly vulnerable to heat stress (beyond physical states) and provides useful information for future interventions and public service announcements to increase awareness of personality and emotional states in the presence of ambient temperature-related phenomena.
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Details
- Title
- A HOT TOPIC
- Creators
- Tiara Rose Freeman
- Contributors
- Kimberly L Meidenbauer (Chair)Carrie Cuttler (Committee Member)Elizabeth A. Canning (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Department of Psychology
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 89
- Identifiers
- 99901220446601842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis