Electronic diaries in psychology - recording subjective self-reports in everyday life - a beginner's workshop

Electronic diaries are becoming increasingly widespread in psychological research. New technologies and methods in the fields of hardware, software and statistics allow phenomena of interest to be studied in their natural environment with greater precision and less research effort. Accordingly, the increasing use of this methodology, often referred to as the experience sampling method or ecological momentary assessment, can be expected in the field of psychology, including in combination with modern physiological laboratory tests.

E-diary studies also present specific challenges: a time sampling plan must be defined, classic quality criteria must be adapted for the recording of dynamic processes, and repeated measurements within individuals require special statistical procedures (e.g. multilevel models and mixed regression approaches).

The aim of the workshop is to introduce participants to the e-diary methodology and to give them the opportunity to try it out in practice. In detail we will report on:

• Features of electronic diaries (real-time, real-life, within-subject processes),
• Sampling plans (time-based design, event-based design or continuous monitoring),
• methods for ensuring compliance and dealing with reactivity effects,
• item selection and calculation of quality criteria,
• Analysis methods (multi-level modeling)

Practical exercises (programming your own e-diary study with MovisensXS on smartphones and intential evaluation steps with SPSS), an ask-the-experts block and extensive information on further training opportunities round off the workshop.

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