MITNB Keynote – Ellen Hamaker

Many theories in psychology and related fields are concerned with processes that unfold within individuals over time. However, the timescale at which these processes are assumed to operate, is often left unspecified. It is thereby left to the researcher to determine—and perhaps guess—how best to measure and model the process of interest.

In this talk, I will discuss how various design aspects—in particular the time frame of our measurements, the time interval between our measurements, and the number of repeated measurements—shape our temporal lens and determine what we get to see, and what not. Timescales also play a role when considering various ways in which intensive longitudinal data can be organized and analyzed. For instance, when we consider variables measured at different frequencies—such as self-reported sleep quality obtained in the morning and multiple momentary affect measures though out the day for several days—existing models require adaption to be able to handle this.

While a single, one-size-fits-all solution does not exist, it is important to think and discuss these measurement and analysis challenges when planning, performing, and evaluating a study. With this talk, I hope to provide useful input for such discussions.