Up One Minute – Down the Next: Affective Variability in Adolescence

Adolescence - the period of transition from childhood to adulthood - is characterized by a multitude of psychological, biological and social changes. The affective experiences of adolescents appear to be different from those of individuals of other age groups. Adolescents, as compared to individuals from other age groups, tend to experience more intense and more rapidly changing affective states. The purpose of this ongoing research project is to achieve a better understanding of what is special about emotions in adolescence. Using an experimental approach and a longitudinal design, we investigate changes in older children's, adolescents' and young adults' affective experiences, cognitive processes, and biological changes over time.