Examining the Interplay of Processes Across Multiple Time-Scales: Illustration With the Intraindividual Study of Affect, Health, and Interpersonal Behavior (iSAHIB)

Abstract

Human development is characterized by the complex interplay of processes that manifest at multiple levels of analysis and time-scales. The authors introduce the Intraindividual Study of Affect, Health and Interpersonal Behavior as a model for how multiple time-scale study designs facilitate more precise articulation of developmental theory. Combining age heterogeneity, longitudinal panel, daily diary, and experience sampling protocols, the study made use of smartphone and web-based technologies to obtain intensive longitudinal data from 150 persons age 18 to 89 years as they completed three 21-day measurement bursts, spanning 8,557 days and 64,112 social interactions, as they went about their daily lives. The authors illustrate how multiple time-scales of data can be used to articulate bioecological models of development and the interplay among more “distal” processes that manifest at “slower” time-scales (age-related differences and burst-to-burst changes in mental health) and more “proximal” processes that manifest at “faster” time-scales (changes in context that progress in accordance with the weekly calendar and family influence processes).

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks very much to the study participants for providing a detailed glimpse of their daily lives for such extended periods of time, and to the many research assistants who helped obtain such rich data.

FUNDING

This work was supported by the National Institute on Aging (RC1 AG035645) and the Penn State Social Science Research Institute. Portions of the analysis and article were completed while Nilam was at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nilam Ram

Nilam Ram, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin; David E. Conroy, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Aaron L. Pincus, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Amy Lorek, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Amanda Rebar, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael J. Roche, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael Coccia, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; Jennifer Morack, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Josh Feldman, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; & Denis Gerstorf, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and Humboldt University, Berlin.

David E. Conroy

Nilam Ram, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin; David E. Conroy, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Aaron L. Pincus, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Amy Lorek, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Amanda Rebar, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael J. Roche, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael Coccia, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; Jennifer Morack, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Josh Feldman, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; & Denis Gerstorf, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and Humboldt University, Berlin.

Aaron L. Pincus

Nilam Ram, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin; David E. Conroy, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Aaron L. Pincus, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Amy Lorek, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Amanda Rebar, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael J. Roche, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael Coccia, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; Jennifer Morack, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Josh Feldman, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; & Denis Gerstorf, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and Humboldt University, Berlin.

Amy Lorek

Nilam Ram, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin; David E. Conroy, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Aaron L. Pincus, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Amy Lorek, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Amanda Rebar, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael J. Roche, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael Coccia, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; Jennifer Morack, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Josh Feldman, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; & Denis Gerstorf, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and Humboldt University, Berlin.

Amanda Rebar

Nilam Ram, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin; David E. Conroy, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Aaron L. Pincus, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Amy Lorek, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Amanda Rebar, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael J. Roche, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael Coccia, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; Jennifer Morack, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Josh Feldman, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; & Denis Gerstorf, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and Humboldt University, Berlin.

Michael J. Roche

Nilam Ram, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin; David E. Conroy, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Aaron L. Pincus, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Amy Lorek, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Amanda Rebar, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael J. Roche, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael Coccia, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; Jennifer Morack, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Josh Feldman, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; & Denis Gerstorf, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and Humboldt University, Berlin.

Michael Coccia

Nilam Ram, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin; David E. Conroy, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Aaron L. Pincus, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Amy Lorek, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Amanda Rebar, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael J. Roche, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael Coccia, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; Jennifer Morack, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Josh Feldman, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; & Denis Gerstorf, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and Humboldt University, Berlin.

Jennifer Morack

Nilam Ram, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin; David E. Conroy, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Aaron L. Pincus, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Amy Lorek, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Amanda Rebar, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael J. Roche, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael Coccia, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; Jennifer Morack, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Josh Feldman, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; & Denis Gerstorf, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and Humboldt University, Berlin.

Josh Feldman

Nilam Ram, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin; David E. Conroy, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Aaron L. Pincus, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Amy Lorek, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Amanda Rebar, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael J. Roche, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael Coccia, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; Jennifer Morack, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Josh Feldman, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; & Denis Gerstorf, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and Humboldt University, Berlin.

Denis Gerstorf

Nilam Ram, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and German Institute for Economic Research, Berlin; David E. Conroy, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Aaron L. Pincus, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Amy Lorek, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Amanda Rebar, Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael J. Roche, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University; Michael Coccia, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; Jennifer Morack, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University; Josh Feldman, StudioLab, Pennsylvania State University; & Denis Gerstorf, Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, and Humboldt University, Berlin.