Motivation to regulate mood as a mediator between state extraversion and pleasant–unpleasant mood

This experience sampling study investigated whether state extraversion (i.e., momentary extraverted behavior) is positively associated with pleasant affect within persons and whether mood regulation motivation mediates this relationship. Seven times per day for one week, 162 participants reported on their state extraversion, pleasant–unpleasant mood, and mood regulation intention. Higher state extraversion was related to more pleasant mood, and this within-persons relationship held for 89% of individuals. Analyses with lagged predictors revealed that state extraversion predicted an increase in pleasant mood from one occasion to the next. Dispositional extraversion did not moderate the within-persons relationship. Hedonic mood regulation intention mediated the relation between state extraversion and pleasant–unpleasant mood. The findings support a self-regulation explanation of the extraversion–pleasant affect link.

► We analyzed the within-persons link between state extraversion and pleasant affect. ► We used experience sampling methodology. ► Higher state extraversion was related to an increase in pleasant affect. ► This within-persons relationship held for the large majority of individuals. ► Hedonic mood regulation intention mediated this within-persons relation.