Ideal Affect, Actual Affect, and Affect Discrepancy During Leisure and Paid Work

Abstract

This study examined relationships among ideal affect (i.e., how one prefers to feel) and actual affect during leisure and paid work. Data were collected from individuals who worked at least 20 hours per week. Findings revealed that: (a) low-arousal positive affect was preferred over high- arousal positive affect by female participants; (b) during leisure the low level of high-arousal negative affect male and female participants desired experiencing was realized; (c) the level of low-arousal positive affect male participants preferred experiencing was realized during their leisure; and (d) none of the levels of affect (i.e., high-arousal positive, low-arousal positive, high- arousal negative, low-arousal negative) participants desired experiencing were met during their paid work. Implications for leisure theory and practice are discussed.