Negative emotions make positive emotions more salient in well-being appraisal

Abstract

The extent to which positive affect is made more salient in forming judgments of global well-being when negative affect is common, after the effects of momentary mood and goal discrepancy are controlled, was investigated in a sample of Chinese university students ( N = 205). Results showed that whereas goal discrepancy and positive affect were the strongest predictors of global well-being, affective contrast also enhanced global well-being in a way that offset the effects of negative affect, thus helping to maintain a positive sense of wellness when things are not going well. Although mood was strongly correlated with global well-being, its effect was not independent of long-term affect and goal discrepancy.