Abstract
Background and Objective
Affective processes as complex dynamical systems happen in people’s daily lives. Affective dynamics characterizing unique features of individual affective systems are linked with long‐term developmental outcomes. This study investigated genetic and environmental contributions, and the moderation by family socioeconomic status (SES), to two affective dynamics characterizing affective system sensitivity to the relative levels and change of affect respectively.
Methods
Using a sample of 490 17‐year‐old twins (41.1% males, 93.9% White) in a 40‐day‐long daily diary design, dynamical systems modeling estimated individual affective dynamics of positive and negative affect. Twin modeling examined genetic and environmental contributions to affective dynamics as well as the moderation of SES.
Results
For both positive and negative affect, system sensitivity to the relative levels of affect was predominantly under unique environmental influences with negligible genetic influences; system sensitivity to the change of affect was affected by both genetic and unique environmental influences. SES amplifies unique environmental influences on sensitivity to the change of positive affect.
Conclusions
These findings highlight different genetic and environmental origins of different adolescent affective dynamics in their daily lives, and suggest that macro contexts could influence micro timescale affective dynamics.