Synonyms
Definition
The disposition to experience aversive emotional states (Watson and Clark 1984).
Introduction
Negative affectivity is a stable and inherited disposition to experience nonspecific distress or unpleasant emotions (Clark et al. 1994). It is considered by some to be synonymous with the personality factor of neuroticism, which corresponds to individuals’ tendency to experience negative affect states (Costa and McCrae 1980; Watson et al. 1988a). Watson and Clark (1984) proposed that negative affectivity encompasses a range of constructs including trait anxiety, neuroticism, ego strength, and maladjustment, among others. Negative affectivity is considered a general risk factor for a range of health and mental health problems, which frequently co-occur. For example, someone experiencing one negative mood state (e.g., sadness) is likely to report greater levels of other negative mood states such as fear or...
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Paulus, D.J., Zvolensky, M.J. (2020). Negative Affectivity. In: Zeigler-Hill, V., Shackelford, T.K. (eds) Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24612-3_1255
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