The experience sampling method (ESM),[1] also referred to as a daily diary method, or ecological momentary assessment (EMA), is an intensive longitudinal research methodology that involves asking participants to report on their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and/or environment on multiple occasions over time.[2] Participants report on their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and/or environment in the moment (right then, not later; right there, not elsewhere) or shortly thereafter.[3] Participants can be given a journal with many identical pages. Each page can have a psychometric scale, open-ended questions, or anything else used to assess their condition in that place and time. ESM studies can also operate fully automatized on portable electronic devices or via the internet.[4] The experience sampling method was developed by Suzanne Prescott during doctoral work at University of Chicago's Committee on Human Development with assistance from her dissertation advisor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.[5] Early studies that used ESM were coauthored by fellow students Reed W. Larson and Ronald Graef, whose dissertations both used the method.[6][7]
^Bolger N, Laurenceau JP (2013). Intensive longitudinal thods: An introduction to diary and experience sampling research. New York, N.Y.: Guilford Press.
^Csikszentmihalyi M (July 2014). Validity and Reliability of the Experience-Sampling Method. New York: Springer. p. 322. ISBN978-94-017-9087-1.
^Hektner, Joel M (2007). Experience sampling method : measuring the quality of everyday life. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. pp. 7–9. ISBN978-1-4129-4923-1.
^Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly; Larson, Reed; Prescott, Suzanne (1 September 1977). "The ecology of adolescent activity and experience". Journal of Youth and Adolescence. 6 (3): 281–294. doi:10.1007/BF02138940. ISSN1573-6601. PMID24408457. S2CID23892740.