diary methods

n. Diary methods refer to a collection of procedures used in the psychological sciences in which people complete brief surveys about their experiences over time in daily life. Researchers use diary methods (a) to minimize memory biases by capturing experiences close to their actual occurrence, (b) to maximize ecological validity by testing hypotheses in real-world contexts, and (c) to examine dynamic changes in phenomena over time and situations. Diary studies typically last from a week to a month, with as few as one nightly report to as many as 10 reports per day. Surveys can be implemented using paper booklets, cell phones, Internet Web sites, and personal digital assistants (PDAs). When people complete surveys in response to a semirandom signal via pager, alarm watch, or PDA, this procedure is also called experience sampling. Diary methods are used in social, personality, clinical, and health psychology, and in the medical sciences under the name ecological momentary assessment.

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