Further evidence for the independence of hedonic level and emotional intensity

Recent investigations of the personality structure of affect have provided evidence for a two-dimensional representation. Larsen and Diener, Person. individ. Diff. 6, 631–636 (1985) report a multitrait-multimethod investigation in which they assert that hedonic level and emotional intensity are the two independent dimensions which comprise the personality structure of affect. However, explicit tests of this assertion were not presented. The present paper provides explicit tests of the independence of these dimensions from each other as well as from the method of measurement by using confirmatory factor analytic techniques. One-, two-, and three-factor models were estimated for data presented by Larsen and Diener (1985). The results of the present investigation strongly support the independence of hedonic level and emotional intensity. This independence does not appear to be an artifact of the method of measurement. The possible role of personality variables in mediating emotional responses to situations is discussed.