Experiencing negative affect: The role of self-discrepancies and linking goal attainment to happiness

This study examined the role of self-discrepancies and linking goal attainment to happiness in negative affect. Self-discrepancies were measured in two ways: by Higgins' (1987) Selves Questionnaire, and by examining differences between level of standards and perceived attainment of those standards. Self-discrepancies have been shown to distinguish between anxious and depressive affect, with actual:ideal discrepancy relating to depression and actual:ought discrepancy relating to anxiety. Undergraduate students at American University completed measures of perfectionism, self-discrepancies, linking, depression, anxiety, and anger. Those higher in self-discrepancies and linking did experience significantly more negative affect; linkers also experienced less positive affect. Specificity between self-discrepancies and particular emotions was not consistently found; instead, all types of self-discrepancies predicted depression. An interaction between self-discrepancies, linking, and depression was found: Not linking goal attainment to happiness appears to somewhat buffer one from affective consequences of self-discrepancies, particularly depression.