Eliciting positive emotions: A consideration from cosmetics research

Abstract

Recently, research on positive emotions has increased globally, including in Japan. However, the difficulties of experimentally eliciting positive emotions have not improved sufficiently. This article identified three difficulties faced by researchers when experimentally evoking positive emotions. These trends include (1) the significant influence of context, including individual differences; (2) the undifferentiated nature of different positive emotions; and (3) difficulties in measuring bodily responses to positive emotions, which are calm and inactive. To overcome these difficulties, I have proposed the potential of field studies in which researchers can observe spontaneous, positive emotions in daily life by citing examples of cosmetics studies.