Beyond Top-Down Effects: Reciprocal Associations Between Daily Subjective Well-Being and Personality States

Abstract

Recent advances highlight the dynamic and reciprocal nature between personality and subjective well-being, although both are traditionally conceptualized as stable constructs. This study examines the bidirectional associations between daily fluctuations in personality states—specifically extraversion and neuroticism—and components of subjective well-being (positive affect and negative affect, and single-item daily satisfaction). Using a 42-day ecological momentary assessment design with an adult sample ( N = 406), we applied dynamic structural equation modeling (DSEM) to analyze within-person processes. Results revealed asymmetric bidirectional effects: daily increases in extraversion predicted higher subjective well-being the following day, and elevated subjective well-being also predicted increased extraversion. Conversely, neuroticism and negative affect mutually reinforced each other over time. Our findings show that fluctuations in subjective well-being can temporally precede fluctuations in personality expression, and that personality states can similarly precede fluctuations in well-being. This suggests that well-being may function not only as an outcome but also as a predictor of personality variations. Additionally, among the daily situational experiences examined, workload consistently predicted next-day dynamics, whereas positive events and social stress showed limited associations. These findings demonstrate short-term within-person dynamics and cannot speak to long-term trait development, yet underscore the importance of integrating bottom-up processes in personality theory.