Abstract: The generalizability of research findings is the golden standard of psychological research. To achieve this goal, researchers constantly develop more realistic research methods with higher ecological validity. Experience sampling method (ESM), a method of data collection by which participants respond to repeated assessments at moments during the course of the time in real situation, is highly favored by various researchers since it was proposed. This article introduced this data collection method and its statistical analyses processes, compared and elaborated the strengths and weakness of this method, and illustrated its main application fields. Finally, the future studies of experience sampling method were discussed as well.

Key words: experience sampling method, general questionnaire survey, daily diary study, ecological validity, within-person variation