Ecological Momentary Assessment

Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) is a research method that collects real-time data on people's thoughts, feelings, or behaviors as they happen in their natural environment. Instead of asking someone to remember what they did or felt later, EMA prompts individuals to record their experiences at various moments throughout the day, often using smartphones or devices. This approach provides accurate, immediate insights into everyday life, helping researchers understand how people function in real-world settings, and can be used to study health, mood, or behavior patterns more effectively than traditional surveys conducted long after the fact.