Bluetooth-sensed social presence is associated with immediate vigor and delayed fatigue: A multi-method time series analysis

Abstract

Summary: Social interactions affect emotional well-being, yet their temporal dynamics remain understudied in natural settings. We examined these patterns through an experience sampling method study with 80 participants over two weeks (k = 3,716 assessments), combining Bluetooth device counts (n = 123,574) as a social presence proxy with self-reported emotional states. Using linear mixed-effects models, continuous-time structural equation models, and multi-state Markov analyses, we uncovered complex temporal relationships between social presence and emotions. Our findings revealed that social presence was associated with increased immediate vigor and reduced dejection, followed by delayed fatigue. Bidirectional relationships emerged between social presence and negative mood, with peak effects occurring 3–4 h after initial contact. State-transition analyses demonstrated longer persistence of vigorous states compared to fatigued states, with social presence influencing these transitions. These results demonstrate how social-emotional processes unfold across multiple timescales, suggesting both immediate benefits and delayed costs of social presence.

Keywords

• Social sciences
• Psychology
• Research methodology social sciences