Assessing and Measuring Emotional Granularity: A Systematic Review of the Existing Methodological Approaches

Emotional granularity (EG), also referred to as emotion differentiation, consists in the ability to create instances of emotions in a precise manner. Although EG has received increasing empirical attention in recent years, its operationalization and measurement remain highly heterogeneous. By focusing on empirical studies conducted in nonclinical adult populations, this systematic review aims to synthesize existing operationalizations and assessment approaches of EG to critically evaluate potential discrepancies between measurement practices and underlying theoretical definition. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across Scopus, PsycInfo, PubMed, and Web of Science up to January 2025, yielding 96 eligible articles (115 studies). The reviewed studies revealed substantial variability in EG operationalization, measurement, and computation. This diversity among methodological practices raises concerns about construct validity, cross-study comparability, and the interpretability of findings linking EG to psychological functioning. We discuss key challenges and propose directions for improving the consistency, transparency, and theoretical coherence of EG assessment.