Higher Sick/Hurt Today? Predicts Significantly Lower Overall Mood for Population
Contents
Mike Sinn
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Variables

A
Sick/Hurt Today? 26
A
Overall Mood 7137

Categories

A
Symptoms 13336
A
Emotions 2028

Actions

A
Join Study
A
Your Data

Tags

Low Confidence
Strong Effect Size
Negative Relationship
Population Study
cause image gauge image effect image
Participants reported a 16.6% average decrease in Overall Mood following above average Sick/Hurt Today?.
Abstract

Abstract

Overall Mood was generally 4% higher than average after an average of 2 out of 5 of Sick/Hurt Today? over the previous 24 hours.

Aggregated data from 1 study participants suggests with a LOW degree of confidence (p=0.343, 95% CI -2.525 to 1.299) that Sick/Hurt Today? has a strongly negative predictive relationship (R=-0.613) with Overall Mood.

The highest quartile of Overall Mood measurements were observed following an average 2.5 out of 5 Sick/Hurt Today?.

The lowest quartile of Overall Mood measurements were observed following an average 3.67 out of 5 of Sick/Hurt Today?.

After an onset delay of 0 seconds, Overall Mood is typically 13% lower than average over the 24 hours following around 3.67 out of 5 Sick/Hurt Today?.

Objective

Objective

The objective of this study is to determine the nature of the relationship (if any) between Sick/Hurt Today? and Overall Mood. Additionally, we attempt to determine the Sick/Hurt Today? values most likely to produce optimal Overall Mood values.
Participant Instructions

Participant Instructions

Manual Recording Option

A Create a reminder for Sick/Hurt Today? here and record it daily by enabling notifications or using A the reminder inbox here .


Manual Recording Option

A Create a reminder for Overall Mood here and record it daily by enabling notifications or using A the reminder inbox here .

Design

Design

This study is based on data donated by 1 participants. Thus, the study design is equivalent to the aggregation of 1 separate n=1 observational natural experiments.

Data Analysis

Data Analysis

Sick/Hurt Today? Pre-Processing

Sick/Hurt Today? measurement values below 1 out of 5 were assumed erroneous and removed. Sick/Hurt Today? measurement values above 5 out of 5 were assumed erroneous and removed. No missing data filling value was defined for Sick/Hurt Today? so any gaps in data were just not analyzed instead of assuming zero values for those times.

Overall Mood Pre-Processing

Overall Mood measurement values below 1 out of 5 were assumed erroneous and removed. Overall Mood measurement values above 5 out of 5 were assumed erroneous and removed. No missing data filling value was defined for Overall Mood so any gaps in data were just not analyzed instead of assuming zero values for those times.

Predictive Analytics

It was assumed that 0 seconds would pass before a change in Sick/Hurt Today? would produce an observable change in Overall Mood.

It was assumed that Sick/Hurt Today? could produce an observable change in Overall Mood for as much as 24 hours after the stimulus event.

Statistical Significance

Statistical Significance

Using a two-tailed t-test with alpha = 0.05, it was determined that the change in Overall Mood is not statistically significant at a 95% confidence interval. This suggests that the Sick/Hurt Today? value does not have a significant influence on the Overall Mood value.

After treatment, a 16.6% decrease (-1 out of 5) from the mean baseline 4 out of 5 was observed. The relative standard deviation at baseline was 19.1%. The observed change was 1.30692 times the standard deviation.

A common rule of thumb considers a change greater than twice the baseline standard deviation on two separate pre-post experiments may be considered significant. This occurrence would have only a 5% likelihood of resulting from random fluctuation (a p-value < 0.05).

Data Sources

Data Sources

Sick/Hurt Today? data was primarily collected using QuantiModo. QuantiModo allows you to easily track mood, symptoms, or any outcome you want to optimize in a fraction of a second. You can also import your data from over 30 other apps and devices. QuantiModo then analyzes your data to identify which hidden factors are most likely to be influencing your mood or symptoms.

Overall Mood data was primarily collected using QuantiModo. QuantiModo allows you to easily track mood, symptoms, or any outcome you want to optimize in a fraction of a second. You can also import your data from over 30 other apps and devices. QuantiModo then analyzes your data to identify which hidden factors are most likely to be influencing your mood or symptoms.

Limitations

Limitations

As with any human experiment, it was impossible to control for all potentially confounding variables. Correlation does not necessarily imply causation. We can never know for sure if one factor is definitely the cause of an outcome. However, lack of correlation definitely implies the lack of a causal relationship. Hence, we can with great confidence rule out non-existent relationships. For instance, if we discover no relationship between mood and an antidepressant this information is just as or even more valuable than the discovery that there is a relationship.

We can also take advantage of several characteristics of time series data from many subjects to infer the likelihood of a causal relationship if we do find a correlational relationship. The criteria for causation are a group of minimal conditions necessary to provide adequate evidence of a causal relationship between an incidence and a possible consequence.

Criteria For Causal Inference

Strength (A.K.A. Effect Size)

A small association does not mean that there is not a causal effect, though the larger the association, the more likely that it is causal. There is a strongly negative (R = -0.613) relationship between Sick/Hurt Today? and Overall Mood.

Consistency (A.K.A. Reproducibility)

Consistent findings observed by different persons in different places with different samples strengthens the likelihood of an effect. Furthermore, in accordance with the law of large numbers (LLN), the predictive power and accuracy of these results will continually grow over time. 9 paired data points were used in this analysis. Assuming that the relationship is merely coincidental, as the participant independently modifies their Sick/Hurt Today? values, the observed strength of the relationship will decline until it is below the threshold of significance. To it another way, in the case that we do find a spurious correlation, suggesting that banana intake improves mood for instance, one will likely increase their banana intake. Due to the fact that this correlation is spurious, it is unlikely that you will see a continued and persistent corresponding increase in mood. So over time, the spurious correlation will naturally dissipate.

Specificity

Causation is likely if a very specific population at a specific site and disease with no other likely explanation. The more specific an association between a factor and an effect is, the bigger the probability of a causal relationship.

Temporality

The effect has to occur after the cause (and if there is an expected delay between the cause and expected effect, then the effect must occur after that delay). The confidence in a causal relationship is bolstered by the fact that time-precedence was taken into account in all calculations.

Biological Gradient

Greater exposure should generally lead to greater incidence of the effect. However, in some cases, the mere presence of the factor can trigger the effect. In other cases, an inverse proportion is observed: greater exposure leads to lower incidence.

Plausibility

A plausible bio-chemical mechanism between cause and effect is critical. This is where human brains excel.

Based on our responses so far,

0 humans feel that there is a plausible mechanism of action for a relationship between Sick/Hurt Today? and Overall Mood.

0 humans feel that any relationship observed between Sick/Hurt Today? and Overall Mood is coincidental.

Coherence

Coherence between epidemiological and laboratory findings increases the likelihood of an effect. It will be very enlightening to aggregate this data with the data from other participants with similar genetic, diseasomic, environmentomic, and demographic profiles.

Experiment

All of human life can be considered a natural experiment. Occasionally, it is possible to appeal to experimental evidence.

Analogy

The effect of similar factors may be considered.

Plausibility

Plausibility

A plausible bio-chemical mechanism between cause and effect is critical. This is where human brains excel. Based on our responses so far, 0 humans feel that there is a plausible mechanism of action and 0 feel that any relationship observed between Sick/Hurt Today? and Overall Mood is coincidental.

Relationship Statistics

Property Value
Cause Variable Name Sick/Hurt Today?
Effect Variable Name Overall Mood
Sinn Predictive Coefficient 0.058334660429727
Confidence Level LOW
Confidence Interval 1.9123341864895
Forward Pearson Predictive Coefficient -0.613
Critical T Value 1.833
Average Sick/ Hurt Today? Over Previous 24 hours Before ABOVE Average Overall Mood 2.5 out of 5
Average Sick/ Hurt Today? Over Previous 24 hours Before BELOW Average Overall Mood 3.67 out of 5
Duration of Action 24 hours
Effect Size strongly negative
Number of Paired Measurements 9
Optimal Pearson Product 0.67846667198913
P Value 0.34337280287472
Statistical Significance 0.0011
Strength of Relationship 1.9123341864895
Study Type population
Analysis Performed At 2021-08-30
Number of Participants 1

Sick/Hurt Today? Info

Property Value
Variable Name Sick/Hurt Today?
Aggregation Method MEAN
Analysis Performed At 2020-10-09
Duration of Action 24 hours
Kurtosis 2.3008742722838
Maximum Allowed Value 5 out of 5
Mean 3.23865 out of 5
Median 3.25 out of 5
Minimum Allowed Value 1 out of 5
Number of Aggregate Predictors 22
Number of Aggregate Outcomes 4
Number of Measurements 15
Number of Measurements (including those generated by tagged, joined, or child variables) 15
Public true
Onset Delay 0 seconds
Standard Deviation 1.4510097034096
Unit 1 to 5 Rating
User Variables 2
UPC 0
Variable Category Symptoms
Variable ID 5952398
Variance 2.3007575757576

Overall Mood Info

Property Value
Variable Name Overall Mood
Aggregation Method MEAN
Analysis Performed At 2020-09-12
Duration of Action 24 hours
Kurtosis 3.3832907631011
Maximum Allowed Value 5 out of 5
Mean 3.1202433341482 out of 5
Median 3.1415600073553 out of 5
Minimum Allowed Value 1 out of 5
Number of Aggregate Predictors 6425
Number of Aggregate Outcomes 712
Number of Measurements 617070
Number of Measurements (including those generated by tagged, joined, or child variables) 561596
Public true
Onset Delay 0 seconds
Standard Deviation 0.38176118810538
Unit 1 to 5 Rating
User Variables 9142
UPC 767674073845
Variable Category Emotions
Variable ID 1398
Variance 0.30220747449488

Cite This Study

APA Format
Sinn, M. P. (2026). Higher Sick/Hurt Today? Predicts Significantly Lower Overall Mood for Population. The Journal of Citizen Science. https://studies.crowdsourcingcures.org/study/cause-5952398-effect-1398-population-study
BibTeX
@misc{sinn_cause_5952398_effect_1398_population_study_2026,
  author = {Sinn, Mike P.},
  title = {Higher Sick/Hurt Today? Predicts Significantly Lower Overall Mood for Population},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {The Journal of Citizen Science},
  url = {https://studies.crowdsourcingcures.org/study/cause-5952398-effect-1398-population-study},
  note = {Accessed: January 3, 2026}
}
Chicago/Turabian
Sinn, Mike P. "Higher Sick/Hurt Today? Predicts Significantly Lower Overall Mood for Population." The Journal of Citizen Science. Accessed January 3, 2026. https://studies.crowdsourcingcures.org/study/cause-5952398-effect-1398-population-study.