A double-structure structural equation model for the study of emotions and their components

It is a common practice in psychology to explain observations from underlying concepts. The observations are considered to be expressions of the concept or caused by the concept, and in return the observations are considered to be a tool for the measurement or the identification (operational definition) of the concept. This way of thinking is at the basis of psychometric models, such as structural equation models and item response theory (Borsboom, Mellenbergh, & van Heerden, 2003).