Mood as Information
Mood can influence both an evaluation and the way information is processed. The research discussed here links happy moods with greater reliance on heuristics and sad moods with closer attention to detail, without making either response inevitable.
THE IDEA
People may judge their lives more positively when they feel happy. Schwarz (1987) reported that even finding a dime could temporarily influence general life-satisfaction ratings. A passing mood can therefore affect a broad judgment that seems to concern more lasting circumstances.
The research discussed here also links mood with processing style: happy moods can encourage reliance on general knowledge or heuristics, while sad moods can encourage attention to specific details. These are tendencies, not rules for every person or task.
One explanation is that people treat their feelings as information about the situation. Other processes may also contribute, and the context affects how mood enters a judgment.
When to use it
In marketing research, test whether mood changes how people respond to a message instead of assuming a happy audience needs emotion and a sad audience needs facts.
During negotiations, check whether either party’s current mood is coloring the evaluation of an offer; do not infer their reasoning style from mood alone.
When making important decisions, check your mood to avoid relying too heavily on heuristics when careful analysis is needed.
In user experience design, consider that users in a positive mood may be more tolerant of minor issues, while those in a negative mood may notice details more critically.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Dime and Life Satisfaction
Schwarz’s reported dime finding illustrates how a small, temporary mood change can influence a broad life-satisfaction rating. It does not mean finding a dime will improve everyone’s judgment of their life.
Processing Strategy Variation
A person in a good mood might accept a persuasive message at face value (heuristic processing), while a person in a sad mood might scrutinize the arguments more carefully (systematic processing).
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
Think of a time when you made a quick decision while in a good mood. Did you rely on heuristics? How might your decision have been different if you were in a bad mood?
How can awareness of your current mood help you choose an appropriate processing strategy for a complex task?
Consider how your mood affects your overall life satisfaction. Are you more likely to see the glass as half full when you're happy?
Often confused with
References
- Mood and Judgment — Schwarz (1987)
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Heuristics and Biases The Psychology of Intuitive Judgment (Thomas Gilovich, Dale Griffin, Daniel Kahneman)