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Inflated responsibility and perseverative checking: the effect of negative mood
Benie MacDonald1, Graham C L Davey
1Department of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom.
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
|February 16, 2005
Summary
Perseverative checking, a symptom of compulsive behaviors, is influenced by inflated responsibility and mood. Negative moods combined with inflated responsibility significantly increase checking perseveration.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Perseverative checking is a key feature in compulsive behaviors.
- The mood-as-input hypothesis suggests mood influences cognitive processes.
- Inflated responsibility is a proposed factor in perseverative checking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the mood-as-input hypothesis regarding inflated responsibility and perseverative checking.
- To investigate how mood valency interacts with inflated responsibility in driving checking behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments utilized an analog checking task.
- Participants' inflated responsibility and mood valency were manipulated.
- Perseveration was measured using various indicators relevant to compulsive checking.
Main Results:
- Perseverative checking was significantly affected by the interplay of inflated responsibility and mood valency.
- Inflated responsibility only facilitated checking perseveration when participants were in a negative mood.
- Inflated responsibility alone was insufficient to cause checking perseveration.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the mood-as-input hypothesis.
- The combination of negative mood and inflated responsibility is crucial for perseverative checking.
- Understanding these interactions offers insights into compulsive checking mechanisms.