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Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effect of Induced Emotion on Grammar Learning
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Does mood really influence comparative optimism? Tracking an elusive effect.

Sasa Drace1, Olivier Desrichard, James A Shepperd

  • 1Université de Savoie, Chambéry, France.

The British Journal of Social Psychology
|December 26, 2008
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Prior research suggesting positive moods enhance comparative optimism is questionable. New studies found mood manipulations did not affect optimism, but autobiographical recall did, possibly due to experimenter demand.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Social Psychology

Background:

  • Previous studies suggested a link between positive moods and increased comparative optimism.
  • Methodological limitations in prior research cast doubt on these findings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of mood on comparative optimism, controlling for potential confounding factors.
  • To compare the efficacy of different mood induction methods on comparative optimism.

Main Methods:

  • Experiments 1-4 utilized a mood manipulation designed to minimize experimenter demand.
  • Experiment 5 compared this mood manipulation with an autobiographical recall procedure.
  • Study 6 explored the role of experimenter demand in autobiographical recall effects.

Main Results:

  • Mood manipulations in Experiments 1-4 did not yield evidence for an effect on comparative optimism.
  • Autobiographical recall, unlike the mood manipulation, significantly influenced comparative optimism in Experiment 5.
  • Preliminary findings suggest experimenter demand may explain the effects observed with autobiographical recall.

Conclusions:

  • The direct effect of induced positive moods on comparative optimism remains unsubstantiated.
  • Autobiographical recall may influence comparative judgments through mechanisms other than mood, potentially involving experimenter demand.