Temporal dynamics of induced mood and its relationship with modality and individual trait

Mood induction serves as a critical experimental framework for investigating affective neural mechanisms. While neurobiological evidence suggests that affective states are inherently dynamic, research on mood induction has paid little attention to the evolving trajectories of induced moods. This study examined how the effect of mood induction unfolds over time in visual and auditory modalities, using both implicit and explicit measures. The results revealed temporal dynamics of affective states following the mood induction in a manner mainly dependent on the induced mood and the measurement type. Specifically, fear induction persistently elevated explicit negative affective states, with this persistence linked to individual depression trait. In contrast, happy induction produced comparable effects on both implicit and explicit positive states, but these effects diminished rapidly within 10 min. These observations demonstrate modality-independent patterns of mood induction across visual and auditory domains and highlight the dissociation between implicit and explicit measures in tracking affective changes over time. The study underscores the importance of analysing these temporal trajectories to better understand the functional output of neural affective regulation circuits, likely contributing to the development of more nuanced frameworks for affective research and of more personalized coping strategies to enhance affective well-being.