Mood and Evaluative Judgment
The cited studies report that people in positive moods often evaluate products, people, and life circumstances more favorably than those in negative moods. The passage discusses both mood-congruent recall and using feelings as information.
THE IDEA
MOOD AND EVALUATIVE JUDGMENT
As many researchers have observed, almost any target is likely to be evaluated more favorably when the judge is in a positive rather than negative mood (for reviews see Clore, Schwarz, & Conway, 1994; Forgas, 1995; Morris, 1989; Schwarz & Clore, 1996). Experimental demonstrations of this basic finding range from satisfaction with consumer goods (e.g., Isen, Shalker, Clark, & Karp, 1978) and the evaluation of other persons (e.g., Forgas & Bower, 1987), activities (e.g., Carson & Adams, 1980), and past life events (e.g., Clark & Teasdale, 1982) to reports of happiness and satisfaction with one’s life as a whole (e.g., Schwarz & Clore, 1983). Moreover, these influences translate into overt behavior (see Isen, 1984, for a review). For example, Saunders (1993) observed that “the weather in New York City has a long history of significant correlation with major stock market indexes” (p. 1344): The market is more likely to go up on sunny than on cloudy days, and this relationship is reliable when nonweather variables are controlled for. Hirshleifer and Shumway (2001) confirmed this observation for 26 stock exchanges in different countries. Apparently, “investor psychology influences asset prices” (Saunders, 1993, p. 1345) and investors are more optimistic about their likely returns on sunny than on gloomy days.
In most studies, moods have been experimentally induced, either by minor events (e.g., finding a dime, receiving a cookie), exposure to valenced material (e.g., watching a sad video, recalling a happy event from one’s past), or natural circumstances (e.g., sunny or rainy weather), with similar results across different manipulations. The impact of moods on evaluative judgment has been traced to two different processes, namely mood-congruent recall of valenced material from memory and the use of one’s feelings as a source of information.
When to use it
Be mindful of your mood when evaluating job candidates to avoid unfair bias.
Consider mood as a factor when making investment decisions, especially on days with extreme weather.
When interpreting customer satisfaction surveys, account for the possibility that respondents' moods may influence their ratings.
In performance reviews, use consistent evidence and criteria, and reconsider judgments made during a strong emotional reaction.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Stock Market and Weather
Saunders (1993) and Hirshleifer and Shumway (2001) reported a relationship between sunshine and stock-market performance. The passage describes markets as more likely to rise on sunny than cloudy days; that does not mean they necessarily fall on cloudy days.
Consumer Satisfaction and Mood Inductions
Isen et al. (1978) demonstrated that participants who found a dime rated consumer goods more favorably than those who did not, showing that even a minor positive event can bias evaluative judgments.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
Recall a time when your mood influenced your evaluation of a product or person. How might the outcome have differed if you were in a different mood?
Consider how weather or other environmental factors might affect your daily decisions. Have you noticed any patterns?
When making an important judgment, what steps can you take to account for your current mood and reduce potential bias?
References
- Isen, Shalker, Clark, & Karp (1978) — Isen, Shalker, Clark, & Karp (1978)
- Schwarz & Clore (1983) — Schwarz & Clore (1983)
- Saunders (1993) — Saunders (1993)
- Hirshleifer & Shumway (2001) — Hirshleifer & Shumway (2001)
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Heuristics and Biases The Psychology of Intuitive Judgment (Thomas Gilovich, Dale Griffin, Daniel Kahneman)