MOOD AND THE FORMATION OF ATTITUDES

Two studies were conducted to examine how mood influences the attitude s we form. After reading the Velten mood induction cards, subjects wer e presented with positive and negative belief statements about an unfa miliar attitude object. Measures of attitudes, statements recalled, an d evaluations of statements were taken. In both studies, mood was show n to influence attitudes. Moreover, in Study 1, subjects evaluated bot h positive and negative statements in line with their mood. These resu lts are consistent with the research of Mackie and Worth on the effect s of positive mood on persuasion, and suggest that negative mood may a lso operate to encourage the use of heuristic processing of informatio n. No evidence was found for a mood-congruity effect in either study.