Maintenance and absorption of positive affect by simple and intensive, complex decision-making

The maintenance of positive mood is an important factor for the effect of p ositive mood on information processing. Simple as well as intensive process ing is taken as evidence for mood maintenance. Two experiments tested this possibility. In the first study a positive or neutral mood was induced in 6 5 participants. Then, to induce simple or intensive processing, half of eac h group made a complex decision with a task- or emotion-relevant goal. Meas ures of information processing, feeling state, and intrinsic motivation wer e Collected. Results showed that simple processing with an emotion-relevant goal led to mood maintenance and intensive information processing with a t ask-relevant goal led to an absorption of positive mood. Considering possib le contrast and demand effects the second experiment (N=60) replicated the results. Mood-changing properties of the task are discussed as moderating v ariables for the maintenance and absorption of positive mood.