Happy mood decreases self-focused attention

Green, J.D., Sedikides, C., Saltzberg, J.A., Wood, J.V. and Forzano, L-A.B. (2003) Happy mood decreases self-focused attention. British Journal of Social Psychology, 42 (1), 147-157. (doi:10.1348/014466603763276171).

Abstract

Research addressing the influence of happy mood on self-focused attention has yielded inconsistent results. Some studies found that happy mood decreased self-focus relative to sad mood. Other studies did not detect a significant difference between happy and neutral mood, and still other studies found that happy mood, relative to neutral mood, increased self-focus. These investigations have potential shortcomings, such as an insufficiently powerful happy mood induction and a confound between visualization mood inductions and self-focus itself. The present experiment addressed these shortcomings by inducing mood via musical selections, equalizing the approximate potency between happy and sad moods, and using a within-participants design. Relative to neutral mood, happy mood decreased self-focused attention.

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Contributors

Author: C. Sedikides

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